”How can you see into my eyes, like open doors… leading you down into my core where I've become so numb… without a soul” ~ Bring me to life by Evanescence



Haruhi was just returning home after traveling for a little while to earn her keep and learn of the latest rumours. She still had no luck in finding out anything related to the whereabouts of her mother Mitsuka and it worried her. She was a very powerful and talented person, there was no way she could be defeated so easily. And even more so, disappear without a trace. A shadow crossed over her eyes as the contemplated this, the information she was given during her travels worried her somewhat and she was eager to discuss this with her father Haruto. She wondered what he would make of all of this. She was wearing her travelling kimono that consists of a shirt with a slightly revealing neckline strapped around herself with an elegant leather chest armour, a skirt that reached just above her knees and leggings underneath that matched her attire she also had leg armour and boots. Wrist pads protected her not only from battle wounds for also covered the copper markings of her kitsune lineage. The last thing she wanted was to draw unwanted attention to herself. Life was already hard enough as it was, something the people in the clan kept reminding her of. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair before she picked up the pace. She was eager to get home and see her family.

But then something made her stop dead on her tracks. She heard the sound of scared animals, a flock of birds taking to the air in a frenzy and struggling for a direction. This alarmed her as usually animals had keen senses and would alert others of incoming danger. She stood still for a moment and in the stillness of the forest a distant sound could be heard and she gasped silently. It was the sound of war, either a battle or a skirmish was taking place. This was not good, albeit it was a relief that it was not taking place close to her home as she still had half a day’s journey to go before she married home. She looked toward the hill once more and sighed, she had to hurry up and get going, she would have to stay clear of the river but she could still walk alongside it without arising any suspicions and ensure that she was close to her element and could also access water should she run out of it and need to fill his canteen once more. She kept to the shadows and the thickness of the canopy and walked with renewed energy for a long time.

It was so strange, ever since they arrived to Sailo and her dear friend Rishiara and her clan helped keep the kitsune safe and hidden in the heart of the forest, things seemed to have changed as of late and she was not sure why. How could they hide for so many years and suddenly have to be careful as they were being the hunted once more? Could it be someone in the clan betrayed them? Impossible, the clan was much too unified for that to happen. And yet, how else would someone know of the existence of kitsune in these forests unless they had either interacted with one or being notified? And they had been careful all these years, they had even learned the art of subterfuge and shinobido in order to avoid being detected or seen by unwanted eyes. The longer she debated this predicament the further away she was of finding a rational and logical solution that connected all the dots. She sighed and stretched her arms, she ensured that her bow and arrows were accessible as she walked on.

She also ensured her shamisen was well packed as it hung on her other shoulder, the last thing she wanted was for it to break as it had been a fight from her beloved mother and it was her means to earn a living. She took a sip form her canteen and put it back in its respective place hanging by her belt. Her ears picked up an increase to the sound of the battle. It worried her, it appeared the battle had changed or someone had been ambushed and she could see arrows floating in the sky. To her left along the path of the river was a hilltop and she could see the fight had intensified in that area. She winced and ensured to stick to the canopy of the trees and yet she remained alert should anything happen. She had a feeling it was going to take her a bit longer to get home, but she rather ensure her safety than draw attention to herself especially in the wake of a battle where adrenaline fuelled the bodies of the soldiers. They would not stop to think who she could be before they attacked her, and so, she would stay away from it as much as possible. Yet she could still see the river and it was easily accessible to her.

For a moment she had a feeling as if someone needed help but she was not sure why. She felt a bit shaken. Could it mean something was about to happen? Maybe she was a bit on edge.

Out of the blue she heard a sound, it was a splash. There was no mistaking it. She moved closer to the river to satiate her curiosity and then she gasped silently as she saw a man injured and floating down stream. He looked unconscious as well. She stood there rather surprised at the sudden incident before she looked back at the cliffs. It looked like the battle was still taking place although some men seemed to be looking for the fallen man. She considered her options, it was probably best she did not get involved, after all, she was in a hurry to get home and speak with her father. On the other hand it was most probably that his man would find him, the downside of this argument rested in the fact that before his men found him, he would have fallen down a rather tall waterfall and if he was already unconscious she was not sure what he would be able to do in order to survive the fall. She sighed, she could heal him quickly before anyone else noticed he was missing.

“Haruhi, always thinking of others.” She mentally chastised herself before she sighed and took at a run, it was nearly a sprint, as a kitsune she ran faster than humans anyway and she could challenge the current of the tier as she could manipulate the water to slow down if needed. She could not help it, she could not sit the man dying when she could do something to help. She spotted him ahead of her once more, she ran slightly faster before using her water skills she created enough momentum that instead of floating down stream his body was rocked to the edge of the river, right where she stood.

She looked around to ensure no one spotted them and she moved to kneel next to him, there was an arrow wound and a sword wound. She broke the arrow and removed it as neatly as possible, being an archer she was quite used to doing this. She then closed her eyes extending her hands in front of his wounds, water began to float around him and the symbol of river shone on her forehead. The water began to emit a gentle blue light and his wounds began to mend. Hopefully the injuries would heal properly although she could not do much for the clothes that were torn.

After a moment the spell broke and she looked at the man for a moment hoping he would be okay. It was in doing so that she noticed his necklace and something lured her to examine it. There was something… familiar about it. She touched it gently and upon doing so and examining the pattern she gasped and felt as if something in her memories was triggered. She remembered her life at Mount Taikyoku and then upon examining the man, surely she was dreaming. She looked away for a moment dropping the necklace, it had been such a long time since that incident and yet she wondered, “Taka?” She whispered softly as she looked at his face for a moment hoping he would be okay.

The battle had not been going in their favor. Quarters had become closer than he cared for, and between the arrow wound and the sword wound, the blood loss was having an impact on his alertness and coordination. Ordinarily, when an enemy soldier hamstrung his horse, he’d have been able to jump free and save himself from the fall, but as it was the animal hit the ground hard, and backed to the cliff as he and his men were, he toppled over the edge, unable to catch himself. He was vaguely aware of a sharp pain at the back of his skull, but not for long enough to feel the bloom of warm blood beneath the dark hair, or to understand that the source of the pain was the fact that he’d cracked his head on the side of the cliff on the way down. Nor was he aware when he hit the water, and began to float downstream.

Yells sounded from above as the soldiers realized that their commander had fallen, and the sounds of skirmishing increased as they closed the gap in their ranks and fought to gain enough upper hand to be able to go after him. This allowed Haruhi to approach her target unobserved. Initially labored breathing eased as she tended to him, and he rested easier when she was finished. It was several long moments before a glimmer of dark silver indicating a return of consciousness, and a muscle in his cheek twitched in response to his name. “Mmn?” That was almost more a sound than a word, and his fingers twitched too, as he tried to drag his mind back into the waking world. "Shuri…?"

Haruhi relaxed when his breathing was less strenuous and more even. She had been worried she might be a bit late with the healing as he had lost a lot of blood judging by the wounds. She looked him to up ensure she had tended to all his injuries, even his head injury seemed to have been sorted. She took a moment to examine him, the Taka she knew had turned into a handsome and strong man, she was very proud of how far he seemed to have gone. Judging by his attire he was some sort of general and yet the banner was that of the army that ransacked her village. She wondered for a moment if they captured and harmed him when he was a boy, during that event. Being a young child he would have been an easy victim.

Something in her heart stirred and she felt a pang of guilt, maybe she should have persuaded them not to go to the temple that day and they could all have escaped together. She was only a little girl back then but, surely she could have done that much. And yet, thinking more about it, it was improbable they would listen to her younger self. Things would have happened the very same way. She sighed and then wondered what kind of life he had, she hoped he was at least happy. Her hand moved a lock of his dark hair away from his face, he would catch a cold if he remained wet for this long. She smirked thinking of an idea, she had never tried it before but there was no trouble in testing it now, right? She lifted a hand and tiny droplets of water began to move from his body and clothing into her hand, she was careful in doing this and the droplet in her hand grew in size, she would remove some at least to prevent him from catching a cold. Once done she giggled and shaped the droplet into some fox kits and made them trot back toward the river. She was so playful, just like any kitsune would be in her position.

“Mmn? Shuri…?”

Haruhi gasped and turned to look back at Taka. His eyes opened, albeit she could tell he had had an injury in one of them and it pained her. She also noticed his fingers twitching, he was trying to wake up. For a moment her hand reached his and held it warmly, who was Shuri? She raised an eyebrow but said softly, “It’s me, Haruhi. You probably don't remember me though…” It had been such a long time ago, she would not blame him if he did not remember. She held his hand with both of hers for a moment and then wondered what else she could do to help him on his path to recovery. Her long copper hair shook with the wind as she took out her shamisen and then decided to sing a stanza of one of the songs she liked the most. Albeit somewhat tragic it enclosed the whole spectrum of beautiful human emotions. She began to play the melody, although she played in pp mode (pianissimo) as she did not with to alert someone of their whereabouts least an enemy of his should find them.

She looked back into his eyes as she began to sing just as quietly:

What then is loue but mourning?
    What desire, but a selfe-burning?
Till shee that hates doth loue returne,
Thus will I mourne, thus will I sing,
    Come away, come away, my darling.

What then is loue but mourning? Text by Thomas Campion, Music by Philip Rosseter

It was a soft melody that she usually sang on her own and she was not sure why she wanted to share it with him. What a strange sensation this was, that lured her to him, and yet they only spent time when they were children. He probably already had a life established for himself, this woman he had called in his sleep was probably his beloved and here she was trying to revisit the past. What a foolish thing to do! She nearly facepalmed but hoped that this melody helped him wake up and, part of her, just a small part, hoped he would remember. Her heart was hopeful but reason told her that, as soon s he woke up and her job was done she should get up a leave. Her family was expecting her and she had news to bring, besides, she could not suddenly bump into someone and expect to be part of their lives just like that. He had a battle to return to and his men would need him there.

Little did she know that not too far away someone was spying on them. Maru was looking at them from behind a tree. It angered him because he was hoping to catch her alone once she returned to the forest in order to torment her some, he decided he enjoyed more hang her alive than killing her immediately as he had plans to do at first. He did notice that the man was unconscious and had no weapons, he could probably sneak up on them and capture Haruhi while distracted singing a hopeless song to a man she had just saved. He smirked, and slowly began to make his way toward them. He was as silent as a mouse and soon stood right behind Haruki, she detected his presence though and the hairs on her back stood in horror. She stopped playing and fear could be seen in her eyes. Ever since that incident, although she managed to recover some, she had avoided the water god for she could not face her tormentor.

Maru smirked eyeing the general, she was alone just as he had expected. Tears formed in her eyes and she began to shiver, she quickly put her shamisen in its back and was planning to transform into a bird and run away from Maru but he caught both her wrists and forced her to land o her back with a thud. She gasped in pain and struggled to break free as he seemed to be dragging her away from Taka. She tried to kick as he was using a ward so she could not use any of her kitsune abilities. The memories of all he did to her that day were overwhelming and tears fell from her eyes, without realising it she called out to Taka, “Taka!”

The warm, gentle clasp of her fingers, followed by a soft - and subconsciously familiar - voice, was sufficient to make him relax again, eyes closing for another few moments, as if he’d merely been asleep, and was loath to wake. His lack of inclination to rise increased at the soft song, bringing a little smile onto the otherwise almost sharp features. A soft, meaningless sound of contentment indicated that all of these things made him feel safe, and he might have completely returned to sleep, except that only moments later, hands pulled her away from him, and the lack of her presence beside him was enough to pull the silvery eyes open again, half in confusion. That cleared in a split second when the thump of her body on the ground was followed by sound of pain, and when she cried out for him, those eyes widened and sharpened instantly.



Before he’d even pulled his brain properly awake, he had rolled to his feet, and a smooth motion dropped a foot against the fold behind one of the god’s knees, aimed to stumble him, followed by a drive of the ball of one hand straight upward into the nose with as much force as he could muster. He hadn’t even had opportunity to analyze who his opponent was, or whom he was defending, instead reacting on simple instinct, and when a quick grope at his hip revealed that his sword was somehow gone, he slipped between the god and his intended victim with a nearly inhuman speed, and took a practiced, almost graceful ready stance. “I’m afraid I take exception with your treatment of a lady, stranger.” His voice held a hint of both precision and authority - this was a man who was accustomed to giving orders during stressful times, when his words could decide life or death for others, and having them obeyed without hesitation or question. In fact, even if he’d been aware that he was facing a god, it was unlikely that his confidence would have wavered any, at least outwardly.



He was too distracted - and perhaps too far away, now - to be aware that the tide in the battle had turned. With a cry of victory, Taka’s original companions broke through the enemy line, and charged down the sides of the overhang, his second in command splitting their numbers into groups to search for their injured and missing general. These smaller groups dismounted from their horses and traveled on foot, so as not to draw any attention from any enemy soldiers that might have lagged behind the rest of the main army. The last thing they wanted to do was to lead the enemy straight to their general, especially when he might already be mortally wounded, for all they knew. So they traveled in pairs and trios down either side of the river, stealthy and silent.

Haruhi was not entirely sure what drove her to cal out for Taka when she knew he had been eerily injured. She had healed his injuries, yes, but he still had to recover. She was both afraid and frustrated, all these years of training, of looking after herself as she worked as a bard in order to learn the latest gossips and come up with new songs to make others smile and feel their hearts warm. And she had trained hard in order to be able to fight on her own, not only with her kitsune abilities but she perfected marksmanship with a bow and arrow and even had a knife in her boot. And yet, there was something about facing the one man who brought so much pain back when she was younger. Trauma at such an early age was devastating and it never disappeared. It was a powerful thing and beings like Maru knew of this and made the most of it. He was a coward, these type of persons were deadlier than those who opposed you head on for they cloaked themselves in deceit, wit and wisdom and manipulated those around them. It was despicable and yet they were allowed to roam free. Just because he was a god he should not be allowed to do as he pleased to so called ‘laser’ beings. Innocence must not be snatched from children and back then, she had still been a girl. The fact that she never spoke of what happened also burdened her heart and in a way it turned her into his tea person whenever Maru was near, not because of anything positive but rather, she remembered everything he did to her and knew he could easily proclaim such deeds to taint her honour and force her family to make a drastic decision that would only destroy her. She wouldn’t be able to live with a decision like that one and she did not want Maru to get what he wanted.

Sad tears caressed her cheeks as she did everything she could to break free from the water god, if only she could get rid of the ward then she would be able to use her powers and create enough distance to shoot him arrows. It was true that sometimes he abused his water abilities but she could easily manipulate his own element to prevent him from doing anything that would give him the upper hand. She had concluded many years ago that, the only reason he was so persistent in his desire to claim Haruhi as his own was to prevent one of the few beings who could control his element from opposing him. She was not entirely sure what he could be planning but she would need let him get that little victory over her. The day she did… it would all be over. She tried to regain composure and not let the fear of this monster control her and make the angst even greater. She needed to think, she had trained all these years for a moment such as this. She had to make the most of her skills, it had taken blood and sweat to get to where she was. She was no longer the young and naive girl that Maru assaulted and betrayed. One deep breath and she felt her head stop spinning. Good… She took another deep breath and began to feel her body slowly start fighting abasing the ward. Even if it was a powerful wars her will was much stronger. She would not go down without a fight and she did not care if she got injured in the process.

But then something remarkable happened. She blinked for a moment as she found herself free from Maru’s grasp and the ward was torn and lying on the floor. She gasped and then realised that Taka had woken up to fight Maru and protect her. Her eyes opened wide, how did he manage to do that? How did he go form unconsciousness to consciousness in the blink of an eye? She found herself smiling gently for a moment, it turned out Taka had turned into quite a remarkable man. He stood tall between her and Maru and when he kicked at Maru and punched him she felt such joy she could not stop herself from laughing silently. She had never seen anyone approach this water god with such power and determination and taught him his place. Her eyes sparkled as she watched Taka’s broad back stand protectively before her and she could not stop herself from thinking how reliable he was and she wondered if he remembered her. He still wore the bracelet she had given him when they were children but were the memories accessible for him?

“I’m afraid I take exception with your treatment of a lady, stranger.”

A gentle shade of pink graced her cheeks and she looked down in embarrassment for a moment. She slowly stood up behind him and took a couple of steps toward him and gently placed a hand on the fold of his cloak whispering, “Taka…” She was still a bit embarrassed but she smiled gently happy that he was fine and her healing had worked. She could tell that with a bit of rest he would be like new and that relieved her. She looked up at him, his eyes focused on their foe and she blushed lightly noticing what a handsome man he had become. While he had kept her bracelet and turned it into a necklace, she had turned hers into a hair accessory that she always wore and it was easily visible as it held the part of lovely copper hair together that was tied about her head. She still had lone strand of hair that cascaded past her shoulders and back. Her eyes moved to look back at Maru and she came to realise something astounding. She felt save with Taka, and the intensity of the feeling was such that she looked down at Maru and glared at him for a moment.

Maru was profusely humiliated as he fell flat on his face. It took a moment for him to recover form the kick but his face looked quite swollen already due to the hit to the nose and it angered him. But what drove him truly mad was Haruhi’s laughter at his fall and how she stood behind this man and it seemed to grant her a strength he had not seen since the day he had his way with her. His eyes darkened and then he heard the man speak. He slowly stood up then and examined the man carefully, he knew who he was, he was the General to that daimyo. He smirked, how ironic. Haruhi thought she was safe with that man? Maybe sae from him but not from a fact that befell many of her kin. He glared at the man and then cleaned the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand as he said, “Pray tell, which is the correct to ‘treat’ a lady General?” He noticed he did not have any of his weapons in his possession and that was a big advantage fro him. But he could still do a lot of damage with pure brute force, he was much stronger than he had thought he would be, he should have acted quite, before Haruhi had a chance to heal him, “You consider yourself so self righteous and yet you fail to see what or who stands on front of you, or right next to you.” He smirked eyeing Haruhi, “In the end, you are just a soldier, are you not? You simply do what you are told.”

Haruhi was not sure what Maru meant with his words but they somehow made her feel on edge. She looked back at Taka wondering what he could be talking about but then she shook her head, Maru would do anything to gain the upper hand even manipulating others with his words. She noticed he was trying to buy himself some time and it made her stiffen up a bit, what could he be planning next? She knew she also had to consider the fact that Taka’s men would come looking for him, it was not safe for her and yet she could not leave Taka alone after all he was recovering still, been if she healed his physical wounds.

Maru smirked, he should probably stick around after this little fight, for he had an inkling that this man would bring her much grief. He lifted his right hand and the water of the river began to slowly lift behind them as if it were a wave. He would knock the General out with a splash so great he would regret defying a god. Haruhi looked behind them and gasped. She could try and use her water elemental skills but she did not want Taka’s men to see her or they would suspect her of being something dangerous. Moving a couple of steps back she drew her bow in the blink of an eye and shot an arrow at his palm districting him long enough to give Taka the upper hand in this confrontation. Maru had to move back and the water fell back into the river he sneered at Haruhi, his eyes burning with rage.

Completely unaware of the cause of the tension between these two - and of the subtle struggle of willpower between them - Taka recognized only that this man was intimidating this woman, and his immediate instinct was to protect her, even before he consciously realized that she had spoken to him. Now though, she moved closer into the circle of his protection, and he felt fingers resting lightly on his back, and she called his name a second time, this time while he was awake enough to hear and understand her, and something tickled in the back of his mind. He didn’t answer her though, too experienced and well trained to allow himself to become distracted by his curiosity, and instead kept his eyes firmly on Maru, scowling contemptuously. “I am a very busy man, and I’ve neither the time nor the inclination to teach a simpleton, who has not even the intelligence to treat a lady properly - the duties and privileges of my position. They are no concern of yours. And I will certainly not concern myself with your opinion of one you have clearly mistreated. You have my oath, you will not touch her again. So take your leave, before I lose my patience with your ridiculous attempts to use your silver tongue to get yourself out of this situation you’ve gotten yourself into.” The firm scowl wavered a little at the rise of the wave, and for the first time in this situation, he felt doubt. Up to now, he’d been convinced that his opponent was only a man… and that clearly was not the case.



“Dai, Zhu!” He raised his voice, calling instinctively for his companions, and in the woods nearby, a cry went up as a group of his soldiers rallied, and turned toward them. In the moments still left to him before help could arrive to help him face this supernatural beast though, he had to keep himself and the girl alive. That was priority. These thoughts whipped through his mind as quickly as wind, and as he braced himself for the impact of the water, an arrow flew from behind him. Unable to see who had fired it, he nevertheless was not going to miss this opportunity, and took the advantage of the god’s momentary distraction to land a few more blows to his torso and the side of his head, followed by a sweep of one of his feet, designed to take his opponent’s footing from him. It was as he did so that his troops finally arrived, and quickly closed ranks around their general. Unfortunately, it seemed that a few of them saw the wave that was just now dissipating… and saw Haruhi with her bow and arrow drawn, aimed in the general direction of their General’s back. So it was that several men threw themselves upon her, and there was a flash of light as one of them threw a shining net over her. It was lightweight and easy to carry, and yet would be a heavy burden to a kitsune, being woven and spelled specifically to contain her kind.

“I am a very busy man, and I’ve neither the time nor the inclination to teach a simpleton, who has not even the intelligence to treat a lady properly - the duties and privileges of my position. They are no concern of yours. And I will certainly not concern myself with your opinion of one you have clearly mistreated. You have my oath, you will not touch her again. So take your leave, before I lose my patience with your ridiculous attempts to use your silver tongue to get yourself out of this situation you’ve gotten yourself into.”

The water god did not need to be a genius to know that the General’s men would arrive anytime soon. His plan had been ruined by the pathetic kitsune and this General. It was quite funny though he was so self-righteous, thinking he was protecting the girl. He noticed the General did not turn to look at her even once, focused solely on his opponent and functioning on adrenaline only. He truly was a worthy General, but he was also a foolish man. Even though he did not like the General, he sought to give him with some words of the reality of their situation. What they did with these words would be up to them, he could easily lead this fight and then watch things unfold. It would be so much fun to watch Haruhi sink on her knees realising she was about to lose her freedom. The freedom she so cherished. Maru smirked, “Talk my way out you say? I’m not the kind of being to run away from a challenge, especially now when you just made such an oath when you do not know the whole story. Do you even know who this woman is? Do you know of her past… or her… ‘nature’?” He eyed them for a moment, “You may escape me today, but both of you know of what I speak… Mark my words General, that oath you just made will be for downfall. You say you wish to save the ‘lady’, but the only thing you will be doing is bring her endless pain and… she will lose her freedom.” He laughed softly, “There may come a time when you will call for me, and beg me to help you.” - This he had said while looking at Haruhi.

Haruhi’s skin shivered at the thought of seeing Maru again after this or even asking him for any favours, she knew the kind of person he was, he would do the same to her as he did when she was fifteen. She looked away angered, “In… your… dreams…” She would rather take her own life than allow that creep to touch her again. But she knew that his words often rang with truth. And suddenly a feeling of dread took hold of her heart. He had said that the guards would soon be here, even though she wanted to make sure Taka was okay and ask if he remembered her. She had to get away as soon as possible. And yet her feet would not move, she was still slightly affected by Maru and his words and she feared he might still stalk her as he had been going for years. She was always aware of him but pretended she wasn’t because she did not want to face him, not yet, not when she still felt scared of what he could do and what he had already done.

“Dai, Zhu!”

Haruhi noticed he was calling his army forth and she gasped, “Taka don’t!” But it was too late, Taka turned to beat Maru up and she would have honestly enjoyed it much more had he not called his men. She had lowered her bow as soon as Taka attacked Maru. The god did not stop smirking during the whole beating he took. Haruhi watched the soldiers in fear and tried to simply run away in order to avoid manifesting her powers but they captured her anyway and Maru’s words rang in her mind. “No…” She whispered, she had to go back to her family, she had to go out there to find her mother. She could not get captured now. She slowly began to try and cut the net trying to ignore how it seemed to be making her feel lightheaded and as if her energy was being sapped by the net. She could not even feel her powers it was as if she was being weakened.

Maru fell to the ground with a heavy thud and whipped some blood form his mouth as he laughed at Taka. Looking at Haruhi as she weakened inside that little net and hearing the hooves of a mighty horse, he eyed him and then said, “General, look at your handiwork.” A laughter could be heard reverberating as he turned into smaller and smaller water particles and decided to disappear for now. He would stay close for he believed he was about to enjoy himself like near before. And the last warning he granted only because he wanted to see the pair of them suffer. The fun had only just begun.

The soldiers, upon hearing the approaching horses quickly moved to the side and saluted. A dark horse approached with a man clad in black and red armour, it was the daimyo Zhang Ji. He smirked looking at Taka and said, “Well done General, the battle was a success… we won’t be hearing of any uprisings… in a while.” He then quickly turned to look at Haruhi covered by a net and smirked, “On top of that you found me a powerful gift.” He then nodded to one of the men to give Taka a horse. Meanwhile he dismounted
and approached Haruhi and laughed darkly he leaned down looking at her and harshly grabbing her chin he forced their eyes to meet, “You have ended me for many years, but fate has acted in my favour. You won’t be able to escape this time.” Haruhi bit his hand with her remaining strength. He quickly pulled away with a wince and then smirked, “You won’t be so feisty when we reach the Palace.”

Haruhi’s eyes moved to look at Taka one last time before she passed out. Two soldiers picked her up and upon the Lord’s request they handed her to him. He looked at his men then, “Well done men, you deserve a bonus, a warm bath and meal and some entertainment.” His one eye looked at them to ensure they both admired him but also feared him somewhat. He did not show many his true colours only just so that no one will contest his power. He was like an alpha wolf ensuring everyone knew where his territory lay and if anyone went astray he would put them back in their respective places. There were only a certain kind of beings that would experience his cruelty a tenfold and those were the kitsune. He disliked powerful beings but on top of that they were crafty, masters of illusion and beautiful to behold. He eyed Taka, ironically he had managed to brainwash one of their own, and here he was, handing them over to Zhang Ji like sacrificial lambs. He smirked and raising a hand in victory the men cheered before he broke to a canter commanding his army to regroup, take the wounded, burry the dead, clear as much as possible any evidence of the battle that took place and to meet him back at the Palace.

As soon as he arrived he asked the woman to be placed in a cage in his chambers with a ward so she could not escape. Then he called for his physician to have a look at Taka and allowed the young man to rest some. After all, he did not want his strongest warrior to perish due to exhaustion. It was strange though, he had been told he had sustained several injures and when he saw him last, he seemed to be fine. He turned to look at the woman that was still asleep inside the cage. Could it be… He had never heard of a kitsune that could heal but then again he had known this one had a special lineage. He was curious to learn more about this woman. He smirked, as soon as she woke up he would make sure she knew her place.

Once Taka was up and running again, he asked his servant to summon him to his quarters. Then he would offer him a reward of his choosing, he had to keep him happy for he was his greatest weapon.

He squared his shoulders firmly. “I do not need to know her nature or history to recognize a creature who’s been mistreated.” He shifted a little again, when the god addressed Haruhi, his frame subtly shielding her from view. “Whatever may befall her with me, I can promise you that it will not overshadow whatever evil you have done. And now, I’ve done with words.” His attack on Maru encompassed all of his attention at that point, such that he did not hear Haruhi’s call to him - and did not notice her predicament until Maru called his attention to it… and then faded away. He whirled to face his soldiers, voice commanding at first. “Dai, why do you restrain her? She-” Before he could finish the question however, the glow of the net stopped him midword, and he could see already that Haruhi’s strength was waning. In his position, he knew exactly what purpose this net had… and as a result, he knew that its effect on her defined the sort of creature that she must be. He fell silent, stunned for a moment or two, until Zhang Ji pulled up, and he snapped to attention, giving a small bow. “Of course, my daimyo. It is always my privilege to serve you.” As he straightened though, he felt the adrenaline drain from him, and his legs trembled slightly beneath him. His second in command stepped up to catch his arm and help him onto the horse they brought.



Taka had fallen asleep in his saddle on the way back to the palace, kept upright mostly by the attentive soldiers around him, and the physician that was called to see him put him immediately to bed, with instructions that he not be disturbed, and that he be served a light meal and a certain medicinal tea upon waking. He’d slept heavily, and it was early the next morning before the general stirred of his own accord, accustomed to rising early and unable to break the habit, even as exhausted as he’d been. He’d taken little time getting himself clean and dressed - and more than he’d have cared for assuring the physician that he was quite well enough to venture to the daimyo’s quarters on his own - before finally he tapped on Zhang Ji’s door and, upon being granted entrance, closed the door behind him, and gave a small bow. “I was told you wished to see me, sir? I regret that my weakness has caused this delay, but I assure you I am quite well, now.”

“I do not need to know her nature or history to recognize a creature who’s been mistreated… Whatever may befall her with me, I can promise you that it will not overshadow whatever evil you have done. And now, I’ve done with words.”

Maru did not respond to his words, but he was greatly amused. How could he swear that Haruhi would meet no end worse than she did at the hand of Maru when the lord he served was just as bad if not worse? He enslaved innocent people and had him hunting them down, surely there were far more serious matters that required the daimyo’s attention that had nothing to do with enslaving forest spirits? But then again, Maru did not care about that so long as he got what he wanted, and this General had ensured he did not on this occasion, but she would soon fall into a greater despair and if he could watch her succumb then the General would have given him something far more enjoyable. He smirked, he truly had no idea. But for now, the best thing to do after receiving such a beating was to leave, he did not want the daimyo to get interested on the god and then try to make him one of his tools, Maru was way too arrogant and narcissistic for something like that. Besides, he was just as ambitious and power-hungry, there was no way he would sere anyone but himself and that daimyo would not bend a knee before a god. No, he liked his freedom and would enjoy it. That also meant he could easily watch Haruhi suffer without having his liberties striped.

Haruhi stirred for a moment, she wondered how long she had been unconscious but she nearly gasped at the sight that greeted her. Zhang Ji was smirking at her, “About time you wake up.” She frowned and turned her back toward him. He laughed but then said, “Now, I have a proposition for you and unfortunately for you, you cannot refuse. You see, there are quite a few of your kin under my service. If you accept my terms, I’ll have my men release them, your mother is included amongst them, but she is treated like a lady and granted many liberties. However, to ensure your obedience… I would like to keep her here with us.” Haruhi’s eyes glistened with tears, she knew where this was going and she did not like it one single bit. He was blackmailing her into submission and she had no interest in remaining here, so he offered to release some of her kin but keep her mother, he was no fool then. Still, she would not agree to anything even if that meant her mother would remain in this Palace, she would find a way to free her. Unless he spoke honestly of what he expected from her.

“The price is always too great.” She sneered, and it was true. He probably expected too much from her for he had tried to catch her for years. He grinned and then opened a fan to refresh himself some, “There is always a price, nothing is for free… But you will like this surely…” He sneaked a hand to caress her cheek and she quickly winced and mood away. She did not do well with situations such as these ever since…

He examined her reaction and wondered for a moment, but decided not to say anything on the matter and rather said, “If you will stay here and not try to escape I will make the kitsune that remain in the Palace have better lives, you will get to see your mother, I could create a rule to protect the kitsune living in your village, things would improve overall. You see, I can be a very generous man. In exchange, you will stay here, without any chains or marks that could blemish your beautiful skin, you will keep me company, entertain me with your powers, I see you also play music and have a reputation as bard, I would like you to also compose songs for the Palace and for whenever we have visitors. And then maybe, you will let me have the maids have you in a better and more appealing attire. You might be tempted to escape at the beginning but unless I say so your powers are useless in this Palace.” He opened the cage and then moved aside so that she could walk out.

She disliked feeling like a pet, or courtesan for that is what he was implying with his words. But before she could say anything the maids took her away for a bath and change of clothes. Zhang Ji in the mean time dealt with whatever needed doing after the battle and asked his quarters to be organised so that an area in the chambers for Haruhi’s perusal, there was a futon for her as well and what little possessions she had in her persona when she was taken. As soon as she was ready with a lovely violet kimono, her hair elegantly falling down her shoulders and very light makeup she was taken back to the Lord’s chambers and she felt tenser the closer she got there. She had not given an answer and he was already assuming she would say yes. She was also frightened, if he expected anything more from her she would rather sacrifice herself. Her eyes looked at the floor for a moment until they reached the door. She was guided to the chambers and as soon as she stood in front of him the maids left. He smirked, “Quite lovely indeed.” He motioned for her to sit to his right, there was a set of tea and two cups, she frowned but then sat as instructed. He examined her closely and took one of her hands. She tensed and fought the urge to move away when he spoke, “So Lady, what will you answer be?” She shivered in fear when he moved to kiss her hand and then he leaned forth making her lean back, “I…” She knew there was no other choice and it annoyed her as a free spirit to be cornered like this.

He placed a hand on the table cornering her even more and bringing back memories she wished to forget forever more. She gasped and tried to look away but with his free hand he held her chin so their eyes would meet. Well, his one eye at that since he had an eye patch. She felt truly scared but managed to say, “I will stay but, please stop this…” She turned to the other side trying to overcome the fear and anxiety of the memories he was evoking and then eh watched him smirk, “Acting shy? That is unheard of, you kin are quite good at seduction, I would know that.” He smirked and ran a finger down her arm making it hard for her not to shake. But he seemed to have a lot of work to do that morning and so he decided he would leave that for later. “Pour us some tea and play some music.” He grinned and then began to look at some papers on his table. She poured the drinks and took a sip of her green tea after watching him take a sip. It was true that there was no need to drug her but, she might as well be careful.

After that, she sighed and then settled back on her seat with her shamisen and closing her eyes as a gentle breeze blew past she began to play a soothing song that would help him work in peace and help calm her nerves. It was then a servant said that the General was up and requesting to see him, Zhang Ji nodded and Haruhi nearly looked up but instead, knowing she was meant to play music for now, in all honesty, she was not sure how she felt now that she knew that Taka served the one man responsible for the enslavement of her kin.

“I was told you wished to see me, sir? I regret that my weakness has caused this delay, but I assure you I am quite well, now.”

She heard his voice and then was glad that he was all better now, he had sustained terrible wounds. Still she dared not lift her gaze to meet his, she was trying to sort her feelings out as the Lord nodded, “Good, if you need a day off, by all means take it, you have served me like the very best.” He then signed and sealed a letter and set it to the side before he added, “I wanted to offer you a reward. Due to your arduous efforts these lands stay safe and prosperity ensues. Just say the word, and I will make it so.” He smirked spreading his hands to signify he would gladly oblige.

Upon entering the room, his senses went a little haywire… especially that sense that he was accustomed to using to track the kitsune that his liege lord so keenly desired. In retrospect, he couldn’t understand why he hadn’t noticed it earlier - this reaction was more powerful than any he’d felt, in all of his years hunting the vulpine creatures. Then again, according to what the physician had told him, he’d taken quite a blow to the head, and it was Byakko’s own grace that he had any memory of what had occurred yesterday. Indeed, he was quite certain that the physician was right - in his state yesterday, he’d been absolutely convinced that he’d received at least one grievous wound, in the battle… and yet, he’d awoken this morning with little more than a persistent headache and foggy memories. Perhaps that explained how he hadn’t noticed her energy, yesterday - clearly, he’d been hallucinating, at least in some capacity. His distraction was such that it took a split second longer than usual for him to answer Zhang Ji. “No, sir. I am quite well, I assure you. A little bit of a headache, but I have been given to understand that it would be more unusual if I did not have one. And the physician tested my eyes this morning, and reports that they appear to be unaffected by the blow to the head… so I am pronounced fit for duty, as I stand. As much as I ever was, at any rate.” That was a very light, dry joke, showing that he was accustomed to interacting with this older man, but was restrained and polite, still showing that he knew his place.



The sense of her in the room was really quite distracting, making it difficult for him to keep his mind on the conversation with the daimyo, especially when paired with one of the few memories he had from yesterday that he was fairly convinced was real. But he was nothing if not a professional, able to forcibly shift his own focus, and perhaps the very slight hesitation of his fluidity in doing so could be blamed on the blow to the head. As it was, he transitioned smoothly, when he was offered a reward for his services. “You are too kind, sir, and always generous in expressing your gratitude.” A little bow expressed that more fully, and then he carefully stepped onto the subject that he was hopeful to discuss. “... though I will admit… I had given a little thought to what request I might make of you, if you were inclined to indulge me a little.” His eyes went to Haruhi then, for the first time, and it was a calculated move - he’d deliberately avoided looking at her up to now, to disguise his interest, and to give the daimyo the idea that he considered her unimportant. He didn’t want the older man to pick up on how interested - and mystified - he felt by this odd connection he felt with her, in the back of his mind. So he delicately phrased his next words, while being very careful not to change the tenor of his voice from its usual tone, so as not to give it away. “With your great indulgence… I should like to question the prisoner for myself.” He moved his eyes back to Zhang Ji, then, not wanting to look at Haruhi for too long. “As I’m sure you have noticed, I suspect that this particular conquest of ours is a little different from the other kitsune we have hosted in these hallowed halls. I suspect she can give us a great deal of useful information… if adequately persuaded.” And here, he gave a little smirk. “Of course, with the personal assurance from me that no harm will come to her, without your expressed permission.”

Haruhi played the gentle melody thinking of her beloved family, her village and her people and it made her feel great sorrow that men like Zhang Ji would enslave her people for his own amusement. She would not be surprised of some of her people were forced into his harem, it was true that he did not seem to be a brute and judging by what she saw in his army and servants they were well treated but his approach could have been different. If only he had proposed both his people and hers to work together she was sure her family would have come to an agreement with him, instead, he spent many years chasing hem and now he found her. She was so angry at herself for not running away as soon as Taka’s injuries recovered, but there was something about him that begged her to stay and she was not entirely sure what it was but putting that aside he had been her childhood friend and she did not want to abandon him, at least not until she was certain he would be okay. Her eyes did not move to look at him, though, as sh was meant to entertain only and so she continued playing her shamisen. she was glad he was up and about though, he would most likely be all better the next day. It was a good thing that she had been passing by when he fell into the water, otherwise, she was not sure if he would have survived and even though she ended up a prisoner, at least her childhood friend would be okay and he could not resume his duties. She was planing to do the same, she need to gain as much information as possible about Zhang ji, the palace, his people and the kind of labour that was forced upon her kin and then plan a means to have everyone escape. Even though he had promised to release some of her people if she stayed by his side, she found that request a hard one to follow.

It was true that he was a cunning, intelligent, powerful and handsome man. But she had a feeling he did not only want her to entertain him and his guests with her musical skills and she also knew she would be unable to acquiesce his request. Her eye nearly twitched just thinking about it, but it did not matter, even if he neutralised her powers she could still use her own wit and tactical experience and try to outsmart him when the time came. For now, she would just do as asked if it was within reason and nothing forced upon herself and she would bide her time. There would be a moment where she would be able to set her plan in motion. But right now, she had to play the part and say nothing and hear nothing unless the lord requested her input on anything. It did feel strange being in a room where two men were discussing her and her people as if she were not there, but she was a prisoner, it was only logical she would be treated that way. She felt her cheeks turn a light tone of vermilion at remembering the attire she was told to wear, she had never worn a kimono of this sort and she did not like not wearing her armour and being so vulnerable at this era moment but she would just have to make the most of her situation and even though she did not have any weapons at her disposal, she knew she could always improvise should the need arise. The fact that she could not use her powers either was also exasperating but, for now, she had to be smart and not draw too much attention to herself.

“No, sir. I am quite well, I assure you. A little bit of a headache, but I have been given to understand that it would be more unusual if I did not have one. And the physician tested my eyes this morning, and reports that they appear to be unaffected by the blow to the head… so I am pronounced fit for duty, as I stand. As much as I ever was, at any rate.”

Zhang Ji looked at Taka as he responded and though he did notice the fact that it had taken him a bit longer to reply he was not surprised, he was truly a remarkable young General, he had recovered better than most men would in his situation. To his joke he laughed and since he was the General he trusted with most things he then said, “I’m pleased to have you among us once more, for there will never be a General of your calibre.” He then took a sip from his tea and offered Taka the other cup, “Come sit at the table.” After all, he did have a few things he wished to tell him before he left his chambers. Once he was settled in front of him and with a freshly poured cup of tea in hand he then said, “You might be wondering at some of the events that occurred yesterday.” He turned to eye Haruhi with a smirk, “I’ll have you know you found me quite the catch, you see, she is one of the few to inherit abilities passed down through generations. It is my belief that she healed your wounds after you fell into the river.” He took another sip of his tea and Haruhi had to do her best not to twitch at the way in which he spoke of her, she was no newly acquired powerful gem nor was she to be so disrespected especially being the daughter of the head of her clan. But she still managed to focus on the music and breathe deeply to avoid showing the displeasure of having someone brag about his new pet. Zhang Ji then smiled at Taka, “I believe that is not all she can do. And there may be more of her kind out there.” Surely Taka knew what he meant, by now he could freely speak his mind and Taka would always know what he referred to.

Zhang Ji never let go of an opportunity as soon as he saw it. If there were more kitsune like her in the village he would build a small village in his domains and have them all lie there, for his amusement, in case he needed them and also pretending to offer an agreement, although he always made sure to walk out of any such agreements with the best part. He was reckless and merciless but he always got what he wanted. And he would make sure that Haruhi learned her place in his domains. He knew she was a free spirit, therefore, he also had to find the means to force her into submitting, he could not have her freeing her mother and escaping his lands with all of her fellow kitsune in tow. Surely she was already plotting her means of escape, but with Taka’s ability to sense kitsune and all he had researched about her kin over the years, she would need walk out of his palace alive. He poured himself some more tea while he allowed Taka time to think of what he desired and then he would make sure to have breakfast brought to his newest acquisition, he could not have her die of hunger now that he finally caught her. Haruhi noticed certain tension in the air and it alarmed her. If the Lord already suspected her plans she might as well give up. She had to be careful, give no reason to suspect her. It seemed her situations became more and more precarious the longer she stayed in the Palace.

”You are too kind, sir, and always generous in expressing your gratitude.”

He nodded, Taka never failed to please him, not only did he excel as a General form a very young age, his manners were impeccable. He nearly grinned, he had done such a good job bringing him up he did not regret doing so. He had been so useful during his military exploits with neighbouring daimyos and also with his kitsune capture campaign. And he did not suspect anything. It was true that he had come to esteem the man but Zhang Ji was a warlord and he was used to using all the tools at his disposal, people only had the blue they offered him at the time thus he had had no problem brainwashing Taka into believing they were kin since he looked after him since he was a boy. He had to lie in order to achieve his goals but he had triumphed and no one would question him now. They simply would not dare. He did wonder about his response though, did he not wish to receive a reward on this occasion. It would be uncalled for since he had openly offered him anything he could want and they had a witness in the room. But then he noticed the man was about to speak and so he silently waited to hear what he had to say.

“... though I will admit… I had given a little thought to what request I might make of you, if you were inclined to indulge me a little.”

He smirked, Taka’s words sounded so much like a person of the nobility politely addressing their lord and the other part of him sensed light hesitation as if he were seeking to his father about something he wanted but was not sure the man would agree to. He took a sip from his tea and then said, “Let us hear it then” It was good that he was not declining the offer though, for that would dishonour his offer and that would have been a terrible result. He was intrigued though, Taka was not a man to ask for many things so when he did Zhang Ji was always so curious about what could have taken his interest. Perhaps he wanted to ask for the day off to visit his fiancée? Or maybe he wanted lands of his own? He was eager to find out. But no, it was at that very moment that he noticed Taka was looking at Haruhi and he turned to look in the same direction just to confirm his suspicions. He wondered what it was he wished of her. Haruhi felt eyes upon her and she nearly blushed but she kept her composure and continued playing the gentle melody.

"With your great indulgence… I should like to question the prisoner for myself.”

Now that was something Zhang Ji did not expect and he chuckled surprised. “While I admire your devotion to my cause, you cannot be thinking of naught else but work. You need to enjoy some free time and engage in the hobbies of youth.” He took another sip of his tea and then he added, “But, if that is your wish, I will hear your reasoning.” It was not the first time he pushed Taka to have some fun although the young man did seem to enjoy leisure activities he was so devoted to Zhang Ji, it was the only time he felt a bit of remorse for not looking after him more closely and granted him a better fatherly figure. His reasoning behind that was that, well he was one of them and he did not wish to bond with him in such a way that his plan to capture and enslave kitsune would be affected by such relationship.

“As I’m sure you have noticed, I suspect that this particular conquest of ours is a little different from the other kitsune we have hosted in these hallowed halls. I suspect she can give us a great deal of useful information… if adequately persuaded.”

He could not stop himself from giving Taka a wicked grin, yes no other person knew the way Zhang Ji thought better than Taka. He thought for a moment staying his countenance and then decided that it would not be a problem, after all he did wish to learn if there were other kitsune as powerful as her. If this was his idea of a reward he did not see why he would not agree to it. As his General he would make sure to learn the best ways to interrogate her and the level of harshness needed. However, since she was a one of a kind kitsune he hoped he would not break his new little toy. Haruhi felt a shiver move down her spine at the words that Taka uttered. She knew what military interrogations were like but she was to about to disclose any information no matter how hard he pressed her to oblige. If she perished due to the wounds then she would do so knowing that her people would be safe and that as soon as they noticed she was gone they would move their clan to a different area in order to escape the daimyo. She still found it hard to be in the same room as the two of them and hear them discuss her as if she were not there, being a prisoner was not enjoyable at all…. obviously…

“Of course, with the personal assurance from me that no harm will come to her, without your expressed permission.”

The older man laughed, “Of all the people who interrogate prisoners you know it is you I trust the most. I will agree to your wish, as long as you bring her back in one piece.” He grinned and then ran a finger along Haruhi’s arm, making her shier slightly and she missed the next note on the song. She took a deep breath to settle her nerves and stopped playing as soon as he lifted a palm indicating so, “I have some meetings as soon as I finish my tea, feel free to take her to the interrogation room or question her here, water you prefer.” He finished his tea, took some letters and a few other thing son the table and then he said, “I still want you to rest some today, to ensure tomorrow you are all better.” He clapped a hand on his shoulder and then left the room. And for a moment Haruhi felt most of her tension dissipate and yet she was still nervous, what kind of interrogation would Taka force upon her? It was strange how life worked, seeing Taka again after so many years, well, she did not expect it to happen in such a way. Still she put her shamisen away and slowly her eyes looked up meeting his for a moment. Her long copper hair shook lightly with the blowing wind coming from the window.

The formality that had been carefully trained into him kept Taka standing attentively, until at last Zhang Ji invited him to a seat at the table. This meant that their interaction had shifted to a slightly more casual one, and he took the tea gratefully, settling himself comfortably as the conversation continued. The solitary functional eye widened in its socket though, a sea of steely silver in his amazement. “Healed my-” He glanced over at her again, but that was a natural enough motion, considering the revelation, and he quickly directed his gaze back to his superior. “I… had honestly thought the wounds I remembered to be a symptom of the head injury. An altered memory, as it were.” Still he shrugged a little. “All the more reason I wish to question her, sir. If it is passed down, as you say… this is a bloodline that could prove very useful to us.” A little smile marked the direction that he recognized hte daimyo’s mind would have gone in that moment, and a little chuckle followed seconds later. “If you insist, sir… Shuri has been after me to accompany her into town. There is a festival there, and she says they have exotic foods, dancers, and art that she wishes to see. Perhaps, after completing my interrogation, I shall take my rest this afternoon as you suggest… and then with your permission, escort her to the festival, if that is acceptable.”

It surprised him to feel a sense of… was it suppressed anger?... at the way Zhang Ji made her shiver, enough that her flawless playing faltered. Reflecting upon it within his mind for a moment, he identified the feeling as being oddly… territorial. He realized that he’d have felt the same if some other man had caressed Shuri in such a way, but that realization mystified him. He didn’t know this girl - this kitsune - why should he feel protective over her? He bit his tongue though, and provided Zhang Ji the smile he expected as the elder man patted his shoulder and left the room. It wasn’t until he was certain that the man was gone that he addressed Haruhi, his tone soft and reasonable, but his curiosity restrained, at least for now. “It would be polite, I suppose, to introduce myself properly, before beginning your questioning…” The single steely eye fixes her certainly, its useless companion sightlessly landing on the table between them as he did so. “...but I suspect the courtesy to be unnecessary.” Only now did a bit of his confusion leak into his words. “I did not imagine it, did I? You did call me by name.”

Haruhi noticed the surprise in Taka when Zhang Ji told him that she had healed all his wounds. She looked down feeling a hint of pink decorate her cheeks. In all honesty she had not expected the daimyo to know of this ability of hers as it was not that common but she did expose herself when she treated his injuries. Chances were the daimyo would have sent his men to track her down even if she had fled the scene. And she would have led them to her village and that would have been the worst thing she could have ever done. After all these years of the clan coming so close to settling somewhere safe. No, even though she despised Zhang Ji for the things he did to her people and she felt overwhelmed at being limited to one location in the Palace, she decided it would be best if she sacrificed herself to keep her people safe. When Taka stated that he assumed his injuries had been caused due to the trauma from the hit on the head Zhang Ji shook his head, “It was all her.” Haruhi knew that this would not be good news for her, she had wanted to be ignored by the both of them during her stay here so she could move freely and escape with her fellow kitsune but now, they discovered one of her main abilities and would keep an eye on her. She nearly growled in annoyance, this was going to be way more complicated.

“All the more reason I wish to question her, sir. If it is passed down, as you say… this is a bloodline that could prove very useful to us.”

She could scarcely believe her bad luck. This really would limit all the things she could do whenever the daimyo was not looking as she had no interest in staying here. Especially after that look he had given her before he asked her to play her shamisen. She was not safe here and no one could protect her against such a powerful and cunning man. Zhang Ji laughed at the younger man’s words, he was so proud of him. He was his work of art and he had come a long way. He nodded with a grin, “That was precisely what I was thinking, we would need to make ourselves a little army of these special kitsune, no?” He eyed Haruhi with a dark grin, his eyes looking her up and down, he wondered if such ancient bloodline could be passed down into humans. He decided he trusted no one else to interrogate her, not that he did not trust his men but this was a powerful kitsune, ward or no wards she could still wiggle her way into the men’s hearts in order to get them to help her escape and that would ruin the plans he had in store for her.

When Taka accepted the time off the elder man nodded. Haruhi felt like pouting though, she loved festivals and could imagine all the things he described. Instead, though, she would be kept in this room a prisoner and she would be unable to even see the fireworks from here. On top of that she would have to avoid Zhang Ji once he returned to his chambers in order to continue pursuing his corrupted desires, and she was not sure how long she would be able to keep him at bay before he lost patience with her and did something terrifying. She was also starving, she had not eaten anything ever since she was captured. She knew it was a tactic to keep a prisoner hungry for as long as possible in order to blackmail them into accepting whatever it was perverted men such as Zhang Ji wished of her. She would not give him the satisfaction, she would rather die of starvation.

She still could not believe Zhang Ji managed to get Taka to serve him with as much loyalty as he did, not only that but he was his General a most trusted man and he hunted kitsune. Why would he hunt his own people? Thinking about that, she realised that he had just looked at her for a moment and she saw no trace of recognition. She was beginning to wonder if that man had done much more than just get Taka to serve him. She had not seen him since the day her clan was nearly wiped out by Zhang Ji, so maybe he had him since he was a poor and helpless boy? What did that man do to him to turn him into his loyal servant? It disgusted her, she decided she would get to the bottom of the issue and try to help her Taka if possible. What if… She looked at Taka for a moment, did Zhang Ji know about the kitsune balls? Realising all he had known about her even though she was a private person, she had no doubt that he knew and used it against Taka. It would also explain why she did not sense any magic in him. Zhang Ji, you monster. She would find a way to help him, help her people escape and destroy this cruel daimyo.

As soon as the man left she sat silently waiting for Taka to begin his interrogation. She realised that nothing could be worse for her than being left alone in the company of a lacivous man like Zhang Ji, she would much rather be tortured than be left at the mercy of his dark thoughts. In fact she did not want this interrogation to end. She was beyond terrified because Zhang Ji was just like Maru, she could not go through that again, it would kill her. He moved and she noticed with curiosity that Taka was waiting for the older man to be gone before he would speak and that piqued her curiosity. Her eyes examined him wondering if he truly did not recognise her, she wanted to know the extent of the harm that Lord caused him. But then she wondered if he truly wanted to know. He looked so happy at present. And if she answered his questions would it trouble him? Or was it he was convinced to trap his own people because he thought it was the right thing to do? No, she could not see the cruelty she sensed in Zhang Ji. Taka was different but she still could not figure him out, she did not know why he wished to question her, had it truly been in order to learn more about kitsune lineages? She noticed he was about to soak and so she looked into his eyes unwavering. He had not told the daimyo about the circumstances of their meeting, maybe that meant she could trust him if he had kept that a secret from his Lord.

“It would be polite, I suppose, to introduce myself properly, before beginning your questioning…”

She wondered if he did not remember her and if he had been unable to remember what had transpired before his men captured her. She would have to be cautious with her replies in order to learn his motives. Furthermore, if he was curious about her then she could keep herself safe from Zhang Ji, to some extent, by ensuring Taka would come to question her as often as possible. Surely no one would blame her for doing everything at hand not to be alone with that man in his chambers. Just the thought of it made her skin shiver for a moment. She truly despised men like him and Maru, men who wanted power above anything else, even the well-being of others.

“...but I suspect the courtesy to be unnecessary. I did not imagine it, did I? You did call me by name.”

Haruhi blushed lightly at his words but her deep blue eyes did not look away, “I did.” She then placed both hands on her lap and said with a gentle smile, “Your name is Taka Matsui. You like music and dancing.” She then looked at his necklace, “I was so happy that you still had that, I made one for you and one for me.” She gently moved so that her back was turned toward him so that he could see the brooch she made with her bracelet as it no longer fit around her wrist. It was gently hanging and keeping her long copper hair together and it had the same pattern and colour as Taka’s. She then moved back to face him wondering if anything she said would help him remember. “When I found you at the river, I had to heal your wounds, I knew it was you and I did not want to leave there. I’m not sure how much you remember but, I was playing a song I knew you liked from back then when I was attacked. And I’ll confess I thought you recognised me then, for the moment I called your name you immediately got up and protected me.” She blushed at the thought and added, “I had never seen anyone react the way you did, despite being unconscious.”

Whatever he was expecting, as explanation for why she knew his name, this was not it. The single functional eye widened subtly, showing his surprise to the keenly observant, where his face gave away nothing of how he felt. His full name was not so surprising, now - she'd been here overnight now, and could have reasonably heard it. No, it was her other comment, that he enjoyed dancing, that caused his surprise, and he frowned slightly, suspicious. “That is a fact that very few know. Which means that either you have already infiltrated the confidence of persons that I am quite certain you have not met yet…” He trailed off then, not speaking the other possibility aloud, just yet. The other possibility - that what she claimed was true - was far too radical, and frightening, to be considered. No, he had been born and raised, here in Sailo. The daimyo had been a second father to him, after his own had been killed in battle - he’d been a common man, but his bravery had given him great honor, and it was that which had led Zhang Ji to elevate his son to a more important position, which had eventually led him to his current place of power and influence.

She swiveled then, showing off a woven brooch. Without realizing, his fingers trailed to his necklace for a moment or two. He did not have to look there with his eyes to know that the two pieces had an identical pattern - he’d had it since as far back as he could remember, and had every detail of it memorized. That was something he could not dismiss so easily. “I… have had it since I was a small boy. It was my father’s… when he died in battle, they brought it to me. As I grew, I could not bear to part with it, so I asked that it be fashioned into something else.” He still sounded quite convinced of that story, but the silvery eyes were a bit more doubtful now, behind the stone of his face. “Your words flatter me… but I’m afraid your praise is misplaced. I did not protect you out of belief that you were of importance, but rather because I cannot tolerate the kind of bigoted mistreatment of those “lesser” or “weaker”, simpy because one has the power to do so. That fool needed to be taught his place.”

Haruhi kept a cool composure, she knew that as a soldier he would pick up on anything and the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was not telling the truth. Even thought she felt much more at east in the company of Taka than she did when that daimyo was in the same room as her, she could not lower her guard. He was still working for the daimyo and for all she knew he was doing so willingly and was happy in his current situation and depending on the things he would say she would then judge if he was conscious of what had happened or if he had been lied to. She hoped it was the later, she could not imagine him a wicked man who hunts down his own kin for no reason. That would be too twisted. She did not even want to consider that possibility. It was true that he watched her being captured despite what has transpired between them but, she knew well enough that as a soldier and even more so, a General, he could not publicly go abasing his daimyo and the usual orders so she did not thing much about that as it would be expected of anyone and he could have lost more than his life had he intervened. But that did not mean she liked the situation she was in, she was no creature to have in a cage or a woman to showcase everyone in order to show off. Or worse… The last look he gave her she knew she would have to come up with something as soon as Taka left. She did not care what she had to do to keep him away from her, she would do everything to prevent her past from repeating itself. Furthermore, she would not give Maru the satisfaction of knowing she was much more miserable in this Palace than she had been in the forest. She knew he was itching to rub that to her face and she only wished she could have killed him at that very moment. Unfortunately, the soldiers captured her. She nearly sighed in annoyance.

As soon as she began speaking she noticed he did not show any emotion, however, she wondered if he thought it strange that she knew so many things about him. Would that poke at his memories? She watched him silently for a moment hoping he would remember and see to it that she was released and maybe her people as well. Maybe it was too optimistic of her to have such thoughts but in her current situation the only other option was to give in to darkness and anxiety and she did not want to do that. Not until she had exhausted every other option. She noticed a hint of surprise and suspicion, that was not a good sign. That only meant he did not believe her and rather thought she had any machinations going on, it would be silly of him to think that though, as she had been confined to a cage and unconscious until just hours ago. And she had not been alone for a second since her arrival, she suspected that man had been staring at her sleeping form until she woke up. A troubling thought.

“That is a fact that very few know. Which means that either you have already infiltrated the confidence of persons that I am quite certain you have not met yet…”

She frowned when he spoke and did not even finish his sentence, she shook her head and closed her eyes with a sigh, not good at all. She looked back at him and said, “You are the only person I know in this Palace, besides my people, who have been turned into slaves here. I was imprisoned as soon as I arrived and your daimyo stared at me until I awoke. How would I manage to speak to anyone during that time?” She then thought for a moment and then said, “We danced together when we were younger and you told me you liked dancing and listening to me play the shamisen.” She had a feeling she would have her work cut out for her regarding his memories, she suspected the damage had been much deeper than she envisaged. That man was filth, pure filth. To lie to a child and make them believe a different reality when he was the man who brought this doom upon them, she was so disgusted she was not sure she could be in the same room as that man without feeling the urge to spit on his face. She did not speak her thoughts though, it would not be good for her due to their current predicament. Not until she got him to actually believe her words to be true. But how could she do so without any proof? It was her word abasing whatever they made him believe for years, his reality was all he had known for so many years he would not just believe the first person that told him what really happened. But she could send him on the right direction, have him start his research and he will surely come to the conclusion that her words were true. “My mother, Mitsuka, was captured months ago by your daimyo, I was told she would be treated as a guest here to force me to stay, you can approach her and ask her to confirm what I have just told you. All my powers are sealed here and I have not spoken to her since she was captured. She will confirm what I have just told you.”


She then thought os anything else she could add, but then she did not want to force memories into his mind so quickly. She then thought about her shamisen and then said, “There was one song you particularly liked. I can play it for you if you like…” She then looked into his eyes for a moment and added, “I know it must come to you as a shock and I would not wish to burden you if you need time to process the information and do your own research. But there really is no reason for me to lie about your past, I have nothing to gain.” And she truly did not, and partly she did not wish to tell him everything because she knew it would be to much for him, but part of her hoped that he would eventually remember everything and help her.

“I… have had it since I was a small boy. It was my father’s… when he died in battle, they brought it to me. As I grew, I could not bear to part with it, so I asked that it be fashioned into something else.”

Haruhi shook her head gently, “Is that what you were told? When you and I were children I made both bracelets, I gave you one and kept the other and to this day I still have it. To be fair I thought… you might have perished. And so I kept it as a memento of our memories together. I had always been gifted with the art of crafting bracelets but surely even in your eyes, you can see the tiny imperfections on both your bracelet and mine, after all, they were made by a child.” She then added, “If you bring me materials I can craft a replica although my skills have improved considerably, thus the next one I make will be of a better quality.” She smiled softly at him, if it were in her power to procure any proof for him she would gladly oblige. She would have to find the location of Taka’s kitsune ball, she was nearly convinced that Zhang Ji had it somewhere safe. Judging by the type of man seemed to be, he kept his most prized possessions in his chambers and as a hostage she would have to make the most of her alone time in order to find it. She did not want him to have such power over Taka, it saddened her to see the level of brainwash done to him and all the lies Zhang Ji had spouted all these years making him appear as his saviour and changing things to suit him. When he mentioned that her father die din battle she looked away, no, Zhang Ji had killed him but she did not have the heart to reveal this to him just yet. It was far too cruel. Especially when he served him for so many years and was exposed to his hypocritical and pretentious ‘affections’.

“Your words flatter me… but I’m afraid your praise is misplaced. I did not protect you out of belief that you were of importance, but rather because I cannot tolerate the kind of bigoted mistreatment of those “lesser” or “weaker”, simpy because one has the power to do so. That fool needed to be taught his place.”

She felt a bit hurt by his words even though the way he had reacted to her playing the shamisen when unconscious proved otherwise. Still, she knew that he had been lied to all these years and so she did not show any emotion rather she looked away for a moment not wanting to think about Maru. No matter how hard she tried, she could not forget what he did to her and the mention of his name only made her feelings resurface. She took a deep breath to regain composure and held her hands together resting on her lap, tightening her grip on both hands she turned to smiled at him and said, “Well, I still wish to thank you for helping me despite your injuries.” And she truthfully thanked him, after all, who knew what he wails have done to her had she not been sitting next to Taka. Although, not she found herself on a similar predicament with Zhang Ji and that made her very uneasy.