#guess this means I'll be revisiting clever canary and solitary confinemnt

[toloveawarlord]

The Ties that Bind (Ch. 6)

You can find my masterlist in my bio!

Pairing: Rena x Ieyasu

Tagging: @plumpblueberry​ @shangsty​ @youreawizardharr​ @starry-starry-night24​ @gay-noodle-clan​ @thetwinkims

A/N: 12 days of ocmas day 5! Wow it’s been a long time since I wrote Rena. As promised, this chapter is a flashback into their lives before the main story. We’ll be jumping back to the future for the next one, but I think I’ll continue to throw in flashback chapters like this one! A special shout to shangsty for messaging me about this fic. I wouldn’t have continued it if not for your support! I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to it.

“You’re wrapping that wrong.”

“It looks too loose.”

“Can’t you do it the right way?”

Ignoring him only frustrated the young warlord. I tugged the bandage loose from my ankle and threw it through the dungeon bars at him. “If you’re so worried about it, then come in here and do it yourself.”

 Ieyasu was silent for moment, but ultimately gave in. “I’ll call for a guard-” He’d sent them away for privacy after learning that I’d been placed here due to non-compliance. He’d barely gotten dressed and arrived with a deep frown.

“No need. It’s unlocked,” I said with a cheeky smile. There wasn’t a lock that I couldn’t pick.

The door creaked as it opened. Ieyasu dropped to one knee, reaching out to swipe my injured ankle up and rest it on his knee. “Why can’t you follow the rules?” His words ones laced with irritation, but his hands were gentle, wrapping the bandage with expert precision.

“I’ve held up my end of our agreement, and yet you still refuse to give me leave to visit my family. I will not be a caged bird, Ieyasu.” It had been months since my arrival at the castle, trading places with a little loved one in order to pay for the crimes committed.

Emerald irises lifted to meet golden ones. “You’re my hostage until the debt has been paid.” He repeated it often as if I’d forget. The young warlord needing to remain strong and unwavering before his men.

I sighed, leaning back against the cool stone wall. “Hostage or not, you made a vow and I expect you to honor it, my lord.” The title only one I used when annoyed with him. We’d been in each other’s company for a year now, and he still didn’t have an ounce of trust in me it seemed. “Am I allowed to leave the dungeon now or do I need to beg for forgiveness first?”

“As if you’d ever beg,” Ieyasu retorted with a roll of his eyes. Satisfied with his work, the warlord rose to his feet. It would be troublesome if I ran, so he took my arm to help me stand before stooping to throw me over his shoulder. “I will drop you if you struggle.”

He planned to carry me all the way to his chambers like this. In front of the entire castle? This surely wouldn’t make the maids and servants dislike me even more. “That’s preferable to this arrangement! I’m perfectly capable of walking.” My ankle hardly injured. The vassal who’d tossed me in here cared little on how I’d landed.

Ieyasu didn’t answer me. From my upside-down vantage point, only a glimpse of features was visible. It must be the blood rushing to my head, otherwise, I’d have sworn there was a ghost of a smile on his lips.

“Fetch my horse.”

“Right away my lord.”

The world was right way round again at last. My dizzy spell lasted only a few moments, but we were at the castle gates. Curious. He’d never let me this close before. 

A vassal delivered his horse, sneering at me in the process. “Shall I gather the guard for this excursion?”

“That won’t be necessary. We won’t be gone long.” Ieyasu mounted with ease, offering his hand down to me. The bewilderment on my features must have been a sight as he smirked. “Get on before I change my mind.”

Sat on the saddle in front of him, it was impossible not to feel him. His strong arms trapping me against his broad chest. The horse setting into a canter didn’t help matters. Even with the wind whipping around, my body was oh so hot. It was easy to think of him as this abstract thing when keeping my distance, but whenever we touched, I was reminded how much of a man he was.

Ieyasu didn’t speak as we rode down a familiar path. Deep in the forest there was a house, once abandoned but now occupied by those I called my family. Morning dew still coated the grass as the horse gratefully indulged in a morning meal after the ride.

“Rena!” “It’s Rena!” “Rena’s back!”

A chorus of excited squeals filled the air. The news spread through the home quickly and I’d only made it halfway to the entrance when I was overwhelmed with the kids. An entire year had passed, and it had changed so many of them.

The wet of the grass soaked into my pants as I knelt to allow all the hugs they’d muster. Questions were thrown at me with great speed, and I tried to answer as many as I could. It was so lovely to see them. Tears pricked in my eyes as an ache settled into my chest.

“You bastard!” Joji’s voice cut through the merriment. He stalked out of the house like a man possessed, eyes only for the man he called an enemy. He reached out to grab him only to be met with the tip of a sword.

Ieyasu despised Joji, even though they’d only met briefly in passing, just before Joij was thrown from the castle. If given the opportunity, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill the younger boy.

I herded the young ones inside as Joji’s shouting of profanities and insults to the Lord of our land reached a peak. Ieyasu remained composed but never lowered the sword. This would only end in bloodshed if I didn’t step in. “Joji, that’s enough-” 

“I won’t let him take you back. You aren’t leaving us again.” He reached for my arm but retracted his in time to not lose it completely. His eyes narrowed, anger consuming him even more. “Bastard!”

“Rena will return with me, or I’ll kill every last child here.” His voice laced with authority as Ieyasu straightened his back, ready to win this duel.

I couldn’t let this continue. “I said that’s enough, Joji!” I shouted this time, slipping between the two and pushing down Ieyasu’s sword in an ultimately feeble attempt. It only angered both of them further.

The last thing I remember was Joji throwing me to the side and landing on some rocks sticking out of the dirt. My vision blurred and then... nothing.

                                                          << << <<

Sinking down into the scalding water of my bath, I blew bubbles as I exhaled an exhausted breath. I’d gotten quite the earful from the head maid when I’d awoken in my chambers. You shouldn’t burden Lord Ieyasu with your petty problems and Be gracious that Lord Ieyasu treated you and is so merciful. She’d confirmed that he hadn’t followed through with his threat to kill my family, which I was grateful for.

I should go and thank him for today, even though it went horribly sideways.

The door to the room was thrown open and shut with immense force, startling me. Ieyasu had crossed the room and reached into the tub before I’d had a chance to even speak. With a tight grip on my arm, he jerked me up. It was impossible to move as fast as he’d wanted, and I tripped on the edge of the basin and fell onto my ass on the floor.

“Ieyasu-”

“Shut up!” He growled, dropping on top of me, hands gripping my wrists and pinning them beside my head. Emerald irises glimmered with anger as he frowned. “Do you not understand, yet? Do I need to find a more intimate way to make you comprehend that you belong to me?”

Words he hadn’t said in such a long time. Hostage. Captive. Prisoner. He reminded me often that although he’d given me some freedom, I had sold myself to him in order to pay my family’s debt from stealing from the castle.

“I-”

“Don’t. Speak.” He snapped, squeezing his fingers tighter around my wrists as if he would be the shackles himself if he needed to. “Unless I give you permission, you can’t do or have anything. I own you, Rena. And I’ve been far too lenient. My vassals whisper of weakness and bias towards you, and I will not allow that.” His desperate need to gain control of their situation evident in his rambling.

His eyes followed a droplet of water down my neck and through the valley between my breasts. In the year we’d been together, Ieyasu never once considered taking me as a concubine, but I could see his wavering thoughts in the matter. As if that would make him strong in the eyes of his vassals, to conquer me. 

But he softened, grip loosening and his head dropped to rest on my bare chest. Velvet blond hair tickling my face. He sighed, silent.

I tugged one hand free without any resistance from him. In my time here, I’d come to learn that he was alone. A powerful warlord surrounded by vassals and servants, but none of them knew him. My fingers laced through his locks briefly until he sat up with a feigned angered expression. “It’s alright.”

Ieyasu tilted his head slightly, perplexed by what I’d said. He’d likely been expecting me to fight, argue, and curse him for saying those things.

“If taking me will make you feel any better, then do it. I understand that today’s incident reflects badly on you, and for that, I’m deeply sorry. If you want to lock me up or reprimand me before your court, I’ll take whatever punishment you see fit without resistance.”

His brows creased. “I don’t understand you at all. You must not comprehend what I could do to you.”

But he was wrong. I did know. He could make me a concubine to the vassals, leave me in the dungeon without food or water, or even execute me. It was all within his power to do so.

I smiled weakly. There was fear. Those prospects would not be painless. I was also embarrassed, completely bare underneath him. It is nothing for him to pin me down and force himself on me, which was also within his power and rights, as I’d vowed to become his in exchange for the freedom of my family.

I also knew that he wouldn’t do those things.

“I won’t go see them again, not until the debt and this one, is paid. My word doesn’t probably mean much, but I’ll promise it, nonetheless. You can do whate-”

He sealed my lips with a heated kiss, pressing his body against mine. His sense seemed to have left him for a brief moment. “One week.” His fingers brushed against my cheek before he climbed to his feet. “One week in the dungeon and I’ll consider forgiving what happened today. If you choose to leave that cell, you’ll be a slave to my vassals. There will be no more chances.”

He’d spoken with such authority; I knew there were soldiers on the other side of the door. It was a declaration to them, not me. He cast one more glance at me, eyes lingering. Perhaps he possessed more than simple desire.

“Yes, my lord.”

#ikemen sengoku #ikesen #ieyasu tokugawa #ieyasu wife #the ties that bind #chapter 6 #i have a story for them now #guess this means I'll be revisiting clever canary and solitary confinemnt #ikemen sengoku fanfiction #12 days of ocmas