1 Fire on Fire

My name in Rina Satomi. I am the princess of my clan. To ensure the peace between my clan and the Oda I was betrothed to Nobunaga, known as the Devil King of the 6th heaven.

Due to the many battles that Nobunaga was fighting to achieve his dream to unify Japan our wedding was postponed for a year and during that time I travelled with him. I helped heal the wounded and before battles I would perform dances and sing for the troops quickly gaining the reputation of Nobunaga's song bird.

They may have called me his, but we spent very little time together, and he only ever touched my hand to guide me when necessary.

In that whole year we hardly spoke more than greetings and farewells. The only way I got to know him was through the gossip of his soldiers and maids. His men though he was a god, not only charging into the battle with them, but often times sending men back to head quarters when they had only received minor injuries. The women of his castle spoke of rumors of what a carnal lover he was to both women and men. At the time it simultaneously frightened and exited me that my soon to be husband was so experienced.

Despite our engagement it was not Nobunaga I found myself day dreaming of. My mind should have been fixated on black hair and carnelian eyes but instead it repeated the images of the chestnut hair and golden eyes of Nabunaga's right hand man, Hideyoshi. I blame my infatuation on the mere fact that he spent more time talking and keeping an eye on me, of course for his Lord, not for my sake.

I knew that his care for my well being and safety wasn't because he cared for me, but rather it was to keep something that belonged to Nabunaga safe. Despite this, I engaged in flirtations with him whenever we were alone. It escalated until one night, when they returned to headquarters after a particularly harsh battle, I was summoned to perform for them.

I forgot myself and my position during the song, forgot to give each of the leaders only a small bit of attention, and give most of my gaze to Nabunaga. That night I struggled to take my eyes off Hideyoshi. He was covered in wounds from battle. When his eyes met mine a heat rose throughout my body and I knew that not only did he see it, but the devil king sitting next to him along with all of the other vassals in the audience. I rushed through the song when I noticed the shift in Nabunaga. When the song was done I didn't wait to be dismissed to leave and walked quickly to my tent.

I shivered wondering what kind of punishment I was about to receive as I washed the paint from my face. I was still removing hair pins and jewel when I heard heavy footsteps approaching my tent. My body froze at the words of the guard stationed outside of my tent. "Lord Oda."

He entered without asking for permission or announcing himself. Even with my back turned to him I could feel his wyes on me. My throat was tightening as I turned to face him. "My lord." I spoke softly.

He stepped towards me until we were less than an arms length apart. "Would my song bird like to nest somewhere else?" He asked, and despite the anger, I could hear the hurt.

"My lord?" I questioned.

"Your eyes were fixed to another man throughout your song. I can arrange to have the two of you joined within the week." His eyes were cold and distant.

My heart sank as I realized that instead of fighting for my affection he would rather give me away. The sinking heart in my chest turned angry and that anger spread throughout my body. He looked amused as the fires of anger spread across my face. "Lord Nobunaga, this is the most we have ever spoken of our engagement since the day it was set and it has been close to a year since that day." I lost all sense of formality and respect for him as I continued to ramble. "You don't show me any care or attention, you have sent Hideyoshi to check on my well being instead of courting me yourself. The rumors may be true that you're a brilliant strategist, a fierce warrior, and an exceptional hedonist in bed, but in matters of the heart you are truly an idiot." I heard the guard outside the tent gasp at my words.

Nobunaga half stepped outside of the tent and spoke in a stern and cold voice to my guard. "You are dismissed from your post. If you repeat anything you've just overheard, I will have the heads of your family and yourself removed."

The guard left in a hurry as I stood, staring at the devil king with a raging fire in my eyes.

He turned back to me with flames that rivaled my own. "Your saying it's my fault that you desire Hideyoshi between your legs?" He asked menacingly.

"Who said I want him like that?" Anger continued to build through my body.

"Your dance. Your body. You said it yourself, I'm an exceptional hedonist, you don't think over this last year I haven't studied you body. You think I don't know how a woman's hip movements change when she wants to be filled?" He was slowly moving towards me and reached a hand out towards my face, moving some of my black hair aside as he cupped my cheek. "Answer me. Do you want a life with him?" His face was close enough I could feel his breath on my lips.

This was the most we had talked since we met and the closest our bodies had been. Perhaps I had wanted Hideyoshi before this because of his kindness, but suddenly the fire I saw in Nobunaga's eyes were beginning to burn the thoughts of his closest ally from my mind. "No" I whispered, maintaining eye contact watching as a surprise and curious it's fanned the flames behind his eyes.

I reached a hand to his cheek and dragged it through the hair at the nape of his neck. He tensed a little at my touch. "Why have you waited this long to show me your fire?" I asked as I pulled his face towards mine.

"I won't let a woman distract me from my dream." He said as he pulled away from my embrace.

"I have no intention of getting in the way of your dream to unify Japan." As the hand that had been in his hair fell to my side I clenched my fists.

"You've chosen a difficult life staying by the devil's side." His eyes were dark, not a hint of humor.

"Then I shall become a devil myself." I returned his dark gaze with more fire and passion in my eyes.

He turned and began to exit the tent. With his back turned to me he spoke. "When we return to Azuchi—" he turned to look at me over his shoulder, a look of mischief in his eyes. "We will be married." And with that he left.

That night the men did not sleep at head quarters but instead left to travel through the night to their next battle. The air was tense as they gathered up and restocked on supplies before their departure. I was still in my tent when Hideyoshi asked to enter. I paused before granting his request. "My lady—" His eyes were troubled, something I had never witnessed before.

"Will you accept my apology Hideyoshi?" I asked with my head bowed before he could finish.

He approached me and lifted me face up. "What is there for me to forgive? I feel blessed to have received your attention." His thumb was dangerously close to my lips. His eyes were soft and inviting and my heart began to ache again know what I had done. I had opened a door that he had kept locked since we met.

"Nobunaga—" I began

"He told me to come here to hear your answer for myself." He smiled with so much hope in his face.

That Devil is making me clean up my own mess. As angry as it made me I also knew it was right.

"Hideyoshi. You're touching another man's bride." I spoke softly as I kept my eyes glued to him.

He removed his hand from my face and the stern look of a soldier returned to him. "Please accept my apology my lady. I—" it was almost a wince when he paused, as if he was greatly disappointed in himself. "I made an assumption based off of our friendship and the dance. I shouldn't have been so forward."

I bowed to him. And when I raised my gaze from the ground he was already half way out the tent already.

I watched as the men marched from the camp, worried for each one of them, but most of all Hideyoshi. I worried that what happened would distract him and I prayed to gods that he would make it through. I was deep in that prayer when the sound of hooves approaching me drew me to finish my prayer just in time to watch Hideyoshi ride past me and Nobunaga stop his horse at my side.

He reached down from his horse to gently pull my face towards him. "He will recover, and in the mean time I will have his back." He leaned down towards me his lip were hovering just above my forehead. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long." He didn't kiss my forehead, he just brushed his nose up and took a deep breath before pulling away. He sat back up and looked forward as his army continued to march on. Determination washed over his face. "Your song plays in my heart while I'm away from you." He looked back down to me. "I look forward to hearing a new song from you when we are together again."

My heart raced with all of this new attention and sudden poetry of his words. "Lord Nobunaga—" I didn't know what else to say. He simply smirked as he urged his horse forward.

I waited to see the warriors off before returning to my tent to retire for the evening. I had changed into a grey silk sleeping robe and began brushing my hair when I heard rustling outside my tent. I turned to the entrance watching as the shadow of my guard suddenly fell and his blood splashed across the outside of my tent. 

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Authors Note:

I don't own any of the character from Ikemen Sengoku, which are based off of historical figures... playing that game did spark this novel however, so yeah. 

This first chapter is pretty mild, but from here it gets pretty NSFW and has some trigger warning for violence, rape, etc. Read at your own discretion.

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