Hearts Divided (Dororo)

Run

First-person P.O.V.

The man continued to ignore me until I raised my voice loud enough for others to take notice. Initially, he remained silent, his gaze locked with mine. Then, almost reluctantly, he muttered, "Oh, sorry."

Suddenly, the bustling small crowd fell silent, all eyes fixated on our interaction. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Dororo's curious gaze directed at me. Before the man could utter another word, his attention shifted abruptly, his eyes narrowing on something behind me.

Turning around, I spotted three figures, armed with spears, steadily approaching our vicinity.

As the trio drew nearer, the distinct outline of their uniforms became clear; they bore the insignia of soldiers hailing from the neighboring province. Familiar uniforms. A knot of apprehension tightened in my chest as one of them halted before us. His demeanor exuded an icy chill, with a dismissive glance at the man beside me, he directed his attention back to me.

"What are you doing out here Y/N-sama?" I turned around to face a familiar voice with a smile on my face.

"Nothing much Hyogo, just wanted to go silk shopping with the maids," I gestured pointing at the two panting women who were hunched over gasping for air.

I tried to take his expression at face value, but something about his tone of voice told me he wasn't buying it.

"You shouldn't be wandering around the streets on your own," he said, a hint of frustration in his tone. It was clear he was concerned for my safety. Hyogo was someone I could always rely on, and it was nice to know he had my back. I chuckled.

"Don't you think this silk looks exquisite?" I gestured gently holding onto the fabric. Hyogo dismounted from his horse, while the other two soldiers remained seated, their watchful gazes fixed on our surroundings. "Indeed they do Y/N-sama. Did you plan on purchasing this?" I nod my head. "I was about to," I paused and faced the child.

"Could I purchase this?" The child's mouth parted slightly before they were pulled back by the collar of their tattered green outfit. Gasping, I stepped forward only for my arm to be pulled back by Hyogo who made the effort to stand in front of me protectively, pushing me behind his muscular build. This was not good, I had to get the child out of there quickly!

"Sorry little lady, but this silk is mine." The middle-aged man with no pants dangled the child by his side who was beginning to turn a pale blue as they kicked their legs in the air and waved their arms around. His henchman appearing from behind him stepped forward toward the the pile of goods on the mat and began picking them up one by one.

"But-"

"No worries Y/N-sama! We bought the silk already, see?" Onlookers gasped in shock as they watched the maids delicately remove the fabric from the bag. I sighed, the silk looked beautiful.

"But the silk-"

"I told you it's not for sale, little lady!" The man shouted, effectively dropping the child.

"Hey! Watch your tone! You're speaking to the heir of the Akagi Clan!! Hyogo retorted whilst the soldiers behind him inched closer with their horses, spears raised. The maids quickly walk over to me and dust the remnants of dust not visible to the human eye on my kimono.

"Let's head home now Y/N-sama, I'm pretty sure your mother's waiting, and your father might have returned by now." At the mention of my oto-san, I faced the palette of warm hues painting the sky in shades of crimson and gold, I felt a sense of tranquility wash over me. With a gentle sweep of my hand, I gestured towards the horizon, my eyes fixed on the distant horizon, seemingly lost in the beauty of the moment. However, beneath the serene facade, my mind raced with urgency.

In a subtle motion, barely perceptible to anyone but the observant, I leaned closer to the child who stood beside me, their eyes wide with wonder. With a fleeting glance and a barely audible murmur, I conveyed my message, "Run."

It was a silent command, a whispered urgency disguised within the tranquility of the sunset scene, a plea for the child's safety amidst the possibly arising danger.

The child subtly nodded their head, not before whispering a silent thank and running off with a smug grin. "Thanks, nee-chan!" By now the crowd had subsided and the sky was beginning to coat itself in a layer of darkness.

"Get him!"

"Catch me if you can!" All of a sudden, the men were sent chasing the surprisingly fast child.