Lingering Fear and Wandering Samurai

Nora brought a thin stick to to burn the incense sticks in front of the shrine in front of her before bringing her hands close to her chest to pray deeply....it had been a couple days since Ida declared war on the Matsurada... couple days Oichi and her daughter's would there husband and father....and it was because all her fault....so she believed...she hadn't spoken to the demon Lord since then...he had been so busy...and frankly she didn't think she be composed enough to face him.

She cried softly as she traced the kanji of her grandmother's name on the shrine.

" Do you miss  grandmother?..." Naoki asked softly kneeling besides her.

Jurogumo had been busy looking for new men lately so she couldn't watch him for now...the innocent boy had now clue of the everything that had happened so far.

" Yes...but...I'm sad about other things as well..." She replied quietly.

Naoki himself turned to the shrine and began to pray himself...the little boy knew his sister had been very sad lately...their lives had after all had been thrown into the ones of the Daimyo after all...it wouldn't be peaceful...he prayed his grandmother was at peace and I would become better for his sister.

The wind is silent....

The blonde could feel the breeze move her hair out her face as she she slowly sat up from the shrine and took her brothers hand" Let's go Naoki..." She said quietly as they walked away from it... she wished her grandmother was here...she wish she could her and firgure out what was right....she was beginning to have so much doubt.

She loved Nobunaga....she tried to deny that in the past but it's was greatly true but....she didn't know what kind of life she would lead.

A small Shamisen was playing behind the paper doors the strum of strings plucked with gentle fingers. The little boy paused when he heard this, looking towards the direction it was playing. Nora turned to look at him but before she could ask what was it the little boy let go of her hand and ran towards the music.

Nora got out her gloom and chased after him in a panic" Naoki!" She called.

It wasn't long before the blonde heard the melody as well...it was pretty but also sad...it really stuck her heart.

"Are you alright?"Naoki asked softly to a older Japanese woman as Nora got closer she could see that it was Oichi in a white a traditional dress and robe, the older woman turned her attention away from the shamisen  playing and gazed upon the half blood boy.

" Your song is pretty" the little boy said to Mitsuhide who was playing the Japanese guitar.

Nora made Naoki bow his head and she bowed herself" My Lady I'm sorry he didn't mean to be rude."

Oichi bowed but never spoke.

Nora brought her head back up slowly but was too afraid to look at the older woman as she got up to walk away, Mitsuhide himself was playing the guitar slowly.

"Are you alright?" He asked Nora, The long haired man drummed the shamisen playing gentle music the air was still and no wind blew.

The blonde shook her head lightly" No...no I'm not..." She said softly as the wind blew her lose hair out the way revealing her tears stained face and dark rings around her eyes.

"You need rest Nora-chan I can't teach you if your losing sleep" he said with concern, placing the instrument against the wall he inspected her face tracing fingers carefully.

" How can I...." Nora said as she completely broke down, Mitsuhide had to hold her up just to keep her crashing down to the grass.

The blonde brought her hands to her face" They're going to die ...a whole clan no...two clans are going to die because of me..." She cried.

Anxiety grew in Naoki not understanding the despair his sister was in but could feel it.

"It's not your fault this is the cause of Political gain it always has been everyone had been played like this or have played others before" he reassured.

" I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry Oichi..." The blonde cried.

Would this how her life be for now on...people betraying and killing each other for power....how would those close to her be safe...how would her future childern be safe...would she always have to look over her shoulder.

"You didn't choose this Nagamasa and Nobunaga did" he said "Do you think Oichi will hold it against you?" He questioned.

" Who wouldn't "she said wiping her face" I already know most blame the  foreigner tainting the Oda bloodline" She said. She hadn't been death or blind....she could see some if this territory and even in the castle look at her with contempt or blame....

"Do I blame you a foreigner who knows our culture for marrying the Daimyo no I don't" Akechi said releasing her hands "I blame Nobunaga for my daughter's downfall."

Nora closed her eyes sadly at this....one the most horrible things that Oda had done... cursing a innocent young girl....it was one of the things that made her sick to her stomach and she had to bury deep due in order for her to live with him.

"Nora did you have a dream? Of a man who has black armor" Akechi asked.

Nora blinked as she went into deep thought" Yes...on and off over the years....it use to frighten me when I was younger...I thought it was a Oni trying to devour me..."She would often woke screaming crying g for her mother, her grandmother or her step father.

"Has it repeat every often?" He asked again for the details.

" If your talking about since I became a concubine...yes " She said as she gently turned away from him. She thought she would eventually get over her childhood fear yet it had come back to haunt her...

"I had a vision last night of that same Dark samurai he wanted to invade your room" Mitsuhide said.

Nora's blood litterly drained from her face at this as she held her kimono tightly" W-Why now?I've only seen him in my dreams before, my grandmother always told me he couldn't reach-

The blonde froze at this....of course....he couldn't reach her before because her grandmother's protection but now she was gone....he could do as he pleased....

"I believe this is your first test" he pulled a scroll from his sleeve offering it to the woman "Drive the spirit away..."

"Put him to sleep... drive him away or kill the ghost" he added.

"Conquer your childhood fear" Mitsuhide said

Nora shakly took the scroll from his hand...first Hino-Enma and now the black samurai....it's like her childhood demons where coming back in hordes. She slowly opened it and looked it over as she noticed the that dusk was would be over soon...having lost in her world she had no idea how her day went by so fast...and soon her terror would come.

"No this is your test I can't intervene even if your on the brink of death" he said in a serious tone"he awaits in the forest restless and filled with grieving rage" Mitsuhide said.

Naoki came over to his sister and gripped her kimono tightly causing her to look down and gaze upon his worried eyes" Nee-chan....what are you going to do?" he asked.

She lowered down and gave him weak smile" Don't worry...I'll come back... I'll make sure you will be safe" she said running a hand through his hair before gesturing him to dit on the patio" Wait here...." She said quietly before turning.

She slowly and reluctantly entered the dark dense forest on the edge of Honnoji place while gripping the scroll tight to herself. She tried to keep her breath steady as she felt her heart pound hard looking around fir her recurring nightmare.

The Kodachi we're out playing their small flutes dancing cheerfully, The sun was setting allowing the green sprites to be more awake and active.

Cidcada's we're chirping...The leaves rustled...

Nora made her way over to sit on a rock and wait...wait for the sun to disappear completely...wait for the dark samurai to come....come for her....

The ground shook slightly as the sun left, Darkness took over night has begun. Nora gulped as she took a deep breath and held the scroll even tighter. Small wisps of shadow moved around the trees, She closed her eyes tightly as she shook hard... afaird what she may gaze upon.

"Haaannaaaa" the gravelled voice spoke through the trees"My wife..where have you been?" The voice spoke it sounded hurt and betrayed.

She flinched slightly at the voice...before she had never heard him speak...he always tried to speak but words never came out his open mouth. She slowly opened her eyes so she look at him, she deeply confused on him calling her wife.

" Who are you?...." She asked very quietly.

"Have you come to see me again" he said his armored hand was the first to be seen from the trees. His entire figure appeared in Black armor wearing an Oni mask covering his face, a katana was placed on his waist.

"You do not remember me? I named our children Hana" he groaned.

Nora realized that this man did not know he was dead...she met many spirits like him in the past...many who attracted to her...her grandmother said it was her was beautiful and bright.

" where are they" she tried to play Aline for his sake.

"I love you still don't leave me again." He said

"I left them in the hovel I've been outside guarding this place waiting for you."

Nora realized this man mind has been tormented for so many years. She slowly got up and  went over to walk over to him" Then let's go see them...take me to see the childern" she said as she tried not to shake as she stroked his masked face like wife would do as she stared him tenderly.

His dark fingers attempted to press on her shoulder to feel her " It's alright" she told him softly" It's alright..." She said softly.

His long armored arms then began to wrap themselves slowly around her wanting to feel the warmth of her soul. She saw white flashes as she explored deep in his soul...A memory flash of him and his wife in a small hut with their 2 childern, a daughter and son...another flash of him kissing her...another memory switched to being attacked and molested by his father yelling insults and mocking him.....The other a message from the emperor to face the war...another blood stains and his katana...The next one showed his wife and 2 Children butchered by bandits...Another of him Killin them making them scream...The last one of him committing Seppeku.

Nora let out a huge gasp as she covered her mouth in horror...tears of fell down her eyes as she they shook from the horror that this poor man suffered in his life...she brought her gaze up to look at him.

He released his grasp"You are not my wife who are you!?" He grieved.

Nora looked at him sadly as she shook her head" No...but I want to help you...I will help you find her..." She told him.

"Y-you want to trick me! Use me like how my parents did to me!" He yelled

"I will kill you" he pulled out his katana.

"Why did you trick me into thinking you were my wife!" He yelled.

" You been following me since I was 6..." She told him simply" do you remember?"

" You miss you wife very much don't you?..." She askef softly" I know what your feeling...very well...I miss my mother very much...you probably remember her coming into my room as child...after you frightened me...but I don't believe that was your intention..." She told him as she treaded forward carefully.

"You" he pointed his katana"She..I... thought you were our daughter she...was the same age before" he grip on the katana faltered.

" Before she was brutally taken from you" Nora said as she gently put her hand in his making him lower the katana to the crowd" ...you childern miss greatly...I know this because I miss parents greatly...don't let them wait for you any longer..." she told him as she looked up at his towering figure.

" You have suffered so much in life but you where a good man...you didn't deserve any of it..." She said touching his mask.

He flinched a little from her touch" go to Izumo samurai..." She gestured to the flying orbs floating" they're waiting for you...you can finally be with them again...you can rest..." She reassured him.

He Black armor shredded away as robes draped around him the orbs shifted becoming his family"Thank you" he smiled crying.

"Now we can be whole again" the wife said holding her children close and holding her husband's hand "And we can finally rest in peace" the kids giggled, they then shifted into floating orbs flying in the sky.

Nora nodded as she backed away and tears joy fell her eyes as she watched the man and his family go to the after life. Something that she saw as monster in childhood had proved to be nothing more then a spirit of a man deeply lost. She had confronted her fear...Nora held her hand to her chest as she walked out of the dense trees.

Nora walked back to Honnoji property to see Naoki had fallen asleep on the porch waiting for Nora to come back. Chattering could be heard inside the palace.

"My poor Naoki...I'm sorry to worry you" she whispered as she picked him up and cradled the little boy in her arms, it was then she heard the house inside" I wonder what's happening..." She remarked quietly as she entered inside slowly.

She heard the noise coming from somewhere but couldn't pun point the actual destination yet...she found strange while the castle was making noise yet seemed quiet at the same time. It also seemed to be empty due the fact she hadn't found a single person around, Til she made her way to the kitchen to find Hisahide brewing in a tea kettle.

He smiled "Good evening Nora-chan".

" Hello..." She replied quietly as she made her way into the kitchen, she hadn't seen Nobunaga friend since her assassination attempt which was still very fuzzy for her...it seemed the man had changed while not in appearance but in spirit...

"Come sit down with me and we can discuss things" he said grasping the kettle escorting her to his room.

Nora flinched  subconsciously at this...she didn't know why but it scared her slightly being alone with him...yes she did think he was strange in the first meeting but he had never done anything to her...had he? Nora adjusted her grip on her brother who was sagging and followed him slowly.

"How about you bring him to bed while I set up our trays" he suggested.

Nora looked at Naoki and nodded at this as she went went into her room and placed and tucked him in her futon...she was a little concerned that Oda would come in and find and might what he might do but she was more concerned about him being near Hisanide them anything at the moment.

Nora moved some hair out his face and kissed his forehead before reluctantly making her way down the hall and towards the room the older man was staying. Nora breathed deeply before sliding the door and entering the room.

He set two bowls of noodles with herbs vegetables and a slice of egg on the side with 2 cups of green earthy tea that had a rich aroma.

" Thank you for the meal" she said softly holding her hands together as she bought herself to sit on her knees at the table.

"Your welcome" he nodded sitting on his knees "You know I don't believe I've had a guest for a very long time" he questioned.

" I'm surprised the castle is so...quiet..." She putted" where is everyone?" She asked.

" Yes..." The man said before taking a sip of hos tea"I wonder as well..."