Samurai: Asai Kyou

Task #4

The door flew open, disturbing the deadly silence and drip, drip of the water from the ceiling in Kyou's cell. He glared at the offending person who had interrupted his thoughts. He had been trying to figure out where he was and why. Now he'd lost his train of thought.

"Good, you're awake."

Sitting up, Kyou heard chains rattle. He looked down to see that he was shackled to the wall. He hadn't noticed the manacle on his ankle because he was both groggy and cold. The smooth metal cuff gleamed menacingly in the wan light coming through the open door. Looking away from the offensive object, which confirmed he was a prisoner, he met the hard, black stare of Oda Nobunaga.

Grimacing, he glared at the man. "Where have you taken me?" he rasped, his throat aching from lack of water. How long had he been down here?

Oda-san said nothing but instead ushered in a guard, who placed two mats in a dry space in the room.

Oda-san sat on one, and the guard forced Kyou toward the other. Kyou snarled and struck out, intending to take them off guard and win his freedom. In his haste, he forgot the manacle, overextended his range, and was harshly yanked to a stop. He lost his balance and tripped, falling to his knees before Oda-san.

"Well, if you don't like the dry mat, you're welcome to stay in the dirty sludge on the floor," Oda-san commented dryly.

Kyou got to his feet, ignoring Oda-san, and sat on the mat. He silently stared at his captor.

"You're probably wondering why you're here," Oda-san said, smirking. "Apparently, Hojo-san was tired of losing to me."

"I don't know how you could..." Kyou stopped short as Naoki-san's name registered.

No... No... He wouldn't do that. He knows that would break my sister's heart. Even if he would betray me, how could he do that to her? He adores her... "I... I don't believe you!"

"Suit yourself," Oda-san said. "It doesn't change reality."

Kyou sneered at him. "What do you want?"

Oda-san huffed, glowering at Kyou. "You are going to tell me how I can defeat the Asai clan."

Kyou laughed. "I'm not doing any such thing."

"You will." Oda-san looked down his nose at Kyou.

Kyou glared at him, refusing to say another word.

Oda-san sighed and waved a hand to summon someone. "Mitsuhide-san, I will leave him to you. Do whatever you have to, but don't kill him."

"Hai, Oda-sensei." Akechi Mitsuhide stepped in and looked Kyou over.

Somehow the man's stare reflected exactly what Kyou felt. Despair. My own ally? My own ally betrayed me? He wanted to scream. How could he have been so foolish? How could he have trusted that another man was telling the truth when he said he didn't want control of Nihon. I don't want to believe this...

Oda-san left the room, and Kyou was abandoned to face the fact that he was now in the hands of his enemies, likely to face extreme abuse, and unlikely to survive. Even so... I will not break. I will not betray my people.

***

"Well, are you ready to tell Oda-sensei what you know?" Mitsuhide-san demanded.

Kyou huddled in the corner of his cell, unmoving and uncaring. The worst pain wasn't physical but emotional. Naoki-kun... Nande? Nande? After a month of mental and physical abuse, he could barely form coherent thoughts most of the time. The days blurred together in a myriad of beatings, starvation, and constant reminders that Naoki-san had betrayed him. Nande? Naze daremoga watashi o uragiru nodesu ka? He rocked back and forth on the floor.