The Flower of the Asai Clan [complete]

[Orie Hidehira]

He knew the instant the string left the tip of his fingers that it was a badly shot arrow, even as his arm drew back in a follow-up. It wouldn't find its mark, so he didn't bother even watching it finish its flight before sighing unhappily, seating himself on the ground. It wasn't until he felt the pins and needles in his legs that he realized how long he had been standing without rest. With a wince, he rubbed the circulation back into his limbs. Grandfather had always yelled at him for not understanding how to do things in moderation.

He laid down, feeling the grass prick into his nape, but mind too far away to notice the discomfort. The sun was painfully bright, beating down on his face without much mercy despite the chilly bite of wind, so he threw his gloved hand over his eyes, until he could only see a sliver of the endlessly blue sky between his fingers. He might as well stop, he admitted, frowning. With his mood as it was now, no matter how long he stood here, he would accomplish nothing.

And, as Orie was quickly learning about all things that seemed to go downhill in life, it was Asai-sama's fault.

It wasn't his place to meddle, but really, the general should've been more responsible than that! Especially with a war soon approaching, surely he could've allotted time spent with a woman to a more appropriate time. Daylight hours were precious, and better spent on serious matters, and of that there was no short supply. To be frolicking around town with a girl hanging off his arm where anyone could see (half-undressed, no less) irritated Orie somewhat. He could almost feel his respect for the man fall a few more notches.

"Che," he muttered, closing his eyes. Maybe a nap.

[Asai Kohana]

Days had passed since Yuuto's emotional relapse, but Kohana had yet to see her surrogate brother bounce back. To those that may not know him well, she was sure the Asai clan leader seemed nothing out of the norm. However, Kohana couldn't be so easily fooled.

The general had gone about his daily duties without hesitation- overseeing the temple, training the recruits, reconstructing the village- but other than what was required, Yuuto hadn't made any outward attempts to be sociable.

Yuuto spent most of his time adrift alone, and while he had been spending far too much time training in the fields, Kohana found some comfort in that he didn't appear to be nearing another breakdown. She had never seen Yuuto's swordsmanship so finely tuned, but it was certainly at the cost of his inner resolution.

Hoping that she would be able to catch Orie in the presence of their leader, Kohana had begged off on seeking out the archer by herself. Unfamiliar people made her extremely nervous, and the sheer reverence in which Yuuto had spoken Orie's name made him all the more intimidating.

But soon it came apparent that the general had no intention of initiating conversation with anyone other than Yuudai or Kohana, much less their newest recruit. Sucking up her insecurities, Kohana sought after Orie until she found him sprawled among the target range. She crept quietly, and found herself leaning down over his prone form.

Up close, she was instantly reminded of how attractive Orie was.

Yuuto had an appeal that hit you head on (much like his personality), and left you unable to resist his charm, dangerous body, or striking good looks. Her other kin, Yuudai, reminded her of wispy watercolor scrolls, amazing and beautiful with their delicate strokes and ideal composition.

But Orie was like neither- somewhere in between. Despite his semi-permanent frown, he had a face that would infatuate impressionable little girls and entice the older, married women. His body frame was slight like Yuudai's, but wiry with hidden muscle reminiscent of those visible on Yuuto. Orie's allure was stuck somewhere between wild rogue and sophisticated prince.

[Orie Hidehira]

With his eyes closed and his mind wandering, he didn't register Kohana's presence until a wind blew by, and the discontinuity of it alerted him. He cracked open one eye, drawing his fingers apart, and obviously did not expect to see a face in such close proximity, because he uttered a brief cry and instinctually jolted up. In hindsight, it was probably not the most intelligent course of action, considering their foreheads bumped with a resounding smack, sending him reeling back.

He hissed, rubbing the sore area with the back of his hand, before remembering himself. He drew the arrow before his brain caught up with him, and found himself staring down at the face of Asai-sama's lady companion. He lowered the bow, loosening the string and frowned for a moment before holding a hand out to help her up. "I apologize; you startled me," he amended, tone a little surly.

Now that he could see her clearly, he noticed how young she was. In fact, she couldn't possibly have been older than him, considering her youthful features and a figure not fully developed. It couldn't be said that she wasn't beautiful though, because he had to admit that while she was certainly not exactly a voluptuous seductress, she was certainly pretty and endearing in a completely different way. So he likes this type, Orie's thoughts couldn't help but supply.

[Asai Kohana]

The impact left her flustered, but once Kohana stopped massaging her forehead, she couldn't help but tinge pink at the proffered hand. She was suddenly acutely aware of how uncultured, tomboy-ish, she was in the presence of Orie's good looks, and Kohana snapped her legs together as she realized her shortened kimono was parted indecently.

Eyes sweeping downward, they remained focused on Orie's boots even as he easily lifted her body upright. Her bow was low and her voice shaky.

"I apologize, Orie-san!" She exclaimed breathlessly, momentarily forgetting that although she may know his identity, he surely didn't know hers.

[Orie Hidehira]

Orie's expression of displeasure eased in favor of a blank stare. He blinked at the top of her head as she bowed, wondering if she was high enough in favor that he should be bowing to her. "Ah, uh...no, it's alright," he murmured, a little flustered by her actions, and he gently pushed her upright by the shoulders. "You know my name?" he asked, but the answer was obvious, so he continued, "Who are you, miss?"

It was difficult to take out his mood on her - she seemed so sincere and ruffled that it would just be mean to. He allowed himself a small smile, since her antics amused him. She was definitely nothing like Asai-sama and his cousin, seemed to have no thick veil shielding themselves whenever they did even the smallest of things.

[Asai Kohana]

Although her gaze roamed, it was only marginally, and Kohana fell just short of being able to look Orie in the face.

"Asai Kohana." She bowed again, shortly. "Orie-san may call me what he wishes," Kohana informed him, clasping her hands together while making a conscious effort not to nervously wring them.

The muscles in Orie's throat strained tight at her words, but she couldn't muster the bravery to search his features. Given his body's reaction, the archer had taken her greeting negatively. However, Kohana was so unused to these situations that she found herself unsure what could've offended him so.

[Orie Hidehira]

"Oh," he managed at last, fighting with all his willpower not to frown, but the painfully straight line of his mouth was not much better. "I see. Hajimemashite, Kohana-san," he nodded. She was younger than him anyway, so using given names wouldn't be imposing, even if she was perhaps higher in the social ladder. "Asai-sama didn't tell me that he..." Orie began to explain, before he thought better and swallowed the words back down. She probably didn't care.

"What are you doing down here, Kohana-san?"

[Asai Kohana]

"Hajimemashite," she echoed, eyes finally flickering to Orie's face for a polite smile. The look lingered, and with a small jolt, Kohana realized it wasn't so hard to look Orie in the face, after all. She could do this, if she only tried.

"We... I saw you in the market square days before. I wanted to meet Orie-san, because Niisan spoke so fondly of you." Then, realizing she had perhaps over-stepped some boundaries, her hand fluttered up to her lips in alarm.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly between her fingers, her other hand clutching the material of her kimono. "I only wish to know Orie-san for myself."

[Orie Hidehira]

Orie's brows furrowed. Her explanation wasn't exactly convoluted, but he still had difficulty understanding - probably due to the fact that he was out of their little circle. "I...pardon? 'Nii-san'? ....Asai-san?" This was impossible, considering what little but unfriendly conversation he had exchanged with Asai Yuudai that day.

[Asai Kohana]

"Yes." She couldn't blunt the fondness that crept into her usually stoic face then, and made no effort to disguise how she wished to further the topic. "Niisan trusts you, so I will, too. But..."

It was risky, well outside polite conversation, but Kohana was worried and perhaps a bit desperate. Yuuto went out of his way to protect her, even from himself, and Yuudai would be no more willing to confide such matters in her. The cousins had no secrets, but they had been known to omit certain truths.

"Are you, Orie-san, perhaps... fighting with him?" Swallowing thickly, Kohana wondererd if she was about to sever a friendship before it had even begun.

"Whatever it was, if Asai-sama has offended you, I'm sure he didn't mean it!" Her voice, though still soft, became rushed- forced. "Please don't be angry. It affects him!"

[Orie Hidehira]

"I...don't recall getting into a fight with him?" Orie attempted, but he felt completely and utterly lost. Was she getting her words mixed up? Yuudai had explicitly warned - no, threatened - Orie and told him that he didn't trust the boy at all, so what Kohana was saying made no sense to his ears. He took a step back, studying her face. No, she still didn't look like she was lying, but there was no possible way both stories could be true, and since he was witness to the first account, he was of course skeptical of her version. "I'm sorry," he said finally, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Kohana-san."

[Asai Kohana]

"Oh." It was impossible not to deflate a little, knowing a dead-end when she heard one. "Oh, I just thought... I'm sorry."

Angling her body toward the wind, Kohana struggled not to feel useless and overly young, as always. Yuuto had done so much for her, would continue to do so much for her, and yet there was nothing she could ever give him in return. Even something as simple as a disagreement between clan brothers was beyond her scope.

"Yuu-niisan hasn't been himself since that day in the square. I was only hoping you might know the cause, since Dai-niisan would only scold me for meddling in grown-up affairs."

[Orie Hidehira]

"Dai-nii?" he repeated, slowly. Orie tilted his head, but it did little to help his state of affairs. She was beginning to get nervous, he could tell by the way she physically withdrew. He didn't want her to become embarrassed over nothing, but he also had no idea how to help the situation. "Is...'Dai-nii'...Asai Yuudai-san?" he questioned, gears turning.

Well. That explained it.

"Then, 'Yuu-nii' is Asai Yuuto-sama, right?" He let out a sigh, rubbing the sorespot on his forehead. It was covered by his headband, but the material was just irritating the tender skin now, so he reached one hand back and undid the knot, letting the black strip fall into his palm, where he rolled it up neatly while sorting everything out. "So, you were asking if I had gotten into a fight with Asai-sama?"

[Asai Kohana]

"I confused you!" she realized aloud, her normally bland features twisting into worry and embarrassment.

"Kohana is adopted." Her tone trembled, her posture trying to refrain from habitual, immediate escape. "Asai Yuuto-sama named me, raised me..." Pausing, her small hand curled and clutched against her chest.

"Saved me. Asai-sama and Yuudai-san are my brothers- the Asai are my everything."

[Orie Hidehira]

Orie froze again, halfway through the long band of cloth. He lifted his head very slowly. "...Brothers?" he echoed, somewhat struck.

Brothers?!