27 Chapter 27-A Special Priestess!
Chapter 27
IEYATSU GIN
Ieyatsu Gin rode back towards the capital of the province as he had been ordered by his lord to do so. After the death of the daimyo-sama, this war had become much more important, and while he would have liked nothing more than to lead the armies from the Eastern front, yet with their initial victories, the tide of war was in their favor now.
Hence, he had to move back, for their enemies could choose to strike at the Princess as well, and though she was under considerable protection, Akihito had wanted him to move back as insurance.
"So, you have told me about your lord yet, Gin-san," He was blind to what it also was.
A punishment.
To escort the lady Chiba to the castle from the Eastern front. For some reason, the Chiba daughter was much more excited about the marriage than he had anticipated, and well, she was much different than his expectations.
While Lady Miyuki was the demure princess, with a sense of responsibility and sombreness to herself, Lady Chiba was nearly the exact opposite to her.
"Maa maa, Gin-san, you still haven't answered my question," she teased from the carriage, propping her head out of the window.
"I am sorry, I didn't hear it," he said politely as he slowed down his horse and addressed the lady in question, who pouted like a child.
"Sheesh, one would think you are deliberately ignoring me, Gin-san," she complained as she laid her head on the window and looked at him with those big, round, red eyes.
"I offer no offense, my lady, but you must be aware that with this whole war going on, I have a little bit too much on my mind," he excused himself with a small bow, offering a small apology, which was waved away.
"Maa maa, I understand, but why are you worried about the war, Gin-san," she began, a sly smirk forming on his face as she finished.
"After all, Akihito is going to win it all in the end," she said, surprising him, for there was not even a semblance of doubt in her tone as she made that statement.
Ieyatsu Gin had been a retainer under Akihito Shirahoshi for a number of years now, and as his aide, he was quite aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his lord, and though he believed in his lord's eventual victory as well, yet this coming from her was a surprise.
Especially if one were to consider just what her status was and who she was.
Lady Chiba was the sole child of Lord Chiba, and that was a rarity, much like Lord Akihito. Yet their similarities didn't end there. While Lord Akihito had seen his name get tarnished and revered over the years for his actions, the Lady in question had also been born rather special.
Born with flowing black hair and iconic eyes, she was at her birth name a blessed child, a blessing of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, and had been raised to be a shrine maiden since her birth.
A shrine maiden, who is famous throughout the capital for her ability as an oracle. Gin himself was not rather religious, refusing to believe in Gods and believing himself to be the maker of his legacy, yet even he would admit that the lady in question was not so simple.
"Why do you say that with such certainty, my lady?" he probed further.
And she gave him a confident smile.
"Because I know," and he was sure that there was more to it than that.
"Now, you didn't tell how did you get Akihito to agree to marriage," she asked surprising him as he felt himself sweat.
"How could I do that? The marriage was Akihito-sama's decision. I do only as my lord commands," he replied, not elaborating on the true series of events for that would result in an insult to his lord. He saw her eyes narrow as she tilted her head.
"Maa, I don't believe you," she said playfully as she stretched her arms.
"But no matter, I will soon learn the truth from Aki-chan," and the tone of her voice surprised him as he looked towards her.
"Aki-chan?" he questioned, refusing to believe what he was hearing.
She looked towards him, wide-eyed as she complained.
"You are telling me Aki-chan didn't tell you about me," and he was completely out of the loop.
"Aww! It seems he has forgotten about me. Aki-chan and I were friends before I became a shrine maiden, you know," she said as she looked at the sky, surprising him with her words.
"And I was the first person to see him for what he truly was," she said as she giggled, and he was not sure but felt that there was more to her words than he realised as he heard her whisper into the air.
"Someone special just like me."
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
Akihito watched as the Sun began to rise out of the East, breaking the cover of the night as the army stood ready at his command.
Twelve hundred men, of which five hundred were fully trained soldiers while the rest were levies, though they had been drilling for quite some days now and even before that, as per policy, would have to drill once or twice a week.
The hardened faces of the men told a tale of determination and hope, for by now, the whole Kingdom knew that they had the advantage in a war which had become much more than a simple territorial conflict.
Now, this was a war of succession. They had little time now, that was one reason the attack had been pushed up by a day. For with the daimyo's throne empty they couldn't dilly dally for long.
"Today I stand before you all, with steel as we ride towards this battle, a battle which may perhaps decide the future of this country," he began as he stood at the head of the army, his two samurai Shinohara-san, his student, and his other samurai by his side as he made his speech.
"Yet I do not ride today with a greed for power or authority. I ride today for our futures," he shouted, and the men perked up at that.
"I ride for those across our borders who wish to eat us alive, wish to enslave us, beggar us, steal from us all we have built over the years as they have done so with those before us! But I say enough!!" he shouted, his chakra-enhanced voice thundered across the clearing as he brought up his blade.
"Their tyranny shall end today! We shall ride here today not for greed but for freedom and prosperity! Prosperity for all rather than few!" he shouted, and the men saluted as they cheered on.
"HAAAAAA!"
"TO WARRRR!"
And with that, the battle was on as his forces began their move toward the Mahiro lands.
0000
Back in Konoha at the hospital, the infamous Senju Tsunade sat in her room overlooking the iryo ninjutsu training programs and lamenting at the disregard the program had received since her departure from the village until suddenly the doors to her office were struck open, startling her until she looked up and saw just who it was.
Kushina Uzumaki had entered her office, and she felt herself still as she saw the pale and concerned face of the redhead.
"What happened?" she asked despite having an inkling of just what this may all be about.
And her fears came true when the redhead answered.
"It happened! I sense it, a small team slipping into the capital!"
She closed her eyes as she ground her teeth in rage, her chakra ripping through the room as she spoke up.
"Get me, Minato and Fugaku!"
0000
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