Prompt: Goodbye
Characters: Date Masamune
Series: Sengoku Basara
O.C: Iroha
Genre: Tragedy
Theme Song: Dear Agony – Breaking Benjamin
Warnings: None
Date: 26th November 2012
Author’s Note: N/A

She had been kind of taken in by the Date clan when her village was torched in a raid by Nobunaga eight months ago. Although she had no right to be there and their leader had no obligation to support the war-torn girl, but he had taken a somewhat-liking to her. After all, her cooking was better than his troops and her warm lap was a better cushion than cold, blood sloshed ground. She had even cut off her hair and bound her chest in order to stand by his side amidst the fighting.

He wouldn’t seriously say aloud that he enjoyed her company, but that didn’t stop him from ordering her to ‘bare his children’ after a few bottles of sake. She had practically taken the role of his wife, minus the fact that by day she was a cross-dressing samurai warrior with serious intent to kill anyone who opposed her self-proclaimed master.

Gunshots and battle-cries echoed off in the distance, but that’s not what woke her. She was used to the warring now. That’s all you can do in her situation. Rustling from the corner of the room met her ears and after a brief moment, Iroha sat up in her bed and looked around the dark room. “Masamune Sama...?” Her voice was hoarse after sleeping. Regardless of the hazy vision, the female jumped out of bed and walked over to the man she had addressed.

“Here’s some money.” He shoved a pouch into her hand without looking directly at her face. “And there’s a horse out the front. Get as far away as possible.” Her heart sunk. He wasn’t implying that she should leave and save herself, was he?

“I won’t.” Her tone was stern as she continued to watch his face.

The fearsome leader looked at the woman. Gripping her arms, he got up and pulled her down the dark hallway. “I told you to get out of here.” He growled as he continued to drag her. “You’ve over-stayed your welcome.”

His cruel words stopped her breath in her lungs. It was no lie that Iroha felt like her heart had been brutally torn from her chest. The man before her was her saviour. He had given her a new life and she was yet to repay him. She couldn’t leave him to ride out into a battle alone. She just couldn’t leave him alone full stop.         

She wouldn’t.

“Goodbye.” With a final push, the girl was thrown out of the main entrance and onto the wet ground.

The rain fell from the heavens as if trying to wash away sins, and all the girl could do was sit in the mud and sob at her fate. From nowhere, a feeling of anger and stubbornness arose in her shivering form. Stumbling up, she began running around the side of the building in search of her master. She was going to convince him to take back his words.

It was too late. Just short of the fire and gun shots, she saw Date riding onwards with his men in tow. Doing a sharp turn, Iroha slipped as she ran back for the horse she’d been spared. Jumping on the animal, she kicked her heels in and set off after the man, he sleepwear sticking to her as water bulleted against her frame. She wasn’t going to make it if she didn’t hurry. “Hyah!” With a flick of the reins, the transport picked up the pace.

Gaining proximity on the battlefield, she caught sight of who she was after. But something else snatched her attention. “Masamune Sama!” The girl didn’t give it any thought before jumping off her horse and tackling the man to the ground.

The familiar sounds of warring blurred into itself and the cold air took a grip of her soaked female. Amongst the icy tremor, she felt a sharp burning in her chest. Bringing up a shaking hand, she touched the painful spot. “Ah...” Her words were barely audible as she inspected the blood covering her hand and spreading across the white cotton covering her torso.

“I told you to leave!” The man she’d been racing to see, and save, took a hold of her. Desperately pressing his hand over the gushing, he called out to her. “Why did you come back?”

Iroha gave a sad smile as she gripped the cloth on his arm. “To repay you.”

The infamous leader shook his head angrily. “You’re stupid for following me.”

“I don’t see it that way.” She tried to laugh but coughed on her own blood. “I didn’t want the last thing you said to me to be goodbye.”

Goodbye is hard to say when you know it’s over.

“I l...” The grip on his jacket loosened and her arm dropped back to her side.

Even with the pain in her heart over the fact that was the last time she’d see him, she was glad to have been able to repay him, even if it was with her life.

Updated: 4th February 2018 – 20:14