The General's Daughter

a/n: *pokes website* hellllooooo? Anyone there?

Chapter 1

I woke up to a large, calloused hand on my forehead. “. . .she’s coming down now.”

The last few weeks had been a blur to me; just one wave of pain after another. I hope I didn’t scream or cry out. . .

“The fever’s going away; she’ll needs plenty of rest. . .”

The hand left my forehead and I opened my eyes. I saw two men hovering over me, one looking very relieved and the other just . . .there. The latter was the man who had undid my mask at the foot of the castle. “. . .where am I?”

“Who are you?” the man asked b “A “And why were you on the battlefield?”

“Answer my question first.” I said narrowing my eyes. I tried to sit up, but the man forced me back.

“Look, princess, you’re not in any position to talk. You are a prisoner and you answer MY questions.”

“Don’t call me ‘princess’.” I spat. “Where the hell am I? And why am I alive?!”

The man gave in, sighing with frustration. “You’re in my home. You're lucky to be alive; be gracious for that."

I could feel my face flush. The man continued. "Again, what were you doing on the battlefiel? You're nothing more than a child--!"

“I am NOT a child!” I tried to sit up, but met a blade at my throat. “--hey!” The other man that had been there held a tanto to my throat, ready to slice it open at a moment’s notice.

“Put it away, Junko; she’s no threat.”

“Mitsurugi-sama, she killed four of my best men; I would consider that a threat.” However, Junko put away the tanto, cowed. He glared at me.

“And she killed six of mine. However, she is still a woman.”

All this time, I was thinking; I knew that name. “You’re Mitsurugi Heishiro, the One Man Army.”

Despite his apparent anger, Mitsurugi nodded with no small amount of pride. “Yes, I am.”

“You are a mercenary.”

“Yes, I am; smart girl.”

“For the last time, I am NOT a girl! Stop calling me—“

"If you are not a girl, that must make you a man." His eyes crinkled up in a wierdly attractive way.

I knew he was joking, but it still pissed me off.

I sighed. “My name is Matsudaira Miyuki; I’m 24 years old, and that’s all I’m telling you.”

Mitsurugi nodded thoughtfully. “Matsudaira, you say? As in General Matsudaira Gendo? What are his plans? Why is he attacking us?”

I lifted up my chin. “I told you, that’s all you’re getting. I’d just as soon go to bed with you.”

Mitsurugi stood up, surprisingly not flustered. “Then you’ll receive no food until I get what I want.”

I bristled. “It had better not be what I think it is. Either let me go home or give me my tanto.”

“No.” Mitsurugi turned his back on me. “I’m not letting a valuable prisoner kill herself. Put her in the holding cells; no food for three days.”

Damn.

Oh well, I’ve gone for longer.

~~~

Halfway through the third day, I wished I had died. Being injured and hungry at the same time is just not really f I l I lay on my side in a fetal position, tame ame position I had been for the last few hours.

My stomach hurt like I was burning to death from the inside, yet I didn’t cry out. I knew I was dying, but I still didn’t cry out.

"...open the door.” I heard that voice again; I didn’t move. Gods, I hate him. The guard opened the door and Mitsurugi came in.

A large hand rested on my shoulder. “You still alive?”

I reacted faster than I thought possible in my condition: I grabbed Mitsurugi’s wrist, pulled him down and rammed my elbow into his face. Staggering to my feet, I was met with three very pissed off guards. Two of them grabbed my arms and pinned me against the cell wall while the third punch me in the stomach; I vomited blood. They let me go and I fell to my knees, still coughing up blood.

“Stop it; you know you’d do the same.” Mitsurugi stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth and nose. “Leave us.” The guards left in a big hurry. As soon as they were gone, Mitsurugi backhanded me and I fell against the wall.

*This is it; he’s going to rape me and kill me. . .*

Or so I thought. I collapsed to the ground while the bastard watched. “You had enough?”

“. . .go to hell, asshole. . .”

“Been there.” He responded flippantly. “You say you’re a warrior? You’ll be treated like one. Stand up.”

Despite the fact I was still physically weak, I did so, never taking my eyes off of his face. He launched a hand, palm out, to slap my face, but I ducked. His leg hooked itself around to back of my right leg and I fell back against the wall again. He pinned his arm across my chest, preventing all movement on my part. “Damn, you’re stubborn.”

“And you’re an idiot.”

Mitsu bli blinked once, surprised. Then he did a surprising thing: he laughed. Then he let go and I stood up as straight as I could with my injuries. “I like your spirit, child; perhaps you’ll survive yet!”

“Damn it, I am NOT a child!” I snapped. I took a step forward, intent on punching him in the stomach, but the look on his face stopped me.

It was a look, not of malice, but admiration.

What the hell?

“I’ll see that you’re properly treated. First, you need a better room than this hospital cell. JUNKO!”

The man popped his head in. “Hai?”

“Find a better room and get her some food.”

“And a bath.” I added.

“Don’t push your luck.”