Shai sent our regrets at not joining the meal; she had me engrossed in a plan of the evening. I had a good long soak, just feeling clean again and in a fresh robe felt wonderful. My hair was pushed back behind a wide head band, the rest left loose, Shai ran some sort of light oil through it and the deep blue shone with silver highlights as I moved.

We ate together and I recognised several different undertones in the drinks, I knew for sure I was going to be gazebo'd again. As time wore on though, strangely I just felt clear headed and relaxed, my movements felt fluid and my voice was still clear when I really should have been slurring my words. I should at least have a raised heartbeat with what she proposed I do.

Mid conversation, Shai held her hand up in a stop signal and tilted her head to one side; she then blinked slowly once and leant in close to me.

"You have little time, Shingen has left the room to go and bathe."

Her eyes held mine securely, and I was reminded of the first time I saw them, looming at me in the dark.

"Take this as he returns, it will ... help."

'Oh sure', I thought, 'Help who?' But I saw my hand take it anyway; it was such a small vial, a tiny shot, so I figured it wouldn't hurt.

"Go." She commanded and I padded out into the corridor, ducking back into 'our' room. I felt a bit small in the reasonably large space, and was lost as to where to put myself, in the end I leant on a large table for support.

There was a large flask of sake and two cups staring at me upon it, so I filled them both, downed one and refilled it again, the warm alcohol working well with whatever was already in my system.

I was enjoying my feelings as I heard footsteps coming along the corridor outside, and then muffled deep voices, which I presumed was Lord Shingen bidding his retainers good night. The door didn't open immediately; in fact it remained closed for so long I was beginning to wonder if he was still on the other side.

I looked down at the sake cups, letting my hair fall forwards around my shoulders, and finally Lord Shingen entered, as he saw me he stopped, shut the door behind him and folded his arms across his broad chest, and even though I was on the other side of the room, he was so tall his presence easily reached me across the space. He was frowning at me, his jaw set and his eyes dangerous.

I met his gaze squarely with danger reflected in my own, but with a small smile that wouldn't leave, and all he did was tilt his head a little, but his expression remained stern. He took the drink I offered, but didn't drink; instead he stared down at me and sighed heavily.

As he was about to speak; I reached up and put my finger to his lips, and took my eyes closer to his.

"No. Just Listen."

The small trick Shai showed me I knew would only work once, Lord Shingen was just too strong to caught out twice. He went to speak anyway and found he couldn't. His eyes flashed at me, as I ran my finger down his arm.

"Just stand there and listen."

This one was easier for me, his expression changed to surprise then quickly he narrowed his eyes in anger again.

I just smiled at him.

"Drink." I went back to the table for the sake, and as I turned he was lowering his hand, now looking at me differently, intrigued. Whether I still had any effect over him at that point or he chose to keep quiet, I don't know. I poured another for myself and swirled the shot into it. Before my courage failed me, I turned back to him again.

"I have a problem with you."

Formalities were pointless, and his face immediately softened as his eyes shifted more to concern, the corners of his mouth lifted a little as he held my gaze.

"I understand that we should appear to be ... together ..." I looked into my cup and put it down, I could feel whatever was in the shot starting to change the colours of the room, "... for the Treaty Talks, we need to project a unified energy to be the stronger ... team."

Taking a pause, my mind congratulated me on sounding so grown up.

"You should sit down now."

I released him from the trick, but he still stood and studied me for a moment, before arranging several large cushions and then sitting with his back against the wall. I retrieved his cup and refilled it, and then put myself across his lap to be more at eye level, and handed him his drink.

Searching his eyes for a couple of seconds, I waited for any sign of that predatory flash of his, and when there was none, I sat back against his knees. He downed his drink, whilst I sipped mine for a bit, then I leant forwards again, holding my balance with one hand on his chest.

"If I ... we ... do this ... it will be on my terms."

A hint of mischief? Lust? Desire? All of the above? Ran so quickly in succession across the amber depths of his eyes, I wasn't sure how to follow his thoughts. I waited till they settled, I had to see his next reaction.

"And you can't have my heart."

There was nothing, not a hint or a flicker, just his smile increased a little.

I took a deep breath and spoke my rehearsed line.

"It occurs to me Lord Shingen, that for all you have taken, you have never been taken."

His face darkened, and as I sat back again, I let my hand trail his chest, using the last will I had to engage the trick once more to keep him still. Shingen returned to looking amused, but his eyes kept smouldering, looking like they were waiting for the perfect time to pounce.

I slowly finished my drink and placed the empty cup on the floor.

Adrenaline began to mix with whatever was already in my system, and the alcohol and I felt my senses shift up a gear. I didn't feel intimidated anymore. I walked my hands up his chest and brought myself directly into his face, pausing for a moment to set the headband free, allowing my long hair to fall across my face in a rush of dark blue, then picking up each of his hands, I put them on my ribs.

"Now, where shall I start?"

I teased him, pushing my hands under his robe at the shoulders till they met at the back of his neck. He went to move forwards towards me, but I quickly shifted my hands and pushed him back into the wall with a thud.

"Be still, Mister Samurai."

I grinned at him and he flashed a frown, making me giggle at him. He really wasn't intimidating, not in the slightest, and his eyes widened with surprise, sensing the shift in my attitude, then they went back to smouldering amber as I sat back, studying him in return.

"You have a problem with me, don't you?"

My question totally threw him, something else he wasn't used to, and I spoke again before he could.

"Am I just something ... 'exotic' ... (I heard Saizo's voice as I said the word) a thing to be 'had' to add to your list?"

"No Tamara." Lord Shingen finally spoke, his voice husky, he then closed his eyes as if revising his answer.

"At first, perhaps, you brought something into all our lives when you fell to us from the cherry tree." He leant towards me, I was losing my grip on him, I could feel it.

"You were so delighted, so shocked, so passionate about your individuality, despite being so out of place." Shingen went back to his thoughts, but I could see he hadn't finished, so I waited, watching him think.

"Then I saw your strength of will, your courage to survive..."

"I was broken." I reminded him.

"Not for long." Shingen returned with a small smile.

"You still haven't answered my question." I pointed out, taking his hands from my ribs and then freeing his robe from his shoulders, I couldn't help noticing how small my hands looked against them and found myself caught staring at the size ratio.

"Another drink?"

I offered, and when he nodded I extricated myself from his lap and took both cups to refill them. My mind was a total blank as I watched the sake flow into both.

As I turned back I froze, he had set his hair free - damn it Shingen must have worked out my weakness - I don't know what it was, but it changed totally how he looked.

I took a sip of sake before going back and handing him his, this time sitting across his lap with my shoulder on the wall next to him, I was thrown a bit off balance, so I just stared at my hands holding my cup, swirling the sake gently.

Lord Shingen turned his head and looked down to face me, a cascade of red framing his face, his eyes now smiling.

"Lady Takeda." I instantly reacted to the title. "Now you have me what do you propose to do?"

"I think I'll go to sleep now."

I quickly tried to get up, but he grabbed me back, pulling me so sharply sake went everywhere, I was laughing as I thumped into his chest. A drip of sake neatly fell onto my finger as it ran off his collarbone, and I put it to my lips.

"You do taste good for a Lord, or do all Lords taste like this?"

Shingen made me squeak with surprise at how fast he pushed me to the floor.

"No fair." I pretend pouted, and he released me with a grin. I got back up, having to throw my hair back out of my face and sat once again across his lap, his knees supporting my shoulders.

I found my eyes roaming across his broad chest, his hair and to his face, could that be a want creeping into my senses? His strength, his aura, was overwhelming, captivating, almost intoxicating

(but that might have been the four sakes and the shot).

My heart was beating strongly, but no flutter, no skip of a beat, and as he drew me slowly to him there were no butterflies or fear, and my moral sense had packed its bags and left. There was a small part of me that recognised I was doing this by choice, but it was so small it didn't have enough influence to change anything.

As I ran my hands down his ribcage, I buried my face into the edge of his shoulder.

I bit him.

Hard.

(It wasn't nearly like the pressure he would have used, but it brought an immediate reaction.)

Shingen grabbed a huge handful of my hair and pulled me from his neck, but I just smiled with my own mischief and licked my lips, he still tasted like sake.

I couldn't really read his expression it was too complicated, so I went ahead and kissed him anyway, and after a moment his grip softened in my hair as he held me pressed to his lips.

His other hand found and clasped my thigh, his hand so large my entire leg was held, and as he increased the pressure I tried to grab some air, as noise stuck in my throat. I felt him chuckle as his hand released my hair and I sprang backwards, hitting his legs.

We sat like that for a while, each contemplating the other, so I'm not too sure who started it, but there was a flurry of hair and passion before I found myself pinned against the wall, my robe thrown open and his teeth on my ear.

His hot deep breath sent a flush of nervous thrill through my body, and as he slowly slid a huge hand over my breast, I suddenly wanted to be felt all over by those hands.

As if he had heard my thoughts his right hand ran down my ribs, around the back of my thigh ending up on my knee. With the weight of his broad chest and his teeth keeping me to the wall, the fingers of his right hand lingered on my inside thigh, then without warning he increased the pressure, forcing me harder backwards, as his fingers swept my thigh and into me.

He sharply pulled me downwards as his fingers pushed upwards, a deep throaty chuckle blew across me as I couldn't help but moan and twist underneath his weight.

As I fought for air in pleasure he calmly watched me, a hint of a smile appearing as he spoke.

"You may have thought to control me when you began this Tamara... "

He paused to reach further into me pressing parts of me I never knew I had, and seeming pleased with my reaction as I clawed at his shoulders and cried out he flicked his hair over his shoulder and continued as I writhed under him.

"But once I am inside you I will take back what you started... "

My mind was flooded with lust and pictures, as I imagined what he intended, but they barely got a start.
I only had a second to see a flash of teeth and amber, his right hand left me as he swiftly slid me down the wall back to the cushions, untying his robe as we went.

My heart was racing so fast I couldn't see straight, and gasped involuntarily as his huge hand grabbed my butt cheek, so much strength in just one touch. Again he laughed softly at me, at how easily overpowered I was.

Running his tongue and teeth along my breastbone, I finally caught my breath, which I found was what he was waiting for, the moment I breathed out a sigh and relaxed a little he pushed into me with such speed and force I arched backwards and screamed at the ceiling.

His left hand held me down as my body bucked against him, he shifted his hold to my hip bone, once again using his strength to pull me to him as much as he drove forwards.

Taking fistfuls of cushions I bit my lip so hard the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, he was pushing me to his own rhythm, my initial resistance only making him more determined to hold me in place.

"This time I am not trying to help you" He grinned at me, and something in me snapped, a flush of my own power raced through my system and began to screw him back.

A look of surprise flashed across his face, and I grabbed his head with a handful of hair and pulled myself up to where my teeth marks lay red across his skin.

His left hand pull down on my shoulder again as his rhythm sped up, he had every part of me but as he turned his head to shift his hair, my teeth once again found their mark.

I held on with everything I had, moaning from behind my teeth, and even when he dived and rolled to put me on top of him, I still held on.

A finger lightly traced my ribs, I had to release him to flinch away almost giggling. He tried to frown at me but failed, as I pushed myself up off his chest.

Time melted into moments, when we were finally spent I fell onto his chest, then his great arms went around me, twisting me onto my back and pinning me there as my body ran with recent echoes, holding my gaze until I relaxed. In a rush of hair he leant forwards and nipped my ear lobe, before rolling off me onto his back.

Looking back I would say the taking was fairly even, and the only one wearing a mark was him.

"Come here."

He said with more of a commanding tone than I expected, Shingen rolled me into his long frame and put my hand on his heart. I lightly brushed his skin with my fingernail and he stifled a chuckle.

"You're ticklish?"

I sat up, grinning broadly. "Oooh, that's useful information." My expression turned to smug.

"Don't make me have to kill you." The threat was hollow as his eyes danced; even so, I drifted off to sleep smiling at myself.