Yuto was reviewing the preparation of the battalion with Ryosuke and Haruna. Currently Yuma and Keito had left for the South Province. Ryutaro had left to the South-East Province to consolidate his remaining clan’s members to organize their family troops. General Nakayama had also prepared to depart in two days. He and Ryosuke would leave the ground base two days after General Shida departed, so they had ten days left.

They had received reports from their spies that Okamoto had moved their troops, too. The mercenaries were still with them even though Ryunosuke was kidnapped. The bargain with King Arata failed, as the king refused to retreat from the border, just as Ryunosuke said. Ryosuke was considering about the other ways to prevent Seiryoku crashed into the dispute they had with Okamoto. Takaki’s force would only serve to slow down Seiryoku’s movement should they really barged into Hakumei.

“Yuya said our people have started moving to their respective positions, a hundred in each province; so in aggregate there will be seven hundreds out there. The remaining five hundreds have been deployed along the border,” Haruna reported.

“Good,” Ryosuke remarked. “Please tell him to secure the route for Yuma’s battalion. They will reach South Province in two weeks I estimated.”

“Alright.”

Ryosuke turned to him, “How about our battalion, Yuto-kun?”

“I’ll send two squads of two hundreds soldiers as scouting troops, as you wished. The first region to be trespassed is a neutral side, but after that we’ll reach Nishiuchi’s territory. The scouting troops will do the follow-up of Takaki’s shadow troops.”

“How long you estimate for us to reach the capital?”

“If everything runs according to our plans, then it may be about two months.”

“How if Okamoto meet us halfway?” Haruna slipped in.

“It is almost impossible,” Ryosuke answered. “They have layers of protection from their alliance outside the capital. They will surely wait us in the capital. So, our focus before we meet them is how to break through their layers.”

“Would you be able to depart as your initial schedule, Ryosuke?” Haruna inquired.

“Yes, why?”

“Nothing, just wondering since you have unsettled issue with your wife,” Haruna bluntly said.

He was a bit surprised. He always carefully brought the topic about Mirai, but Haruna could say it without hesitation. Well, possibly because she did not know how sensitive this topic was or it was just the way the Takaki spoke; blunt and never dillydallied.

“Need not to worry, Haruna,” Ryosuke said.

He noticed that the way Ryosuke and Haruna addressed each other had diminished any formality for some time.

“Is there anything else you need? If not, I’ll go for training,” Haruna said.

“No. You can go.”

“Excuse me then. Meet you this evening as usual, General,” she said before leaving them.

He sighed. He was reminded about the regular sparring with Haruna. He had to do that because he lost from her once when she challenged him in archery. They had been sparring every evening since a week ago.

“How is Haruna?” Ryosuke asked all of a sudden.

“What do you mean by how?”

“How is her skill? I never spar with her so far,” Ryosuke said.

“Advance, but still beneath my level in swordsmanship,” he replied. “But in archery, maybe she is a bit more accurate than me.”

Ryosuke gave him a subtle smile, “Get along well with her, Yuto-kun. You’ll have to coordinate the troops with her while I’m busy with the other battalions.”

“We get along well, don’t worry,” he said. Yes, they were well, just some bickers sparked once in awhile.

Silence hung in the air for a time until he decided to bring up Mirai in the talk.

 “Why don’t you just visit Mirai, Ryosuke?”

“It’s no use to visit her. She will insist to stay, while I’ll never let her, and we’ll likely end up fighting.”

He could sense Ryosuke’s anger had not dissipated even after days. It had been six days since they received the news about Mirai, and three days after that Mirai arrived. He remembered the evening when she reached the camp.

He was with Ryosuke, Haruna, General Shida, and General Chinen in the commander tent when a guard reported that Mirai and Umika had arrived. Ryosuke had sent a squad to search for Mirai right after he received the news and they had sent words that they found her in a distance from the village border yesterday. So, her arrival had been expected.

Ryosuke straightly ended the meeting and they all went to the gate. Upon seeing Mirai, Ryosuke halted a distance away from her spot. Haruna and General Chinen were on each of his side. Mirai froze on her spot. Her face told him that she had expected Ryosuke would be mad that she dared not to step closer to him, so unlike her usual self who would throw herself to Ryosuke right away after she spotted him.

General Shida was the one who approached her first and he followed after him. As much as she had made them so worried, he could not hold a grudge against her once he saw her tired face. General Shida held her shoulder as though gave her comfort for what was to come.

With the tense air around them, Ryosuke’s voice bellowed a cold order.

“Bring her to the residence and don’t let her wander around, Yuto-kun,” soon after that, Ryosuke turned his back on Mirai and walked away. Haruna followed after him.

Ryosuke’s action caused Mirai almost staggered backward unless General Shida held her in his arms. He approached her while General Chinen went to Umika, asking for their trip.

“He is just so worried about you, Mirai,” he tried to alleviate the shock.

General Shida held her closer and said, “You should know him the most, Mirai.”

“I know he will be mad,” Mirai replied with a calm voice despite her tears rolled down.

“I’m alright, Father,” she pulled away from General Shida and turned to him. “Please me to the residence, Yuto-kun.”

“Alright,” he said before turning to Umika. “Please fetch some food for her and yourself, Umika.”

Umika did not have a chance to answer as Mirai spoke first, “Don’t bother. Please tell Ryosuke, I will not eat unless he let me stay with him.”

With this, she walked to her horse, mounted it then nudged it to move. He still asked Umika to fetch some food before taking one of the horses Mirai’s scouting squad brought and followed Mirai.

Ever since that, Mirai refused to eat or drink and Ryosuke did not visit Mirai at all. He knew Ryosuke was just too worried about her that it turned to be anger. He and Umika had tried to persuade Ryosuke to at least talk to Mirai. He told Ryosuke about the nightmares Mirai had and Umika seconded his story. But, Ryosuke did not budge.

“Don’t let your anger control you, Ryosuke,” he said. “It’s not unusual for a couple to fight once in a while, but at least they talk. You should talk to her, too. Persuade her to leave if you want. Just… I don’t want you to regret it if something happen to her.”

They went silent for a while before Ryosuke asked, “How is she?”

 “She still refuses to eat,” he reported.

“She is so stubborn,” he saw Ryosuke clenched his fist while saying this.

“It has been more than two days she refuses to eat and drink, Ryosuke. Will you wait until she collapses to visit her? You remembered what Hikaru-kun wrote, right? She barely ate during the trip to Heiwa, and now she purposely doesn’t eat. Did you notice the fatigue on her face when she arrived three days ago? What do you think will happen to her?”

He noticed the clench of Ryosuke’s fists. “You don’t need to tell me. I know. That’s why I’m furious. She always put herself in danger while I’m trying so hard to protect her from any of it. Why can’t she understand my position? She has promised me to stay behind, but she broke it. She told me she would be strong for both of us, but she gave in to her own desire. Didn’t she realize that what she did has troubled me this much?! Why she makes it harder for me!”

He let out a mild sigh. He was a bit relief that Ryosuke had exploded here. “You know, Ryosuke, it’s no use for you to tell me all of those. You should say it to her. If she doesn’t understand, then make her. You are always good in convincing people. You should be able to persuade her.”

Ryosuke went silent for a time before finally he took his sword from his desk. When Ryosuke told him to cancel the meeting with General Chinen and General Shida this noon, he gave his friend a subtle smile while answering. He wished Ryosuke would be wise despite his anger.

**********

Mirai was sitting on her bed in the residence where she used to stay before, hugging her knees to her chest and buried her face in her folded arms above the knees. She was drowned in her thought.

She knew her action was troublesome for Ryosuke. She had expected he would be angry at her, but she did not expect it would hurt this much. She would bear being yelled at; it would be better than being ignored like this. He even did not bother to ask whether she was unhurt when she arrived at the camp. He coldly stared at her and turned his back right away. He walked away… with that young woman she did not know.

She felt guilty for being stubborn and defying Ryosuke’s order. She felt guilty for breaking her promise to stay behind. She knew well Ryosuke only wanted to ensure her safety by sending her to Heiwa. She was ready to beg him to let her stay, but… seeing another woman stood beside Ryosuke, she could not help but feel upset. Ryosuke’s side… it should be her place. She got really jealous she even did not know why. Why Ryosuke let another woman stay at his side, but did not let her? The question came unbidden.

She knew later that the woman was a warrior from Takaki Family and the name was Haruna. Haruna was only assisting Ryosuke in facing the battle with Okamoto. Yet, the fact did not help to lessen her unreasonable jealousy. She felt upset with herself all of a sudden. If only she was as strong as Haruna, Ryosuke might have let her stay. If only she had skill in military like Haruna, she would be able to help him to go through this ordeal, not running away to the hideout like she did. If only she could protect herself, Ryosuke would not have to worry about her safety. If only…

Those thought occupied her ever since she arrived at the camp. She could not fathom why she suddenly became so sensitive. Never had she thought she would have these kinds of feeling. She was annoyed at herself for being a burden to Ryosuke. Whenever the thought resurfaced, she always cried; and it would upset her more. She always cried. She could only shed tears. It was why Ryosuke always worried about her. She failed to be a strong wife for him. Instead of supporting him, she was weighing him down. But…  

Even though she knew that, she did not want to leave him. She wanted to stay by his side. She was being so selfish, but she could not help it. She was really scared that she would lose him. Thus when he refused to meet her, she deliberately attempted a hunger strike. She had not eaten or drunk for two days so far. She felt lifeless and weak, but she would not break until Ryosuke yielded to her request.

As though the fate heard her, the door of