Love Beyond The Sword

Prologue

The rain hung over the large city of Tokyo, the fog glistening through the quiet streets. The rain hit hard on the roof of the Kamiya Dojo, rain dripping through the drill hall roof, through the various places that needed fixing. Buckets and rice bowls sat, catching the ominous drops. The dojo door was open, the fresh scents and sounds of rain filling the drill hall. And sat Kaoru, staring at the wall. She stared at the broken and bloody sword and sheath that belonged to her secret love. Kenshin. Kaoru sat, it raining inside her own heart. Tears poured down the poor girl's cheeks as they fell, collecting in a small puddle on the floor. She stared at the bloody sword. Her hand clinched as she then fell over onto the floor, sobbing hard. She recalled the events that had happened the very same morning. It had been a month after Kenshin and herself returned from the beach, to where they went to visit Tomoe.(This was after the last episode in the TV series, and before the final OAV, Reflection.) Sano and Yahiko had gone to see Megumi, and as usual, beg for food from her to save themselves from Kaoru's catastrophic cooking. The day had been a warm one to start out with, the sun high in the sapphire sky with no clouds. Kenshin had gone in some utter state of difference, after they went to visit Tomoe's grave. Kaoru was seriously worried, and Tomoe had been weighing in on her mind alot, and she guessed that was Kenshin's ordeal as well. Kenshin had been sleeping longer during the day, and going to bed late at night, having an occasional sake, in which he had never done before except when he offered to go drinking with Aoshi, but that was for amusement. Now she was sure he was drinking sake as an escape to his pain he had been feeling. Kaoru knew the story well, and did not want to press Kenshin about it, so she made him a warm bath, the temperature as perfect as Kaoru could get it to Kenshin's past liking. She then nervously made her way to Kenshin's room, sliding back the door as gently as possible. She stepped into the dark room, where the bottles of sake layed all over Kenshin's place. He was sitting facing the wall, in utter silence, as he did not even turn to see Kaoru.

"Ken..Ken..Kenshin..I..made a bath for you..it's got salts and herbs to where it will sooth you..and I tried to get it to a perfect temperature. The way you like it.." Kaoru spoke, nervously.

Kenshin didn't answer her.

Kaoru, even more worried, dared to step tword him, making Kenshin sharply turn around. Kaoru was shocked. Kenshin's eyes were no longer the inviting and calming violet they had always been. Instead they were the color of freshly spilled blood. Kaoru felt herself falling apart as she swallowed down a heartfelt sob as she saw him turn around.

"Kaoru..I don't want a bath...I want to be in here alone! Haven't I made that quite clear in this past month?!" Kenshin's voice rose sharply as he stood, daring to approach Kaoru.

Kaoru backed up in utter terror. Kenshin was talking to her like he talked to his enemies. Like he spoke to Ji-ne so many months ago. Kaoru knew Kenshin had been and was losing control of himself ever since the emotional visit they made to Tomoe's grave. He drank the sake because the pain he felt was beyond the help of his friends, and even Kaoru. But not this time. Kaoru bravely raised her voice back at Kenshin, for the first time she had ever been angry with him.
"Kenshin! Drinking sake and staying in the dark is not going to help you deal with the loss of Tomoe! At least grasp your fear instead of dying with it! At least try to give me a little kindness than the kind you give Tomoe!" Kaoru quickly stopped. What had she done?! She backed away as Kenshin's anger soared.

" You could never compare to Tomoe! These are my true feelings! You are just a silly teenager who has no idea what she did and could never die for me like that! I have got a battle to fight and I think I shall be leaving. I have been summoned to fight a figure who wishes my death. What else is new? Out of my way girl!" Kenshin's voice had become masculine and rough, and his eyes were now a deep amber. The deepest bottosai that he had ever been since the war. And Kaoru triggered it. Kenshin stormed past her, and Kaoru slid to the floor, as she began to cry. She was such a fool. And those events is what lead to Kaoru now, in the rainy afternoon laying on the floor, sobbing yet again. The bloody sword leaning against the wall fell on the drill floor, as Kenshin's blood splattered on Kaoru's kimono. Kenshin had been killed from his slow judgements by drinking the sake, from a duel with Saito. The policechief himself delivered the sword to the Kamiya dojo, into Kaoru's shaking hands. It was the ominous truth that revealed the situation of Kenshin and Kaoru. As Kaoru lay sobbing on the floor,she ran in her mind the utter truth. How could a girl like her, a silly and air-headed teenager love a man who slaughtered, and was so much stronger than she? And Tomoe. She was such a grand woman to die for Kenshin like that, and be able to take his heart away, sweep it away. But could she really love Kenshin that way? Now, it was beyond too late. She sobbed even harder, and didn't even hear the policechief enter, stepping over, placing a hand on Kaoru's shoulder.She turned over, trying to contain her sorrow as she sucked in her sobs, sitting up. The Policechief had a grim and utter smile on his face.

"Miss Kamiya, we have found Kenshin. He's alive."

End of Prologue