ALEXIS' POV

It was the next morning. Like Kenshin had said, there were still a few engagements on the field, but, they were a cover for the Oda retreat. I was riding with Kenshin on his horse as we trotted toward the rear line of his forces.

"You've gone quiet, Alexis. Are you frightened?"

Keeping the horse beneath us steady, Kenshin turned and looked back at me.

"I'm worried about the people fighting."

It was true, it wasn't the whole truth. I was pretty sure Kenshin wouldn't understand my concern for my friends in the Oda forces. 

'I just hope that I get away from here before the Oda forces find out that I'm here.'

I thought to myself as I pictured my friends' faces before Kenshin spoke up.

"I don't like taking you to the front lines, but the fighting will be over soon and you'll be safe with me."

"That's kind of you, Kenshin."

"I hope you're not mocking me. I'm not being kind, I'm being sensible."

'It's a shame he feels he has to rationalize every nice thing he does. On the other hand, I feel kinda gratified that I figured that out about him.'

We hadn't ridden far when someone rode our way.

"Good morning, you two."

"Same to you, Sasuke."

The sound of hoof beats overtook us, and Sasuke rode his horse up beside Kenshin's.

"How is everything, Alexis?"

"So far, so good, I feel safe, thanks to Kenshin."

"Oh? you do, do you? Interesting."

Sasuke turned his narrowed eyes on Kenshin.

'What was it I said?'

"Sasuke, why are you staring me?"

"No reason. By the way, I notice you're not charging into the front lines today."

I nodded my head in agreement.

"Good point. Should you be back here when all the action is happening elsewhere?"

"They're in retreat. Picking off fleeing soldiers isn't my idea of a good time."

'Mine either. Although, I expect he's pleading boredom for my sake.'

I thought to myself before Sasuke spoke to Kenshin again.

"Is that your final answer, Lord Kenshin?"

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

Kenshin shot him an irritated look, and Sasuke backed off.

"Would you like my field report?"

"Obviously, you should've given me that in the first place."

Sasuke rattled off some numbers and positions to Kenshin. When he was done, he slowed his horse, falling behind us again.

"The fighting will be over soon."

"That's a relief."

I said as I rested my head against his back.

Alexis?"

"Yes?"

I asked as I sat up properly.

"After the battlefield is over, where will you go now that you've left Azuchi?"

"I have been giving that one a lot of thought since I left before I ended up on the battlefield, which by the way, wasn't on purpose. I was thinking about heading to Echigo."

Kenshin looked at me surprised and he seemed happy when I said this.

"Really? well then, in that case, I'd be more than happy to give you housing and to see you and Sora are taken care of."

"What? you'd do that for me?"

I asked in a surprised tone.

"Of course I am. I don't make false promises. "

I smiled a little and I thought to myself.

'No, and he doesn't lie either. A place of my own to live. Close to Kenshin and close to Sasuke... it's a wonderful offer.'

"Thank you so much Kenshin, I'll definitely take up on that offer but, I've got one condition."

"What's that?" Kenshin sounded slightly annoyed.

"That you let me sing for the people of Echigo, I think they'll like it."

"I think so too."

Kenshin sounded happy when he said this. I giggled a little as I held onto his waist tightly and I rested my head against his back with a grin on my face. 

'I know it's only going to be two months but, I want to enjoy my time with Kenshin for as long as I can and then it's back to the future and back to Canada.'

Suddenly, Sora started barking at the direction where the enemy is supposed to be.

"What's the matter, Sora?" I asked him.

I looked in the direction where he was barking at and it turns out the fight was still going on. 

"The enemy's attacking!"

'I thought the Oda were retreating?!'

"Why are they on the attack?"

"Hold on tight, Alexis."

"I am!"

I looked at Sora and I said to him.

"Sora! go find Sasuke and stay with him! Make sure to stay away from the battlefield too!"

Sora barked at me before running away from the fight. Kenshin then asked me.

"You sure that was a good idea to send him off like that?"

"I'm not worried, Sora is a smart dog, he'll find us again."

Kenshin spurred his horse forward to get a better look at the situation as I held on for dear life.

'No! the man leading the Oda forces, it can't be!'

That voice, a voice I'd thought calm and reassuring, shouted commands that resounded above the screams and war cries.

"Focus your efforts on Kenshin Uesugi alone! keep pushing through!"

'Mitsunari!'

"The Oda are not an army of cowards after all."

All at once, Kenshin became imbued with that beautiful, terrible war god I had seen before. 

"Close your eyes, Alexis."

'I can't! Mitsunari is out there!'

A cry caught in my throat as Kenshin drew his sword and raced directly toward him.

"For challenging me, I'll grant you a swift death, Mistunari Ishida."

'Mitsunari! be careful!'

Fortunately, he saw his danger in time. With desperation more than style, Mitsunari parried Kenshin's blow. As the two swords sang across each other's length, his eyes met mine.

"Alexis?!"

"...Mitsunari."

Kenshin was surprised when he heard us.

"You know her...?"

The shriek of steel nearly drowned out our voices. Kenshin and Mitsunari parted and circled each other, glaring.

"I was so worried when I heard the Uesugi kidnapped you, Alexis, but, I see you're safe. Don't worry, I'll bring you back to the castle with me soon."

'Mitsunari, you stayed behind to rescue me? ...and now, I have a really bad feeling about this.'

"What does he mean, Alexis?"

This was it. A moment I had been secretly dreading. Where everything fell apart and nothing could be the same again. 

"I thought you were a village girl? What's your connection to Mitsunari Ishida? To the Oda?"

Kenshin was seething with hurt and betrayal. I managed to speak.

'All I can do is explain.'

"I was the chatelaine of Azuchi Castle. The Oda was the warrior family I work for."

He didn't look at me, but I could feel the muscles in his back tense.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

'I was worried you wouldn't understand. Then I worried I'd never see you again.'

I didn't expect Kenshin's forgiveness, not when my lie hurt my heart as much as his.

"Mitsunari, Kenshin didn't kidnap me, he saved me after I ran away from Azuchi."

I had no illusions this would stop them fighting. It wasn't me that had brought them to this battlefield.

'They're on opposite sides. They'll fight because they have to. It doesn't matter that I wish they wouldn't. They were willing to wage their lives before I came.'

"You must have saved Alexis without knowing who she was."

I saw Mitsunari's analytical mind working.

"Kenshin Uesugi, first, I thank you for saving Alexis' life. As you are a man of honour, I have a request for you."

"What request?"

'Oh, Mitsunari, I hope this is resolved with something as simple as a polite request.'

KENSHIN'S POV

Mitsunari's eyes were clear, pure, no ill-intent in them and in my dark, swirling vision, that look annoyed me most of all.

'Whatever you ask, I'm not going to like it.'

"Would you please return Alexis to us?" Mitsunari asked me.

'I knew it.'

I thought to myself as I glared at Mitsunari.

"She has no role in this battle nor in Azuchi's governance. She's innocent in this whole affair. I don't want her to be hurt."

'She was in a position where she has to obey you and you used that power to order her to a war? a powerless pawn. Like Ishime, they want to use her like that?'

They don't DESERVE her.

'No, no, the right thing to do is to return her. Return her and forget about everything. Mitsunari Ishida is telling the truth. That's plain to see and if the Oda cared about her enough to try and get her back, she must be important to them.'

But I heard the thoughts in my head shifting, twisting into their most repulsive forms as reason fled from the darkness.

"If you return her, I'll see she's immediately escorted off the battlefield and if you wish to continue the fight after that, you may choose to do so."

'Don't try and be fair, not now. Not when I'm like this...'

"What if I say no?" I asked with a frown.

"If that's your answer, then we will have no choice but to get Alexis back by force."

'Good. That's good. Now I can kill him. I'll kill him until everything stops.'

"Hah. Hahah. Hah..."

I let the void take me. I felt it laugh with my voice.

"Kenshin...?"

"Then I say no."

ALEXIS' POV

Just like that, Kenshin was moving and he was ready to kill. As he spurred his horse forward, it was grab on or be flung off. I had lost my chance to run. Kenshin charged at Mitsunari, his sword a deadly blur.

"You can't have her back!!" Kenshin yelled before charging at Mitsunari.

"...It appears negotiations have broken down!"

Mitsunari deflected the flashing strike without a moment to spare. Kenshin followed with another, never letting off.

'They're both so fast! I'm glad Sora isn't here right now! he would have been in trouble too!'

"Hgn!"

His delicate face twisting, Mitsunari pushed back with the bare steel of his blade.

"You're better than I thought you'd be. Not good enough, of course."

"Ready to die ignominiously?"

"I'd fall too far behind schedule. So, I'm going to have to pass-!"

'This is awful! I can't stop them, but I don't want them to be hurt!'

With every clang of their swords, I envisioned the worst.

'And the longer this goes on, the more danger Mitsunari's in.'

I saw the way he struggled against Kenshin's superior swordsmanship. However, Mitsunari didn't fall.

"You've had several lucky calls this fight."

Riposting an attack, Mitsunari smiled faintly.

"It's not luck I assure you."

"...What?"

"My material prowess isn't particularly outstanding you see. But, I have confidence in my analytical abilities."

'It's not like he has time to analyse the very duel he's in, right?'

I saw Mitsunari's confidence grow as he continued.

"I watched you fight yesterday. It was an excellent opportunity to observe your style. Analyse, predict, enact, that's how I fight."

'He figured out how to fight Kenshin from seeing one battle? Now I know why the people of Azuchi call him a master at tactician.'

I thought to myself with a surprised look on my face. Kenshin frowned a little and he said to him.

"Cocky aren't you? Analyse me all you want. Himezuru Ichimonji is faster than thought!"

Mitsunari slowed his horse and took a stance, sword raised before him.

"The only argument I have is to attempt it. Let's give this our all. God of War, Kenshin Uesugi, I hope you're prepared to die."

"It won't be my death. But since you're so eager, I'll give you yours."

'I don't want either of them to die!'

But I saw no way this duel could end except in tragedy. Nothing I could say would sway them. I couldn't run. I wasn't sure my own gory death would stop them at this point and I couldn't even look away. I was numb. Like the life was draining out of me. Just then-

"That's enough fighting you two!"

"Sasuke."

As he charged into the conflict, he lifted something small up high. Kenshin and Mitsunari had both paused to watch him while Sasuke slammed the small, round object into the ground. There was a crack and a hiss and then, thick smoke everywhere.

'A smoke bomb?!'

"Lord Kenshin, come with me."

Sasuke grabbed the bit of Kenshin's horse and lead it through the haze.

"Sasuke, why are you interfering?"

"I've judged this duel is too dangerous for Alexis, mentally and physically. The Oda are retreating. Thus, this fight earns us too small a risk-to-reward ratio and you've already had your fun."

"I hate it when you lecture me."

"You can give me a poor employee review later. Please, for now, let's just get going."

Through the billowing grey smoke, I saw Sasuke bow to Kenshin.

"You are a highly annoying man."

'Whoa! here we go again!'

Kenshin regained control of his horse and urged it forward through the waiting cavalry. I was holding on for my life again. Sasuke raced to keep up with us.

"Alexis!"

I looked back for Mitsunari, but the Uesugi soldiers blocked my sight of him. Kenshin called an order as he kicked the horse into a faster gait.

"Don't waste your time with the Oda! everyone, with me."

His army obeyed with an almost synchronized efficiency.

'I'm glad Kenshin and Mitsunari didn't kill each other, but, how much trouble am I in now?'

"Kenshin? ...if you don't want me to stay with you, you can just let me off here and I'll-"

'He didn't want to release me to Mitsunari in the heat of battle, but he seems calmer now, right?'

I thought to myself as I glanced at him.

"No, I'm taking you back to Echigo. You're to be the spoils of this rotten war. It's too bad, if you were a mere villager, I would have let you go."

'...Yeah, I'm in trouble.'

All the goodwill last night had earned me was frozen away now.