A Song for the Devil

From the Ashes

I don't wait for the fires of the temple to climb up the ground to the side of the stairs I destroyed and run into the temple in search of Nobunaga. The smoke doesn't bother me as I search for dark hair, for carnelian eyes, for black and red clothes, for any sign of him while screaming his name.

Those eyes. The ones that saw my potential when I couldn't. The eyes that envision a better future for his people. The eyes that have seen so much betrayal and yet he loves and trusts us with everything. Those eyes I hope with everything that our child has. I cannot find them.

The building starts to collapse on itself as I begin to lose hope of finding him. I'm crushed way before the piece of the ceiling fell on me.

As each new piece of the building falls o. Top of me, burying me in the rubble I just lay there and let it happen. Blood begins to spill from my mouth as my body continues to be flattened. The last thought to run through my mind as my vision fades to black and I lose consciousness: "what happens to our child if I die?"

How long ago was it now since that trip to the hot springs? Since that day he confessed to me that he loved Hideyoshi too. How long since those lucky koi fish swam under my fingers that touched the top of that water while we laid near the edge to watch the various colored fish swim by. He had never looked so serene and peaceful than in that moment. "I should have you painted like this." I joked as I pulled my hand from the water.

He took a breath, his eyes still on the water as a smile spread across his lips and he spoke in a calm tone. " I will be remembered as a conqueror, warrior, cruel, and power hungry. Maybe I am all of those things... It's a shame I won't be remembered by history as the man who loved too much..."

I stroked his hair until he looked at me, still smiling as I spoke. "I will remember you that way, and our children will remember you that way." He rolled on to his back at my insisting nudge so I could climb on top of him. I leaned to kiss him and his hands glided up my thighs, over my hips and rested on my lower back.

When I sat up from our kiss and grind my hips against his stiffening desire he smirked before reaching between us to rub the pad of his thumb against the sensitive nub.I whined and moved faster against him as he spoke in a husky and wanting voice. "Who will remember me as I truly am?"

Between my panting and whining as my own desires began to spill and drip onto his readied weapon I spoke. "I will. I will remember you Nobunaga Oda the way you truly are."

When my eyes open now it takes time to adjust to the light that casts strange shadows on the roof of the tent. When did I get here? and why is this futon so empty? My voice cracks when I try to speak his name again.

"You're awake. Thank the gods."Hideyoshi's voice grows louder as he comes to me and collapses on the futon, he holds me to his chest and buries his face in my neck. "I thought I might lose you too." His voice is muffled in against my skin.

I gasp and my eyes go wide. What does he mean 'lose me too?' He lifts his head to see my face. He looks exhausted, he looks like he's been crying and fighting, and there is a gash on his cheek that will most certainly scar. Did he always have freckles? Or did they just appear because of the sun's effects on his skin? I suppose I knew he had them on his shoulders, but across his nose, I hadn't noticed those before now. I attempt to speak but it only comes out as a mangled sound that insights Hideyoshi to command one of the guards to get tea for me and turn back to me.

He summons a calm strength to his expression with a deep breath before speaking. "We searched, for days Rina, we searched for his body in the ashes of the temple. I found you late on the first night of searching, crushed. I feel certain that if you weren't the vessel for the phoenix you would be dead right now." He breathed again as he reached into the sleeves of his kimono. "He left these for us with Ranmaru..." He holds up two pieces of folded paper in his hand. "I can read yours to you if you want?" I nod my head once as I sit up from the futon. His voice shook only a few times as he read to me.