Romance Fan Fiction ❯ Love Brings Betrayal ❯ Chapter 21 ( Chapter 21 )

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 21

Three Months Later, Owari Castle

 

Nohime was now almost four months along. In five more months she would be a mother. Her marriage to Mitsuhide was exactly what she expected; everything that she always wanted. He loved her and showed her everyday. He even told her everyday. He was constantly by her side just in case she needed something. Perfect was the only word to describe their marriage.

 

She patted her stomach, she was starting to show. She smiled. She knew deep in her heart the baby was Mitsuhide's. It had to be. Even so, she was going to be a mother soon. She was happy for once in her life and she didn't have to hide it.

 

Nohime made her way to the war room where Mitsuhide was. Hideyoshi had made it perfectly clear that he intended to fight Mitsuhide for the title and spot of Nobunaga's successor. He was the only one that had outright opposed Mitsuhide.

 

Mitsuhide should be planning his battle strategy with his retainers. It felt as if so many opposed them and it was only Hideyoshi. However, Hideyoshi had many brave warriors on his side. Mitsunari Ishida, Magoichi Saika, Nene. And many others. All Mitsuhide had was his family and a few choice fighters. She could perhaps persuade her father to help, but she did not want to talk to him.

 

Mitsuhide and his retainers looked up when Nohime walked in the war room. They stood and bowed to her. She smiled and they sat back down. Mitsuhide walked over to her, worry encasing his brow, “Is everything alright? Are you well?”

 

“I'm fine, Mitsuhide. Just worried about the upcoming battle that I will not be able to help with...”

 

Mitsuhide chuckled, “Well I would gladly accept your help if you were not carrying my child.”

 

“Yes, yes. It just worries me. You must be extremely careful. Hideyoshi has some many more forces than we do.”

 

“I know. But we will win. If I lose this battle it would dishonor Lord Nobunaga. It is as if my soul will be our Main Camp. If I do not protect it, I will die.”

 

“As would I. And Gracia.”

 

“I will not die in this battle. I would not leave you or Gracia willingly. I will not accept death. This will be the last battle that I plan to participate in. Unless we are threatened. Then I must fight again. But after I battle Hideyoshi I will finally unite all of Japan.”

 

Mitsuhide put his arm around Nohime and rubbed her slightly pouching tummy, “We will meet Hideyoshi at Yamazaki. Mount TennÅ is our target, that mountain is the key to winning the upcoming battle. From there we can launch our final attack.”

 

***

Two Weeks Later

Yamazaki 1582

The Toyotomi vs. The Akechi

 

Mitsuhide arrived at the foot of the mountain. Hideyoshi had already claimed Mount TennÅ. He would just have to take it from them. The cliffs up to the mountain, he observed, were too high to climb safely. The troops would have to follow the paths around the mountain.

 

Mitsuhide also noticed that Hideyoshi had a row of three cannons on the second cliff of the mountain. Those would cause serious casualties with Mitsuhide's troops. They would have to take out the enemy cannons as well.

 

The battle had begun. It would be a long battle and it would result in the complete annihilation of the Toyotomi or the Akechi. Either way, Hideyoshi or Mitsuhide was going to die and so would the remaining family.

The battle was already beginning. Mitsuhide looked out over the growing battlefield, “I will steer Japan in a new direction. I will recreate this land as I see fit,” he paused and whispered to himself, “But first, it is essential that I win this battle!”

 

He looked up at the mountain and declared, “We cannot allow Mount TennÅ to remain in the enemies hands. Its control is our top priority!”

 

ﻬ

 

 

Hideyoshi was stationed in his Main Camp. He called out, “Attack ShÅryÅ«ji! We'll cut off Mitsuhide's escape route!”

 

Hideyoshi looked to some of his officers still in the Main Camp, “This battle isn't just to avenge Lord Nobunaga. It's also to decide who gets to carry on his ambition... And that means it's the most important battle of all!

ﻬ

 

Mitsuhide had set out and was at the gate to Mount TennÅ. He thought to himself, // So I am Lord Nobunaga's killer, then. If I am to carry the weight of the whole land, that is a small burden to bear. //

 

Mitsuhide heard the cannons firing repeatedly and kept hearing the cries of fallen men. He shouted to his soldiers, “Those enemy cannons are impeding our attack... We will have to put a stop to them!”

 

Mitsuhide rushed the man guarding the cannons and ended his life quickly, thus ending the cannon fire. Then he headed back to the gate of Mount TennÅ. He defeated the guard there. The guard, he noticed, was one of Hideyoshi's sons. But no time to feel remorse now.

 

// I shall take control of Japan; no matter what hardship I must endure. I can see the goal up ahead. I must overcome any obstacles in order to reach it. //

He rode up the mountain at a frantic pace. When he arrived there, Mitsunari Ishida was guarding the Toyotomi's place on the mountain. He opened his bladed fan, ready for battle.

 

Mitsunari looked him in the eyes, “I'm at a total loss to understand you. Are these the acts of man of principle?”

 

“You will understand in time, Mitsunari. There are forces greater than reason, and there is none greater than the heart of man!”

 

Mitsunari was a good match for Mitsuhide. They had trained together numerous times. But they had never been friends. Mitsunari was too ungrateful for Mitsuhide's tastes. In Mitsunari's opinion, Mitsuhide was too nosy for his tastes. Mitsuhide was always trying to give him advice that he didn't need. Just like Lady Nene.

 

They knew each other's moves too well. But eventually Mitsunari fell in battle. His final words were to his comrades in battle , “Never give up... the fight... my friends.”

 

After Mitsuhide felled Mitsunari he sent for an officer to guard the Akechi's place on Mount TennÅ.

 

“Mount TennÅ is ours at last. We shall make it our base for our assault on the Main Camp!”

ﻬ

 

“I can't believe they've taken Mount TennÅ from us. Eh... no matter whatever they take, we can take back!”

 

The Toyotomi army began to advance back to Mount TennÅ.

 

ﻬ

 

“We mustn't let them encroach upon the mountain! Repel their attack!”

 

Mitsuhide rode farther into the battlefield. There were two enemy officers heading for Mount TennÅ. One of them was Magoichi Saika.

Magoichi openly engaged him in battle. They crossed weapons with each other fiercely.

 

“Don't you have anything to say to the man who killed your dear Nobunaga?”

 

“I cannot afford to be blinded by anger. I will fight to achieve that which I believe is just.”

“Same here, but who's justice do you think is stronger? Yours or mine?” Magoichi pointed his gun at Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide repelled the gun and they fought.

 

“I'll never forgive you or Nobunaga for what you did to my home.”

 

Magoichi shot bullet after bullet at Mitsuhide. Each shot bounced off his armor. Mitsuhide evaded as good as he could to prevent the bullets hitting anywhere vital.

 

“I do not ask for forgiveness Magoichi. I never have. I do not expect to get it. It would be foolish to ask you to forgive me.”

 

“You're damn right it would be. And that's why I'm gonna send you to Hell. Then you can be with your lord again.”

 

Mitsuhide swung his sword at Magoichi. Magoichi blocked with his musket. They were evenly matched.

 

“I do not wish to join Lord Nobunaga.”

 

Magoichi frowned, “You don't?”

 

“No. I do not. I wish to spend my life with Nohime and our child.”

 

“Child? Nohime is gonna have a baby?”

 

“Yes, she is. And I will not allow myself to miss the birth of my child or any other future children we will sire together.” Mitsuhide swung hard and delivered the deciding blow on Magoichi. Magoichi fell to the ground.

 

Mitsuhide looked at Magoichi lying on the ground, “I am sorry my friend. Now my enemy. Though we were never close I hope in the afterlife you will find peace with the souls of the innocent lives cut short throughout this war.”

 

Mitsuhide headed off in the direction of the other officer heading toward Mount TennÅ. He dispatched him quickly then headed to ShÅryÅ«ji to help defend it. There were two officers fighting against one of Mitsuhide's oldest officers. He rescued him and then suddenly, reinforcement for the Toyotomi Army arrived; The Tsutsui Army and the Hosokawa Army. Leading them was a man named Sakon Shima. And they appeared at the entrance of Mitsuhide's Main Camp!

 

// If I let myself lose here... my entire life will have been without meaning... Which means my entire life is here, within this main camp! I must defend it! //

 

Mitsuhide rode down to his Main Camp and not one single officer stepped one foot inside his Main Camp.

 

He shouted, “Let us bring an end to all this. War, chaos... let these constant tragedies finally end here.”

 

The Akechi Army advances.

 

// Lord Nobunaga... I turned against him because I could not bear his methods. But now I understand. I realize what drove him to such extremes. Lord Nobunaga is dead. I however, can still carry out his dreams! //

 

Mitsuhide rode into the Toyotomi Main Camp and was “greeted” by Nene.

 

Nene, weapons drawn, faced him, “I'll do whatever it takes to defend my family!”

 

As he started to engage her, he saw Hideyoshi out of the corner of his eye.

 

“Lord Nobunaga has gone unavenged long enough!”

 

Mitsuhide went straight for Hideyoshi. If he beat Hideyoshi, the battle would be over...