A bellflower for your garden.

Late night encounters

          ... He walked among the trees, tracking the small group of men circling the fire. Unnoticed, like the dream that snatches your ankles when you least expect it, he observed, leaves caressing his figure and keeping it safe. His grey hood lowered over his alabaster skin, only his golden orbs gleaming in the moonlight. His footsteps almost as light as the breeze's breath upon the tall grass. His spirits high and bloodthirsty this night – electrified.

          "So these are the men that want Nobunaga dead and the Eastern borders brought to their sole care, so that they impose traffic control and taxes, huh?" he though and snickered. As long as he was alive, no-one could effectively trap or harm his lord. Despite the rumors he had initiated and helped burn him down for a traitor, Mitsuhide shared a deep devotion towards Nobunaga's dream of a unified, free and – most of all – of equal status and opportunity Japan.

          He registered the small number of men here and wondered where the rest of them were hiding. This was a rocky area, full of potential caves to hide a rather medium-sized army. Unless he could coax it out of them, he had no chance of gaining real knowledge over their opponents. He had to face them out in the open. He lowered his hood and separated himself from the shadows – his natural habitat.

          He walked closer to the lit fire, his stride proud as always. Kazuki, the daimyo he had come here to meet in person, stood up and came to greet him with a cup of steaming tea. Mitsuhide smiled and bowed, refusing the tea, hiding his distaste of the whole matter. He came here to find proof that the Eastern borders were in peril, that these daimyos were trying to assassinate Nobunaga and, further, that their cause was financially and morally supported by a certain Shogun. He needed number of men, strategic points of attack, crests, colours, anything!

          "So nice of you to join us, lord Akechi..." said the daimyo as he led Mitsuhide among the seated men. All were eyeing him up, half loathing the image of the traitor and half ready to kiss his feet for the information to bring precious Nobunaga down. How he despised them... Weaklings that needed monetary safety and power to truly feel important! Pitiful men holding onto life as if it was owed to them...

          "It was nice to be considered as an ally, lord Kazuki... I see representative heads of three clans here tonight... No names are necessary, for I understand cowardice when I see it in the eyes of men not ready to face the Oda army in an open field..." he said, eyeing their reactions. Being hunted for nearly three months had worn off his patience and camouflage. He was so very tired and she was so far away... He sighed, blowing her intense image from his mind to concentrate. He would probably never see her again...

          The four men stood up, openly agitated and offended, moving about too much – which allowed Mitsuhide to register their crests and colours under their black cloaks. Aha! Now, to stir a fight and see their men! He remained calm and unaffected. All in good time...

          Kazuki calmed them down. As they took their seats again, Mitsuhide grabbed a lit charcoal to play with and started talking. "We do not have much time. Nobunaga will march out of Azuchi at the end of next month, to attend a festival near Kyoto. It is our best chance to either take hold of his hometown when he is away – where I can lead you into the library and tenshu, or you can attack him and the small entourage en route and take him hostage until you sign a favorable peace treaty. IF you have armies on the ready, that is... Which I doubt..."

          The lords murmured, spat and returned to conversing about overthrowing Nobunaga. It was obvious that, no matter how grave the traitorous accusation by Hideyoshi himself was, no matter how many weeks he was hunted as one, Mitsuhide was not yet to be trusted openly. Took all of his skills in subterfuge and indirect interrogative methods to learn of their numbers and hidden armies, but patience was a virtue that gave him numbers in the end. Spirits were suspicious, though!

          "Why should we need you, then, since we now know he is leaving? We will march into town with our armies and take over everything! You are to be executed! Pathetic little traitor, you will betray us once the wind changes!" one of them growled.

          "My my my... Be my guest. Execute me and raid Azuchi castle. Fall into the town's labyrinth and later traps. Be burned or boiled alive, why should I care? Trigger the hidden contraptions and let all paperwork burn! Go to your Shogun without any bargaining tool or proof of your claims and be executed like the simple-minded little mice you are! GO ON! Kill me and see where that takes you!" he yelled in the end, his eyes fired up! They were no real match for Nobunaga as single units, but together and aided by that sorry excuse of a human that was financing the whole ordeal, they could become like a septic toe that could spread to the entire body! They needed to be dealt with fast!

          "I do not think any of us want open clash or war in our hands. Lord... Akechi has proven useful in the past and... we need his inside looks on things... for now..." said someone else, nodding.

          "We have an agreement then! Kindly pay me and return my letter to you, lord Kazuki. I cannot allow any further proof of my subordination and double-crossing to reach Nobunaga's ears before I assist you in this. Those were the terms to begin with" Mitsuhide said as he opened his palm and waited. Kazuki eyed the rest of the lords and took a parchment from his chest pocket. With trembling hands, he handed it over.

          "I still do not understand why you need this... There is no way to be forgiven and to be allowed to return and aid us from within the castle. You are no fool, Akechi. Stay here and assist us! Those who are loyal to you will know and come to your call!" another warlord said, his gaze heavy and suspicious.

          "I never explain myself..." Mitsuhide said, as he secured the letter and the coins with the Shogun's face on them in his leather pouch by his heart. He knew Kazuki would pay him with freshly cut coins from that man. Now, he had all the proof he needed. Time to leave. He stood up on one smooth motion and turned around.

          He put the hood up, covering his silver strands once again. As he was slowly walking towards the exit of the forest, he used the charcoal he was holding to draw the three crests and write the names of the clans on the inside of his grey hood. He used the symbols only Kyubei would know how to translate, hoping that if his body was the last to arrive into Azuchi, his trusted vassal would know how to decipher his death note. He was no fool. He knew they had seen his eyes ablaze. He knew he would have to fight to get out and probably not make it back to Azuchi.

          He heard the footsteps behind him one breath before ducking to the left and avoiding a heavy blow to his kidney by Kazuki's dagger. He took his sword out. Before the night was over, he would indeed fight an army for the sake of his lord... And no one would even know... His last thought before screaming Nobunaga's name and throw himself onto the battle was her smile when she scolded him the last time they met... How her eyes mirror the moonlight in their deep, deep pools... Then, the fight was on!