A Song for the Devil

Meet Me on the Battlefield

When we finally reach our headquarters we find that nearly half of the ten thousand men we sent this way have either fallen or are seriously injured, and despite cutting down a third of the enemy's original eight thousand, it is clear that their spirits are tired, and losing hope. I part from Hideyoshi with a tender kiss as he heads to counsel with some of his vassals, and I go to find Ieyasu.

The usual look of contemptuous concentration on his face seems weary as he doesn't look up from the wound he is sewing together on one of our soldiers. "How nice of you to join us lady Toyotomi. I could use your help." A somewhat pleasant invitation? He must be truly exhausted to actually ask for assistance in his own way. I quickly come to his side and assist as he pulls the flesh of the man back together and blood gushes from the wound. When his patient groaned I place a cool hand to his forehead and whisper reassurances to him. When we are finished and washing the blood from our hands before going to the next wounded warrior I ask with a soft voice. "Where is Masamune?"

Ieyasu sighs and rolls his bright blue eyes. "What a stupid question." He remarks with a huff. "When Mitsuhide joined Kenshin's forces, bringing his number back up to near seven thousand and announced that he defeated Nobunaga at Honnoji that half blind fool was completely blinded by rage and charged to the front of the line."

I could slap this prickly man, I know he is concerned by the way he is talking about his friend. I take a deep breath. "Where is he now?"

Ieyasu eyes angrily snapped to me. "Last I heard he was heading into fight Mitsuhide himself and avenge the death of Nobunaga so that he might be able to face you without feeling so useless." He huffs after he finishes.

I swallow. "I have to go."

He grabs my wrist firmly. "I don't think your husband would want that."

When I rip my arm from his grasp his eyes widen in surprise as I speak. "You don't speak a word of this to Hideyoshi until I am gone. I won't be losing another husband any time soon."

Riding through the battlefield doesn't spare me from seeing of my weary soldiers fighting. It doesn't spare me from the sight of the dead bodies, and near dead men grasping onto their last breaths. The first gunshot surprised me, but as I rode on I grew used to the sudden loud sounds. The smell of fire, blood, and fear permeates the field as I continue to urge my horse forward as fast as he will go.

When I come upon the scene my heart races and I am enraged. Masamune fell for Mitsuhide's tricks and is fighting off three other men while Mitsuhide stands off to the side, looking entertained as he watches the fight until the fox power in him senses my approach. The fog of him spreads rapidly this time as I come closer and in the blink of an eye his tails and ears appear, along with that snarling toothy grin.

I am hoping that the distraction of the spirit's powers manifesting from us distracts Masamune's opponents, giving him the openings he can use. When I dismount my wings of flames spread wider than they did at Honnoji and the fox begins to bare his teeth. "I thought for sure you would have perished with Nobunaga. I suppose you don't love him as much as we thought."

I pull Nobunaga's katana from it's sheath and pull back into a readied position. "Let's not waist anymore of your remaining breaths discussing something you will never understand." I snarl my words before making my first attack and lung towards the coward in white.

He is fast, and avoids nearly every strike. Nearly is all I need though as I continue to make my attacks and land small gashes to his vital spots until his blood loss is enough to slow him down. He's getting sloppy, and as the sound of hooves quickly begin to approach he falls to his knees in front of me. I can hear Hideyoshi's dismount and hurried approach as his guards go to assist Masamune with the two remaining foes.