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It was a cold wind that blew through the castle town. Birds were singing, flowers were trying to bud and the townspeople were busy in preparations for yet another successful day with the market.
Everything was peaceful…
“Princess! Aerion… wait!” An all to familiar voice rang out in the castle as the man attached to it rushed to the wooden walkway that led to the gardens following hot on the heels of the reluctant Princess.
“Why? So you can shoehorn me into that outfit? No way!” Aerion called out over her shoulder as she dropped down on to the gravel, minus her shoes, and ran in nothing but socks towards the gate.
Almost everything was peaceful.
The people in the market glanced towards the gates as the Princess burst free of its shadow. One pair, in particular, watched as she ran towards the lake.
“Wasn’t that Aerion?” Yukimura stood up frowning slightly in the direction of the noise.
“Looks like it.”
“Damn girl really is like a wild animal.” Yukimura shrugged and went back to laying out the trinkets Shingen had sent him to sell mumbling complaints about girly things being annoying. Sasuke continued to stand there for a moment watching as his friend disappeared further into the distance, and the figure following in her footsteps.
—
The sunlight was blinding as it played around on the surface of the water. She had to squint and hold her hand up just to try to focus on the fishermen and boats in the distance. Aerion sighed as she moved along the shore and found a slightly sheltered place to sit. She dragged her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees as she watched the birds floating on the water.
Nobunaga was expecting a visit from some traders and Hideyoshi had suggested that she join the meeting and support Nobu in his attempts to secure supplies. She had no issues with that as a general rule of thumb but there was something wrong with the requirement that she put on fancy-dress costumes that didn’t allow her to breathe in order to just sit there like a statue and have some random sailor ogle her.
“I wish I could be a bird…” She muttered lost in thought.
“Well, now there is an idea. What an interesting imagination you have my dear. Do tell me how you expect to succeed with such a plan when you cannot even remember to put on shoes.”
She nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned and saw a white figure standing behind her leaning against a tree in the shade. His smile was mocking but the warmth in his eyes was as bright as the sun on the lake.
“I might have known it was you. How do you always find me anyway?” Aerion shrugged and turned back to resting her chin on her knees watching the birds on the lake. Mitsuhide came closer and sat next to her a fabric bundle in his hand.
“That would be a secret Princess.” He chuckled softly stealing a sideways glance at the small female. Her feet were once more so muddy it was difficult to tell if she even had tabi on. Her hair was partly pinned up and falling down. He reached his long fingers up and teased some of her tangled hair free of the pins and began to comb his fingers through it. “Let me guess Hideyoshi was the reason for your sudden departure from the castle?”
“Isn’t he usually?” Aerion sighed and relaxed as the pressure on her head vanished. She really did fail to see the point in all this fuss. What was so wrong with just dragging your hair up into a side ponytail anyway? She became aware of a change in sensation and realised Mitsuhide had produced a comb from somewhere. “You brought a comb?!”
“I learnt when it comes to you little one that I should be prepared for most things.” His smile softened as he watched the teeth of the comb glide through the soft as silk hair in his hands. He had long since given up on the idea of denying the fact that her hair was something that pleased him. He still couldn’t quite place the feelings in himself when it came to mind that someone else had tried to tame the unruly locks, even less when it was another man. For the time being, he would play it safe and push aside those unhelpful flights of curiosity and focus on the way her hair tumbled through his hands.
“Hard to imagine you not being prepared for anything Mitsuhide.” Aerion spoke again turning away from him. He wanted her to look at him again.
“Mm, well there are times when a certain Princess goes beyond even my expectations.” He grinned knowing his teasing would draw her eye back to him.
“Hey! That’s just a fancy way of calling me difficult!” She exclaimed as she batted his arm playfully.
“And no less cute for it.” His voice was softer with no edge or tease to it. Her blue eyes remained locked on his wavering a little.
“That joke is in poor taste even for you.” Aerion huffed a little like a child which only caused him to bark out in amusement.
“Agreed. If it were a joke that is.” He didn’t miss the rosy shade her face had taken and took a little delight in knowing he was the cause. “Now little girls really shouldn’t go running around outside in bare feet.” He put the comb away in his sleeve again and made a poor show at acting scandalised.
“I don’t have bare feet I got socks on. See?” She lifted the hem of her Hakama enough to wiggle a foot at him.
“Poor dear Hideyoshi. I fear he will collapse at the sight of those.” Contrary to his words Mitsuhide was doing admirably poorly at masking his delight at the idea of the castle’s mother hen going insane over laundry. Picking up the fabric parcel he had been carrying he handed it over to the Princess.
“What’s this?” The knot was fairly tight and took a little effort to work it free. “Mitsuhide since when do you carry around sandals and socks?” Aerion could feel her jaw drop at the sight of a pair of fresh white tabi and some geta with low teeth on the soles.
“As I said before my dear it pays to be prepared when it comes to you.” From watching her practice with Hideyoshi as he instructed her in behaving like a real Princess he chose a pair that would at least allow her to walk without major risk of falling over.
“…. I’m surrounded by men trying to dress me up or treat me like a doll.” Aerion grumbled. Seriously if it wasn’t Masamune trying to feed her or Ieyasu handing her some sort of medicine complaining she was too soft to survive without it. Hideyoshi was trying to wrap her in so much silk she could be a Daruma doll and it felt like someone was always trying to gift her things.
“You are mistaken, my dear. This is not a desire to dress you up. Merely a means to prevent your feet from becoming injured.” Mitsuhide slipped the geta on her feet and then held out his hands to her so he could pull her up to standing. “Now then. It is rather late and I doubt you stopped at all in your escape to have lunch.”
“You’re going to feed me?” Her eyes sparkled with the idea of food. It was not something he could really say he understood but he could enjoy her expressions all the same.
“My my now you’re not so much a doll as a lost puppy.”
“Oh, shut up!”
—
The place he took her too was just off the main road in town. They had ducked under the fabric covering the door and instantly were transported into a world where the air was filled with warmth and mouth-watering smells.
“Is this your usual place?” She asked as she took a seat at the counter next to him.
“There are many shops in town, I frequent a few. This I discovered recently and thought you might enjoy it.”
“Oh? Well, now I really am curious.” Aerion looked over to the small window that showed the kitchen. A man with his sleeves tied back was standing in front of a pan that looked like it was hot as larva. He picked up things from a plate that seemed to be dripped and plopped them in causing the pan to crack and sizzle.
It took a few minutes but eventually, a platter covered in what looked like a battered and fried jigsaw was placed between them.
“Tempura?” Aerion marvelled at the unexpected golden clusters.
“You’ve had it before? It’s relatively new.” Mitsuhide masked the crestfallen feeling he had as his stomach suddenly felt like a cavern had opened up inside him.
“Oh? No, I mean I’ve heard of it but not really eaten it.” Aerion backpedalled. She had naturally eaten it before but attempting to explain time travel was just going to complicate things. Plus if she were completely honest she wasn’t certain she could explain wormholes even with guided notes from Sasuke. “What have we got here?” She picked up her chopsticks and tried rather clumsily to pick up a small piece.
“A mix of vegetables, fish and meat. The soy sauce is brought in from the same province as the sake.” Mitsuhide took on the role of a teacher as he explained more. Suddenly Aerion vanished and he couldn’t help but think that was rather a good trick for one to pull in front of him. Before he could look for her or call out someone else did.
“Mitsuhide?”
“Hideyoshi. And just when I was enjoying my food.” Mitsuhide turned to greet the approaching Warlord flashing his trademark smile.
“You never enjoy food.” Hideyoshi ended whatever might have been of Mitsuhide’s planned teasing whilst looking dubiously at the platter far too large for one person.
“Forthright as ever. What brings you here? Don’t tell me the castle staff have gone on strike after being told to prepare a feast for the guest?” Unwilling to give up their accustomed game of trading jibes Mitsuhide persisted so as to distract from what Hideyoshi might question next. Namely the portion control for the establishment.
“What? No of course not. I –” On cue Hideyoshi began to blunder his way through spoken language.
“Lost the Princess again?” As he said this Mitsuhide felt something touch his ankle.
“If you know then why ask? Have you seen her?” Hideyoshi pressed closer as if sharing a secret which caused the grip on Mitsuhide’s ankle to tighten.
“A Princess? I’ve seen a few…”
“I’m not asking about your trip to see the ladies at court I am looking for Aerion. She bolted like a rabbit from the castle earlier and I haven’t been able to track her down since.” Seemingly taken that Mitsuhide was being his usual difficult self Hideyoshi sighed and absentmindedly looked around the shop.
“How unfortunate. No, I haven’t seen her, I did have a mind to look for her myself later.” Mitsuhide’s smile became wider as he was now keenly aware that he had two targets at his mercy. And the one under the table had claws currently digging into his lower leg.
“And what did you have planned? You know she is Lord Nobunaga’s favourite. I won’t let you—”
“Oh relax. Why don’t you try some tempura?” Mitsuhide graciously indicated the stool next to himself. He didn’t imagine the small barely audible gasp as he shifted it slightly with one hand.
“Thanks, but I really should find her before it gets too dark and cold.” Hideyoshi declined and looked anxiously out the window at what he could see of the sky from this angle.
“You might try some of the stalls in town. A few traders have returned and I do know she is rather fond of their wares.” Mitsuhide picked up a piece of battered fish with his chopsticks and dipped it lightly with some soy before filling his mouth. He really couldn’t get the flavour but this texture was exquisite.
“Yeah, I’ll do that. Oh, and Mitsuhide?” Hideyoshi paused before leaving. “If you find her before I do…”
“I’ll be sure to bring the Princess back to the castle.” Mitsuhide gave a noncommittal wave without really looking at the other man. Five beats later and Aerion appeared at his elbow again.
“You enjoyed that far too much.” She grumbled looking adorably flustered.
“You wound me little one. You were after all the one to pull a vanishing act during dinner.” Mitsuhide brought both his hands up to his head cradling it as if in pain.
“You rather Hideyoshi caught me and joined us for real?” Aerion leant over and swiped the cup of sake from in front of the main cause for her desire for a strong drink.
“Certainly not. I make a point of avoiding conflict during dinner, does absolutely nothing for the digestion.” With a cheeky grin he dropped his hands and retrieved his chopsticks once more. “Come on now eat up I have to walk you home.”
—
When Aerion came back to her room there was a note left on her futon. She recognised the scrawling sand script anywhere.
I’m glad you managed to find your smile again. I’ll be gone for a week.
Talk soon. Sasuke
p.s. Happy Valentine’s Day
“It’s Valentine’s day!?” Aerion let out a cry as she let that bit of information register. She looked at the postscript several times before falling to her futon and looking across the room at the pair of sandals she had carried in with her. “Shoes and a meal. I might not have known the date but I don’t think I’ve had a Valentine’s in years that went this well.”
Not bothering to get undressed she lay back, snuffed out the lamp and closed her eyes. Within minutes she was out like a light.
—
Mitsuhide stood in silent observation secreted nicely in the gardens away from prying eyes as he watched the light dance in the Princess’s room. He smiled as he saw the shadows move knowing she was back safe. She had insisted on walking herself in and almost as soon as she said that he found a desire to stop that from happening. As with most of his recently discovered desires though however, he suppressed it and simply said “Goodnight Princess.”
Today had been eventful and he had enjoyed himself far more than he thought he should be allowed to. As the lamp was snuffed out in her room, he found his mind drift back to her by the shore. That hair like spun moonlight as it fell through his fingers. He picked his way through the grounds before leaving to return to his manor.
“Sweet dreams… Aerion.” With one last fond look back, his ghostly figure melted into the town and vanished.
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