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signalburst · 21 hours

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Shōgun Historical Shallow-Dive: Part 1

Does everybody else's heart hurt? Good! Let's get learning. These characters and the people that inspired them all deserve their own post, but here's a quick one if you're wondering what happened. This is a shallow-dive because the history is extremely complicated, and a condensed version of just the events leading up to Sekigahara (the battle depicted in the finale) take up entire volumes of history. I'll do my best to answer questions about what happened to our three protagonists, in the show, as well as real life 🙇

One note: given I'm not a professional historian, I've got no obligation to not have biases and favourites. I've tried to keep most of them out of this, but if you want to punish yourself by trying to keep track of who's who in the Azuchi-Momoyama period, this book is the best English-language overview.

What happened to Toranaga (Tokugawa Ieyasu)?

Gif: @yocalio

I am not as strong as I might be, but I have long known and practiced patience. And if my descendants wish to be as I am, they must study patience. - from The Legacy of Ieyasu Tokugawa

In the book, Toranaga reveals that it had been his aspiration to be Shōgun from the very beginning. That was what drove his alliance with the Taiko, that was what drove his feigned alliance with the Heir.

History follows a very similar path. I re-read some chapters on the battle of Sekigahara last night, and there is no easy way to explain it, but: the result of Sekigahara (an enormous, two-day battle with 200,000 samurai and ashigaru warriors in the field) was an enormous victory for Tokugawa, Toranaga's real-life counterpart.

Years - sometimes decades - of scheming by Tokugawa had made Ishido/Ishida's Western Alliance completely fragmented. In the months leading up to the period displayed in the show, Toranaga was calling in a lifetime of marriage alliances, diplomatic advantage, defensive pacts and childhood friends who'd risen to high status. Re-reading the sources, the names of all the lords of all the important fiefs and castles makes my head spin, let alone the ones that turned out to be pivotal to Toranga/Tokugawa's victory. But it was a resounding victory, and by both the numbers and the disposition of forces, he should have lost.

Historians have a consensus that if the 'Western forces' of the Heir had have fought together with a unified command structure, they would have won, easily. But they didn't - orders from Ishido/Ishida were ignored, Toranaga/Tokugawa endured onslaughts, and the Regents' opposing armies eventually fractured and melted away. This was a last-of-an-era battle. Families were fighting on either side, every single unit that could be brought to bear was on the field. It is no exaggeration to say Sekigahara is one of the few, unambiguous battles upon which the beginning of a historical era came down to.

Toranaga/Tokugawa triumphed because he spent decades building unity of purpose and strong alliances, simultaneously sowing division amongst the Regents, who ultimately balked at being commanded by a bureaucrat like Ishido/Ishida. Whilst there was no one decisive moment of an extremely bloody, rainy, two-day battle, the fact that Ishido/Ishida's forces refused to be told what to do by someone of lower status was the main theme of their defeat. A crucial army stationed on the hill stayed still, refusing to commit to either side, until Toranaga/Tokugawa fired muskets into their ranks. They made up their mind, and attacked Ishido/Ishida's Western army. Ishido/Ishida's one trick of firing a flare to commit the reserve army didn't work. The commander ignored it. Instead of being there to fight for something, Ishido/Ishida's coalition was there to oppose someone. They all had different reasons. And ultimately, the man that brought them together didn't command enough respect to command a battle.

As our show Toranaga said, the Regents fell upon each other. He might have been a bit optimistic about how and why this would happen (they fell over each other in retreat, and it took two days of horrific combat), but it happened. Tokugawa Ieyasu was famous for richly rewarding former enemies, and most of those he defeated kept their heads. This reputation is a strong incentive for leaving the field when things start going Tokugawa's way.

The two exceptions were Ishido/Ishida, and Kiyama/Konishi, both beheaded in Osaka (Ishido, bizarrely, was upbeat about his fate, until seconds before the sword came down). Killing Ishida was the obvious move, as the man schemed and bitched so much he caused a civil war. Killing Konishi was more calculated - it opened up his trade-hub in Kyushu to being ruled by a fervent Buddhist daimyo and ally of Tokugawa.

Toranaga/Tokugawa forces soon captured Osaka Castle after the battle of Sekigahara, and with it, the Heir.

Toranaga/Tokugawa 'reluctantly' accepted the Imperial appointment of Shōgun three years later, in 1603. In 1605, he abidcated, passing the title to his most malleable and competent son, Hidetada. He was the real power behind the throne and ruled until his death in 1616.

The year before he died, he was able to fully secure his legacy. The Heir (in real life, Toyotomi Hideyori) had begun to gather daimyo to Osaka castle who were opposed to Tokugawa. Tokugawa used the flimsiest of pretexts - the opening of a shrine - to order the Heir out of the castle. He refused, Tokugawa forces besieged the castle - twice. The first one was called off because cannon fire nearly killed Ochiba no kata, and she pushed her son to sue for peace. By the second siege, there would be no peace: the Tokugawa forces defeated all oppoosition, and secured the legacy.

Toranaga/Tokugawa's descendants would rule for 250 years of internal peace and external lock-down of the country from barbarians (and Christians), except for limited trade.

The big question: did Toranaga/Tokugawa really want to be Shōgun from the start? History tells us, rather unambiguously, yes - before the campaign, he was writing his 100 Articles for ruling Japan, which would be instrumental for his family holding on to power and preventing internal strife. His plan may well have gone back to his formative, teenage years. At the very least, it is highly likely it was solidified when Toranaga/Tokugawa was a vassal of the Dictator Koroda/Oda Nobunaga - the man Mariko/Hosokawa Gracia's father assassinated, who was brutal even by the standards of the day. We don't have time for him, the Taiko, and Mariko's father today - but my opinion is that the motherfucker firmly deserved to be assassinated, and the only amazing thing is that the inspiration for Mariko's father was able to hold off for so long.

But that killing set off a chain of events that would lead to Toranaga/Tokugawa becoming sole ruler of a unified Japan. So much of history is contingent on individual actors and random events. It didn't have to happen. It was extremely unlikely. But, through patience (and by my reckoning, a lot of luck), he made the world he wanted to see. Whether that was worth the price in lives is for the reader to decide.

But by all accounts, Toranaga/Tokugawa died very satisfied in the knowledge that his legacy was secure, his realm was unified, and, finally, at peace.

What happened to Mariko (Hosokowa Gracia)?

Gif: @yocalio

As is probably obvious, Mariko's purpose was fulfilled before the conclusion of the show. As is also probably obvious, her historical counterpart - Hosokowa Gracia - did not have an affair with an English sea pilot (😢). She did, however, change Japanese history, and tipped the balance of noble support towards Toranaga/Tokugawa. Her death had meaning.

The framing of her marriage to Buntaro and exile after her father's successful assassination of a brutal dictator is almost exactly correct. She was one of the most desirable, valued and accomplished young noblewomen of the day. The stain of the name Akechi would haunt her for the rest of her life. Real life Buntaro, Hosokowa Tadaoki, genuinely sent her away for two years to save her life. The Hosokowa family even went so far as to pretend that she had died, to save her from the Taiko's vengeance. Whilst her marriage was an unhappy one (though not, as far as is known, abusive), she was beloved by the head of the Hosokowa clan, the show's Hiromatsu. They went to extraordinary lengths to keep her safe.

Her main comfort in her life was her faith. It's perhaps here that we get the strongest through-line from Hosokowa Gracia to Mariko - unafraid, intelligent, and fierce.

She first came to learn about Christianity from her Christian maid, who extolled the virtue of the faith, and the opportunities for intellectual stimulation theological discussion could bring. In 1587 (five years after her father assassinated the dictator, three years after she returned from exile), she decided to take action on it. She snuck out of Osaka Castle and visited the main church in Osaka - she had lively conversations with the elderly Father-Visitor, and was an excellent pupil of both Portuguese and Latin theological texts. I don't know if you guys have ever tried to read those things, but even in translation, they are torturous. This woman was extremely intelligent.

As a noble woman of the Taiko's court, she knew he was about to issue an edict outlawing Christianity. Being the (excuse the language) absolute fucking badass that she was, she had her maid (baptismal name Maria) baptise her before the edict was issued, transforming from Hosokowa Tama to Hosokowa Gracia. Even though she had to keep her faith a secret due to the Taiko's edict, she found a way to hold on to it. She had a special sake cup made with the Hosokowa mon emblazed on the lip, which, on very close inspection, was actually a Christian cross.

During this time of her religious conversion and education, a primary source from a Jesuit priest says that 'I have never disputed with a woman of such clear judgement, and such definite knowledge.' She was known for being fiercely intelligent, and this is commented on in many European letters and journals that have remained from the Catholic church's time in Japan.

Her relationship with her husband - like Buntaro, a senior retainer of Toranaga/Tokugawa - was frosty. They never reconciled after her father's (Akechi Mitsuhide) rebellion, but her husband did recall her from exile when it was safe to do so, and she lived to serve a very similar purpose to Mariko in the book and show. By virtue of not being an interpreter, she was less close to Toranaga/Tokugawa than in the book and show, but she was still dedicated to her clan and her clan's overlord, as will become clear.

Just as in the show, Hosokowa Gracia agonized at the thought of seppuku putting her soul in mortal danger. But she perceived her duty to be to ensure death before being captured or otherwise dishonoured.

To put it bluntly, Ishido (Ishida in real life) fucked up. Before any military manouvers had begun, he went to seize hostages of friends and enemies alike throughout Osaka castle. His forces tried to forcibly seize Hosokowa Gracia from the family quarters. She gave orders for her senior retainer to kill her, her daughter, and set fire to their section of Osaka Castle, so that none could be taken and subjected to dishonour. She arranged with this samurai to stand on one side of a shoji screen, facing him. He stabbed her through the heart with a naginata. She died, satisfied in the knowledge that:

...the death was not suicide, and her soul would doubtless be spared from the torments of Hell.

Although not doing this directly on the orders of Toranaga/Tokugawa, it's highly likely she knew that she was making a statement (many of the other hostages went quietly). This furthered his cause immensely. Inspired by Hosokowa Gracia, families streamed out of Osaka Castle and other Regent-held castles by any method they could. Her example ignited a firestorm of controversy surrounding the gall of a jumped-up bureaucrat (a reputation Ishido/Ishida would never escape) forcing the death of one of the era's pre-eminent noblewomen. Although her husband was relatively unbothered by her death, her father-in-law - the book/show's Hiromatsu - was furious. Because of Hosokowa Gracia and his granddaughter's death, he immediately fortified his border castle.

He defied a large [Ishido/Ishida] army of 15,000 men with only 500 men of his own.

Many of [Ishido/Ishida's] commanders held [Hosokowa Fujitaka/Hiromatsu] in such high regard that they went through the bare motions of laying siege. On a regular basis, gunners 'accidentally' forgot to load their cannon with iron shot, and so Tanabe Castle's walls reverberated daily to the harmless booming of blank gundpowder explosions. [Ishido/Ishida's] military offensive had launched to a disastrous start.

The siege only ended because of an imperial decree (it's a long story - Fujitaka/Hiromatsu knew an oral tradition special imperial poem that risked dying with him, nobody could refuse the Emperor). More than this, any chance Ishido/Ishida had of convincing skilled and respected generals to commit to his side ended with Fujitaka/Hiromatsu's defiance. Such was the respect that he commanded, and such was the rage he felt at the death of his daughter-in-law, that he worked tirelessly to gather support for Toranaga/Tokugawa, despite his advanced years.

Mariko/Hosokowa Gracia's contribution was an inflection point to what many samurai, busho and daimyo were suspecting - that Ishido/Ishida was a snake bitch who couldn't be trusted (I believe that's the correct historical term). Her actions galvanized resistance against him, and continued to spread the wildfire that would seal his defeat on the battlefield of Sekigahara: 'Why are we taking orders from him?'

Importantly, Hosokowa Gracia's remains were gathered by a Catholic priest, and given a Christian burial in Osaka. From everything we know of her, this would have been very meaningful indeed. Just as with Mariko in the show's depiction, Hosokowa Gracia's death was not senseless or without meaning. It meant something, and continues to resonate through the centuries.

What happened to John Blackthorne (William Adams)?

Gif by @cinematic-gif-archive

The short answer: imagine an alien landed in America. It was smart enough to avoid death. It ended up chief special advisor to Obama, and they became bros. That is William Adams's life.

First things first: Blackthorne stays in Japan. 'Old Rich Blackthorne' scenes are basically fever dreams. I was worried when the episode opened with a flash-forward to an old man living in Tudor comfort. This would be a huge change from both the book, and history. The novel ends with Toranaga confirming that his plan is for Blackthorne to never leave Japan. Blackthorne finds his place there. In history, the same is true of William Adams.

In episode 10, the 'is this a flash-forward?/is this a dream?' question is answered halfway through the episode. Blackthorne drops Mariko's cross over the side with Fuji's family ashes. As soon as that's done, the aged visions of Blackthorne disappear.

For those who are more textual than visual: the episode is titled A Dream of a Dream (a play on the title of the Taiko's death poem). Concussed, grief-stricken Blackthorne is dreaming of the dream he used to have - returning to England with riches and glory, his family name secure, with every comfort Queen Elizabeth the First can offer a pirate-explorer like Sir Francis Drake or Sir Walter Raleigh. But as soon as he lets go of Mariko's cross into the water (earlier, actually, when he sincerely attempted seppuku to try and save the people of Ajiro) that dream stopped appearing. The dream he had of exploiting Japan for riches and glory was gone, replaced with the reality of the life he is left to build.

In the show and the book, Toranaga is explicit about never letting Anjin-sama/Blackthorne leave Japan. If he builds new ships, Toranaga will burn them again. He needs Blackthorne's knowledge, expertise, and - in a bizarre twist of fate - friendship. We leave him hauling his wreck from the harbour, ready to salvage the keel and spars, to build a new ship in Japan.

So how does this marry up with history? Extremely accurately. As far as we know, the historical William Adams was slightly less of a pirate/privateer than the book/show's John Blackthorne. His hatred of Catholicism was more driven by their fervent desire to kill him, which they kept up for nearly a decade. His interest in exploration, in the show and in the historical, was genuine.

The show's story very closely follows what actually happened in real life (again, sans romance... although he does have love in his life, which we'll get to). His crew were initially imprisoned, he was summoned by Toranaga/Tokugawa, and met with him many times to discuss his knowledge of the outside world, trade, and Christianity's impact in Asia. The Jesuits did pester the Council of Regents, and Toranaga/Tokugawa in particular, to execute him. Toranaga/Tokugawa refused, saying this barbarian had done nothing to harm Japan or its people. The Jesuits would not forget this.

He did train elements of Toranaga/Tokogawa's army in how to work the cannon his ship possessed - a skill he possessed, but no one else was willing to offer. He actually followed Toranaga/Tokugawa to several battles. Recent primary source evidence has revealed it was highly likely he was actually at the Battle of Sekigahara, which is a very recent development in the historiography of his life. It is just bananas insane, but it demonstrates just how useful (and likeable) Blackthorne/Adams was to Toranaga/Tokugawa.

I've read two biographies of William Adams, and he was very, very like the Blackthorne portrayed by Cosmo Jarvis. Other Europeans in Japan complained that he was arrogant and dismissive - historians see this as Adams adapting to his station in Japanese society, and being extremely frustrated with European manners and bearing in Japan.

Once Toranaga/Tokugawa became shōgun, Adams - already a samurai - was made hatamoto, and forbidden from leaving Japan. He was granted many generous cuckoos (250 of them!), an estate in Edo, a fief at the entrance to Edo bay, and rose to become Toranaga/Tokugawa's chief trade advisor. During Toranaga/Tokugawa's remaining life, he built two Western-style ships (which Tokugawa came aboard and was very pleased with - that's nice!), and took over piloting duties of Portuguese and Spanish ships making landfall in Edo, pissing off the Catholics to no end.

On Ieyasu Tokugawa's death in 1616, his holdings and fief were confirmed by the new shōgun, Ieyasu Hidetada. But his relationship with the court wouldn't be the same. My reading of the sources leads me to believe that James Clavell was right here: Toranaga/Tokugawa Ieyasu genuinely liked Blackthorne/William Adams, and wanted him around.

As more and more Europeans arrived in Japan, including the English and the Dutch, Adams served as translator for them, and - for the Enlgish - fixer whenever they did something barbaric and rude that would warrant execution. He seemed to view spending time with the (no joke) drunken, whoring, disgusting-smelling English trading factory members as an extreme annoyance. He seemed happiest at sea, and at his mansion in Edo, where he married the daughter of a merchant in 1613. Whilst her name is lost to the historical record, they had two children, Joseph and Susanna.

He wasn't a deadbeat dad - he wrote to his wife back in England, explaining that he could not return. She was a firebrand, and eventually extracted a form of life insurance from the Dutch company that had contracted Adams's piloting services. Partly she was able to do this because of a proclamation issued by Toranaga/Ieyasu Tokugawa: 'William Adams was dead the day he was made samurai, and Miura Anjin - the pilot of the fief of Miura - was born.' That sounds like a badass quote I've made up, but that's one of the English translations of Tokugawa's proclamation.

Adams kept up his maritime adventures, charting the Japanese coast, going on several trading missions to Southeast Asia (sailing to Thailand and meeting with the King of Siam, furthering his amazing ability to charm and dazzle). He struck up firm friendships with members of Tokugawa's court, fellow Japanese merchants in Edo, and the much more polite Dutch traders, despite the tensions that had grown between their two countries.

There's an important aspect of his legacy that endured for centuries. Toranaga/Tokugawa, suspicious of what he had learned of Catholic conversion and invasion of other Asian states, was already disposed to be wary of the Church. The Church in Japan would not let Adams rest, attempting to kill him, convert him, bribe him, and offer him passage home in 1614 on a Portuguese ship. In the same year Portuguese priests claimed that only Spanish miners had the skills to open up the mineral wealth of Japan. Adams warned the shōgun, again, that this was the Catholic way - first the priests, then the conquistadores.

Influenced by these reports and counsel, and because the Jesuits legitimately were conspiring to do the shit Adams accused them of (always a tough charge to defend), Toranaga/Tokugawa Ieyasu expelled all Portuguese priests in 1614, and demanded all Japanese Christians recant. Apart from this leading to the Dutch being the only nation allowed to conduct trade with Japan, this was the end of Japanese Christianity, until the country was forced open in 1855. Christianity never took root in the same way it would in places like Brazil and the Philippines. Was William Adams the only factor in this development? No. Was he a factor? Yes.

He died in 1620, after twenty contented years in Japan and Asia. His will stipulated that his estates and belongings be split evenly between his family in England and Japan. One of Adams's colleagues recorded that Ieyasu Hidetada transferred lordship of Adams's fief to his Japanese son, Joseph, as well as his katana and wakizashi. His line fell out of the historical record, but memory of and monuments to the Anjin remain in Japan.

Faring Well

Shōgun, the book, was fiction, written by a man fascinated by Japanese history, driven by a desire to bring it to the world. He was overwhelmingly successful. It was an excellent start, and even fired up some fascinating academic discussion at the time that I'd definitely recommend. The 2024 adaptation, in my view, changes many of the elements that have aged poorly, were flat-out wrong to begin with, and - like all great adaptations - adds to the work, rather than cheapening it.

Despite being based on real people, the fictional characters created for the show - Blackthorne, Toranga, and especially Mariko - feel real. That is an amazing achievement.

I hope this opens up an interest in Japanese history for some viewers. Being able to visit the places where these events took place is a truly awesome experience. Like all history, it's for individuals to judge what they think of the players.

Hiroyuki Sanada said that he admires Tokugawa Ieyasu because of his ability to bring forth 250 years of peace out of nearly 500 years of chaos. Was Ieyasu motivated by altruism, or self-interest? Does it even matter?

Anna Sawai saw in Hosokowa Gracia a moving, powerful woman, deeply committed to her faith, and to doing what she believed was right in the context of her time. As a person without faith myself, I found this portrayal of genuine belief extremely moving. The demonstration of her convictions was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen.

And as for the English pilot, Cosmo Jarvis said he wanted to capture the restlessness of Adams, his slow transformation and growth, and the unique qualities that allowed the man to survive and thrive in an extremely deadly time. One thing he nailed that I think even James Clavell messed up was how deepy strange William Adams was. Not weird, not insane, but just a very singular individual. Biographers talk about his aloof, detached, self-aware nature being misconstrued as arrogance by Europeans who encountered him in Japan. Part of it was his annoyance at their inability to learn how to be in Japan; part of it was that he was simply built very differently. In embodying this, I think Cosmo Jarvis succeeded amazingly.

From what we can find in the historical record, William Adams and Hosokowa Gracia may not be 'great' in the sense that Tokugawa Ieyasu was 'great'. They did not build an era. To borrow a phrase from one of my favourite historical writers, whilst they may not be 'great' people, they were good people. That is vanishingly rare in the history we celebrate, and I think, for that reason alone, it's important to remember them, and the things they lived and died for.

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darkdevasofdestruction · 1 year

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Fawn Princess~ Tokugawa Ieyasu x Reader

Summary: Having reached a certain age, Ieyasu, as a Lord, is pressured into taking a wife. He absolutely despises the duties of nobles, though he begrudgingly has to accept. Little does he know, he was going to meet a woman like no other; A woman so special, that you had to be born under a lucky star to have the privilege of meeting her.

“Lord Tokugawa, the Princesses have arrived.” Ieyasu’s most trusted servant came by to his study, meekly announcing him that the beautiful young maidens have all came at his castle. “Make sure they are comfortable and all the pleasantries. I don’t feel like coming yet.” the man grumbled, not even bothering to raise his eyes up from his medicine study.

Without another word, the servant exited the study and went to do everything as instructed. He was old and weary, but he was the one to know Lord Tokugawa since he was young - A little anti-social and introverted, and perhaps his social skills would be in need of a little honeying, but his heart was golden, and in the right place - After all, an innocent baby fawn would never stay around so willingly around an evil man, yes?

Ieyasu was never truly interested in women, and he despised his duty as a noble; having to marry, to continue to bloodline lineage and so on - He didn’t have time for all this! Medicine was ever developing at such a rapid pace, how was he supposed to keep up with it, if all he is supposed to do is to exchange meaningless pleasantries with mindless, shallow women?

It wasn’t necessarily that he blamed the maidens, it wasn’t as though they had any say in it. In fact, Ieyasu felt pity for them, like he pitied caged animals. They had no free will of their own, and if they dared rebel or stray away from the path already dictated to them, they were reprimanded, or worse, punished, to the point of receiving corporeal scoldings. It was cruel, the fate of a woman, and he never did wish to be a lady - Petite, slender, frail and forced to do nothing more than to be a beauty and please her lord husband, seducing him into sleeping with them and creating heirs.

That was not a life. It was less than a half-life. In fact, it was often that Ieyasu thought even slaves had better lives than these noble women. Still, he had to choose a bride to marry very soon - Whether he liked her or not, it mattered little, at least she would have the privilege of liberty and freedom to do as she wishes. He couldn’t care less - As long as she wasn’t betraying him, she could do as she pleased. Whoever that may be, was of no interest to him.

He didn’t even realise that three more hours passed, but the servant came by again to remind him of the feast, and that it was already over, and the ladies were all but settled in their own rooms. It was perfect, he thought, happy that he unintentionally managed to avoid his responsibilities for one more day. Just one more free day as a bachelor, who has time to do whatever he wants without as much as a second thought.

That night, Ieyasu went for a walk in the gardens; he always found a little walk before sleeping to be the best way to rest and get himself physically tired enough to fall asleep instantaneously. He was supposed to go by the lotus pond that perfectly mirrored the silver moon zircons on its sheen, and it had fireflies flickering everywhere, and about this season, the wisteria trees would be gently swaying with the gentle breeze.

Instead, things went different. As Ieyasu made his way to the pond, sitting at the base a great, old tree, there stood a beauty, playing a tragic tune on her flute. He was never one to care for arts, as much as he did for his science and war studies, but even he couldn’t deny that the sorrow of her melody was able to move even him. He wasn’t sure whether it was her song, or her beauty, or perhaps it was that she was able to somehow lure in various little critters from the forest, including Wasabi, but one thing was certain - Whatever she did, even if it was a highly calculated scheme of hers to attract his attention and marry him, it seemed to have a positive effect regardless.

“Hey. What are you doing here?” the man didn’t realise how harsh and cold his voice sounded, but as soon as the edge in his tone was heard, the beauty gasped and all the animals started running away - Save for Wasabi, of course, who happily trotted over to him. The lady, however, hid her face with the long sleeve of her kimono and attempted to run away. “Don’t run away like that. It’s rude to have such behaviour with the lord of the castle you’re at.” the woman painfully stopped moving at once, seemingly frozen in space. Ieyasu frowned - Did he scare her away, he wondered? How foolish. He wasn’t scary, nor did he believe himself to have an intimidating exterior. In fact, he often heard women call him - Angelic, even. “You are one of the maiden candidates, are you not?” she nodded her head timidly, though she hadn’t turned her face to be seen. “Tell me your name.” the woman shook her head. “Are you refusing to abide the order of the lord? How brave. Why?” he almost felt amused by her stubbornness. “I did not think anyone would find me here. Forgive me, My Lord, though I do not wish to create any impartiality amongst myself and the other ladies that have come for the same reason.” he did expect a beautiful voice, however, he didn’t expect it to be so low, yet so soft and gentle, like touching the petal of a flower wet with the morning dew. “Most women would jump at the opportunity of marrying a wealthy lord with direct ties to the Emperor’s bloodline. Do you claim to be different?” he asked, crossing his arms to his chest and smirking to himself, wishing to see how far could he push her boundaries. “Forgive me, My Lord, I did not wish any disrespect, and if I did, however, offend you, you may punish me however you see fit.” the girl, despite her politeness and well chosen words, seemed so awkward and shy, even just with another person. Was it because of his status, or because he was a man, and maidens were never allowed to be alone with a man? “No harm done. Just answer my question.” he urged her further, watching her head raise with a nod. “I have abused my parents love for oneself for far too long, My Lord. I wish not to profit over their pampering of me any longer.” she explained. “I have never been punished by them for indulging in... Rather unlady-like activities, as some may call them. My grandmother even taught me how to read, and taught me various skills. My father encouraged me to be curious and venture further to quench my thirst for the unknown. But for how long can a woman remain but a little girl, still holding on precious the long lost years of her childhood, before she realises that her duty is not to herself, but to everyone else?” as suspected, a tragic answer, for a tragic woman, though still slightly above many others in terms of happiness. This one seemed to have blended her duty and her passions rather well. He felt like a tyrant, stopping her from pursuing her dreams and aspirations, if she were a diligent and bright scholar like himself. Even so, they were not married - Perhaps there would be another that would catch his eye far more, that would pique his interest like one never before. “Being a woman in a man’s world cannot be easy, can it. First, being the property of thy father, then, being sold of to another man to be his own precious little thing. How pitiful.” the man scoffed, though he earned no reaction from the woman. “You may return to your chambers.” “I wish you sweet dreams, My Lord. To your fawn also.” her wishes bewildered him with their peculiarity, though he couldn’t help but watch the maiden’s silhouette, all the way until she entered the castle, her long, shiny hair swaying with every step she so gracefully took. “Even animals are treated better than women - Don’t you agree, Wasabi?” Ieyasu felt the sweet little fawn licking his hand, as they returned to his dormitory.

However, the young Lord was unable to sleep well for the night, thoughts and theories of the lady plaguing him without rest. He wanted so dearly to know more about her, like a medical riddle that he wishes to solve faster, to find the antidote to a fatal poison, and that was what he did best - Researching and solving things. He was a revolutionary man, brilliant in all domains, be them academic or warmongering.

The next morning, after their breakfast, a grand festivity took place, for the Lord to inspect the ladies - He was supposed to choose a wife and as many concubines as he wished to; Such a notion irked him endlessly - He could barely get used to the idea of having a duty for a single woman, let alone more. There were a total of thirty women that have arrived, all of them, Princesses from highly respected warlords that are fighting for the Oda forces.

In rows of five, they were supposed to appear before him, and he was to choose - But would he even like any of them, he wondered. No - Of course he would, there was that mysterious lady from the previous night who evaded his sight so well. Ieyasu smirked, getting comfortable in his chair, realising that this might become a little game of cat and mouse, whether he would be able to pick her out from so many other women or not; He always valued his perfect intuition, and he was confident that he will succeed with his own makeshift idea of mischief regardless.

The first row of five ladies came forward, and they bowed before him, said a little pleasantry and what not. The servant spoke out their names and their families, but he cared little about their status. He was above that - He was stubborn, and he refused to submit to the pressures of the noble people.

At the fifth row, Ieyasu’s eyes opened wide, and he smirked, jolting to his feet in front of a woman with agate earrings and rich, gold and jade accessories in her hair. His hand reached up to touch her earring, looking down at her. “I wonder how can someone who is too poor to afford a rich dress was able to not only afford the most expensive jade hair pins, but also, agate earrings.” “Forgive me, my lord, I dare not contradict you, though they are carnelian, not agate, and the jade pin is a family heirloom.” Ieyasu couldn’t help but scoff at her. “Give them to me. They do not belong to you, do they? You cannot lie to me. Not only they do not fit your outfit, but they look dreadful on you.” the woman whimpered, fear pooling in her eyes, and with a few swift movements, she placed the accessories on his hand; Tokugawa swished his arm for the women to disappear out of the court, and the last row of ladies to appear.

As he suspected, there was one of the ladies that stood out from the others like an anomaly - Not because she wore the most expensive things, but rather the opposite. She wore peonies in her hair, which was humbly braided, and coincidentally, a butterfly landed on it. She wore no earrings, and her dress, though simple, looked gorgeous on her. “You - Come forward.” the man flapped his hand, gesturing her to come forward. The mysterious woman elegantly nodded her head, and after a few careful steps, she did a courtesy kowtow. Her face had no expression, rather, it seemed to radiate a dead cold royal grace that only a real Princess could do even in her sleep. “Look up at me and tell me your name.”

Unlike the timidness of the previous night, the woman before him looked him straight in the eyes, hypnotising him with her beauty. “I am Y/N, daughter of Lord Niwa.” her voice, also, was different from the soft-spoken and delicate one from previously - Now, it was low and soothing, like the gentle lullaby of a wise woman. Most of the other women tried so hard to make their voice pitched and feminine, as light as possible; she didn’t. She wasn’t changing herself. She was just like him. “Do you know how to read?” the man asked, and though he was sure she would feel offended - She sketched not a single emotion whatsoever. “I would be unable to live up to mine own expectations, were I not able to proficiently read - And, of course, much more than that.” her answer, though as beautifully sounding as before, had a back-handed connotation. Intriguing. “You are a bold woman, to speak to me like that. You are sharp and intelligent. Many would envy your position, while others would brand you an embarrassment to women-kind.” Ieyasu spoke, though once again, she didn’t even move an inch. “What would you do, should you be caged like a songbird, unable to do anything but sing the melodies taught to you forevermore?” “Then I would sing away my voice, until I have exhausted my use, and await my ultimate death. There is far more at stake than my own life, that is, my family’s reputation and honour. Without them, I would be a songbird incapable of singing any tune whatsoever.” she replied, and though her tone was mild, it almost felt to Ieyasu that she was provoking him. “And if you were allowed to roam free and pursue any activity that you wished for? What, then, would you be doing?” he continued his line of questioning. “There is forever more information to be learnt, and all skills have infinite proficiency levels, many of them that I wish to acquire, not only for mine own curiosity, but for the betterment of my people’s lives, and of those who would be in need of aid, yet cannot afford. I have plenty wealth, though have not what to spend it on. What better than charity and helping the people live a better life that I can do with such wealth that is not even of my property?” Tokugawa Ieyasu felt his heart beating for the first time, and he felt inclined to raise the edge of his apricot coloured scarf up to his mouth, in hopes of hiding away the warmth of his pale, cold cheeks. “Are you telling me that you are interested in arts that only men are allowed to dabble in? Such as medicine, calculus, physics, alchemy and what not?” he asked, wanting to learn more and more about the woman. She gave a curt, affirmative answer, which garnered a choir of gasps and murmurs of disbelief. “Quiet, all of you.” Ieyasu’s harsh bark tensed up the atmosphere, though none dared speak any more. “Why is it that you think you can approach successfully such difficult areas that even the most educated of maesters cannot achieve oftimes?” “Most people tell the gender of a rabbit by its movement - The male runs quickly, while the female often keeps her eyes shut; But when the two rabbits run side by side, can you really discern whether I am a he or a she?” Ieyasu’s brilliant jade-like eyes widened, and he felt breathless, hearing the woman perfectly quote a stanza from the Ballad of Mulan, so boldly as if she herself were the warrior-woman. “Men are unable to comprehend the true pains of a woman, and as all healers are men, and they are strictly forbidden from touching a woman’s skin, especially of a higher status, then how are women supposed to survive more threatening diseases and ailments? Seeing such a tragic deficit in our healthcare system, I have decided that, given my mental capacity, I should be able to take on the burden myself. I have been successful thus far.” the small yet so very smug smile that she offered made his mind go crazy. “If I am to take you as my wife, I have to know that I can rely on you. I am a warlord, and we are in the midsts of war. Brilliance and ambition you have plenty, as well as boldness - But what if you waver in front of danger?” at once, the man gestured to her to get up, as he stepped backwards a few feet. “Do not break eye contact with me.”

A servant came over, throwing a bucket of water at her feet, yet Princess Y/N nonchalantly stepped over it without a second thought. The loud noises behind her, from the other ladies, or the claps purposely made close to her ear to startle her still had no effect on her, as she was completely captivated by Ieyasu’s softening gaze - She’d even dare go as far as to say - Timidness seemed to be overtaking him, the more they kept looking at each other. The test continued so until Ieyasu pranced forward and drew his sword, touching her flawless skin and raising her chin delicately. The silence created tension for everyone, especially all the envious ladies whose hearts stopped at once, yet the two became deeper and deeper enchanted by one another.

It wasn’t until another one of the servants, possibly an older chatelaine holding a cat, stepped next to them, throwing the animal violently to the ground. Instead of letting the animal suffer, the Princess swiftly slapped the blade away and threw herself to the ground, catching with perfect reflexes the terrified feline, before rising back again. She was gently petting the animal and whispering tender words in the same magical tone that she used the previous night, before returning her gaze up at the blond Lord.

“You lost my challenge.” though his voice was deadpan, the mischief was evident in his glittering green eyes. “Life is above all else - Their lives also.” she pointed out, stepping closer to the Lord, as though to show that, no matter what he threw her way, she was not afraid of braving any of his trials. “You lost the challenge, though managed to impress me.” he nodded his head as he sheathed his sword. “I would be honoured if you would be my wife.” at once, he took off the jade tassel that he kept tied subtly to his sash, and shyly reached to tie it to her own obi. “By all means, the honour is all mine, Lord Tokugawa.” with the way she inclined her gaze down as soon as she addressed him by his lordly title, it felt as though a cold barrier of ice was placed between them, and Ieyasu, for a second, resented his noble status. This woman was capable of intriguing him with her cheek and shrewdness, so of course, he wanted to get to know her better, to unveil the mystery behind those gorgeous eyes of hers that sparkled with cleverness and kindness.

He wondered if she gave away her accessories to that poorer Princess on purpose, to play coy with him, or simply, because she tried to sabotage her own chances of success. She did voice her love for her home and her parents, and now, she will be taken away from them for quite a long time. Not that he wouldn’t allow her to visit, of course he would, why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t like it was going to do him any harm, after all. She could do whatever she wanted, as long as she wasn’t getting in his way.

Their wedding was simple yet beautiful, and though Ieyasu was visibly uncomfortable and awkward, outright unable to look at his wife, Y/N seemed to have perfect control over each and every one of her actions. The man almost felt pity for her, realising that it, no doubt, she wasn’t overthinking anything she was doing, preferring to act like the marionette that noble ladies were forced to become for their husbands. It irked him, to no end, that his wife had to be some mindless doll, when she so evidently expressed heaps of brightness that wanted desperately to come out and manifest into the world.

Every move she made, even the slightest twitch of her finger joints, was perfectly calculated to ensure the maximum amount of flawless grace that a Princess must have. He won’t allow her to torture herself like that in his own home. There is no way for one to go about their normal studying when in constant need to control the amount of time they blink or breath whilst around him.

“A woman must always count the amount of words her husband speaks, so that, if she is ever spoken to, and has to reply, she will not use more words than him. It would be disrespectful for him, and thus, proves that I am an unruly wife and in dire need of disciplining.” she told him the evening before the wedding. Ieyasu almost felt like pulling out his hair from frustration. Who in the world came up with such ridiculously rigid and prohibitory rules for women to begin with? Their country, not so long ago, was known to prefer a rather matriachal societal ruling, which, with the rise of Confucianism and men’s desire to be more powerful than anything, including the Gods themselves, women became nothing more than breedingstocks with pretty faces. How ridiculous.

“As long as you are in the province I rule - And I mean all of it, not only the castle - You don’t need to ask for permission to speak. Do whatever you please, I don’t care, I’m not forbidding you from doing anything at all. Alright?” Ieyasu made sure to put forth his rule, and hopefully, she will take it to heart. “You are most gracious and kind, my Lord Husband.” Ieyasu was very close to dragging his nails across his face out of annoyance with all these unnecessary pleasantries. He was her husband, not some kind of Lord she had to make a war alliance with. She wasn’t a Geisha, nor a courtesan, she needn’t flatter him any longer. “Stop talking like that. You’re so troublesome.” he grumbled softly. “No more pleasantries and any of the excess words you’re ironically forced to use with strangers. We are family, and that is boring me to death.” Ieyasu flipped his hand dismissively, not bothering to look the lady in the eyes, though he was rather curious if she reacted at all. “Am I allowed to become your chatelaine, then? To study under your maesters and physicians too?” the man nodded his head simply. “Stop asking me for permission I’ve already given. Go around, explore, go out, buy whatever you want - I don’t care. Just stay out of my way. I don’t have time for idle talks or disturbances.” with that, the Lord of Mikawa left the hall and went about his business. Y/N’s maid looked at the Princess and smiled cheerfully. “My Lady, your Lord Husband is truly an enlightened man! I told you, you were born under a lucky star! You feared marriage so much, yet you were chosen by such a lovely man!” the Princess said nothing at all, instead, she offered her maid a gentle smile before walking away towards her assigned room.

Y/N has always been proud of how hard-working and diligent she was, and she was determined to show that Ieyasu hadn’t been wrong in choosing her, out of so many other gorgeous ladies that passed before his beautiful green eyes. In a month, the Castle of Ozaki was already in such a flawless state, that even Lord Tokugawa was shocked that it was possible. He always thought he had the most efficient servants, but apparently, even he could be wrong in some regards. He was impressed with the cleanliness of the whole place, and he could even appreciate how great the flowers surrounding the castle looked. The gardens were well taken care of, and even the food seemed to be more delicious. He couldn’t understand how that could happen, but he was glad that it happened.

And what he loved the most, though he would never admit it out loud, but Y/N would come by his study with hot, aromatic tea and some snacks for him, and she would remain silent for the remainder of her visit, whilst she would pour him tea in his cup whenever it emptied, and would grind his ink to help him out whenever he needed to write loads. It was such a simple thing to do, and his servants always did these things for him, but somehow, with Y/N, it felt so intimate, that it sometimes distracted him from work, as his eyes would linger to her delicate hands, or the serene smile that graced her features. He never felt his way before, why was his heart beating so much faster, as though he was running into battle, when he was safest there?

When he was working on a new antidote also, she would be creeping nearby, organising and arranging all the ingredients and tomes on the shelves, and though it made things easier for Ieyasu, that wasn’t what he felt most appealing, but how she would walk slower whenever next to him, just to steal a peek at the scribblings and doodles he’d make on the many thrown around papers on the desk whilst attempting to come up with a new revolutionary medicine - Only for her to place some plants or root that he hadn’t even thought about in front of him, and she would gently explain the reasoning behind suggesting it. Be it that it would enhance the effect of one of the ingredients he wanted to use, or that it counters some kind of poison - Somehow, anything that Ieyasu created with the aid of Y/N, seemed to have miraculous effects, and he loved this kind of success.

Many more months flew by so fast, yet for Ieyasu, the time spent together with his Princess definitely felt like a dream come true. His mind seemed to have calmed, though it remained hyper focused on his work - Work that became so much easier to complete and perfect further; and when he’d go sleep, he would rest his head on her lap and fall asleep to the sound of a soft melody hum and the soothing caress of her fingers playing with his hair. If he wished to relax, he would go for a walk by the pond as usual, followed by his sweet Wasabi, yet now, Y/N would be right by his side; be it simply for her tender presence, or to play a tune on the flute - There was something so tranquil about her being there with him, without any need to actually engage in small talk, or to interact meaninglessly. It felt like a reverie, and for the first time in his life, Ieyasu thought that life was actually exquisite.

But there was still one thing that Ieyasu was completely oblivious to, and that was the pains of his wife. Never once did she display any kind of negative emotion, nor did she tell him that there was something bothering her at all - Neither would he have found out from her, of course, she never complained, but the gossiping maids became far too loud and even if he wanted to, there was no way to pass it off only to idle, meaningless chattering.

“Princess Y/N has gotten thinner, hadn’t she? How is she going to birth an heir for Lord Tokugawa if her hips and chest are as small as her waist?” one of them spoke. “How can she birth an heir, if Lord Tokugawa doesn’t even want to spend the night with her? Not that I blame him - Have you ever seen her smile? I didn’t. She looks stone cold. Even the Lord isn’t as strict and inapproachable as she is.” the other one’s reply made his blood boil with anger. “Right? I’m always so afraid of messing something up. It feels like she’s everywhere, watching me like a hawk. It’s almost like she wants to see me fail, just to punish me.” Ieyasu leaned back on the wall, making himself comfortable whilst assessing the gossip. “Has she punished servants before?” as she gasped in shock, Y/N rushed by, only to stop abruptly as soon as she noticed her husband. He raised a shushing finger to his mouth and motioned for her to get by quietly. “Well... No, not really, but you can’t disagree with me that she is quite scary. I mean - It has been half a year already, a virtuous lady would have already been heavily burdened with child.” for the first time, Ieyasu noticed Y/N rolling her eyes in evident impatience and annoyance. “I feel the same! This summer has seen a draught like never before - If the Princess behaved as a admirable and charitable as a virtuous noble lady is supposed to behave, none of this would have happened!” Y/N crossed her arms to her chest, her sight going up in the sky, as she gritted her teeth in boredom. It was clear she already knew of these talks, which only irked the Lord further. “Lord Tokugawa should take a few concubines already, otherwise there’s no way for the bloodline to continue. Don’t you know? My grandmother always said that, if the province becomes barren as soon as the Lord marries, it is because the wife is barren also. How can she conceive if she is useless?” Ieyasu was about to leap at them, but Y/N grabbed him by the clothes and kept him back, shaking her head. He could only look at her in shock and confusion, yet she didn’t answer. “Lord Tokugawa’s own father divorced his first lady wife, to take another. He should do the same.” he could only watch quizzically as the Princess quickly composed herself and stepped behind the gossiping maids, clearing her throat. The two squeaked pathetically and started trembling in fear as they bowed courteously. “Instead of chattering idly, you should return to your work. Heavens forbid my Lord husband hearing you speaking about him behind his back.” Ieyasu was bewildered - Y/N tone didn’t sound angry, nor did it hold any lingering of annoyance - Instead, it was calm and graceful as it always was. The maids fell to the ground, bowing pathetically, before running away to whatever their job was. “You should have let me punish them. They deserve it.” finally, he stepped by her side, disgusted by the awful gossips he heard. “The snake does not lose sleep over the chattering of mice.” his eyes widened, flabbergast at the comparison. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?” he asked, unable to find a viable answer. “Why would I have? I don’t see any relevance to their words. They cannot hurt me. If they are so simple and allowed themselves to fall to the muddle-headed platitude of gossiping and spreading rumours, then, by all means, let them. As long as they do what they are told, and do it well, then there is nothing to be concerned about.” she explained, only to quickly add another short line. “Unless, of course, you have noticed a downgrading in the way the castle works - Then, I would have to take immediate action to remediate that temporary flaw.” Ieyasu shook his head, sighing. “Nothing of the sort - In fact, things have never went better than now, and that is thanks to your hard work.” he muttered lightly. “I am happy to hear that, then.” the Princess nodded her head, a small smile of appreciation appearing on her face. “Well then, if that is all, then I would like to ask you to please erase all of this from your memory. It is not worth losing precious seconds of your time thinking about it. I, too, have to return to my work. If you will excuse me --” Ieyasu rose his hand instantaneously, gently grabbing her chin and tilting it up to make her look at him. “I... Deeply appreciate you, Y/N. I would never think about letting you go, or taking other women.” it took all of his self-control not to cover his whole face with the scarf, as his eyes, no matter how much they tried to remain fixed on Y/N’s angelic visage, kept darting away in shyness.

Instead, he heard Y/N’s lovely giggle for the first time ever, and her sweet lips planting a quick kiss on his cheek. “I am truly lucky to have met you, Ieyasu. You are a wonderful man. Thank you for choosing me.” with a tender smile, Y/N left Ieyasu behind, flustered and almost faint from the unexpected interaction he had with his wife. Half a year passed, and he was forced to admit to himself, that he was truly and irredeemably in love with Y/N Niwa.

At home, or during war meetings, Ieyasu was thinking about Y/N constantly, and unfortunately for him, he even let her name slip at some point - It was a perfectly casual conversation, he just off-handly mentioned her name - Perhaps he mentioned she helped him out with some medicine, or she gave him some brilliant idea; Regardless, not only Masamune, but Mitsuhide and even Lord Nobunaga started teasing him actively, to the point of almost wanting to decapitate them.

Though he was able to keep their mouth shut since then, whenever he’d mentioned her name, attached to a rather brilliant strategic idea that she came with, to the point of impressing the lords. It was his time to feel smug, and of course, since then, he shared all of his papers and plans with her, asking for her insight and brainstorming. She picked up on important details so easily, and she could find loopholes in places where perhaps even Mitsunari had difficulty. It was then that realised what a vital member of the Oda forces Y/N was, and he started bringing her to the council whenever he went. He didn’t realise how he felt so dependent on her, how at ease he felt around her, and how proud he was of her, whenever she expressed her insight and presented her point of view.

“My lord, I understand that the Princess has some good points, politically speaking, but she is a woman, what would she know of war, except for what Ieyasu tells her?” Hideyoshi once complained, during one of the meetings, and though Ieyasu felt irked at the blatant disrespect his wife received, it was Nobunaga himself who allowed her to defend herself. “I believe Princess Y/N has proved she is worthy of her seat at my council, just like all of you present here. Do you have anything to say in your defense, Y/N?” Nobunaga’s smug smirk made Hideyoshi depressed, seeing that his opinion was in the minority, even shut down by his most beloved Lord. “The lion does not concern itself with the opinions of sheep, Lord Nobunaga.” the comment garnered a few laughing outbursts, along with some sniggerings. “Ashigaru.” it was the first time that Ieyasu ever saw such an ice-cold smirk, and a blatantly poisonous insult escaping her pretty mouth. He was so proud of her, yet so amused at how angry Hideyoshi got - It was his fault, after all. His wife simply defended herself.

If only Ieyasu wasn’t so timid, he would cling onto her, melting in her loving embrace, kissing her all over her face, and never letting go of her. He loved her so much, so - so much, that it was unreal. How could a woman hold such domain over him? How can she have such power, to keep him captive in her tender clutches, mentally, emotionally, even physically? What was she doing to him, that all he could think about the whole day was her?

He trusted her so whole-heartedly, that on more vulnerable night, he would tell her about his childhood, about how he was abducted by Nobunaga’s father at only five years old, used as hostage, only to be sent away for an alliance at the Imagawa clan. He spoke of his childhood, though he could hardly call it that - His childhood was robbed from him. It was traumatic, yet, but he didn’t linger on it. Instead, he preferred to hear and perhaps vicariously live through Y/N’s own childhood. Somehow, she only ever told him the good things, as if to make him smile. A perfect childhood, for a perfect girl, living in a perfect world, with the perfect family.

Whether it was learning how to play the flute and the zither, or some poems that she loved to read, perhaps the medicine and concoctions she learnt how to prepare, or playing around with weapons with her elder brother and being a better horse-rider and archer than him.

He loved all of it, and sometimes, he would find himself day-dreaming about what would it be like, should he be a child now, with a serene life, just playing around through the gardens and what now. They were the complete opposite, with Ieyasu only sharing the bad parts of his life, whilst Y/N only spoke of the positive. There was no way that he could have known of any horrible memory, or fear that she might have.

So of course, it was nothing less than shocking when he witnessed his wife, covered in blood splattered all over her, running away towards the stream. His first thought was to run back to the castle and see what happened - Did someone attack the place, and she escaped? But she wasn’t crying, nor was she screaming or in distress - Did she get frustrated with a failed experiment? Perhaps it wasn’t even blood, just some pomegranate or tomato juice that exploded? Much was his surprise when he was met with the ever loud chattering from the gossiping maids, involuntarily informing him of what had happened. “It is already the fifth woman in Mikawa that Y/N killed, you know? Do you think she’s doing it intentionally? Killing pregnant women because she is unable to conceive?” Y/N? Killing someone? That couldn’t be. “It wouldn’t surprise me. You know how it is, especially with noble women. If you’re unable to give birth to an heir in the first year of marriage, the lord is going to throw you out, or, at the very least, lose all favoured. Perhaps she is afraid Lord Tokugawa is going to divorce her... Or maybe her parents won’t accept her back.” another one spoke more rubbish. “Or both, who knows? Still, it is doing her no good, her reputation is tarnishing very swiftly. A woman should never meddle in the arts of men. She should just stay put, play cards with other noble women, do her make up and embroider. She’s doing it to herself, you know? The elders keep scolding her, but she doesn’t even listen! She goes about her day all the same!” Ieyasu was getting rapidly fed up with the slander. “Guards! Take these two maids and cut their tongues off. Perhaps, this way, they will know that slander and gossip is forbidden.” the two women fell to the ground, bowing and weeping pitifully, begging for mercy. “You dared speak ill of the Princess, who is benevolent and never punished you. I am a man, I have no patience for the silly past times of some evil, incompetent maids.” with a dismissive hand from the Lord, the guards dragged them away, as Ieyasu went in the room, trailing the blood left in large blots to the ground.

Once he arrived to the chamber, he noticed the old mid-wife that delivered him years ago. She looked sorrowful, wetting a towel and cleaning the dead body of a butchered woman. He slowly stepped by her side, and though she attempted to raise and bow, he immediately stopped him. She was old, and had done him enough services - She needn’t do anything so humbly. Not for him. He urged her to explain to him what happened, only to see her sigh, even sadder.

“Oh, Young Lord, if only you knew the misfortunes that follow women of this realm, you would think it one of the pitiful stories that I used to tell you when you were but a tiny, little babe.” she sighed once again before continuing. “The Princess... Ah, what a wonderful, pure soul. She tries so hard to ease the pains of the less fortunate... But she is no God, and people, especially her, fail to understand that. If one is fated to die young, no amount of intervention can save them.” “I don’t understand. What happened to this woman? And what is with all this blood?” the man asked, removing the blanket from her lower part, revealing her large belly and the large, horizontal gash. “Did Y/N do this?” The old woman nodded her head. “There have been a string of dystocic pregnancies for these young women... Ah, Heavens, they were not women, they were barely fourteen... A child, killed by a child...” despite the exclamations typical of an old woman, Ieyasu began to piece together the bits she was telling him. “Seeing all these complications, the Princess started learning about the Way of the Blade on dead animals, and then, dead bodies, hoping to learn how to properly perform such an act on a poor girl, struggling and wailing in agony... But no matter what she did... With a cut like that, how can a little girl like this survive? And the babe, too... They were already long dead by the time they were taken out of the womb.” the old woman had to wipe away the escaping tears. Ieyasu stared down at the gruesome image of the young girl that was supposed to be a mother. She had perineal tearing, and the skin on her thighs had ruptured from the effort. The slice of the belly was deep, yet perfectly clean and sharply done. “Kaede, I understand these complications happened because of their frail age, and the risks are higher because their bodies hadn’t developed enough... But are these risks viable for adult women also?” fear started creeping into his heart, gnawing and tainting away at him rapidly. “Unfortunately, Young Lord, there are risks for any pregnancy. They say, during childbirth, women are already with one foot in hell, and they are fighting against the demons that are trying to take them away.” Ieyasu felt himself shivering softly. “Y/N knows these risks too, I’m sure.” the old woman nodded her head. “Is this why she ran away from here? It seems uncharacteristic of her, allowing others to do work that she shouldered herself.” “Poor Princess is a victim of her own fears, like most women are. Please don’t be too harsh on her, she’s trying her best. Princess Y/N does not like speaking much about her, in fear of burdening others... However, after a rather painful childbirth that ended in death, she revealed that, even back home, she assisted soon to be mothers, and had lost many friends to this, including her younger sister.” Ieyasu’s eyes widened, his head snapping towards the old lady. “Y/N had a younger sister?” she never mentioned anything about a sister - Only her elder brother. Is it because all the beautiful memories she has of her end with a most painful epilogue? “Yes, in fact, she was barely fifteen by the time of her death. Married some Lord that she loved, she wanted a few children of her own, she really wanted to be a mother, as she said. Her hips were too small, and the baby couldn’t get out. Princess Y/N had to cut her belly open herself - She was able to save the baby - It was a girl... And since it was not a boy, thus, not an heir... The husband didn’t want to accept it as his child. He called Princess Y/N’s sister... Rather uncouth words, accusing her of adultery, and now, Princess Y/N’s mother takes care of the child, as though she is her own daughter.”

Ieyasu couldn’t believe what he was hearing - All this information, and he had to hear it from his old nan, instead of his own wife. Was she not trusting him, or was she too afraid of speaking these things with anyone? He couldn’t blame her - Women are taught to be afraid of their husbands - But he had hoped he was able to reassure her into trusting him with her very being.

With a mumbled thank you, Ieyasu stole one last glance at the poor young girl, and as Y/N’s image flashed before his eyes, in the same posture, he, too, jolted to his feet and bolted out of the castle, unable to keep overthinking. There weren’t many things that could shake him mentally, but when it came to Y/N’s well-being, he was nothing but a puddle of melted ice.

When he reached the stream, he saw Y/N kneeling on the ground, continuously scrubbing away the blood from her skin and from the blood stained coat - Only, there hadn’t been any spot of red of it in a while, it was only in her imagination. She was staring blankly at the running stream, her expression completely empty, save for a soft furrow of her brows. Ieyasu went to sit next to her, yet she acted as though he wasn’t even there. He wanted to offer her her space, to speak whenever she felt comfortable, hoping that his presence alone would offer her comfort - Instead, she remained silent. Even more, she got up soon after and attempted to leave.

“How are you feeling?” robotically, she stopped dead in her tracks, rigid and stiff, just like during that night when he called her out. “Just fine.” somehow, she managed to keep her voice in check and under control. “Please don’t hide away from me. You were there for me when I needed you the most. Let me in, Y/N.” there was a heavy silence, save for the rippling of the river. “Kaede told you, didn’t she?” with a confirmation, Y/N took a sharp inhale. “Worry not. I will not neglect my duties as a wife.” “Do you think I care about that?!” infuriated, Ieyasu shot up to his feet. “I don’t care about some child, I care about you!” he wasn’t one to yell, it was so unlike him, and from the shape of Y/N’s body, it was clear she was a little startled by the unexpected outburst. “If you are dead, what’s the point? You are more important to me than any pretentious thing like an heir.” she was unable to say any word. “Y/N - Forgive me, I didn’t mean to shout. I just don’t think you realise how much I love you. I know I’m not good with words, and even my actions aren’t great - But I treasure you more than anything in the world. Do you not trust me enough to tell me what pains you?” “Please... Don’t take it this way.” finally, with a soft voice filled with anguish, she was able to reply. “Whenever something bad happens, I just try my best to erase it from my mind. I try to pretend it didn’t happen. I don’t want to be plagued by the torment all my life.” “That is the exact opposite of what you’ve been encouraging me to do.” she nodded her head. “You are such a hypocrite.” despite her sadness, Y/N found herself exhaling with amusement. “I know. I am the biggest hypocrite there is. I could never follow my own advice. It is not that I don’t trust you - But that I love you so much, that I’d rather take on all of your burdens and keep you happy, than acknowledge my own problems. You have enough to deal with anyway. You are the Lord of Mikawa, and an important ally of the Oda forces. We are in the brink of war - The last thing I care about is some silly old sadness of mine.” suddenly, Y/N felt herself being embraced from behind, a kiss being placed on her temple. “I take you with me to war councils, you help me with medicine, with studies, sometimes you even accompany me when I train or go hunting. You are my wife, Y/N, but not only that - You are my most cherished person. Without you, I am lost. I cannot be happy if you are not. I hope you won’t be afraid of telling me how you’re feeling from now on, no matter what it is. If you are afraid of something, no matter what it is, I will be there to protect you. When you are upset, I will have my arms open, and I will hold you as you cry; And when you are happy, I will be there to watch you smile. You are human, like any other, Y/N. Don’t pretend to be otherwise just because of what others say.” despite the soft trembling of her body, Y/N didn’t cry, though her heart was aching and begging her to release all of her pent up emotions. Instead, she smiled, and squeezed his hands as thanks. “I truly was born under a lucky star, to have been chosen by a man like yourself, my love.” he wasn’t sure why, even after so long, Ieyasu still felt his cheeks warming up at the simplest compliment from her.

He truly thought he was a good husband, and even when he had his doubts, Y/N would immediately reassure him, telling him he is the best thing that ever happened in her life, and how lucky she is for having the privilege of being married to him - All this, while pampering him and kissing his face all over, to the point of flustering him into hiding his face away from her. Whenever he did that, she knew she had succeeded in her plan of cheering him up.

But it was only he, whose life was getting better and better, while her life was getting worse. He did everything he could, alleviating any external pressure or influence, especially from the elders or the gossiping maids who dared slander her for her passions and the lack of an heir - As if he cared about that, when war had been crippling the lands for a whole century?

Y/N’s mother had been brought to the capital, to receive the best health care possible, as she’s been afflicted with an awful disease - When she heard that, Y/N quickly discarded all of the jewellery and the rich outer layer of her kimono, and with a sash, she dexterously tied back the long sleeves of her outfit as she ran through corridors of lords and lordlings, pushing them away. “Out of my way! Get out! Move already, damn it!” those who didn’t know who the wench was wanted to grab her and punish her for her insulting behaviour, but one order from the Lord of Owari was enough to split the ocean of men standing in her way.

For days, Ieyasu hadn’t seen his wife, and he grew ever more worried - What if she gets ill also? What if her mind breaks from all the anguish? It cannot be easy, treating your own mother, the person you love more than life itself - And especially, it cannot be easy having to see her health decaying so rapidly before your very eyes, and hearing the weak voice of hers, once filled with vitality, telling her final wishes and praises to her sweet daughter.

He never once saw her crying, but he was afraid that, if he does, he too would break down on the spot. He did the mistake of going over to the room where she was taking care of her mother, bringing her food and tea in hopes of making sure she isn’t neglecting her health, but as soon as he saw that exhausted and tormented expression on her face, he felt the tray fall from his grasp - Thankfully, he kept composed. She hadn’t even picked up on his arrival, were it not for the semi-conscious mother alerting her.

She wasn’t crying, she wasn’t wailing, nor was she screaming in anguish - Instead, she was deadly silent, like a lake without fish in it. She was so absorbed in her quest of saving her mother, that she forgot all about her own self in the process; He was afraid, however, that should he remind her that she is a human being, with emotions and a rational mind, she couldn’t take it. He wanted to just hold her in his arms and protect her from any thing around her that could be even remotely upsetting - But unfortunately, he, more than anyone, knew how that wish was nothing less than impossible.

Was she incapable of crying altogether, he had wondering thoughts at some point, realising that, although very close to, and quivering, in the year they’ve been together, he had not seen his wife cry once, despite all the emotional hardships she had to endure, one after the other. He had seen plenty women cry, even from the silliest of things; but not Y/N. Never her. It must be one of those silly rules from that God-awful Chinese book, written by Empress whatever, dictating in particular detail how all women, and wives especially, must behave in society, and most of all, in front of their husbands. If he could, he’d burn that book from the face of the earth, never to hear of it again. He wanted Y/N to be eternally free of any shackle and rope that she might feel herself held back by. It was torment, watching her wilt away, like the most beautiful flower in late autumn.

And then, when her mother died, he could see how hard she was gritting her teeth, all to keep herself composed, and immediately went to plan the funeral. She was dressed in simple, white, mourning garments, just like everyone else around her. Though no make up, and looking like an onryo, her long hair, shining in the Sun, contrasting the sickly paleness of her colourless pigment, and she stared emptily at the pyre on which her mother’s beautiful body laid. She had dressed her up herself, and applied make up the way she knew would look best on her, and her hair was tied with many expensive pins and flowers. On either side of her, her father was a sobbing mess, while her brother was trembling, unable to control himself.

Y/N sighed, staring at the sake bottle, and she took it in her hands before smashing it away from the pyre. “My mother hated alcohol. I will not send her away to the other side with sake. Go make her favourite honeyed tea at once.” the servants didn’t waste another second, and soon, the Princess was offered a tea pot and a cup. With steady hands, she poured a little tea to drink, before spilling the rest of it with perfect precision, in the form of the symbol for the word ‘Love’. It only made her father look away and search for a chair to sit on, feeling her knees buckle. Seeing that, Y/N went to kneel by his side, and gently, traced his hands to have him let go of the torch. Gladly, he did, and Y/N went to lit it on fire, approaching the pyre. With one last look of grief towards her mother, a kiss on her forehead and a few farewell words, Y/N placed the torch on the fire, igniting it; Though she must not have realised she was still holding her hand on her mother’s face, even when licked by the flames of fire, for it was Lord Nobunaga, closest to her, that snatched away her wrist from the blazing inferno, and gave her a look. From the looks of it, she felt no pain at all, as her heart was in enough anguish to feel anything else.

With a thankful nod of her head, Nobunaga let go of her, watching as she phlegmatically threw away the burning torch in the water basin before turning to address all the lords present. “All of you attending have the deepest gratitude, from the whole family, especially my Lord Father, who is stricken with grief at the moment and unable to express his gratefulness for everyone’s support. As a way to thank everyone for the trouble of coming over and stand in solidarity for our loss, we humbly invite you to a feast in honour of my Lady Mother. Please, if you may -” she opened the door to the banquet room, where everything had already been placed, and the servants were guiding all the lords to their respective seats. Y/N went to help her father get up from the chair, and had him sit at a table between herself and her brother.

Like all men, Ieyasu realised, Lord Niwa was drinking his sorrows away, to the point of becoming a babbling fool. The Young Lord next to him, however, did nothing to save his father from making a fool of himself in front of all the prominent lords of the Oda forces. Though she had to tirelessly run to and fro to make sure everyone was attended by the maids properly, she fell in front of her father, trying to take away the sake from him, replacing it with tea, and forcing him to eat something to alleviate the heavy drunkness of his. Ieyasu could only stare in pity, powerless before a family matter like this. She hadn’t even the time to mourn her beloved mother, for she had to take care of everyone -- But was anyone taking care of her, even the littlest bit?

“Father, please, that is enough drinking. Mother would have hated seeing you in this state. Please, compose yourself, just until we get home.” Ieyasu heard her plead to her father, holding his face in her hands dearly. Yes, he remembers Y/N asking for his permission to return home and take care of her father, until he gets better. To think a husband would be so grief-stricken from the loss of his wife... Ieyasu was unable to look at Lord Niwa, as he imagined himself in the same shape as he, should anything happen to his sweet Y/N. “My sweet Y/N, you are so perfect, my most beloved child -- How were we ever capable of creating a child so perfect is beyond me -- You look so much like your mother, and you’re so smart and talented -- My most precious little flower in the world, always taking care of everyone around her.” sighing, Y/N threw her arms around her father. “It is alright, daddy, no need to say anything else, I understand you heart. I will always be here for you, no matter what happens. I will always be your little girl.” those words would forever haunt Ieyasu, for an eternity, and even far beyond.

For a whole month, Y/N was away, and he felt not only his mind, but his heart in shambles, and it was then that he properly realised how dependent he felt on Y/N, how much his heart longed for her touch, for her sweet words, for her loving embrace and that angelic smile. He missed her like a man lost in the desert missed the shade and water. He wanted nothing more than to march at her home and gather her up in his arms, telling her that everything will be okay, that he is there for her, forever, and that he loves her more than anything in this worlds.

Day in and day out, the castle of Ozaki felt the antsiness of Lord Tokugawa, and the tense atmosphere was nothing less than painful. From the once stern yet kind Lord who spent his time only studying, training and working, he now was so snappy and all the servants found themselves on the wrong end of his thorny wrath, as though they were Uesugi or Takeda themselves. He prayed for the first time in his life, that Y/N’s father would get better already, and Y/N would return to him - He felt so lonely, so out of touch with everything surrounding him; the single touch of normalcy being the company of his darling Wasabi, and the occasional war councils. The pillow seat next to him was empty, in her honour. It was empty, like the bed they shared, like their room, like the whole province of Mikawa; Like his heart especially.

Yet however much he craved for Y/N to return, he didn’t want it to be due to another funeral. From the rumours growing around, her father died from a broken heart, unable to cope with the death of his wife. It was a huge blow emotionally for Ieyasu, fearing something like that happening to him, should Y/N die some day; Yet, of course, the Oda forces too were at a disadvantage, as Lord Niwa was Nobunaga’s right hand for so many decades, first, having aided his father, before aiding the Young Lord.

Just like during her mother’s funeral, it was Y/N who took care of everything, as the brother was too much of a gutless wimp to do anything at all. It was Y/N who took care of the pyre, of burning the corpse of her father, of taking care of the guests at the feast and so on.

He spotted her, at some point, slipping away from the large chamber and going outside, and to the pond - Their special place together. He could hear soft, repeated muttering, over and over again. “Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.” she kept saying, to the point that every piece of Ieyasu’s heart broke and shattered. “My love.” he called out to her, sitting on the grass, in front of her. “Forgive the intrusion. I couldn’t bare the thought of letting you suffer alone.” she kept her head hanging. “It’s alright to cry. You’ve just lost both of your parents, whom you loved dearly. You have every right to mourn.” “I’m afraid, Ieyasu.” the vibrato of her quivering voice was making his eyes sting with gleaming tears. “I’m afraid that, if I do, I won’t be able to stop. That the sorrow will never disappear. That hell and darkness will find me, and drag me down, drowning me.” “That’s why I’m here, Y/N. I’m here to protect you. Don’t run away from me, please. Cry and mourn as much as you need, and rely on me; I will make sure you never fall - And if you do, I’ll be there to catch you and carry you back home.” slowly, his arms made their way around her trembling form, pulling her to his chest as he caressed her hair. “You are safe with me, my love. You can allow yourself to be vulnerable with me. You may cry as much as you need.”

And for the first time since they’ve been married, Ieyasu witnessed his wife crying and cursing, raw wails and words that he never thought he would hear from a woman’s mouth - But he couldn’t blame her. She’s been through enough. In a way, he finally felt like he was doing something for her; It was painful enough, knowing that he wasn’t enough for her, or so he kept telling himself. He was there for her. He was always there for her, no matter what may happen.

Ieyasu was going to be there, by Y/N’s side, the very same way Y/N was when she saved him from Kennyo himself, when the warrior sect of monks from Ikko-Ikki rebelled on his lands and rebelled against him, to get to Nobunaga. It was thanks to her, that he found out about the betrayal of some of his once loyal vassals, and it was thanks to her, that he survived a trap set by Kennyo himself.

It was one evening, when he returned to the castle, and as soon as he dismounted his horse, Y/N uncharacteristically ran to him, throwing herself onto him to embrace him. “My Lord husband, how I missed you! Let me draw a bath for you.” with a vixen like grin on her face, she held his hand, dragging him to the bath, urging him to undress. He felt so confused, yet so timid, undressing before her; Y/N was assertive however, and she undressed him herself, before dragging him into the water, his back glued to the wooden wall of the tub. Suddenly, he felt one of her delicate hands tracing his skin, from his ribs and all over his chest, while the other... Showed a scroll to him? “Read it, but remain quiet. You have been betrayed, yet I do not know all the people participating in this ploy.” his body felt stiff, hearing her soft yet ominous whisper in his ear, and forgetting the shyness from his wife seeing him naked for the first time, he let his tired eyes scan the beautiful writing of his sweet Princess, before succumbing the parchment in the water, waiting for it to disintegrate entirely.

Though they didn’t speak out loud about this matter, they both remained fully alert; With Ieyasu writing a letter to Nobunaga, Y/N volunteered to go deliver it herself, not wanting to risk anything interfering with their plan. “Please be safe.” Ieyasu cupped her face, kissing her forehead tenderly. “I do not know what I would do if anything were to happen to you.” “The same goes to you also, my darling.” with a sweet gaze shared, Ieyasu helped Y/N mount the horse and watched her gallop away into the horizon.

Though, as Y/N was away, Ieyasu already had to run away into war, as the damned monks attacked his lands. By the time the Princess had arrived in Azuchi, it was Mitsuhide who greeted her, though the usual teasing, enigmatic grin ever-present was replaced with a grim look. “Though it is always a pleasure seeing you, Princess, I can guess why you have arrived.” he spoke, helping her get off the horse and reading the letter. “I wish I had better knew to counter this betrayal, My Lady, though unfortunately, I must be the bearer of the grave news. Ieyasu might be walking right into Kennyo’s trap.” he put a comforting hand on the Princess’s shoulder. “Hideyoshi and Masamune found and defeated Takeda Katsuyori, and in his possession, there was a letter addressed to your brother. I am deeply sorry to inform you that your brother is conspiring with not only the Uesugi-Takeda alliance, but with Kenny’s monks too.” “I should have expected that. I and father never did trust my brother, he always had an inferiority complex when it came to me. I have always been a prodigy while he, well... Save for the physical prowess of a man, there was much he was lacking. I also suspect him of poisoning our father, to take over the family. That is why... I placed a trap at home, before I left. And, as I expected, he took the bait.” Y/N spoke thoughtfully. “Mitsuhide, we have to save Ieyasu. I wish I could rally my troops, but my brother has them. What is there to do?” “I will tell you where Ieyasu is fighting - Go ahead and reassure him that help is on the way. Mitsunari went on a trail to catch Kennyo; Masamune and Hideyoshi are on their way too. That leaves Nobunaga with your brother, fighting Kenshin, and myself.” Mitsuhide explained the situation, watching the woman before him nod curtly. “Alright. You have to find Nobunaga and tell him of my brother’s betrayal. Perhaps we can all gather at a common point. I don’t want my father’s hard work to go down the drain because of Kenji’s frail ego.” she explained her view. “That was exactly my thought also, Princess. Be on your way, and be safe.” with a nod of acknowledgement, Y/N swiftly left Azuchi towards the valley Mitsuhide described.

Truthful to his words, Mitsuhide was right, and Ieyasu was there, fighting against the berserk monks. Y/N rose her musket and started shooting away at the approaching enemies, and once she got close enough, she used the rifle to hit away at the monks’ head, incapacitating them. She jumped off the horse and readied her weapons, getting back to back with her husband, but not before pulling him into a desperate kiss. “Help is on the way, my love. Hang in there.” “I’m not even sure if I’m reassured seeing you, or if I’m terrified out of my mind.” the Princess chuckled softly. “I bring good news, so feel lighter. Mitsuhide reassured me all the other lords will be meeting up shortly at the camp. They killed Katsuyori, and they’re on Kenshin’s and Kennyo’s trail.” Ieyasu found himself scoffing. “It has barely been a week, and so many things happened. I’ve been out of the loop for far too long.” Ieyasu complained lightly. “That is why I am here, am I not?” the woman smirked.

Ieyasu had to admit, he was highly impressed by his wife’s war proficiency, though he should have known better, as she mentioned having trained side by side her brother, and he himself helped her get better at archery, whilst Mitsuhide taught her how to shoot a musket. He truly was lucky, having met and married such a wonderful woman, quite literally always there for him, no matter the hardship or the auspicious day.

Thankfully, they were able to escape the trap unscathed, and Ieyasu’s troops were mostly intact; Y/N helped her husband up on her horse and they ran away to the camp, not before shouting the instructions to the rest of the army so they would follow right behind.

“Ieyasu, you are well. That is good.” Nobunaga remarked, as Ieyasu and Y/N were the last to arrive. “We have all arrived here, safe and sound, and our missions have been a success.” “It is good that we have such a reliable Princess to keep our little Ieyasu safe.” Mitsuhide couldn’t help but tease the Young Lord, who was unable to complain, as it was Mitsuhide himself who made sure Y/N was safe and knew how to come over to him. As the Lords all invited Y/N and Ieyasu to get over to them and drink some tea, rest and eat some food after such a long time, Kenji frowned, getting up and marching in front of Y/N, before slapping her face hard enough to make her stumble. The gesture garnered gasps and protests from every witnessed, yet it was Ieyasu himself who took out his sword automatically and threatened his brother-in-law. “Our parents never once scolded, punished, and especially rose their hand to hit me. What gave you the right to do something like this, especially considering that I am a married woman and not under your authority?” Y/N tilted her head up with unbothered grace, her hand placed on Ieyasu’s sword, inching it away from her brother’s neck. “Whether you are married or not, it matters little. You are first and foremost the Princess of the Niwa Clan, and only then, Tokugawa’s whore, so behave appropriately, like a woman should, and stop bringing shame and dishonour everywhere you step. Our parents might have indulged you, but I am not weak like them.” his words only made the Princess, but Nobunaga and some of the other lords burst laughing. “Well, certainly, forgive me for wanting to save my husband; I’m not ready to be a widow yet. And, I suppose I should say, at least for the sake of this pointless argument, that not only do I have my Lord Husband’s approval, to do all the things that you accuse me of, but Lord Nobunaga, also, seeks my council on occasion... Which... As far as I know... Does not happen for you as well. I wonder why.” Y/N’s whole body moved with another slap from her brother. “Did you want to save him, like you tried to save our sister?” it was the first time Ieyasu saw Y/N’s calm demeanour disappear, only to be replaced with a deathly glare. “Like you tried to save our mother? Our father?” he continued to slander her. “You claim to try and save them, but you killed them all, didn’t you? You are a demon disguised as a woman, that is what you are.” “Do you think I don’t know that it was you who killed our father, hoping to inherit the Niwa clan, based on the succession line?” it was Kenji’s turn to stiffen. “It must have been such a great shock for you, finding out father’s will, and seeing that, instead of Niwa Kenji being written as the Heir... It was Y/N-hime.” the brother, with wrath in his eyes, attempted to lunge at the girl, but she did a short-distance sprint, tripping him, and allowing Kenji to be punched by her husband. “Based on your aggressive behaviour, it must be the truth. You knew, once I find the will, I will be named the Heir of Niwa, and our house will automatically merge with Ieyasu’s... And you? You will be nothing but a little lordling, fated to be called forever a fool - You, Niwa Kenji, the firstborn and the sole male child... Failing so hard at being a reliable ruler, that your father made your younger sister, the middle child, the heir, trusting her with not only the finances, but the army also. How hilarious is that?” Y/N laughed tauntingly at her elder brother, who was struggling hard to get away from Ieyasu’s grip, especially as Hideyoshi and Masamune too jumped to keep him restrained. “And as the appointed heir of the Niwa clan, with Nobunaga’s approval, as well as my husband’s, I would like to decree that I advise my elder brother, Niwa Kenji, to commit seppuku in front all the Lords, and if he should refuse, then I should be allowed to bring forth his demise myself.” “Motion approved.” Nobunaga smirked at the gutsy, domineering woman before him, watching his lords bring Kenji to his knees. “You cannot do that! Women aren’t allowed to own any property - You’re going to let that pesky child take over all our possessions and province! He’s going to ruin everything -- YOU are going to bring ruin to the whole Niwa family, you demon!” his whining was abruptly halted by Nobunaga’s dark voice. “That rule is going to change soon, once I reform the Shogunate. Y/N was enough of an exemplary ideal and a role model.” Nobunaga was well over himself with amusement, loving to undermine arrogant pricks like Y/N’s brother. “Then, brother, you have the choice to either commit ritualistic suicide, or to die by my blade. Which would you rather prefer? See - I am a benevolent ruler, I am even allowing a traitor like yourself to choose how you want to die, it is quite the privilege, considering not only you killed our father, conspired to kill me and my husband, but also, made deals with Takeda, Uesugi and Kennyo, hoping to soon revolt against the Oda forces.” the dumb look on his face only made Y/N laugh. “See? Your head is empty. There is no ounce of intelligence there. If father chose you as the heir, only ruin would have befallen our lineage. It was so simple, you know? Just choose the winning side and continue living like a parasite, leeching over the success of better men. It is your fault alone.” Y/N grinned enigmatically, going to her husband and drawing his sword. “I have changed my mind. I will not give you the satisfaction of taking your own life. I want to do it myself. Do you know why?” the woman stepped in front of him; Ieyasu felt his heart beating so fast, watching his wife acting less like a the sweet Fawn Princess that she always tried so hard to be, always tender and soft, comforting and loving him constantly; and more like Amaterasu herself, banishing Susano’o from Heavens. “Because we have lived in the same house and studied together for twenty years, and you were unable to realise that the will was written by me, not by father.” “What?!” Kenji tried to jolt up to his feet, but was unable to. “You forged our father’s will?!” “Of course I did, who do you take me for? I’ve long since suspected you of trying to rebel. I couldn’t have you tarnish our family name; Our ancestors worked hard enough, getting us where they are. I tested you, and you failed.” Y/N chuckled softly. “Our father always thought you were the family’s greatest disappointment... And, coincidentally, I tend to agree.”

Y/N didn’t allow Kenji enough time to open her mouth, as she swung the blade, and his head went rolling on the ground pathetically. The Princess went to grab the head by the hair and impaled it on a spike, in all its glory. Then, she went by Nobunaga’s side, looking down at him with a confident smirk. “Are you going to call me Lord Niwa from now on, I wonder?” “You have earned the title, I see no reason not to.” Y/N bowed her head at the ruler. “Then, officially, I suppose I have to pledge my allegiance to the Oda forces. It goes without saying, for as long as I live, the Niwa family is going to continue supporting your cause with no exception. Is that good?” Nobunaga let out a short yet boastful laugh. “By all means, I feel far more reassured with you as the leader, as compared to that incompetent.” exhausted and in need of some proper rest, Ieyasu and Y/N were the first to leave the camp, yet instead of going to Mikawa, they went to her castle.

“You once said your younger sister’s daughter was being raised by your parents. Now that they are no more, and the war is done, a young girl like herself cannot be left alone, can she? She needs a proper education and people to look after her.” Ieyasu brought his sweetheart into a loving, tender kiss, playing with a lock of her hair. “Are you sure, my love? A child is a lot of hard responsibility and involvement, and--” her worries were quickly hushed with another kiss. “I know what I’m saying. Besides, at least people will stop pestering us about having children ourselves.” Y/N couldn’t help but start laughing at his comment.

And though nervous, Ieyasu never once regretted the decision of fostering the young girl, caring for her as his own child. Be it that he was teaching her how to read and write, or that Y/N was telling her about politics, history or medicine, the little girl was the brightest star in the sky for them.

The most beautiful image, however, was watching the little Fawn Princess playing with his dear Wasabi; two beautiful little girls, innocent and tender, in a world that was bound to change in their favour. No more wars, no more conflicts, no more killings; Only samurai were allowed to have weapons, and fighting was soon proven to become entirely inefficient, and external trade was being promoted, studying history and medicine, politics, arts and poems and novels. There was no need for lovely women like Princess Y/N to shoulder the responsibilities of war and grief any longer, and no children had to watch their parents fall under the blade any longer. Ieyasu especially wanted to create and maintain the beautiful utopia of peace that Nobunaga started, all for the safety and happiness of his three beloved girls.

Wasabi, his adorable deer, Y/N, his most beloved wife, and the little Fawn Princess, his darling daughter.

Tokugawa Ieyasu never thought about women, and never gave any importance to marriage; everything except for his academic and military training was nothing was a troublesome drag, and he couldn’t care less about any such inconvenience - But Y/N proved him wrong. Y/N proved to him that he was not only capable of accepting love, but giving also - And oh, how he loved falling asleep to the image of a sleepy Y/N, and waking up to a sweet kiss from her.

#ikemes sengoku #ikemen sengoku x reader #ikemen sengoku imagine #ikesen #ikesen x reader #ikesen imagine #tokugawa ieyasu #tokugawa ieyasu x reader #tokugawa ieyasu imagine

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