Romance Fan Fiction ❯ Love Brings Betrayal ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
DISCLAIMER: All Main Characters In This Story Belong To Koei Games. All Characters In This Story Are From The Game Samurai Warriors By Koei Games.
Chapter 5
Nohime sighed as she walked around her room. Nobunaga had assigned her a personal maidservant. She had told this maidservant, Yuriko, to run her a bath before the feast. She took another look around her room. Her bed was freshly made and the floor looked newly scrubbed.
While she waited for her bath to get ready, Nohime took down her hair carefully. Without the headdress holding it up her hair fell to her lower hips. She carefully put the headdress on one of the protective stands. Then she loosened her kimono.
Nohime turned as sliding doors opened at her left. Yuriko came through the doors, “Lady Nohime your bath is ready. Would you like me to lay out a fresh kimono and jewelry?”
“Yes thank you. Lay out my red and black kimono with the golden embroidery. Then I would like my golden sun headdress and my red beads.”
“Yes my Lady,” Yuriko bowed at the waist and set off to do as she was told. Nohime walked through the sliding doors and shut them tightly. Finally she could be alone and think.
She went behind a privacy rack and slipped out her kimono. She walked over to a big white tub with clawed feet. Expensive. Nobunaga was really trying hard to impress her it seemed. She stepped into the tub and sunk low in it.
// I am glad that I met Mitsuhide. He is very different than the men of Oshu. He is very different from any man I've met. I wonder if Nobunaga will be the same way once we've had a chance to actually talk. //
Nohime washed carefully. She had gotten quite ruffed up during her battle with Mitsuhide. She smiled. She had had so much fun. It was almost as fun as actual battle. She sunk deeper into the water and made sure she wet all of her hair then washed it carefully. She loved her hair. And she had always prided herself about it.
Yuriko tapped on the door, “Lady Nohime I've set out your kimono and jewelry. The feast will be in about three hours. If you're done I can go ahead and fix your hair for you.”
Nohime stood up in the tub and climbed out, “Yes Yuriko, I'll be out momentarily.” Nohime looked for a towel and saw one a little ways from the tub. She wrapped it around herself and walked out into the main portion of the room. Yuriko was standing next to small stuffed chair with a long robe in her hands.
Nohime took the robe and put it on then dropped the towel and handed it to Yuriko. Yuriko put the towel in a basket at her feet. Nohime sat in the chair and Yuriko began to brush and comb her hair. While they waited for Nohime's hair to dry Yuriko did her makeup and put on her jewelry. By the time all of the makeup was done Nohime's hair was almost dry.
Yuriko grabbed the sun headdress that Nohime requested. It looked like an ancient sun, the rays spiked out; three lightning bolts pierced the sun. She wrapped her hair up in the headdress. The process taking about one hour. After Yuriko was finished with Nohime's hair and makeup she pulled out the kimono and left Nohime alone to dress herself.
Nohime slipped on the kimono and delighted in the feel of the silk sliding over her skin. She fastened the kimono and then grabbed the matching obi to wrap around her waist. She tightened it enough to where her kimono wouldn't slip but left it loose enough so she could sit and breathe. Then she put on her red beads. Red bead earrings and matching necklace.
Then she called Yuriko back in to check her makeup and clothing for any needed touchups. By the time they were completely finished it was almost time for the feast. Nohime then slipped on her wooden sandals.
There was a knock on her door. Yuriko opened the door and in stepped Nobunaga. He hadn't changed out of his armor. But then the men weren't expected to change like the women were.
“Nohime, I am here to escort you to the feast,” Nobunaga held out his hand and Nohime hesitantly took it. Nobunaga's hand closed around hers and in that one second Nohime realized that her life was about to become, as far as she knew, miserable.
“Come Nohime, let us head to the Great Hall where you can be presented properly to my retainers. I would also like to take the opportunity to learn more about you my bride.”
“I would like very much Lord Nobunaga. I would greatly appreciate the chance to learn more about my future husband.”
“If that is what you desire.”
***
Nobunaga led Nohime to the Great Hall. There were at least a dozen long tables with guests already seated. When they arrived at the Great Hall two servants immediately opened the doors for them.
“Lord Nobunaga and Lady Nohime have arrived,” announced a soldier.
Nobunaga led Nohime to an elegant table at the head of the Great Hall. There was one extremely tall backed chair in the middle of the table, Nobunaga's seat. On the right of Nobunaga's seat was a smaller high backed chair, Nohime's seat.
All the people at the head table stood as they approached.
On the left of Nobunaga's chair sat a young woman in a thin pink and purple jacket. She had auburn hair. Oval eyes. She was wearing a short white dress. She wore the Oda symbol and some other family symbol. All of her hair fell around her face except for a small part that was tied into a ponytail at the top of her head.
Next to her was a man with short blonde hair. He wore a blue coat with gold feathers surrounding the arms of the jacket. The coat flared out and ended in strips of cloth at his legs. Those two were lovingly holding hands and smiling sweetly at one another.
Her father was there. There was also a man in completely gold armor with a gold helmet that had nine golden sword points on top. He looked strangely like a monkey. He had a thin, brown mustache and a beard. He wore a gold medallion with think gold beads around his neck. His pants were puffy. He had a gold silk jacket and attached to that was his shoulder armor. All gold.
Seated next to this monkey-man was a lady with short brown hair and a gold headband. She was very tiny and kind looking. She had big round eyes but that only served to make her more beautiful. She wore a short gold tunic and strange coverings on her legs. They were brown, and the design on them resembled snake scales. She had the same coverings on her arms. She wore shoulder armor and wrist armor.
On the right of Nobunaga's chair and Nohime's chair sat Mitsuhide. Next to Mitsuhide was another man. He was overly fat. He wore a funny hat. It was quite large and had flaps on the side. He wore a white and blue jacket with a cape. He was shorter than Nohime. His armor was thick.
Nobunaga led her over to their seats. Mitsuhide stood and held out Nohime's chair for her. When she was seated Mitsuhide sat back down and Nobunaga announced that the feast could begin.
Servants came from every direction carrying plates of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and sweets. Music began to play and dancers began to perform in an empty area between the head table and the lesser tables.
“Nohime,” began Nobunaga, “Let me introduce you to the other people at our table.” He looked to his left, “This woman is my sister Oichi, and next to her is her husband Nagamasa Azai, Lord of ÅŒmi.” He looked over, “The man in gold is Hideyoshi Toyotomi and his wife Nene, you've already met Mitsuhide, and next to him is Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa. We have allied ourselves for the control of Japan.”
Nohime looked over at Mitsuhide and blushed lightly. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop the butterflies that came to life to flutter against her stomach whenever she saw him.
Lady Oichi spoke up, “Lady Nohime it is an honor to finally meet you. My brother has spoken so often about you. It is a great honor to have you as my sister-in-law. I hope we can be as close as real sisters one day.” Oichi smiled openly as did Nagamasa. They made a lovely couple Nohime thought. Much better than her and Nobunaga did.
Nohime knew that Lord Nobunaga had given Oichi to Lord Nagamasa as an agreement. They had formed an alliance together and Lord Nobunaga had promised to not attack the Asakura, one of Nagamasa's allies. In good favor of keeping the oath, Nobunaga gave Oichi to Nagamasa. But they seemed to be happy and in love. Perhaps in time the same would come for her and Nobunaga.
Hideyoshi took this opportunity to speak up as well, “Lady Nohime may I just say you are truly a rival for beauty. You can easily rival my beloved Nene and Lady Oichi for beauty,” He winked at her. Nene coughed and elbowed Hideyoshi, “Remember what we talked about my dear.” Nene had one of those sweet high-pitched voices.
Hideyoshi paled, “Yes, yes of course Nene. I remember I was just simply saying that Lady Nohime is quite beautiful. As are you and Lady Oichi.”
“Well just remember my dear Hideyoshi, if I ever catch you with another woman other than me—”
“You'll kill me?”
“Oh no! I'd never kill you my darling... I'd just break your arms,” Nene smiled evilly as Hideyoshi gulped.
“Hideyoshi? Did you ever convince that mercenary friend of yours to join me in our next battle?”
“Yes I did Lord Nobunaga. He's on his way as we speak. He wanted me to apologize for his not being here for this little party.”
“He can make up for it on the battlefield. What was his name again?”
“Magoichi Saika, leader of the Saika Renegades.”
“Ah yes. His Renegades are becoming well-known.” Hideyoshi smiled brightly, he was happy for his friend.
Nobunaga turned to Nohime, “What would you like to know about me or my increasing territory Nohime?”
“Well, I would like to hear more about you personally Lord Nobunaga. You will be my husband after all. I need to know some things about you.”
“That you do. But we will set aside a more private time for that deep of a discussion.”
“Of course.” // Figures. I should have known he wouldn't tell me anything about himself. //
The rest of the feast was uneventful for Nohime. She didn't feel that welcome when it came to Nobunaga. But with everyone else, they made her feel that she belonged there. But Nobunaga... he acted as if it were a privilege that she could sit next to him. Not her right as his betrothed. She wondered if that would change within the month before they were married.