ALEXIS' POV

"*Cough! cough!*"

I coughed for the tenth time today. Sora whimpered at me and I could tell he was worried about me, but, I couldn't let that stop me from doing my work. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and then, Katsumi, one of my personal maids, noticed that I wasn't feeling well. 

"Alexis-sama, you don't look too well, maybe you should go and take some rest."

"Rest? what are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine *Cough! cough!*"

'I am such a lair! when I woke up this morning, I felt lightheaded, my throat feels sore and I feel like I'm about to run out of energy.'

I thought to myself as I steadied myself against the wall. 

'But, I can't let one little cough or sneeze stop me from working...besides, I've already got a certain monkey on my case already.'

"Alexis-sama, I really don't think you should be working when you're not feeling well, you look like you're about to collapse at any moment."

"I'm fine, it's only a little cough, no need to make a big deal out of it."

I told Katsumi before I headed outside to cool off for a little. I rested my back against the wall to steady myself but, the cool air didn't seem to help since I still felt a little hot. I sat down on the porch and I started to feel tired and weak. Sora whimpered at me and I said to him.

"I'll be fine, buddy...just give me a minute..."

I mumbled as I started to feel drowsy.

3RD PERSON POV

Sora whimpered after Alexis passed out. He tried to tug on her sleeve to try and wake her up but, she wasn't budging. Sora nudged his nose at her face and she still wouldn't wake up. Sora looked around and then he spotted Hideyoshi. Sora barked at Hideyoshi after running towards him. 

"Hm? Sora? what are you doing here? shouldn't you be with Alexis?"

Sora barked at Hideyoshi and he started to pull on his Hakama.

"Hey! what are you doing?! don't pull my kimono!"

Hideyoshi said as Sora showed him what was wrong. Hideyoshi was shocked when he saw Alexis passed out on the porch. 

"Alexis! Alexis! wake up!"

Alexis didn't respond and she was starting to sweat a little. Hideyoshi placed his hand on her forehead and he was shocked when he felt her temperature.

"She's burning up! good thing you found me when you did."

Hideyoshi said to Sora before picking up Alexis like a bride. After taking Alexis back to her room, Hideyoshi got Ieyasu and he checked her over to see what caused her to collapse. Sora laid beside the sleeping Alexis and then Ieyasu said to Hideyoshi.

"She's got a cold and she's got a fever."

"How did it get this bad?"

"She probably overworked herself, honestly, she should have been taking care of herself properly instead of working so much."

Ieyasu grumbled as he places a wet cloth on Alexis' forehead. Sora whimpered as he rested his head on Alexis' stomach.

"Anyway, she'll be fine, she just needs rest, excuse me."

Ieyasu said as he left Alexis' room. Hideyoshi sat down next to the sleeping Alexis. Hideyoshi was about to touch Alexis' hair until Sora growled at him.

"Oh, now you decide to growl at me."

Sora continued to growl at Hideyoshi and then he looked at Alexis.

"Although I can't blame you for being protective of her right now, I guess it's partly my fault for being too suspicious of her."

Sora stopped growling when he heard Hideyoshi say that. Hideyoshi slowly and gently stroked the top of Alexis' head. Sora came over to Hideyoshi and then he moved his head underneath his arm before resting his head on Hideyoshi's lap. Hideyoshi was surprised at first and then smiled at Sora.

"So you've finally decided to warm up to me huh?"

Hideyoshi gently stroked Sora's fur as he slept on his lap.

TIME SKIP...

ALEXIS' POV

'Hmm? what is this? it feels nice...'

I thought to myself as I regained consciousness while feeling some cool against my head. I stared at the familiar ceiling and I realised that I was in my room.

'I'm in my room...? how did I get here?'

I asked myself as I remembered what happened earlier before passing out. I felt someone laying their hand on my forehead. It felt cool against my burning head.

"Finally awake?"

A familiar voice spoke up and it was Hideyoshi.

"Hideyoshi..?"

I tried sitting up but, Sora shoved me back down on the bed. I was surprised by this and then Hideyoshi chuckled at me.

"He's right, you shouldn't move around yet, that was quite the fever you had, at least it's good to see you're getting better."

Sora pulled the covers over my body again and he sat beside my bed. Hideyoshi patted Sora's head and I smiled at the pair of them.

"Good to see the two of you getting along so well...but, what happened to me?"

"You don't remember? you collapsed from the high fever, Sora got my attention and I brought you back here, good thing it was only a cold you got."

"...geez and I tried to so hard to fight the exhaustion..."

I said as I pulled the covers over my head to hide my red face.

"Oy, why are you hiding?"

"I just feel embarrassed for showing my moment weakness like that, I've always been a strong woman until now..."

Sora barked at me and then he suddenly pulled the covers off my head.

"Hey! Sora!"

Sora wagged his tail while having the covers in his mouth. I didn't have the energy to get the covers back so, I rested my head back down on the pillow while out of energy. Hideyoshi chuckled at me and he then pulls the covers over me again.

"Anyway, the others were worried about you when they heard you collapsing in the hallway, so I've stayed beside you to make sure you were getting plenty of rest."

Sora barked and he nudged his head against Hideyoshi's hand so he could pat his head.

"*Chuckles* Sora also made sure you were getting plenty of rest too, he kept pulling the covers over your body whenever you tossed and turned."

I smiled at Sora and then he laid down beside me so I could stroke his fur.

"Ieyasu figured you've been overworking yourself, were you planning on working until you collapsed?"

"Oh, it's just a cold. I'll be better in an hour, tops *cough! cough!*"

I covered my mouth and I turned to the side so I didn't cough all over Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi shook his head and he said to me.

"Big talk for someone who's weakened by the cold she caught."

Hideyoshi gently stroked my head and I looked up at him expecting another frown on his face but, no. I saw a smile on his face. This was the first time that I've seen Hideyoshi smile at me.

"Don't be stubborn. When you're sick, you need to rest until you're better."

"But..."

"No buts. Be good to yourself and get some sleep."

'I wasn't expecting to hear that from him...'

I smiled a little at him and I said to him.

"You're being awfully nice to the girl you think is a spy."

"I don't. Not after you saved Lord Nobunaga's life and demonstrating your singing voice. I can see now that wasn't an act, you've been telling the truth. I've seen how hard you worked for Azuchi and it's people. And...I apologise for doubting you."

Sora wagged his tail and then he licks Hideyoshi's face.

"Gah!! get off me you mutt!! your drool isn't gonna wash off!! stop it!!"

I laughed at Hideyoshi as Sora licked his face. Sora stopped licking Hideyoshi's face and I then said to him.

"I think that's Sora's way of saying 'you're forgiven.'"

"You think? does he do that to every person you've met and gotten along with?"

"Sometimes it just depends..."

"Anyway, take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow too and don't work yourself so hard from now on, all right?"

"All right."

I felt getting sleepy again and then Hideyoshi said to me.

"I'll be right here if you need me. Once you've rested, I'll bring you something to eat."

"You don't have to go to any trouble."

"Consider it my apology for doubting you."

"...OK, and make sure you get something for Sora too...he'll be hungry since he hasn't been fed yet."

Sora whimpered as he laid beside me again. Hideyoshi smiled at me and he then said to me.

"You haven't seen much of town, right? When you're feeling better, I'll show you around."

"...I'd like that."

"The fresh air will speed up your recovery. We'll have fun, I promise."

"Sounds great."

I said to him before I let drowsiness take over.

A FEW DAYS LATER...

I was well-rested and over my cold. I took the winding path down to the castle gates. Today, Hideyoshi was going to show around town. 

'There he is.'

He waved to me, and I hurried over along with Sora. 

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Not at all and wow! you look so much better today!"

With a warm, bright smile, he gently patted my head. 

'I guess that's a habit of his?'

I no longer dreaded the sight of him or the sound of his annoying voice. Now, when he smiled at me, it seemed to make my mood feel a bit better. 

"Listen, if you see any place you'd like to stop, just let me know. I want to make up for the way I treated you. So, today's your day, all right?"

I was surprised when I saw this side of him and I then said to him.

"Who the heck are you and have you done with the overprotective Toyotomi Hideyoshi?"

"Hahaha! what's with that reaction?"

"Can you blame me for acting like this? you've been treating me like a suspect since the day I arrived in Azuchi and you've been very protective of Nobunaga-sama even though I haven't even done anything to hurt him."

Sora barked in agreement and then he smiled at me once again.

"Let's not worry about that right now, let's go."

"All right. After you, I guess?"

Hideyoshi and I walked through town and it felt nice taking in the fresh air.

"Town's pretty crowded today. Stay close, Alexis."

"I'll be right behind you."

Children played in the streets, vendors hawked their wares, neighbours talked and laughed. There was a myriad of smells too: fresh fruit, brined fish grilling on pine charcoal, floral perfumes and aromatic incense.

"I missed all of this when I first arrived and when I passed through here on horseback with Nobunaga and Masamune but, it's pretty lively here, isn't it?"

"Of course it is. This is where Nobunaga-sama makes his home. Azuchi is one of the biggest cities in Japan right now. Nobunaga-sama abolished and dismantled guilds, allowing the free market to flourish. He removed the checkpoints restricting travel so merchants, goods, and customers now flow into Azuchi freely."

"Wow, and here's me thinking Nobunaga-sama was some kind scary Devil King without a care in a world, no offence."

"None taken, besides, you're not the first person to think he's the bad guy."

"Well, when you think about it, on top of trying to conquer Japan and fighting the revolts, there will always come to a point when assassins will get creative and take his life."

Hideyoshi looked at me surprised and I told him.

"Nobunaga-sama told me his reasons for taking on this conquest so, I kinda understand why he's trying to help his people even though some people hate him."

"Not everyone hates Nobunaga-sama, he just made too many enemies."

"Uh-huh."

We eventually got to the market place. The open-air market was packed. Stalls and mats lined the street. 

'Wow! they have so many things!'

No modern or Canadian style goods, obviously, but, in their place was fresh food, artisan tools and beautifully handcrafted accessories. 

'Some of these things you couldn't easily find in the modern-day or in Canada. Oh, I spot hairpins!'

Hideyoshi and I got to the stall that sold women's accessories and hairpins. I wanted to buy a hairpin for a while but, I didn't know which one would suit me until Hideyoshi spoke up.

"Alexis, look over here for a moment."

When I looked at Hideyoshi, he carefully put something in my hair. Once he was done, I heard a soft jingling sound from my ear and I realised it was a hairpin with bells. 

"Would you like to take a look?" The merchant asked me before handing over a hand mirror.

I looked at the hairpin and it was a blue-white flowery hairpin with a light blue ribbon and bells attached to it. 

"Oh wow, how pretty."

"Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it."

"Good, excuse me, I'll buy this please," Hideyoshi told the merchant which took me by surprise.

"What? Hideyoshi you didn't have to do that."

"I don't mind besides, it's my way of making it up to you."

"Since you put it like that, I'll accept this hairpin."

I said as I gently ran my fingers over the hairpin while listening to the soft sound of the bells in my ear. 

We got to another stall which sells make-up and I was interested to see what they had for sale, especially since I might be needing more and I've nearly used up my mascara and my lipstick. I looked at the rouge that was for sale and I wasn't sure which one to buy as I looked at the cherry blossom coloured rouge and the red rouge.

'Let's see...the red one is nice but, it's not my everyday colour, however, the pink one looks nice too and it's the colour of cherry blossoms.'

Hideyoshi noticed what I was staring at and he then asked me.

"You like those colours?"

"Yeah but, I can't decide which one to buy, what do you think? pink or red?"

I asked as I held up the rouge and then Hideyoshi looked at me the pink one and he said to me.

"The pink one, it suits you the best."

"You chose wisely, thank you. Excuse me, I'd like to purchase this please."

I said to the merchant but, Hideyoshi ended up paying for the rouge.

Spending time with the Monkey wasn't so bad after all. I thought he was just an overprotective mother hen but, then again, he is loyal to Nobunaga and there's no way I'd changed that especially now that I know he's got a softer/kinder side to him when he's not being an idiot or being protective of Nobunaga.

A/n Hi guys, sorry for the slow updates and on some of my stories. I've been busy with University and since this is my fourth year, I've been trying to work on my Dissertation that's due in March and I'm on another writing website called Inkitt and Dreame. I'll try and update some of my stories when I'm not busy working on my assignment.