Sengoku Visions II

Chapter 2 - Cold Delivery

"NO!!" My shout continued as I found I was falling again.

It was dark, nighttime, and nothing but cold air was around me.

"HOLY FUCKING CRAP!"

I saw what looked like a lake? Pond? Begin to rush towards me and caught a flash of a moon soaked landscape. My dress fluttered around me and from the corner of my eye I thought I saw a solitary form standing near the water.

There was nothing to grab, nothing to slow my fall, despite me clawing at the air around me.

A thin layer of ice buckled under my impact as I hit the water with astonishing force. It knocked the wind out of me and I couldn't work out which way was up. The water was like liquid ice and bubbles – something slimy snagged my foot – my lungs were screaming for air. Some part of me in the panic was determined not to breathe in the water, but it was fighting a losing battle.

One hand found itself in air and I hurled myself towards it, breaking the surface and getting a gasp, before sinking again as my dress pulled me back. I thrashed again, desperate to get more air – I must have moved across the water, because a foot found solid ground, then the other, my trainers grabbed purchase and pushed me back up.

I tried to see, but mascara burnt my eyes, I splashed some of the freezing water into them, it didn't help at all. I sank back under the water for a second, rubbing my eyes, my hair billowing around me near the surface.

Two hands grabbed my arms and then I was pulled free of the water onto grass. I was frozen to the core. I looked through my hair at the hands holding me and followed to arms, a body, and then a face.

A beautiful vision of a man knelt near me, azure eyes both disbelieving and concerned.

I knew that face.

I was so cold I couldn't move, I couldn't speak. Time seemed to slow for a moment as we sat there in a snapshot, eyes locked. Then voices broke the silence and he swept my chattering form into his arms.

Something heavy wrapped around me as we entered some sort of building, there were still voices, but the man who carried me said nothing, sweeping into a warm room with a fire.

My mind was unable to process anything beyond the cold. I was offered a cup, but my blue hands wouldn't hold it. My rescuer wrapped his own around mine and guided me to drink. The liquid felt like fire going down me and I coughed, almost choking. I took some more and it burnt less, but the shaking of my body didn't stop.

He stood up and moved away.

'Why?' I thought to myself. 'Why here? Why him?

Why would the pendant bring me straight into the arms of ...

Lord Uesugi Kenshin ...??'

Huddled into a ball of cold, I fell on my side and watched the flickering flames slowly go out of focus.