Ichiwa Fort

Quietly returning to their compound, they had restored their stockpiles for a couple months from the raid in Kiyonai. The men would promptly celebrate that evening, together with their stolen wine and spoils of war.

By the time they were done riding Atsuko felt very sore. Her thighs were raw from the saddle and her legs were cramping from sitting so wide with her legs for that long. She had been dreading arriving in the fortress that this group called their home. The whole way through the men had been in a pre-celebration from their successful raid. She could only imagine what would happen when there real celebration could start.

And that celebration happened. People were load, some even disgusting. But to Atusko's surprise they left her alone. Her hand was bound to that of the man who had claimed her, a man whose name she didn't even know. Making it impossible for her to even think about running.

When he finally tugged her upstairs and sat her down in a private room she thought the time had come that she had been fearing. Claiming a woman could only mean one thing in her mind, something that was unavoidable. Because of that, his question surprised her a lot. For a second her face would pop up and look at him straight, then just as quickly she would look down again avoiding eye contact. In her head she played the question over for at least 5 more times, making sure she heard it correctly.

She swallowed and could only manage a small, slightly squeky voice when she finally could bring herself to say words. "Y-yes..."

For just a moment she thought that maybe this place would not be all that bad. Though she didn't relax completly she was able to let her guard down for just a small moment as she ate the rice in big bites at a time. Not caring much if she seemed elegant to the men that was in front of her.

Then the night had arrived and she found out that letting her guard down had been the worst thing she had done. For a long while she tried to struggle against him, to get out of his grip, but it seemed useless. The men on top of her was much stronger then she was and she soon realized that giving up might only make it go faster.

That night she would not close an eye, she could be heard sobbing softly throughout the night until no tears would come out anymore. She would place herself as far away from him on the bed as she could. She wanted to lay down on the floor, as far away from him as possible, but was to scared that he would get angry if he would see her.

She would see the sun rise and hear the songs of the first birds. Only then she got up from the bed and sat in front of the window to watch the sun rise over the path that she had taken just the day before. When she heard rustling behind her, she couldn't help but hold her breath. She kept staring in front of her, expecting him to drag her back into that awefull bed. But instead he would revert back to how he had been the day before. Cut off and not saying much, almost ignoring her.

She gathered all her courage before turning around to him. "Y-your name.." she paused taking a few short and shallow breaths. "At least let me know your name." she said in a soft, almost whispering voice. She looked straight at him for the first time, her skin pale from a nightless sleep and her eyes red from her crying.

She had not expecting him to answer her, so she was surprised to hear his name. She made sure to inprint it in her memory so she would not forget it. It also was the first time she was able to get a look at him. He looked rough and unkept even though he was clean. There was no single sign of gentleness found in his face as all the lines were harsh and sharp. His eyes seeming to always be in a state of slight anger even now that he seemed to relax and eat.

Upon his question back to her she hesitated about her answer. She knew for sure that if she tried to escape they would do everything to find her and kill her. She also had been to numb yesterday to remember the road they had taken to get here. Even if she knew, it was to long to do by foot. But if she was honest and told him it would probably just provoke him more.. "I won't escape.." she then answered.

She then got quickly up to her feet and started to adjust the cotton kimono that she had been wearing ever since the attack. It had been messy around her shoulder after their struggle during the night. It was dirty with sand even even slightly stained by blood from the men she had helped in the cellar. She then put on her sandals and waiting for him to tell her what to do next.

She would follow him around the fort, keeping close to him at all times. She would look around her to see for any way to escape in the future when she saw a chance to actually get away from this man. Not being chaines felt nice. Her wrists were able to heal now instead of the rope and metal that would rub against the red rings that were there.

When he mentioned her as wife she could do nothing but nod to him. Doing everything in her might to keep him happy and thinking she had decided to stay. "You can put me in something you think would fit me." She would say his name is she hadnt found it so hard to get it past het throat. Getting friendly with her captur was still something she would need to get used too.

She hated to be paraded around. It felt like he was showing her off, his new little property. It made her feel small and very fulnerable. Especially when her face was still so red from her crying.

When he mentioned the rice her mind immidiatly went to her village, the place they had stole it from. She knew that before those three weeks were over, another raid would probably happen. More people would die. Would she be thrown away like garbage if he found a prettier girl in this new village? Fear gripped her heart once again. Three weeks.. before then she had to get away before the next raid.

While they were still walking inside she would answer him. "My father was a stern men, a carpenter and my mother has been ill since i was a small girl. My life existed out of cleaning and cooking." she answered him honestly. She then would sit on the other side of him. Still trying her hardest to make it seem like she was comfortable

Atsuko would keep her eyes doen. Listening to his words. She wasn't sure how much she believed of what he was saying. From the place she was from there was only one Daimyo she had ever heard of, and that was Lors Genji.

She was growing a little more bold over time. Knowing he wanted to keep her alive and not kill her made her feel like she could take a few risks. The worst he would do was hit her, she would survive that. "Who is the true Shogun and Emperror of Tawakoshi?" She dared to ask. She would not look up when askong though. She needed to understand what was going on.

Atsuko would once again look down at her hands, realizing how little she knew about her own lands. Before Genji had come to Kiyonai she had never heard the name of any noble or cared to seek them out. She had not gotten involved in hierarchy and politics ever. The lived her life in the small village she grew up in while her father worked. She had known many of the people in her village. Almost all were kind and friendly. Knowing all of them were sacrificed just to stop a man she did not know from overthrowing another she did not know either... it was a lot to bear. "I don't know what I would want." Was her honest answer.

Her head went over it once again. The tragic deaths of everyone. The flames, the screams, the horror. Tears welled up in her eyes once again but she was to tired to cry so they just rolled down her cheek.
Then she remembered. He did safe her. He had told everyone to not kill her. The most important thing.. he had done so after learning the name of her parents.
"Why did you safe me? It is not just because you think I am pretty is it? Did you know my parents?" She looked him straight in the eye.

"Ooh..." was all she could answer to that, her eyes once again going down. She had hoped there was some sort of reason she had been saved that didn't have to do with the way she looked. She had never seen her beauty, in her village she had never had anyone show interest in that way. She had always been a common face among the crowd.

He looked for a wife... why? What made it important for him to have a wife. Why take a girl from a village that was never going to love you, that would always struggle to find a way out. She could not understand how his mind worked. Her head was pounding from the lack of sleep and the crying she had done and it made it hard for her to think.

"I need to rest..." she said softly as she was starting to feel slightly faint.