Inconvenience
(Eli – Late at night same day as meeting at Hanayo's castle)
"I really wish your family wasn't so good at picking castle locations Umi." Eli sighed as she looked out at Tatsumi's castle from a piece of high ground 'Even if we get over the bridge, we'd have only started a siege and we could be attacked from behind.'
Eli let out a sigh as she made to walk back to the camp giving the castle one last glance, as she turned away, she thought she could see movement towards the far end of the bridge, Eli waited a second but when she saw no more movement, she made her way back to the camp.
Once back in her tent the blonde sat in front of a handmade map of the castle, the chasm, the river and the bridges 'How on earth do we even do this?' Eli said to herself stumped, the blonde had tried to sneak over the bridge two nights ago but they had been discovered and forced back "Can't try that again." Eli muttered to herself as she started to take off bits of her armour.
After a few minutes of staring at the map trying to think of an idea, the air was ripped open by a shout "Attack!" followed by more shouts and cries.
Eli quickly grabbed her sword and rushed out her tent in just half her armour and missing her helmet, once outside she could see a small group of people in black attacking the troops guarding the bridge and river while also setting fire and pulling apart the barricades surrounding the bridge.
Just then Eli could hear the sounds of running feet on the bridge 'It's a sortie, damn!' Eli swore to herself before she drew her sword "All troops to the bridge, push them back!" the blonde shouted before running towards the bridge.
The first enemy soldier Eli reached tried to thrust at her with her Naginata, Eli dodged to the side grabbing the shaft as she did so, Eli then thrust her sword forward at the soldier, just then the blonde heard another soldier charging at her from her right.
Thinking quick Eli grabbed the soldier she had just been fighting and threw them to the side making the charging soldier stop to not trip over them fallen comrade and giving the blonde the time she needed, Eli turned to face him just as the soldier advanced to meet her, the soldier tried to strike downwards, Eli brought her sword up and parried the blade and moved the man's side before slashing down on the man's back.
Eli glanced behind and she could see that her troops had engaged the sortie and had been able to stop them advancing and were slowly pushing them back "Move forward!" Eli commanded.
Eli's attention was caught by a shout coming from to her front, Eli saw another soldier charging at the blonde with his sword drawn, Eli turned and swung her sword with one hand, the blonde's blade caught the man's sword and knocked it off target.
The man tried to strike downwards onto the blonde's head, seemingly angered his strike was stopped, Eli brought her sword up and parried the strike before she brought her blade down on to the man's shoulder.
The next thing Eli knew was she was struck across her back, the strike made her stumble forwards, the blonde turned to see another soldier had snuck behind her and tried to slash her back 'Unlucky for you I didn't take all my armour off.' Eli thought as her opponent tried to slash at the blonde.
Eli brought her sword up and block the woman's strike, the blonde quickly twisted her sword and thrust forward hitting the woman in the chest.
As her opponent fell Eli turned again and saw a man standing before her "Ryuzo." Eli said calmly "Looking to ruin our night?"
"Merely making a point." Ryuzo said before he slashed at the blonde, Eli parried the strike off but she still needed to duck out the way, the blonde tried to twist her blade to strike back but Ryuzo managed to block the strike.
Ryuzo followed the block by trying to thrust at Eli's neck but she was just able to step out the way, when she tried to slash at the man, he managed to step back just enough for the blade not to contact, though the blonde was able to see Ryuzo's clothing had been cut slightly.
Ryuzo instantly followed Eli's strike by pushing himself forwards and trying to slash down on the blonde's neck, however Eli was just quick to bring her blade upwards to parry the slash as she moved back, but Ryuzo's blade nicked her leg and the blonde in the could feel a burning in her upper right leg.
Ryuzo brought his sword up to strike downwards and Eli brought hers up to meet Ryuzo's strike blocking it once again, before Eli could move another of Ryuzo's soldiers attacked the blonde from behind the blonde to her left, the man tried to swing his Naginata at Eli but he had misjudged the distance and the head missed and the shaft hit the blonde instead and the blade caught Ryuzo lightly on his side, the strike made them both stagger away from each other.
Eli could feel her side was burning and every breath was painful for her, the blonde turned to face her attacker, she could see the man was still in shock that he had hit his lord by accident and wasn't paying attention to the blonde when she brought her blade on him.
Eli turned around to face Ryuzo, but the man was moving back to the bridge shouting orders for his troops to fall back, Eli held her side, as she dropped her head and hunched over slightly.
"My Lady!" One of Eli's soldiers shouted as he reached her "Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine." Eli gasped as she held her injured side.
"Should we pursue them?"
"No, order the troops to hold, they likely have archers waiting for us to follow them over." Eli gasped as she stood up straight again though her leg stung slightly at the weight being put back on it "They've done enough for tonight."
"Yes, my Lady."
'Nozomi's going to kill me when she hears about this.' Eli thought to herself as she slowly walked back to her tent.
(Nozomi – Morning)
"I know what you want to know." Nozomi said quietly as she heard the door to her chamber open.
"How did you know it was me?" Lady Minami asked as she closed the door.
"It would be the same for whoever entered." Nozomi said quietly "I've been asking myself the same question, what to do about Kotori?"
"And what do you suggest?" Lady Minami asked as she sat next to the twin tailed girl.
"I honestly don't know." Nozomi sighed defeated.
"The one time I hear you say that, is the one time I don't want to." Lady Minami sighed "If I can ask…?"
"I'm not going to hand her over to Kira, if that was your concern." Nozomi interrupted guessing the question "And I'm not going to stop Umi from guarding her, even disowned she's still in danger."
"That's good to hear." Lady Minami sighed with some relief.
"Do you really think Umi would let that happen?" Nozomi smiled sadly.
"No, that's what I like about her so much, her loyalty." Lady Minami said morosely "Can't we just ignore it."
"No, rumours are already spreading, apparently someone heard Kotori shouting about it to last night." Nozomi said quietly "Our armies are fighting thinking they are trying to restore Kotori, without that cause then we lose our armies."
"So what are we going to do?" Lady Minami asked.
"I think its best we start with asking Kotori herself what she wants."
"I would have thought that choice was obvious."
"I'm not so sure." Nozomi replied "And I think you know that."
Nozomi saw Lady Minami sigh and as the older woman did so her shoulders slumped and her face dropped slightly and Nozomi thought she looked tired and had aged a few years in a second "Since Umi…left, Kotori was always quiet and reclusive, she always looked fine but I could tell she was just acting the part she'd always find some reason to leave quickly and hide in a room somewhere, it wasn't helped by my husband becoming someone else during his final years, he was always suspicious of everyone around him."
"Can you blame her?"
"No." Lady Minami groaned as she lay back on the wood floor "If I'm really honest I think if you ask Kotori, she'd say she doesn't want it anymore, if she even really wanted it after Umi…I just don't want the Minami clan to end, not like this."
"It's not over if Kotori doesn't want the title anymore."
"How so?"
"You still have Tsuki and Yo, they are blood and have a claim, plus they are well respected."
Nozomi saw Lady Minami close her eyes a second before speaking "Do you really think Tsuki will want to do this or even talk to me right now."
"She's just angry, let her calm down a bit I'm sure she'll listen."
"I hate to ask, but could you come with me when I ask Tsuki I think she might be more likely to listen if you're there seeing as Tsuki and Riko are both angry at me and Riko seems ready to join you in the next five seconds."
"If you think it will help."
"Thanks, but what do we do about Kotori?"
"I'd need to talk to her first, but let the poor girl rest for now, she's been through a bit." Nozomi said quietly as an idea began to form in her mind.
(Kotori – Evening)
Kotori blinked as she opened the doors to her and Umi's shared chamber, the ashen girl turned and sat down near the entrance resting her back on a pillar looking into the chamber, despite herself she found herself smiling at the sight that met her.
Umi was asleep her back supported by Saki's cot and the little Sonoda was in the blunettes arms, Umi had apparently been up all last night keeping an eye on her and it had finally caught up with her.
'You can't keep doing that Umi, it's not healthy and I'm not worth it.' Kotori sighed to herself feeling a swelling of guilt in her stomach. Though the ashen girl had to admit this was one of the few times she'd had seen Umi really relaxed, her shoulders weren't so tense and she seemed almost peaceful.
The only time Umi seemed to move outside of breathing was when Saki would shift slightly, Umi would unconsciously move to, making sure her niece was comfy yet still safely in her arms, the sight was a bittersweet one for Kotori, on one hand she found the sight sweet and touching 'But you should be doing this at your home and with your sister.' Kotori thought as she brought her knees to her chest and rested her forehead on them.
'Why did you bring him dad?' Kotori asked in her head as the thought of what had been revealed last night came to her mind 'I wish this never happened; I wish it was all back to how it was.' Kotori groaned inwardly and a small sniff escaped.
Immediately Umi started to shift in her sleep "Kotori." the blunette mumbled quietly making Kotori look up and she could see the blunette was on edge and her shoulders were tightened, after a few moments Umi seemed to settle down and went back to a more relaxed posture.
"I see somethings never change." Came a quiet voice to Kotori's side.
"Maki?" Kotori said surprised and a little too loud as the pair heard Saki and Umi stir slightly, thankfully the two Sonoda's quickly settled down.
Maki placed a finger on her lips before pointing to the opposite side of the garden in front of the castle, Kotori nodded and followed the pinkette, once on the other side of the garden Kotori sat down placed so she could keep an eye on Umi and Saki.
"How are you doing?" Maki asked quietly as she leaned on a pillar.
"Not great." Kotori sighed keeping her eyes on the sleeping pair "My fathers will made what I did pointless." Kotori said quietly feeling the same black void opening in her stomach she had last night, the ashen girl had not left the chamber till now and that was only because she didn't want to disturb Umi or Saki "Though why do you care, I thought you hated me."
"I don't hate you Kotori, I was frustrated."
"I didn't want to do it!" Kotori pleaded "But Kira said…"
"I know." Maki sighed interrupting the ashen girl "That's not why I'm frustrated."
"Then why?"
"I understand you did what you did for family Kotori, what I don't understand is why you forgot that Umi was your family to."
Kotori felt a prang in her heart at her friend's words, the ashen girl brought her knees up to her chest again, resting her chin on her knees 'She's not wrong.' Kotori groaned in her mind guilt rising and Kotori could feel tear begin to prick at her eyes "How was she while…?" Kotori trailed off near the end.
"Quiet, sad, I'd often wake up to hearing her crying while she stayed with me." Maki sighed "She wasn't that different from how you first met her."
"I'm sorry." Kotori choked.
"It's not me you need to apologise to, though it seems she's already forgiven you." Maki replied, "Though I don't want to see her go through that again."
"Me either." Kotori muttered.
"I don't want you to go through it either."
"Huh?" Kotori turned surprised, looking up Kotori could see Maki with a smile on her face "I know I was cold when we first met and I've clashed with your mother and while I'm still not happy with her, I've let go that frustration at you, you're a victim in this to."
"Thanks Maki that means a lot." Kotori said her spirits raised a little.
"No problem." Maki said though her smile dropped slightly "Just don't hurt her or yourself this time, ok?"
"I won't." Kotori said defiantly 'I'm never hurting her again!'
Just then the pair heard footsteps coming from the corridor, Kotori looked over to see Nico not dressed in her usual Ninja attire but dressed as a hand maiden, the ashen girl turned to Maki who said, "It's complicated." Kotori looked back and saw Nico bow her head, she then saw Nico blink twice and Maki immediately pushed herself off the pillar.
"Sorry Kotori, I have to go, it was nice to talk to you, properly this time."
"Yes, it was." Kotori said before Maki walked off towards Nico. Kotori waited a moment till the pair were gone before stood up and walked back into the chamber closing the door as she did so, the ashen girl sat next to Umi her back also on the cot, Kotori rested her head on Umi's shoulder 'I won't hurt you again.' Kotori promised. Just as the ashen girl closed her eyes, she felt Umi's head shift gently touching her own, Kotori smiled and rested a hand on Umi's hands that were holding Saki.
(Nozomi - Next Day)
Nozomi had been looking up at the ceiling trying to think on what to do about Kotori when she heard her chamber door slide open, turning to the side she saw Hanayo standing before her nervously.
"Hanayo, what is it?"
"Your messenger just arrived back from the Ohara lands." Hanayo said holding up a piece of paper in her hand.
Nozomi beckoned the brunette over to her before taking the paper from the young girl and silently read it.
"What's does it say?" Hanayo asked quietly.
"Lady Ohara has agreed to a meeting." Nozomi said neutral face as she kept looking at the paper.
"Shall I tell Lady Minami?"
"No, not tonight, I'll tell her in the morning." Nozomi said before looking up and smiled the brunette "Thank you Hanayo, goodnight."
"Goodnight." Hanayo said with bow before she left the chamber.
'Well something seems to be going ok.' Nozomi thought to herself, though with a growing sense of worry for an unknown reason.