I'll burn the stars,

I'll bring life to our souls

I promise you,

I'll drag back the past,

Twist it, change it,

Take the right road

Shatter the pain

Face the impossible, and make it

Turn into hope

For your heart shines in my life,

Passions burn alive,

But drown as a wasted dream

Your eyes speak silent words,

Telling me of the purest heart,

Which loves without a care

Fearlessly,

Shamelessly,

Hopelessly...

-An annonimous poem

"Makoto do you understand the task you have been given?"

Makoto's heart clenched at her fathers tone. From her bowed position she only saw the wooden floor of her family's castle but she thanked Kami it also made the nobles surrounding her and her parents unable to see her terror. She knew what the tone her father used meant.

This was not a decision for her to make; indeed the question in itself was a demand for which she was expected to act on with no questions and carryout without failure or emotion for herself. It was, after all, necessary for the survival of the Tsuki{Moon} Clan and everyone who lived in the land her family controlled. Her clan had been backed into a corner. The threat of attack from Nabunaga Oda was imminent as he conquered the surrounding lands around the Tsuki Clan. Their only options were to wait for their inevitable defeat or ally themselves with an equally or more powerful lord through marriage. Obviously the entire clan had chosen the second course of action; and as the head of the Clan's daughter, and only one of his daughters of marrying age, Makoto's fate was sealed.

For nearly two months Makoto had waited, along with her mother, as possible marriage arrangements came and went. On one of the most recent occasions even an arranged marriage to Akechi Mitsuhide, one of Oda Nobunaga's vassals, had been considered! Upon hearing the news Makoto had gone into a temporary state of shock. Stories and rumors that he is more interested in taking away people's lives than serving Oda Nobunaga, pursuing political goals, or dominating over Japan are frequent. Other talk about his personality is that he kills with pleasure and for the sake of it. Even more terrifying was the fact that her mothers desperate begging and her fathers enraged protests had barely ended the arrangement. To be more accurate, it was the untimely betrayal of Nabunaga, who attacked his own sister Oichi's husband Nagamasa, that saved her! However the decision had been made and she would soon be traveling to the land of her intended to live for several days until the final arrangements of the marriage were complete, and then…they would marry.

"Y-yes father I completely understand what both you and the Clan expect of me and will try to the best of my ability to not fail you!" She was relived that her voice had only wavered once when she first spoke.

The last thing she needed was to appear weak. The result would be an increased number of insecurities among her father's vassals and other members of her family as well as her father Lord Katoro's wrath, for which he was notoriously famous for. In states of rage her father had been known to do and say anything, and though he had never meant any intended harm to her or her younger siblings, she had seen flashes of the legendary rage that had earned him the respect and fear of surrounding lords. From what she'd seen it was best to try and avoid anything that her father hated, a lesson almost everyone in the castle including guests had learned to a queue.

"Don't try do!" Her father's voice growled harshly. Makoto's frame shook in fear and sorrow. She held her parents, especially her fathers praise, above all others. His approval she treasured, his disappointment she bore like scars.

"Dear please…" Makoto instantly relaxed as her mothers soft soothing and gentle voice instantly soothed the tension in the room.

"Our daughter has always been no trouble to either of us. She studies diligently and excels above all the other girls her age. If she has captured the attention of a lord should we not commend our sincere and honest girl?" Makoto smiled with joy as murmurs of agreement filled the room from the vassals; and when her father replied her heart nearly burst with happiness.

"Of course she is my eldest after all, Makoto!"Taking the hint Makoto sat up her crossed hands sliding onto her lap and met the dark brown eyes of her father.

She would never forget her father as she saw him then. He wore a large blue hori with a red dragon design and stood straight and proud. Though he had grown a bit fat due to a spine injury when she was small his immense height helped to make him seem like a large immoveable force in her eyes. His darkly tanned face was framed by a brown beard that brought out his firm facial features making her father, despite his size, pleasantly handsome.

Her mother Kioko on the other hand was small and wore a many layered red and white kimono with a golden fish design on the top layer. Unlike her father her mother was pale but held a rosy hue tan that made many noble ladies jealous. Her face was pleasant with a perfect nose and pale blue eyes, making it apparent one of her ancestors was a foreigner. Her sleek, silky black hair was put up in a messy bun that still somehow looked regal. Makoto sometimes swore her mother could make rags look like silk; a trait that, under no circumstances, had been passed to her.

Makoto was tall and thin though not quite as thin as her mother. Despite her large and expensive wardrobe she preferred to ware her small plain pale blue kimono that a visiting merchant had brought to the castle on her last birthday that all the people in his village had pitched in to buy. While other nobles might be insulted at the gift Makoto had been so honored she promptly thanked the man and left the feast to change into it. Her silky black hair that she kept pulled back by a simple blue silk bow was, in her opinion, too silky; since it never seemed to stay put. Also her bangs were cut at an even length; shorter than the rest of her hair. Her lips were full and, as she heard the people around the castle whisper, were her only real attractive trait besides her mothers blue eyes. (Me: In case you haven't noticed Makoto thinks little to nothing about herself as a person and thinks more of her mind than her looks.) All in all, Makoto shared more of a resemblance to her mother's dead brother, who had died two years before I was born in battle.

"Can you do this task?" His eyes wandered to the unraveled scroll from her husband to be in front of him.

"I will not fail you father…or the Clan!" She said with a confidence, that both surprised and scared her.

"Good! An escort will take you to his castle in the morning. You may return to your room!" He said the serious business expression returning to his face.

Makoto stood up and slowly began to walk out before she remembered a very important detail her father had forgotten to mention.

"Father?"

"Yes?" He looked up from the scroll; his expression was one of obvious annoyance.

"Who is my fiancé?" Instantly her father seemed nervous and shot quick glances at her mother. Her mother returned her father's glance with an expression both confused and suspicious. With a sigh of defeat Makoto's father met her gaze and answered

"Motonari Mori of Chuugoku."

"What!" Makoto watched in shock as her father fled the room; her mother, at his heels, squealing in rage.

Normally the sight would have caused her to faint from shock or fall over laughing, but all she could think about was that tonight was her last night in the castle.

***************************************************************

That night Makoto couldn't sleep. Her father had arranged a banquet informing her that, obviously, the arrangement had been negotiated ahead of time; a thought that both made sense and hurt her deeply. So, as she often had as a small child, she wondered the halls of the castle one last time. It was her only way to vent out how she felt, besides practicing with her fans. (Me: Fan dancing people! If you haven't watched Memoirs of a geisha…do!)

"How could you do this?" Makoto heard her mother's voice yell across the hall. Makoto tip-toed quietly toward the voices in mild shock. Her mother never yelled…ever!

"Settle down it's not that bad!" She stopped in front of the room and, despite her better judgment, leaned forward and pressed her ear against the wall.

"Not that bad! You've given our daughter to a monster almost as bad as the first!" Her mother's voice was nearly impossible to understand through her sob's.

"Silence women! Lord Motonari is not nearly as bad as Mitsuhide and as far as I'm concerned it's the lesser of two evils!" Makoto froze as what her father had yelled repeated itself in her head.

'It's the lesser of two evils! Please tell me he doesn't mean what I think he means!'

For a while no-one spoke. The two people in the room were as anxious for the next word as the unnoticed person outside. Finally her mother spoke.

"I hear he's arrogant, egoistic, and cruel, he makes no alliances and bows to none but a god called the Great Sun…is it true?" Makoto's heart nearly stopped.

'Cruel…Great Sun?' Her confusion and dread grew.

"Yes-," Her heart nearly stopped and her father continued, "But he's a talented strategist and tactician and his army is strong! Ready to fight on land and sea in an instant if he asks!"

"But his people are driven by fear, not loyalty to him! What if they rebel? Our daughter could be hurt or killed!" Makoto didn't hear the last part she was focused on the first.

'How could a person live like that? The minute you fail, everyone would leave your side; so why?' She leaned foreword interested in hearing more.

"He rules in Chuugoku, in the 'sunny' part of Sanyo at the Inland Sea shore and owns the castle of Takamatsu. By allying ourselves with him we're protecting our western borders from attack and giving our Clan a greater advantage against the Oda!"

"So what does he get in return Katoro?"

"Young men as troops, supplies, and the perfect wife to keep up the castle." Makoto's father chuckled.

"How can you laugh about this?" Her mother screamed.

"Because she'll change him like she changed us!"

'Change them?' She wondered.

"I loved you long before you gave birth to Makoto." Her eyes widened; her fathers voice was low but she'd heard it. Never in her sixteen years had her father said such a thing to her mother. It had always been exspressed in his actions...but never in words.

"Katoro!" Her mother whispered her voice shrill.

The creaking of wood told Makoto her father was leaving the room in a silent panic she tip-toed/ran around a corner. The sound of the door sliding open told her she was in the clear. She peered around the corner to see her father looking into the room; his back was, thankfully, to her. Sp she was still able listen to what he said.

"When you first came here," He reached into the room. His hand, from the wrist up, couldn't be seen but when her mothers hands appeared on his wrist she realized he was caressing her cheek, "I cared nothing for you but you kept on loving me until you earned my respect and, though I didn't realize it, my love. It wasn't until she was born I knew…I knew I couldn't let either of you go!"

With that he turned and walked down the hall; and even though it would let them know she was there… she wanted to see his face. She watched him leave until she could see him no more; and she was still watching when her mother saw her.

"Makoto what are you doing!"

"Looking for the kitchen?"

"What did you hear?" Her mother sighed.

"Everything…I'm sorry mother." She looked at the ground ashamed, of her conduct.

"No, I'm sorry, you had a right to know just…promise me something."

"Yes?" She gasped as her mother embraced her tightly.

"No matter what happens you'll try to love him, because no matter how strong they may seem every man needs his wife's love because being alone and unsuported are two things no person should be. Once your married your entire life will be based on this pronise daughter...remember it well."

"Alright…mother I'll try!" Makoto's voice wavered as she told her mom the lie she wanted to hear as she had so many times before.

"I know you will; now its best if you get some sleep. There's a long journey ahead of you to Chuugoku tomorrow!" Her mother turned to leave but Makoto stopped her.

"Mother," Her mom turned, "I won't fail!" With a new found sense of determination she walked back to her room.

No! She wouldn't come home because if she failed, there was no doubt in her mind, no matter what course she took, there would be no home for her to return to, because whether she accepted it or not the fate of everyone and everything she loved was in her hands now. Also despite the promise to her mother, there was another reason she'd love Motonari. Because maybe if she tried hard enough as time went on her hopless promise would become real.