^ well going to be an interesting fic for my own writing
In the early morning, Maimi heard a yell from the lord's room, she came running in witnessing the lord's final moments. He looked over at his bed to find a tea cup laced with poison, she ran over to the princess to find her still sleeping. Maimi kneel right by her and bowed toward her, Airi woked up to the apologetic army leader.
“Maimi-san, what happened?” Airi looked toward the father's room seeing the crowd around his body.
“Someone gave him poison and it had consumed his body, I can't let you see him this way.” Airi ran to her father's side as he slowly held his daughter's hand for the last time and closed his eyes for his eternal sleep.
“FATHER!” She held him in her arms as she wept and everyone went into mourning for the fallen leader.
Maimi went into the other room and looked for the servant who had gave him the poison, she heard a crackle from the princess' closet, and saw him with the bottle in hand. Maimi grabbed him by his hair and slit his throat, she threw him out of the window, and cleaned the weapon with a piece of cloth. She came out to the group of mourners and slammed her sword into the mat.
“Whoever wants to leave, please go now, you are now free from the lord's power. I will not stay here to get demolished by the other groups. So, as you wish please leave the castle.” The non-military people ran out except the two geishas who were by Airi's side.
“Are you being a coward? The lord has dies, now we must protect the castle with our lives.” One shouted out to Maimi and faced up to the leader.
“I am now the lord in charge.” Maimi said as she drew her sword toward the men.
They looked at her and knew the story behind her claim but it would be foolish to accept her as the lord. Airi had her ears protected by the two geisha and she tried to fight off their hands as Maimi looked over at the princess. Momo and Miya looked at each other as Airi's confused look caught Maimi's attention.
“Everybody leave, you are now free to work anywhere, however if you wish to stay by my side, you will need to protect the princess.” The men agreed as they ran to get the few stuff they possessed and Airi glared at her room.
Maimi held her dagger over her heart as Airi turned to her with watery eyes. Momo and Miya watched over the princess as she got the jewelry from her mother and the money she had kept for a wedding in the future. Momo held onto the possessions and moved toward the lined procession in front of the castle leaving Maimi, the princess, and Miya in the lord's room.
“Now you know the truth, does it change your mind about me?” Airi turned to Miya and she nodded to her.
“How? You were my father's protector and you become successor to the lordship, how does that happen?” Airi asked in a soft voice holding back the tears of reality.
Miya held her fist tight and tried to let out the words to the virgin ears of the princess but it was frustrating to say she knew about it. Then, Maimi had taken out of the father's draw a piece of paper that he had held in case of emergency. Airi looked at the paper and her jaw dropped straight down as Maimi went to the ground and bowed to the princess.
“Your father was killed by my father and you became his army leader because you knew that was the right thing, however what about...” Maimi lifted head up to the princess.
“I thought about for four years but never had the courage to do kill him because he also became my father. My father died in protecting his family and your father would have done the same, but I was willing to take on the opportunity to protect myself after the clan ran away. Your father had seek for me to be his second daughter but knowing I wasn't blood related, he would easily shun me.” Maimi walked over to the deceased lord and opened his coat.
“That scar earned me the spot to lead the army.” Airi never had imagined that Maimi would do such a thing but it was worth the effort as she was Airi's love.
“I see, I will put my trust in you now my lord, let's leave the castle.” Maimi followed the two out and set a fire near the base of the castle and set it on fire before leaving the area.
The sun had become to come up as they left the burning building and were out in the cold to the wilderness of the animals and beggars of the country. Twenty in total had set their journey onto the village west of the castle, the safest route out of all as the next village was companions of the late lord. However, Maimi knew of his intentions before his death and it would risk everybody if they did threw themselves at the mercy of the Shimizus.
“Maimi, you looked worried.” Airi presented a smile to the new lord and Maimi returned one back with the fears in the back of her mind.
“Hime-sama, I will protect you regardless, it was a promise I made with your father.” The soldiers closed in around the princess as they reached the borders of the village. A guard ran out and stopped the group from going any further.
“I want to request a meeting with Shimizu immediately” Maimi looked at the guard as he turned back to the rest of the group at the entrance.
“What is the matter?” The guard asked as we moved toward the entrance of the castle.
“Lord Suzuki has passed on and we want assistance from Lord Shimizu.” The guard relayed the message inside while the archers looked on from the top window with a daring commander smiling at them.
Time went by slowly as the request was not answered until midday. The archers moved back their bows and the group was admitted to enter the castle. The soldiers traded their goods in the market while Maimi, Airi, and the two gesihas came into the meeting room where the wise lord look at them. The commander sat with her father in modern clothes and the groups met in the cramp room.
“Lord Suzuki has passed on, why shall we help you?” He asked.
“My clan lost to Lord Suzuki because of your terrible timing in war, your commander was foolish to take on their trap leaving us exposed in battle.” Maimi explained.
“I remember that well, but the commander had been relieved of his duties, now my daughter trained in swordsmanship and carries a gun for protection has taken over our small army. We cannot provide a wide protection from your enemies.” The lord paused and looked at Maimi's appearance closely.
“Maimi, I remember you, you were the best in the class before you joined the Suzuki clan.” His daughter bowed to the leader.
“Maimi, what is the clan's name?” The lord asked.
“Yajima, sir.” The lord's smile had turned into concern as she had beaten the class up, but since Saki was a novice, she was remembered for being admired by all.
“I see, we do owe you a lot for your father's death but we cannot provide enough for your protection, Saki alone cannot win a battle.” The lord explained leaving Maimi irritated.
“We know that we cannot leave you unprotected but can your vassals help us to protect the interest of our clan.” Momo handed over the box filled with jewelry to Airi and hesitantly handed it over to Lord Shimizu to glance at it.
He spent a few minutes rummaging through the pile and the female commander stood up to kneel in front of Maimi. She looked back at her father and shook her head as he admired the pieces of jewelry in the box. Then, Saki looked at the two geishas in the back and her eyes drew to Miya who had caught her eye when they entered the room. Saki hid her smile as Miya started to toy with the commander catching the lord in an awkward position.
“My daughter seems to like that geisha, do you know if she is clean?” Maimi grinned looking at Miya as she blushed at the question.
“I have only entertained people, I have not given them pleasure with my own body, I am clean of any filth that might harm your daughter.” Miya calmly spoke as the lord and the commander nodded in agreement.
“We have a deal, we will have your geisha join us, while you can use the army with any means of protection. If you can handle recruiting, you are welcome to bring in whoever might be useful from our village.” The lord handed the box over to Maimi and bowed in appreciation.
Miya walked over to Saki and were introduced to each other as Maimi shook hands with the lord and left the new couple alone in the meeting room. The trio now had looked outside to find the village was filled with markets. Airi had held the jewelry box in her hands as she kept it close to her with the markets opening up for a new day. The soldiers were being rowdy as usual but when they realize that alcohol was limited, they went to the food stand where they were selling puffed buns cheap.
“Maimi, do you think Miya will be happy?” Maimi grinned.
“Miya understands a lot of stuff, she will make Saki very happy, all we can accept is their gift of protection. I know that they may not be at full staff but they will figure if we stay here, so by nightfall, Saki will join us as we head west for more troops. As soon as we can get ourselves at full force, we can fight to get our lands back.” Airi agreed as Momo took her to the beauty place, leaving Maimi in the middle of the crowded area.