Rumors

The sound of birds chirping and castle staff beginning their morning preparations with low murmurs stirred me awake. It was the first night in so long I slept through til morning without being awoken by nightmares. I was usually sitting at my desk right now just staring at the blank paper in front of me, too afraid to sketch or write. I feared what swirled in my thoughts before and if I put ink to paper it would make the nightmares real, as real as the birds flying and chirping outside.

What had changed? Why had I been able to sleep through the night? Was it because Nobunaga had so generously helped me see what kind of pleasures there could be between two or more people? Or was it because a new dream had been revealed when I looked into his eyes and saw how unapologetically he loved me?

Nobunaga was still fighting to achieve his dream. There would be endless hours of council, and when he wasn't there he would be reading through reports and responding to letters.

For right now, I decided to shift my focus from flitting birds and servants to the rumble in his chest like the sound of thunder and lighting approaching as he lightly snored.

I moved to leave the bed but was instead restrained by a pair of incredibly muscular arms. "Stay a little longer." He kissed the words into my back between my shoulder blades.

"I need food if I'm to recover." I tried my best to sound like I was scolding him like Hideyoshi would for running in the halls, but instead sounded like I was beckoning him to me.

"Breakfast will be here soon enough and soon after there will be work to do." He started to wrap a leg around mine and pull me in even closer. I could feel him growing hungry against my lower back. "Nobu—" whined.

"You have no idea what kind of effect you've already had on me do you?" He huffed into my neck.

"I'm too exhausted this morning for more. How many times did you take me last night?" I was getting flustered.

"How many times did you give yourself to me last night." He somehow stated what should have been a question. The devil seems to have the ability to twist words to his will. Is that what he's done to me?

"May I see my husband's face? I'd like I'd like him to take more of my soul." I pouted. He loosened enough for me to turn and face him. It was a sweet kiss, something young and chaste lovers would exchange before saying goodbye. Or at least that was my intention.

Nobunaga deepened the kiss, trying to reach the core of my soul, his tongue dancing with mine. His hand was skimming down my neck, leaving trails of heat like petals on the koi pond. He his fingers found their way to my chest and he slid my robe to the side, exposing my nipple to the cool morning air that swept through the tenshu.

"Mmm, I will never tire of the way you smell." His words were hot against my ear as I had looked away when his rough hands took my breast so gingerly, as if he were holding a small bunny, holding it firm but careful not to hurt it. He began to sprinkle my skin with his lips and eyelashes as he made his way to the other breast and flick my nipple with his warm tongue. I soft moan escaped me and I could feel his smile against my breast. Just as he was pulling the peak of my breast into his mouth the door of the tenshu slid open, three servants entered carrying food and fresh clothes, along with several scrolls and letters.

"Nobu— st— stop—" I dug my hand into his hair and tried to push his face away, but he only pressed his face against me harder and bit my nipple slightly. My body responded, despite the other people in the room, and let out an aching "ahhh." The servants seemed completely unfazed as they made their way around the room setting our food out on a small table and tidying his desk.

He hummed against me and my toes curled. He finally looked up at me. "No. I will not stop. I will never stop loving you." He stroked my cheek as his beautiful, hungry, eyes peered into my soul, the one he was slowly but surely claiming over and over again.

"You're a ridiculous man. I said nothing about stopping that. I simply don't want the staff to see me like this." My hands in his hair relaxed and combed through his dark locks.

"I don't care who sees. The whole world should see. It will inspire them to greatness. The way you whisper my name in ecstasy is better than any battle cry I've ever heard." He had rolled on top of me and spoke into my collar bone, his hands gliding across my skin. I could stifle the snort of a laugh at his dramatic words.

The servants were still fussing about the room as he reached down to feel me. "So much protest from you mouth, but these lips cannot lie to me." He purred as he felt the excitement I was trying to hide between my legs. He pushed inside of me slowly but without hesitation. I dug my nails into his back as an aching moan left my lungs. I hated to admit how much it excited me that other people were hearing how his thrusts made me breathless and cry half his name. "Nobu— ah— oh— Nobu— yes— yes!"

He didn't speak, he growled and grunted into the bow of my neck. It wasn't until he was close he whispered sounding absolutely satisfied. "Ready." Not a question more like a cocky announcement that he was going to come. His morning orgasm came much quicker than the ones we built the night before. The servants had just barely slipped out when his groans of release filled the room.

He collapsed next to me and began catching his breath with a happy grin on his face and hands laced behind his head.

"Proud of yourself?" I asked cheekily as I sat up and pulled my robes back over me.

"It's an effective way to create new rumors." He propped himself up on his elbow and stretched his other arm out dramatically. "Can't you just imagine what they will say to the other servants? 'The devil king is so in love with his queen he hardly needs anything else to sustain him' or maybe 'the way he makes love to her, oh how I wish someone would love me like that." He laughed, mostly to himself since I had made my way to the food and was rolling my eyes. He watched me for a moment before joining me at the table.

After he ate some food he was staring at me again, those wine red eyes trying to read something in a language he didn't really know. "Rina—"

I met his gaze. "Yes Nobunaga?"

"Do you love me?" His face was a mixture of curiousity and something else, something vulnerable. His eyes were focused on me though, waiting for my answer.

I crawled over to him and climbed into his lap. "No." I kissed his nose. "I don't think that is a strong enough word."

His hands were on my hips pulling me closer and nesting his lips into the curve of my neck and shoulder. He was breathing me in again like my scent was a breath of fresh air.

"I think I understand." He said just before kissing my shoulder.

"I tried not to. I hated you there for awhile. But the way your eyes light up when you talk about your dream, and the way you weren't willing to abandon me and yet you were still willing to let me decide wether or not to stay… I wasn't expecting that much respect from you…" My hand ran through his silky dark hair as I smelled his head. The faint smell of jasmine flowers and incense was overpowered by the smell of sweat and heated skin. "I think you are a truly unique human being. Where else does that much passion and that much compassion exist? Who else could be a conduit for so much fire and so much wind?" I could feel the heat in his cheeks against my neck.

"Are you putting a spell on me?" He asked once the blood drained from his cheeks.

"If I have it is only because you bewitched me."

He laughed, full bellied. "Or perhaps it was your songs and dance that put me under your control."

"Or the way you so tenderly kissed my hand when we first met." I mused.

He looked surprised, his eyebrows raised and mouth slightly ajar. "You remember that?"

I chuckled ever so lightly. "Of course. It was one of the few things I could hold onto when—"


The levity of the conversation was suddenly swallowed up by the memories of the dragon. Nobunaga stopped me from pulling away though by grabbing my hand gently and pulling it to his lips.

I could feel the fire of a dream in my heart, but I had no idea how he would handle hearing it. So I stayed silent.

He smiled, a full smile. "Come to council with me today." Again, should have been a question, but he wasn't asking.

"We should get dressed first don't you think?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It could be fun to go to council like this, although, I doubt Hideyoshi would let us get away with it." His voice was turning to that teasing tone now, the one that was going to turn explicitly sexual, and lead to more sex and as much as I was enjoying all of it I was starting to get sore. "Even if we are in our full attire, I could still have you sitting next to me. I could have you sitting close enough to reach underneath your kimono and" His hands were rubbing my thighs and moving oh so close to my core. I placed my hands on his wrists trying to stop him, but I was not capable with my own strength. "I could very easily play with you like that, in front of everyone but hidden under the silk of your kimono."

"No. You'll lose all credibility. How could you stay focused on the meeting if your busy trying to pleasure me? I told you I won't be a distraction from your dream—" he bit my neck as he moved his hands back to my hips and with one smooth movement he had me on my back.

"This is why I married you." He stated in such a happy tone I doubt anyone would believe me if I told them. He stood, stretched his arms, and began moving about the room with a relaxed and confident gate. I just laid there for a moment staring at the ceiling, listening to his heavy footsteps.