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『Kodoku no Saibou』(1×1 w/ Jikkah)

Jin watched Kojurou relax with a soft smile, reaching to run her fingers gently against his brow, moving to gently stroke his hair as he rested.
 
“Hush now Kojurou-dono, you worry for nothing..” She said softly, tracing his face gently with her fingertips.
 
Jin sat there with Kojurou for some time, gently humming to him as she traced his face and played with his hair.
 
Nana was stirred from her sleep once more, fresh water being poured into the tank to help dilute some of the drugs so Nana could appear more lively for the emperor.
She was quite groggy, but the fresh water in the tank felt good on her gills, helping her feel more awake.
 
Her ears twitched a bit at their words, frowning softly. What did that mean? Was she truly expected to preform for a human? She would not be a pet willingly.
 
The other servants tied ropes to the tank and began to pull it along, dragging it down the hall and to the Emperor's throne room. Mitsunari was there, scowling gently when he saw the tank, and turned his eyes away.
 
Nana had to steel her nerves, being dragged before a room full of leering eyes. She felt vile, being on display in such an unsightly manner, it almost lowered her reputation. She wasn’t some wild beast to be locked in a cage- she was of the noble dragon folk, and the queen-wife of the Oni King.
 
"What is this, Ishida?" The Emperor asked, shrouded by his privacy screen. Mitsunari exhaled before he moved to stand before him.
"A gift from the court, to show our loyalty and devotion." Mitsunari replied.
"A ningyou?" The Emperor asked. Mitsunari hesitated.
"Yes, lord.."
 
She blinked and looked to Mitsunari when he referred to her as a ningyou, which he knew she wasn’t. Glancing to the figure she could barely see behind the screen, she wondered if he intended to eat her.
 
The unwillingness to consume her soothed Nana, but she still did not enjoy being a gift to a human. She turned her back to the emperor, a soft frown on her face.
 
"She seems rather indignant." The Emperor noted. Mitsunari exhaled gently.
"If you'll forgive my forwardness: no one desires life in a cage."
"How right you are, Ishida."
 
Nana could do nothing but remember each humans name as it was spoken, keeping a list of names to herself for those who had to be brought to justice. She was a pet now, and with the magical restraints on her, she was powerless.
 
"Send her to the lounge where I spend my time with Jin. She will look lovely there." The Emperor ordered. Mitsunari bowed and signalled to the servants, who grabbed the ropes tied to the tank and pulled Nana away.
 
She scowled, stealing one last glance at the human that was keeping her as a pet. For now she could do nothing, completely at the mercy of others.
 
"Good grief..." Mitsunari muttered under his breath.
Kojurou was making his way to the court quickly, mentally kicking himself for loosing so much time with Jin. As he hurried, he passed the servants pulling Nana and skidded to a halt.
"Wh-What the...?"
 
Inside was what looked to the untrained eye a mermaid, but to those who knew, she was far from a simple mermaid. She looked distressed to be there, but hardly seemed to notice the new human outside her tank.
 
"W-Wait!"
"Katakura-sama...?" The servants stopped, confused as Kojurou moved to the tank. He looked to Nana, frowning with worry.
"Aren't you Nanahime...? Wife of the Oni King...?"
 
Nana perked up when she heard Kojurou’s words, not knowing who he was or what his intentions were, but she had no one else. Swallowing her pride she moved closer to the front of the tank, a soft frown on her face as she nodded. The fact that this man knew of her, and who she was told her he was a skilled magician- or something similar.
 
Kojurou seemed to pale, "What are you doing here? There's no way he would allow this to happen to you...!"
"K-Katakura-sama, this mermaid was brought as a gift..." One servant dared. Kojurou seemed panicked by that.
"A gift...?!"
 
Nana opened her mouth to speak, but not a sound came from her mouth, unable to speak. She shook her head to Kojurou, wishing she was able to communicate to him what she had been told by the white-haired man. She was a gift to the emperor, the collector too careless to differentiate between a mermaid and a dragonfolk.
 
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