Ten Things I Hate About Mitsuhide

Chapter 16 - Mitsuhide's POV: Mistake Compounded

"The usual place?" Goro slung the unconscious priest over his shoulders as easily as if he were carrying a sack of rice from the fields. The man had been a farmer once, before the wars displaced his clan. Eventually, he found his way into Mitsuhide's service, where his combination of brawn and quick intelligence made him a valuable operative, one willing to do tasks that Mitshide would hesitate to ask of Kyubei.

"No." Mitsuhide found a handkerchief and swiped at a smear of blood on his knuckles. Normally, he preferred to use less physical methods when interrogating a prisoner. Emotional pressure – at least the sort that was his expertise - was generally more effective than torture. But the priest was creature of anger, who only understood violence, one whose family had condemned him to his church in the hopes that their God would do what a strict upbringing could not. "Arrange for him to be found outside a brothel. His more religious brethren will take care of him from there."

The Nanban missionaries would be horrified; and eager to send him back west, or at the very least, to the Funai diocese in Nagasaki, where they could keep a closer eye on him. Such a man was counter with their evangelical mission.

"As you wish." With that, the priest was hauled away, leaving only a puddle of urine where he had soiled himself during Mitsuhide's interrogation.

Mitsuhide cleaned the mess himself – it would not do for the machiya's storerooms to contain anything but the very best in spices and lacquerware. Blood and excrement would ruin the atmosphere.

As you wish. Odd how Goro's respectful acceptance of Mitsuhide's orders echoed uncomfortably with Kaya's defiant use of the same phrase. Certainly, he would prefer her to be obedient – their task would be far easier – but he was finding her little rebellions and protests entertaining... at least until this evening when he had discovered that underneath her defiance was very real fear.

What was behind that terror (for it had indeed been terror)? What would it take for her to confide in him? Certainly, he did not require her to trust him, for that was not a thing offered even as easily as obedience (and Kaya was anything but that). However, if she ever did grant him her confidence, he would feel honored.

Mai had trusted him... Mai trusted too quickly.

It was with the spector of Mai in his head that he went to scrub the stains of this night off his body. After that... perhaps he had earned the indulgence of enough wine to scrub his memories for a few hours.

Neither would be removed as easily as the stains from the floor.

***

Respite had not been earned, nor given. The sliver of the moon was still in the sky when he heard the light tapping of feet, as Kaya crept down the stairs. Annoyed at the interruption to his solitude, he offered a challenge that ought to have sent her scurrying back to her room. "Couldn't sleep? Or... were you interested in renegotiation?"

Even in the dim light of the staircase, he could see her scowl at him. Or perhaps he knew her enough to know that would be her automatic response to that suggestion. "Never mind. I'll catch up with you tomorrow when you're sober."

Oddly, her statement made him want her company after all. The sake wasn't working to ease his soul. Arguing with Kaya would at least be a distraction. He placed his cup on the desk, as much to prove to her that he was indeed sober, as to prove to himself the same. "I could drink twice this much and remain unaffected."

She still seemed hesitant, and now that his eyes had adjusted more to the dimness on the stairs, he noticed she was shaking. "What is it?" He beckoned her closer. "I presume this is important."