White Fox

A Runaway Mouse

Aiko recovered well that night, despite her sleep being restless. It was still dark when she woke up, and she listened. There was no sound except for gentle, steady breathing. The blond-haired man—Ieyasu, she guessed from his medical expertise—had left as well, leaving her alone in the room to sleep. She hopped up and stretched her legs, wincing as a wave of exhaustion took over. Her immune system was probably overworked, but this was the best time to skedaddle, seeing as they wouldn't expect her to run when she was ill.

Castles usually have hidden pathways for people to make getaways. Not hostages of course, but the lords of the castle. All Aiko had to do was find one. Sneaking out of her room quietly, her footsteps sounded harsh to her ears, but she knew it was due to her sharpened hearing. No one else would have heard a sound.

Entering a room on the ground floor, she threw the tatami mats around until a cellar stood out. She pulled it open, and seeing a rope ladder, gingerly stepped onto it, letting go only when she was satisfied it would hold her weight. A gentle wind blew through the cellar, which meant it was connected with somewhere outside. She followed the underground path, looking for places where the dust was unsettled, and then came across a set of stairs. As she climbed, it led her out of the gates, into the heart of the castle city.

The best place to hide would be under their noses, and it wasn't like she had the resources to get out of Azuchi anyway. She couldn't even go back to her old home or job, since it would be easy to trace her. Hopefully, they'd leave her alone.

The sun had just begun to rise, and people were setting up their shops. Samurai had begun their patrols, and Aiko watched some people throw them looks of disdain.

A slightly run-down restaurant stood out. A man stood outside the shop, his eyes on the sky. Noticing her watching, he looked at her, and she returned the favor. It didn't seem like there was anyone else at the shop.

"Could I help out here for a bit?" she asked, deciding she had nothing more to lose.

A look of annoyance fluttered on his face, but then he bit his lip. Aiko could almost see the gears in his head turning as he fought with pride. "I'd rather not have a woman helping out at the shop—" he glanced back at the restaurant "—but you're obviously asking because you can see it's in dire straits." He looked back at her. "If you need a place to stay, there's a spare room in the back. What's your name?"

"Ai— I'm Suna Suiko," she rectified. "Thank you."

He nodded. "Don't thank me just yet."

Aiko spent the rest of the day learning the ropes of the job, finding the fast-paced environment rather fun. If not for the fact that the old man had a slightly misogynistic side to him. Whenever she made a minor mistake, he'd scoff and say it was because she was a woman. She'd glare at him discreetly when he made the same mistakes and brushed them off.

She was tending to the counter one day, where only a young samurai sat. Two more people walked in.

"Plums," said a man with stunning heterochromatic blue and green eyes.

Aiko took a second to admire the ethereal beauty of his eyes, completely ignoring the fact he was glaring at her. "We don't sell plums, but we do have dumplings."

The red-haired man who stood beside him smiled, and she took a step back when it seemed like the sun was shining on her. It was easier to ignore the shine after he opened his mouth. "I'm sure anything you make would be as sweet as you." Aiko narrowed her eyes at him, but his smile didn't waver at all. "I'm Shingen Takeda, and this is Kenshin Uesugi." He gestured to the man beside him, who was still glaring. "Your name?"

"Not your business."

"Suna," warned the owner who was listening in from the kitchen.

"Suna Suiko. I'll get the dumplings," she said, currently hating everyone in the shop.