Politics
(Nozomi– Next day)
"When is this negotiation with Lady Ohara meant to take place?" Lady Minami asked Nozomi as the pair walked down the hall.
"I told her I would send a messenger ahead to let them know." Nozomi replied "Once we have the rescue plan and the succession sorted, I will send the message."
As the pair reached a pair of double doors Lady Minami stopped and Nozomi could see the concern on the older woman's face.
"You going to be, ok?" Nozomi asked.
"Would you be if the roles were reversed?"
"I guess not."
Nozomi saw the older woman take a deep breath and close her eyes as she tried to compose herself, even so Nozomi could faintly tell the older woman was showing a tiny amount of the strain after everything she had gone through in the last few weeks.
"Shall we?" Nozomi asked quietly.
Lady Minami nodded silently before she pulled the door open and walked inside with Nozomi quickly following the older woman, inside the chamber was Riko and Tsuki who had been midway through a discussion, before the two had walked in.
Nozomi could clearly tell the room had chilled slightly and the twin tailed girl could see Riko glaring at Lady Minami, who for her part was trying to remain neutral seemingly trying not to provoke an argument.
"Riko," Nozomi began with a smile "I was wondering if we might have a word with Tsuki in private please."
Riko turned and looked at Tsuki who gave the redhead a nod "Very well Lady Tojo." Riko said in warm tone as she looked at Nozomi which was the complete opposite to how the room felt a moment ago.
"Nozomi please."
"Nozomi." Riko said before turning to Lady Minami and her mannerism changed in an instant gone was the warm tone and back was the cold one "Lady Minami." Riko said with a mix of frustration and anger before leaving the chamber.
"It would seem she's still angry at you." Tsuki said while pointedly not looking at Lady Minami.
"So it would seem," Lady Minami sighed "And what about you Tsuki?"
"I would have thought that was obvious."
"I admit I lied to you and Yo and I'm sorry but I felt I couldn't take the risk."
"Yet you could with others." Tsuki growled.
"No, I lied to them too, I told them Umi was living in isolation in a temple, they didn't know she was a ronin or still fighting till we reached the Tojo lands."
"And why did you tell them that?" Tsuki asked.
"Umi asked me to." Nozomi spoke up "She felt it was for the best to not have you all react negatively and do something rash, she didn't want you all starting a war on her behalf."
"So why were we not told this information?"
"I only told the story Umi wanted me to tell, to those she wanted and I felt I could trust, anyone I wasn't sure about I told them Umi was dead, the only ones who knew the whole truth was myself and Tatsumi."
"How could you not trust us?" Tsuki growled.
"Because Riko was right, I didn't know who was loyal and who wasn't, it was why I spent a lot of time at both your castles to keep an eye on you two, power and opportunities breed treachery and you and Yo have a claim to the Minami clan, all it would have taken was you two seeing an opportunity, getting ambitious and Kira saying the right words, I felt I couldn't take the risk."
"If you were so worried me and Yo were going to betray you, then you really didn't know either of us at all." Tsuki huffed "Then again all this was for nought anyway so maybe Riko's idea of leaving you isn't such a bad one."
"Tsuki, please." Nozomi cut in trying to smother an argument before it ignited "We came here to talk about something important."
Tsuki looked up at the ceiling for a moment before she dropped her head back down again "What do you wish to talk about?" Tsuki said with a resigned sigh.
"The succession." Lady Minami said quietly.
"The succession?"
"Maybe we should sit down before we continue." Nozomi suggested, the two other women however just stared at each other for a moment and Nozomi could sense the tension rising in the chamber before Lady Minami sighed and sat down first, Tsuki took second before wearily sitting down in front of the older woman and finally by Nozomi.
"So what about the succession did you want to talk about, if me and Riko will still support Kotori if you choose to ignore it?"
"Would you?" Lady Minami asked quietly.
"I might, I doubt Riko would." Tsuki replied "Is that what you wanted to ask?"
"I wish it were." Lady Minami said before nodding to Nozomi.
"We wanted to ask you about taking over from Kotori." Nozomi said seeing the older Minami flinch at the words.
"Taking over?" Tsuki asked shocked.
"Yes, taking over, you would be the next heir to Minami clan." Nozomi could see the confusion wash over Tsuki's face like a wave on a beach "You are a blood relative; you have a claim."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because if we don't stop Kira here then he will take everyone else's lands next and our friends will end up in shackles to him and we don't want that."
"I'm not sure I follow." Tsuki said confused.
"You fought Kira and my troops believe we are fighting to remove Kira and put the rightful heir on the throne."
"Which we aren't because Lord Minami disowned Kotori." Tsuki growled.
"Correct and without that cause our army will melt away, but we do have other options…"
"I see." Tsuki interrupted "Since Kotori's not the heir anymore you need another option and me and Yo both have a claim as we are related to the Minami clan."
"Correct." Lady Minami replied.
"And what did Kotori say to all this?"
"We haven't spoken to her yet."
"Why?"
"Because we wanted to know where you stand before we talked to her about it." Lady Minami sighed "Plus we think we know what her response will be."
"And what will become of Kotori if I say yes?"
"I have a plan for that, don't worry I think it will meet with her approval." Nozomi smiled "So what do you say to our proposal."
"Let me guess, you think she will just let it go?" Tsuki asked getting flinch from Lady Minami in responce "Take that as a yes." Tsuki mumbled.
Tsuki let out a breath before standing up and turning her back to the pair "So having first worried about me or Yo taking the title away from your daughter you are now offering it to me on a silver plate."
Nozomi saw Lady Minami make to speak but the older woman stopped herself though the twin tailed girl could see the woman's hands clench.
"Very well." Tsuki said turning back to the pair "If Kotori doesn't want to the title any more then fine, I'll do it, but just to be clear I'm not doing this for you Lady Minami I'm doing this for my friends."
"Thank you Tsuki." Nozomi smiled.
"Don't thank me yet, my acceptance has some conditions to it."
"What conditions?"
(Maki)
Maki felt her frustration bubbling as she lay on her futon alone in her chamber, Nico was discussing the plan to try and rescue Yo and Ruby but Nico had point blank refused to allow Maki to know the plan or take part in the plan 'Why not Nico, you know I'll worry about you.' Maki growled in her head as her frustration increased.
Just then Maki heard the chamber door open and the ninja entered the chamber looking exhausted "Rough time?" Maki asked as she sat up trying to sound as neutral as possible.
"Urgh, you have no idea." Nico groaned "Trying to sneak three people into a heavily fortress, when one of them has no training whatsoever and is not in the right mindset is a right pain."
"Three?" Maki asked as she stood up, feeling a chill in her heart and anger levels increasing.
"Yes three, me, Yoshiko and Riko."
'Oh so you can take Riko, who's got no training, but not me.' Maki thought angrily.
"Hey, what's that look for?" Nico said confused.
"What look?" Maki growled.
"That furious, though cute look."
Maki turned away with a slight blush at the compliment 'Damn it, Nico stop making it hard to be mad at you.' Maki growled in her head "Maybe the fact you're breaking your promise."
Maki heard Nico let out a sigh and she knew the ninja knew what she was talking about "So that's why you've been slightly stand offish."
Maki looked surprised at the ninja who just smiled at the pinkette "How did…?"
"You hid it well, I thought it was just because I wasn't spending so much time with you." Nico said with a smile before her face turned serious "I never promised I wouldn't take risks Maki."
"No, but you said you won't take any unnecessary risks!" Maki growled.
"We need to rescue Yo and Ruby, with them as hostages Kira can use them as leverage."
'Damn it, stop being right!' Maki growled internally "Then let Yoshkio and Riko do it, you don't have to."
"It's not like I want to go and leave you behind." Nico sighed.
"Then don't!" Maki felt her frustration bubbling further.
"But i'm the best there is Maki, I need to do this, Riko's not trained and Yoshiko is going to have her hands full, we all have our responsibilities Maki, this one is mine."
Maki felt her frustration burst over as she turned to face the ravenette "Then I'm coming with you."
"What, Maki no!"
"Why not?" Maki growled.
"You're not trained as a ninja and I've already got one person to deal with who's not trained."
"You mean I'm not good enough."
"That's not what I said, to be a ninja takes years of training."
"And you've trained me for years."
"That's different."
"Is it, in order to know how to avoid a ninja attack you need to know their methods don't you?"
Maki could see Nico scowl for a second before muttering "I suppose."
"And I've had the number one ninja training me, that's got to count for something."
"Flattery won't help you case," Nico said with a blush "And this is still different, we aren't trying to assassinate someone here, we are trying to sneak in, break someone out and sneak out again."
Maki was quiet for a second trying to think of a counter before an idea hit her "Well that's even better."
"How?" Nico asked confused.
"Well to sneak into a fort you need guile and charm and you know I am good at that." Maki said with a coy look "Especially the latter."
Nico face turned bright red, before growling "Ok you got me there."
"So if you need to distract a guard, I'm perfect."
"This is not like seducing women for a one nightstand!" Nico growled.
"Ooh jealous, are we?"
"That's underhand." Nico grumbled.
"I learned from the best." Maki countered before letting out a breath "Nico, I lost one love I can't do so again and we both know what will happen if you get caught."
"Which will be much more likely if you're with me." Nico said looking away.
"And yet you're taking Riko and she's far less capable than me at this kind of thing." Maki said feeling a tear come to her eye, though her anger remained "Nico I want to be with you so I know that nothing bad will happen to happen to you, let me come with you."
"No!" Nico said her face scrunching slightly.
"Then tell me why, I'm not letting you go tell you do." Maki said quietly with a sniff "I was already mad when I thought you were going with just Yoshiko, why can you take Riko but not me, do you doubt me?"
"It's not you it's us." Nico muttered.
"What?" Maki said surprised.
"If you go in with me, I'll be distracted and if I get distracted, I'll make a mistake and if I do that…then we'll both be captured or dead" Nico said choking at the end "I can't take that thought."
Maki felt her anger extinguish and her heart crack at the sight of an upset Nico her heart tugging her towards the upset ravenette, Maki walked slowly toward the shorter girl, as she reached her Nico the pinkette gently brushed a tear off Nico's cheek "That won't happen Nico, your far too skilled for that."
"But…" Nico began but Maki cut her off by placing a finger on the ninja's lips.
"Hey, you're the best, you're too good to let that happen to either of us, unless something stupid happens I will do whatever you tell me to do without question, the only person we need to worry about is Riko and I'm better able to hold her back if needs be, please Nico please let me come with you."
Maki saw Nico open her mouth to speak only to close it tight and scrunch her face before sighing "Why can't I say no to you?" Nico growled "Ok but you have to do exactly as I say when we get there."
"I promise."
"I'm still not sure about this." Nico grumbled.
"I know, I'm not sure myself, but let me help you forget that worry." Maki said before capturing Nico's lips with her own.
"Underhanded."
"I learned from the best."
(Nozomi)
"You wished to see me, Lady Tojo?" Nozomi heard Riko ask as she entered the daimyo's chamber.
"Yes, I did." Nozomi said with a smile "And you don't need to be so formal with me Riko, please call me Nozomi."
"Sorry Nozomi."
"It's ok." Nozomi smiled before she gestured for the redhead to sit next to her in front of a sand map of the Minami land.
"What did you need to speak to me about?"
"Two things." Nozomi said turning to the map "The first is information."
"And the second?" Riko asked with a raised brow.
"The second is to do with something Tsuki asked me about?"