Ayane watched as a blue robin landed in the grass nearby. She was alone, but within earshot of the camp. Sou had placed his trust in her, and despite the protests of others she had no intention of betraying that trust just yet. She was just going to the nearby stream to wash up, she had told them, but the silence of the forest was somehow soothing, relaxing even. Her heart fluttered as she looked at the bird. It was rare to see a blue robin this far north. A good omen, perhaps?

Suddenly the bird dropped, a tiny stream of red trickling down its soft blue feathers. Its little chest began rapidly moving up and down, up and down, the bird taking shallow breaths before finally all movement stopped. In shock, she ran over and picked up the bird to found a tiny dart sticking out of its side. Someone had killed it? But why?

“Hi.”

Izue was sitting on a nearby log, one leg crossed over the other. Ayane started and opened her mouth to scream.

“I’d think twice before yelling out if I were you. You’ll be long dead before anyone can help you.”

Ayane bit her lip, trying to control the urge to run over and cave the witch’s face in.

“I just want to talk.” Izue smiled. “Sorry about the bird. That particular type of bird is precious to you, is it not, Bitou Ayane of Misen, heir of daimyo Bitou Noboru?”

Ayane clenched her jaw. Izue smiled once more, apparently the reaction she had been hoping for.

“Your father is not well, I hear. Why, I believe he’s even on his death bed as we speak.”

Ayane said nothing. Could say nothing. She didn’t think anything about the witch could surprise her anymore, so why would it be surprising that she apparently knew all about Ayane herself as well?

“It would be a terrible shame if he were to die before you could return home.”

“What do you want?” Ayane finally asked. The blue robin’s blood had pooled in her hand. It was warm.

Izue stood up and began pacing. “What do I want? What don’t I want? No, the question perhaps is what do you want, and what can I do for you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You wouldn’t. But I have a proposition for you. I think you’ll like it.”

“A proposition?”

Izue stopped pacing and placed a hand on Ayane’s cheek. The hand was unexpectedly soft and gentle. Her face, mere inches from Ayane’s own, was extremely pretty. Elegant, even. The effect of her standing so close, staring deep into her eyes was slightly confusing.

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“I don’t-”

“Stop trying before you make a fool of yourself and just listen. What I’m offering you is safe passage home. Right now. Your father is dying, do you understand? He won’t live to see the summer. A terrible tragedy, yes, and nothing you can do to stop it, but at the very least you can see him before he goes. I personally guarantee it.”

Ayane let the words sink in. Her father had been ailing for a while, that was no secret to anyone, but she had heard nothing of him being so ill that he was dying. They had considered the possibility that it may be coming soon, but now? Already? Perhaps Ayane being away had taken more of a toll on him than she thought.

“How do you know my father is dying?”

Izue stroked the dead blue robin, lying still in Ayane’s hand.

“I take it the Yashiro don’t deliver all news to you then.” She looked up, a hint of a smile on her lips. “It’s common knowledge, my dear. Several clans are preparing to make their moves right this very moment. You sit in valuable territory, as I’m sure you know. Once your father dies, it won’t be long until the rest of your brothers and sisters are taken care of and the Bitou clan is wiped off the map.”

It was a lot to take in. It was true, the Bitou lands sat close to the capital and despite being one of the smaller provinces it was also one of the most fertile. A perfect launching pad towards the capital itself or any of the surrounding provinces nearby.

“We… my father has an alliance with the Kuroda. They would come to his aid.” She was trying to convince herself.

“Yes, and the infamous Kuroda Mitsuhide is known for his trustworthiness and compassionate nature.” Izue spoke as though consoling a child. “But who am I to argue, I mean, that’s why you’re here after all. Dear old daddy thought his alliance with a monster more precious than his own heir. His own daughter.”

Ayane said nothing. Not once had she blamed her father for the position he had been put in. He had made the best decision for the clan, for their people. She could not argue that. Hearing the words said out loud, however, they stung.

“Assuming you can safely get me back home,” Ayane began, coming back to the original question, “what do you want in return?”

Izue sat back down, crossed her legs and put her hands on her knees and looked up, smiling. She was very pretty, almost distracting so. Perhaps that was at least part of the secret behind her charms?

“Tell me about Sou.”

Ayane laughed a little despite herself. She hadn’t been expecting that.

“I’m sorry, Sou?”

“Yes. The big tall man. Your captor and current leader. Likes to disguise himself as an oni when he crushes men beneath his palm. Destroys yokai single-handedly. Fights with a passion unseen in these lands for quite some time.”

“You… you want to send me home in exchange for information on Sou?”

This time Izue laughed. “No, that was just my own personal interest. I want you to betray him, of course. The Yashiro are causing quite a fuss on our lands and we’d like them gone.”

“Oh.”

“None of us want a long siege, least of all the Yashiro, so let’s just end this right now, woman to woman. We are the intelligent ones, after all. You can go home and see your dying father and protect your family and lands before they’re all burnt to the ground. The Yashiro can go home and protect their own interests, and we Wada can return to our peaceful way of living once more. Everyone wins.”

Ayane somehow doubted that.

“You just need to bring me Sou. Alone.”

Ayane looked down at the blue robin lying in a pool of its own blood in her hand. What was she to do?