NOBILITY-Naruto nobility SI (Patreon)

Chapter 5

KATSUGAWA MIYUKI

Katsugawa Miyuki sat in the elaborate carriage opposite to her now lord and husband, Shirahoshi Akihito as they moved towards his lands after the wedding.

The wedding had been rather eventful, for it also marked the end of the Third Great Ninja War, and though the treaties were yet to be signed the war is considered over by many and the populace celebrated as the rationing and other wartime measures were elevated.

Their journey had been peaceful until now, as they entered the second day. The carriage was surprisingly sturdy, and unlike the usual carriages of the castle, didn’t shake or move around much despite them moving over simple earthen roads.

She looked to the side, and lady besides her gave her a smile. Her eyes held inside them a warmth that reminded her of her own mother.

“Is there anything you need Miyuki-hime?” she questioned, her words and tone the same as they had been since the day Akihito-san had introduced her to her as her lady in waiting. Her face was rather plane her most striking feature was the red-hair that ran down her neck, like a waterfall of blood. A striking color not common to the land of fire, a color that reminded her of the legends of a now extinct clan.

Kirin-san, was her name, and both Akihito and Kirin-san herself had been rather obtuse about her family name, and she had picked up enough hints to not probe further.

“No, no. I am fine,” she replied, and the woman nodded though despite her, works she turned towards her lord husband and spoke up.

“Akihito-san, we have been traveling for hours now. Perhaps it would be better if we could have some time to rest,” she offered, and it was as if she had read her mind, for indeed, they had been travelling for hours now, and she was getting rather tired of all this. And though the carriage was much more comfortable than those back in the capital, her health made it rather difficult for her to travel as such.

Akihito-san glanced at her, he wore a red and black kimono, the top he wore loosely, with his arm hanging out of the sleeve as it held his smoke pipe, leaving the chiseled skin of his chest bare for her to see.

She blushed as she evaded her gaze, as he spoke up.

“It has been some time, huh. Then so be it,” he said as he picked up the sword from his side and tapped the inside of the carriage thrice with it, signaling for the man driving it to stop.

.

.

And stop they would. The cook would prepare a meal for her and the whole retinue, which as rather small. When a noble lady would marry, she would often bring with herself her own loyal staff to the castle of her lord and husband, yet she had not done that. For she had none she could trust, and so it was rather small retinue of two carriages, which came out to four guards and the three of them.

Akihito-san had been rather quite for some time now, as he sat there his eyes tightened, as stood infront of her.

“Here, Miyuki-hime. I have brought you, your food,” her newest maid added from the side with a smile.

“Thank you,” she replied as she took the bowl from her as the maid plopped down by her side.

She began to eat slowly, and when Akihito-sama didn’t move from his place for the food, she gulped down and spoke up.

“Uno, Akihito-sama, don’t you want to eat?” she questioned, as a dutiful wife should for though there time together may have been short, the man had been good to her, he had accepted her with all her flaws, and faults. The least she could do for him was act as a dutiful wife, in their short time together.

“No, you should eat,” he replied, and his tone had seemed harsh to her for some reason.

“Tsk. Tsk” Kirin-san from the side cut in.

“Is that any way to talk to your lady wife, Akihito-sama. Miyuki-sama is worried about you, as a dutiful wife should. You should be gentle with her,” she chastised him, her tone loving and indulgent, much like a mother’s

With that, the red-haired lady shook her head and turned to face her as she spoke with an apologetic tone.

“Do forgive him, Miyuki-hime,” she said, and she shook her head.

“There is nothing to forgive, Kirin-san,” she said as she began to eat her soup slowly, and in the end she decided to ask the question that had been bugging her for some time.

“May I ask you something, Kirin-san?” she questioned, and the woman nodded.

“Of course, my lady,” she said, with a bow, and she nodded.

“For how long have you served, Akihito-sama,” she questioned and saw the woman gulp down as she answered.

“For five years, hime,” she replied, and that was a lot of time. Akihito-sama would have been quite young.

“So was it Lord Akihito’s father who hired you?” she questioned and the woman shook her head and something rather complicated passed through her eyes as she replied.

“No, actually it was Akihito-sama himself, who had me brought to his castle,” she said and she didn’t miss how the woman had clenched her kimono, as if recalling a painful memory.

“And just for that I am very thankful to him. If it wasn’t for him….” She continued rather sadly, as her lips thinned, before she shook her head.

“Regardless, Akihito-sama had me brought to his castle, nearly five years ago, and I have served as a loyal servant ever since, for without him me and my daughter would be dead by now,” she said and she frowned at those words.

“Daughte…” but before she could finished, the red haired lady had suddenly pulled her down,ushing her own body to cover her.

“Watch out!” the woman shouted as she wrapped herself around her pretoectively, as dread pooled in her heart.

TING!

And she heard the sound of metal clashing, and her breathing became erratic as she sat up and looked around and stilled as she saw them all surrounded by a dozen or so men

Armed men, with various scars on their faces, looked at her with that lecherous gaze that sent shivers down her spine.

“Akihito-sama!” the guards shouted as they rushed toward her lord husband, and then she finally noticed how he stood in front of her and Kirin-san, his sword drawn, broken arrows lying around them.

“Ohh, this seems rather interesting boys,” one of burly man, who held a massive axe spoke loudly looking at Akihito-sama with the eyes of hunter, as h wet his lips.

“Who sent you here?” Akihito-san questioned, his voice thick and serious, no fear or anger evident in his tone which was chilling to say the least.

“Ohh, the little lord wants to know who sent us here?” the burly man who was their leader said as the others laughed.

“Are you fine Miyuki-hime?” Krin-san questioned, and she nodded, as they stood up, and Kirin san put herself between her and those bandits.

“Say what. You let us have our way with those pretty ladies and I will consider telling you that, huh,” the man replied as he looked at her and Kirin-san, though Kirin-san was quick to shift herself behind her.

“Just before I kill you too!” he replied as they all laughed again.

“Don’t worry Miyuki-hime. Nothing will happen to you,” Kirin-san tried to assure her, and she realized that she was shaking.

“Guards!” Akihito-san suddenly shouted, and the four men perked up.

“Protect Miyuki and Kirin. Kill anyone who gets close to them.” He ordered as the four guards surrounded both her and Kirin-san, leaving Akihito-san alone, who now began to walk towards the burly man with slow and measured steps.

“What is he doing? He will die!” she shouted and tried to rush forward, yet Kirin-san held her back, and she looked towards the redhead woman with a betrayed expression.

Had she been wrong? Had Kirin san betrayed Akihito-san.

“Don’t worry, Miyuki-hime. He will be fine,” she said, as she assured her and motioned for her to look towards Akihito-san, who now gripped his sword with both his hands and took a stance.

“Ninpo: Kazakiri !” and then she felt the very air rippled for a nothing but a split second as Akihito-san brought down his balde.

CHING!

A very sharp metallic screech rang through the air as the burly man turned to face Akihito-sama. His eyes widened, and just as he opened his mouth to speak up, his body was cleaned into two, as blood flooded from him.

“AHHHHHH!” the men screamed as they saw their leader get bisected into two. Even the massive axe bound to his back had been cut into two, and as she watched his guts spill out of his body, the blood dying the grass scarlet, she felt her stomach turn, and before she could react, she felt her gut push in revulsion as the soup she had just eaten was spilled on the ground.

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