Asami's Shadow (Ryoma's POV)

Chapter 13

"What do you think, Lord Ryoma?"

My eyes swept the table, I had been distant from the courts, I was no longer sure who could be trusted. A vague plan... I'll have to go see the emperor and Youta. I saw Keiko silently staring at the wall, a slight frown on her lips. Oh... she is mad. Wonder what she's thinking?

My attention was pulled away from her as one chuckled. "She is quite a sight, but to protect her..."

I frowned and he quickly looked away. "They will have to go to the emperor first."

The planning started there and it seemed as if everyone here was trying to keep her safe as well. The topic of why she wouldn't have returned home yet did come up, but they quickly redirected as it darkened my mood. Most of those gathered here knew I could be quite... violent when angered. Those that didn't just learned.

The key difference between me and my betrothed in that respect? I lacked control when I reached a certain point and it was hard to get me there in most cases, she... well do even the slightest thing to upset she could stew on it for days until she found a punishment she thought was suitable.

I froze when I glanced at where she was supposed to be. When? "Minister Jing?"

He looked at me curiously. "When did Lady Kaida take her leave?"

His eyes widened and he spun around. "How did sh-"

I abruptly stood and strode toward the door leading outside. She's running... Frantically, I scanned the courtyard and ran toward the entrance when I came up short. I should've paid more attention...

I heard horses and spun to see Jing guiding one to me. "They will be faster."

I nodded and got on. Him, I can trust... maybe... "Thank you."

I urged the beast forward and he set off in a gallop. I saw men in the distance and pushed him harder. I sighed in relief to see Kaida, ready to fight as always, and unharmed. Never a dull moment with this one...

I saw the leader of this merry band of ingrates and finally his name came to me. He was always a snake, now that I recalled, looking to line his pockets by any means necessary. I had no clue how he was still in the court. "What are you doing, Minister Bao?"

I didn't slow the horse until I was at her side. She decided not to draw her blade as the others came to aide. I looked over those who would hurt her and my blood boiled. I felt her step into my back and grab my sleeve and tensed. She... I could feel her face in my robes and my heart raced. I can't focus with her doing this...

I knew she wasn't afraid and she was playing the damsel perfectly, but I couldn't hold my anger when her body was pressed against mine. I could feel her shaking slightly and my back got damp. Is she... crying? What the hell? She's too good...

Fake or not it made my temper spike again as I glared at the minister as he was assessing how badly this would turn out. "My Lord... I was only going to escort Lady Kaida back to your estate, little ladies shouldn't be out this late by themselves."

"Liar..." Her voice dripped with venom as she whispered, it was betraying the tears seeping through my clothes. If not for the audience... he'd be dead already, but she is no condition to take them all on. I think... "He was taking me back to his property whether I wanted to or not."

Rage consumed me and I brandished my sword. He dies... tonight. "I'll give you one more chance to tell the truth."

He backed away from us. "Well it seems she has plenty of men to escort her now..."

Her head moved slightly as she watched. "If he runs, you fight here. I'll take care of him."

I glanced back at her, face wet from her tears. How... in her conditon... I turned back to the man as he gave a curt nod. "Have a pleasant night..."

His men descended and I felt Kaida's heat disappear. I met the first man's blow as I felt her move away from the fray. I couldn't stop her as three others joined him and sliced one's chest, a spray of blood emerged as I stabbed another. As I dodged the third, I saw her take flight towards the trees, my heart breaking. She's finally escaped...

The thought gave me pause and I felt the kiss of steel, it brought me back to the situation at hand as I moved to avoid further injury and faced my foe. I'll have to hunt her down, but I have to be alive to do it.

With that, I fell into a lethal dance; slicing, stabbing, evading, blocking... killing. It mattered little to me, these men meant to harm Keiko? Kaida? Sayomi?... Cho? I felt I no longer had an idea of who she was any more. Between the names and her seemingly effortless shifts in character, she was a conundrum.

But none of that mattered. Ayama was right, she was no longer the girl that played pranks in the castle, bringing joy to all that came in contact with her. Nor was she defiant girl who avoided me then gave me the very farewell she warned me of. She was not the teenager I spotted seducing a minister only to find him dead. The princess, handmaiden, the helpless girl I found at the lake. She was none of these girls and yet she was all of them.

Whoever she was, whoever she decided she was in that moment. I still loved her as much as I did when she was my little tiger. The girl who's love for her flute was only bested by that of her blades. The one who fought fiercely and protected everything she held dear with her life. My betrothed did not cower in the face of death as a child and she laughed at it now.

That was worth every man's life that would be lost in these few short moments. Her value exceeded the blood that stained my hands. Even, if she had chosen to flee to her princess, to continue to protect her, even die for her... I would never stop fighting.

Finally, the last of the enemy fell and I took stock of the men who fought beside me. All of them were alive, though not unscathed. Fear consumed me and I looked to where she had run. As though she knew, she appeared from the brush and began to come towards us. She stayed...

I sprinted in her direction stowing my blade. As soon as I reached her, I checked for injury, but she caught my hands. She didn't run, but... why? "I'm unscatched." She calmly took stock of me. "You need to have these treated."

The tension left my body as I smiled. It doesn't matter... "Let's go home."

She hesitated and I gently took her hand in mine. She didn't resist as I led her back and I noted the approving looks of those we passed. They began to talk about the minister and a small smirk played at her lips as they spoke about storming his home.

I said nothing, whatever she did, he deserved it. I noticed that her eyes swept over the dead in appreciation. The sight, smell, and bloodshed didn't faze her in the least, she enjoyed it. Definitely a long way from the girl who would only kill to get everyone home alive...

Finally, I had her home, where she was safe. She stood with me as I thanked everyone and softly did the same. None of them seemed to suspect she was anything more than a nobleborn girl or maybe even a princess. Nothing about her appearance said differently either. I was certain that Bao was dead, she was there as I began my slaughter, she fled into the trees... yet not a hair was out of place nor was there blood on her person. When the last of them left I looked at her debating. She may just kill me.