Warning: This story is rated M for mature for a reason. It deals with adult themes of sex, non-consensual sex and violence. I have edited this story from its original form, rewriting the more graphic scenes to make them milder. However, the above themes are still prevalent. If you are offended or uncomfortable with the above, please do not read any further. I will repeat this warning at the beginning of every chapter.

'thoughts'

"dialogue"

I do not own the wonderful characters of Ruroni Kenshin, that honor is Watsuki's. I do not make any money off of this writing.

Control
Chapter 1

Kenshin walked along the forest path, the sunlight through the leaves casting dappled patterns along his face. He turned his head up to the sky and closed his eyes, enjoying this moment of peace and tranquility. At his side, Kaoru walked, smiling in contentment as she thought about the picnic they'd just enjoyed together. Casting her eyes to the side, she noticed the way the sunlight fell on Kenshin's hair. She enjoyed seeing him look so at peace.

Kenshin opened his eyes and glanced at the young girl walking beside him. A warm smile crossed his face. She shyly turned her head. An impish thought crossed her mind and after only a moment's consideration, she acted on it. Raising her hand behind him, she tugged on his hair and took of running down the path in front of him, her laughter tinkling like bells. Kenshin's smile broadened and he gave chase, deciding against using his god like speed as she wove in and out of the surrounding trees.

He pulled up short at the sudden flare of hostile ki surrounding him. Scanning the surrounding trees he tried to locate the danger. A scream broke the silence of the woods. Running toward the sound, Kenshin ignored the danger, only one thought on his mind-save Kaoru. Entering a clearing he stopped at the sight in front of him. Eyes narrowing, he approached slowly as a hunter to his prey.

"That's far enough Battousai," said a large man holding a knife to Kaoru's neck.

Kenshin stopped and raised his eyes to the man. Amber eyes burned with anger. "Let her go," Kenshin growled out. Kenshin felt the closing in of the hostile ki and turning his head, noted he was being surrounded by fifteen armed men.

The man holding Karou spoke up. "Battousai, I am a man of honor and I don't like using hostages or including the uninvolved. Drop your weapon and the woman will be let go, unharmed."

Turning back to the man holding Karou, Kenshin asked, "Who are you and what do you want?"

The large man smiled. "Who I am is of no consequence. I was hired by my employer to bring you to meet him. If you cooperate, the woman will be let go. I swear on my honor that no harm will come to her, as long as you come with us."

Kaoru struggled at the man's side. "Kenshin no! Please, don't do this," she called out.

Kenshin looked at her, his gaze softening. "As long as Miss Kaoru is unharmed, I will agree to your terms."

The large man nodded his head. "She will be let go without harm coming to her."

Kenshin reached for his sakabatou, pulling it from his place on his belt. Kaoru's eyes widened and began to fill with tears. Kenshin called out to her, "Please Miss Kaoru, don't cry. This one would be unable to live with himself if any harm came to you. I don't sense in this man's ki that he is lying. You will be unharmed and that is all that is important to this one. That it is." Pulling the sword the rest of the way out, he tossed it at the man's feet.

The man smiled and nodded his head. Two men came up on either side of Kenshin. Kenshin tensed. "This one has given up his sword. Let Miss Kaoru go," he said.

The man holding Kaoru continued to smile. "She will be let go, but not at this moment. I want to make sure you intend to come with us as you agreed."

One of the men at Kenshin's side reached out and grabbed his arm. Kenshin allowed himself to be led. As they approached the man holding Kaoru, Kenshin noticed Kaoru's eyes widening. It was the last thing he saw for some time.

Kaoru screamed as the second man knocked Kenshin in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. Kenshin slumped forward, unconscious. The man holding Kaoru laughed. "Excellent. He behaved exactly as I thought he would. Kato, Yoshi come here and take the girl. You know what to do. Remember, if one hair on her head is harmed, you will pay. I've given my word that she would be unharmed. Do not dishonor that."

The two men nodded and reached for Kaoru. She prepared to fight back when the man holding her whispered in her ear, "Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn't if I were you. You will be left unharmed and the Battousai has been knocked unconscious just to make things easier. However, if you'd like to make things worse for him, please, go ahead and fight."

Turning her head Kaoru glared at the man. "You'll pay for this," she spat.

"I don't doubt it," said the man, "but I'm certain I won't be paying today. Take her!" Kaoru allowed herself to be led away. The man, Kitaro, called for the men to bring the horses. As he waited he stared at Kenshin on the ground. "You really are a lucky man, Battousai. What's in store for you is more pleasurable than painful." The men approached with the horses and tied Kenshin to a spare one. Mounting, Kitaro motioned for the men to head out.

Kenshin slowly felt himself returning to consciousness. He became aware of being painfully jostled in the stomach. Opening his eyes, he realized the ground was passing by quickly below him. He was tied over the back of a horse. The constant jostling made it difficult to take a deep breath. He raised his head a bit. They were passing fields and Kenshin thought he could make out a small village. Kenshin became aware of another horse pulling up along side him. He pretended to be unconscious again. Laughter reached his ears. "Nice try, Battousai. However I'm afraid it's a bit early for you to be waking up," Kitaro said as he brought the hilt of his sword down on the back of Kenshin's head for a second time. Once again, Kenshin was sent into darkness.

The next time Kenshin regained consciousness he was in a camp. This time, a sweet-smelling cloth had been placed over his mouth and nose. Several more times this happened. Kenshin had lost all sense of time or place. He caught only glimpses when he regained consciousness and never could piece together enough to figure out what was happening to him.

Kenshin felt himself coming around. This time felt different from the previous times. Kenshin became aware of himself laying on a soft surface with something covering him. He heard someone softly humming. Cracking his eyelids open a bit, he felt light burn his eyes. Involuntarily scrunching his eyes, he listened for any hint of discovery. Working himself up, he again cracked his eyes and forced himself to bear the bright light until his eyes adjusted. At first all he could see was the light, but as his eyes lost the blurriness he could see a stone ceiling above. Casting his eyes about he noticed the room had iron bars to the sides about two feet below the ceiling with screens on the other side. Slowly Kenshin turned his head toward the sound of humming. Kenshin's eyes widened at the sight of a girl about Kaoru's age sitting on a cushion nearby, sewing his gi. Her eyes lifted from her work and met his. Gasping, she dropped the gi.

The two sat and stared at each other, saying nothing. Kenshin tried to move and immediately regretted the decision. The girl rose from the cushion and came to his side. Putting a hand on his arm, she called out softly, "Please don't."

Kenshin stopped his movement and sank back. He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out. Once again the girl spoke to him, "When they brought you in here, they said you'd hurt when you awoke and that you hadn't had any food or water. Please don't try to talk yet. Let me get you some water."

Jumping up she crossed to a low table with a pitcher and two cups. Grabbing the pitcher and a cup she walked back to Kenshin's side. Pouring water into a cup, she placed the pitcher beside her. Kenshin tried to rise. The girl slipped her free arm behind his head and lifted the cup to his lips. Kenshin began to open his lips when he remembered something. Narrowing his eyes, he closed his mouth. The girl froze. Her brow creased as she looked at him questioningly. Suddenly, comprehension dawned on her face. "If you're afraid of it being tainted, it's not. Would you like me to sample it for you?" she asked softly.

Kenshin didn't respond. Her eyes saddened. Lifting the cup to her own mouth she took a few sips. Lowering the cup, she looked at Kenshin. "You must be thirsty. Please drink. It'll help you get your voice back," she pleaded. Nodding his head Kenshin drank when she again brought the cup to his lips.

Kenshin felt he'd never tasted something so cool and refreshing as the water the girl graciously gave him. He emptied the cup. Lowering him, she set the cup down and prepared to refill it. Kenshin tried speaking again and was pleased to have some voice, even though it was very soft. "Who are you?" he asked.

The girl turned back toward him, her mahogany eyes warming. "My name is Miyori," she responded.

"Where are we?" Kenshin asked. Shaking her head, Kenshin saw her eyes overcome with sadness.

"I don't know," she said.

Looking at her questioningly, Kenshin asked how she'd come to be there. A sad smile crossed her face. "Let me help you finish some more water and I'll tell you my story," she said. Nodding Kenshin accepted her help and began to drink the offered cup of water.

Helping Kenshin settle back, Miyori rose and returned the cup and pitcher to the low table. Kenshin followed her with his eyes. He noticed that she was a bit heavier than Kaoru, with long black hair that fell to her waist. When she turned, Kenshin noticed her face had a healthy complexion and high cheekbones. Her nose was small and her eyes were a deep brown. Watching her cross back he noted she took sure steps, but with a different style from Kaoru or Tomoe. Miyori pulled a cushion over to Kenshin's bedside. Kneeling onto it, she offered Kenshin a wan smile. Taking a deep breath, she began her story of how she came to be here.

"My family are farmers from Fukushima. Our village lies at the base of the Miyazaki Mountains, near one of the main roads through the region. We'd been suffering through a drought for sometime and the crops were failing. Times were hard for everyone in our village. My father and mother did the best they could for us, but with six mouths to feed and failing crops it was becoming very difficult." Miyori stopped and took another deep breath. Kenshin felt the sorrow in her ki.

Continuing she said, "One day I was helping my father bring a meager amount of food into the village to sell. We'd noticed horses tied outside the inn. They seemed very fancy compared to what we usually saw come through town. I'd noticed a large man standing on the porch staring at me. He made me uncomfortable and I tried to ignore him. I assisted my father and as we were preparing to leave, the man from the inn approached my father. He said he was a retainer from a wealthy merchant who needed servants for a new home he was building. He offered my father enough money to feed our family for almost a year in return for me."

Tears began to form at the edges of Miyori's eyes. "My father could not refuse him. With the crops dying and so many mouths to feed, to have turned it down would have meant death to the rest of our family. My father instructed me to go with this man and to not dishonor our family by providing poor service to my new master." The tears were now running down Miyori's cheeks. Kenshin closed his eyes as memories of times with the slavers flashed back. Miyori's voice stopped the flood of memories.

"I never had the chance to say goodbye to my mother or brothers and sisters. I felt so alone. The man said his name was Kato, but he never mentioned the name of the man I would be working for. Kato was traveling with two other men, Han and Shinosuke. They ignored me for the most part. I rode on the horse behind Kato for days. Sometimes we stayed in an inn, sometimes we would camp. After almost two weeks, we arrived here. At first I thought I was to actually be a servant. I was brought to the servants quarters and told to help in the kitchen. One day, Kato entered the kitchen and told me I was needed elsewhere. I followed him to a room upstairs. When I entered the room he told me the man sitting at the table was a doctor and I was to do as he said. He left me there. The doctor asked me about childhood diseases and my health. Then he began to examine me." Miyori was almost sobbing now. Kenshin continued to examine her ki and could find no sign that she was lying.

"I've never had a doctor examine me like that before. I felt so ashamed and I wanted to make him stop, but I remembered my father telling me not to dishonor our family. When he finished he told me to wait. Kato returned to the room a few moments later and told me to follow him. He led me from the main house down a winding path into the forest. I became frightened and asked him where we were going. He told me to be quiet and follow, that I'd been assigned to another of our master's houses. Soon we came to a wall with a gate. A man let us in and I saw a large stone house. We went inside and Kato led me down a dimly lit hallway. We turned a corner and I saw a strange metal cage in front of a doorway. I panicked and tried to run, but two men grabbed me. I hadn't seen them when we entered the room. Kato opened a door in the metal cage and then the doorway. The men brought me in and threw me to the floor. Kato announced this was where I would be staying from now on. With that, the men left and shut the door. I've been here ever since."

Kenshin watched as Miyori tried to compose herself. He felt anger and confusion at Miyori's story. 'Why did they bring her here? What could possibly be the reason?' Kenshin waited for Miyori to calm down. "Miss Miyori, I'm very sorry this was done to you, that I am. I don't know for what purpose you were brought here, but I promise I will do everything in my power to help you escape this," Kenshin said softly.

Miyori looked at Kenshin with doubt. "How will you do that if you are a prisoner like me?"

Kenshin smiled. "I will find a way, that I will."

Miyori shook her head. "Can I at least know the name of my would-be rescuer?" she asked.

"Himura Kenshin," he responded.

Sighing, Miyori stood. "Well Kenshin, you won't be able to rescue anyone until you've recovered your strength. Let me get you something to eat."

Kenshin listened to her footsteps as she walked behind him. He heard clattering and the sound of water running. Miyori re-entered his field of vision carrying a pot. He watched as she walked past. He struggled to sit up. Softly groaning, he finally managed it. The blanket fell down and Kenshin saw his chest and abdomen were thoroughly bruised. Raising his head, he saw Miyori place the pot over a fire burning in a fireplace. Furrowing his eyebrows, Kenshin began to look around the room.

The room was large and open. He noted he sat on a futon close to one of the walls. There were two freestanding screens, one in front of him on the other side of the room and the one behind him. There was a fireplace midway in the room on the same side as the futon. On the other side of the room was a case full of books. In addition to the low table near the futon, there was another table near the books. Kenshin could see paper and writing implements on it. At the end of the room was a window with metal bars on the outside. Kenshin noted there was glass panes in the window and it looked like it could be raised or lowered. Turning, Kenshin looked past the screen behind him and saw the door was made of iron. There was a slot in the bottom of the door almost two feet square.

Miyori turned from stirring the pot to see Kenshin sitting upright staring at the door. She broke the silence, "If you're wondering about the slot, it's where they push wood and food through."

Kenshin turned back toward her. "How often do they do that?" he asked.

"Wood is given twice a day and food comes in once a day," she replied.

Kenshin looked at the pot. "Is the food cooked?" he asked.

Shaking her head Miyori explained. "The food is raw and it's just the makings." Pointing to the screen behind Kenshin she continued, "Behind that screen is a cupboard of pots and a pump for water."

Kenshin glanced to the screen across the room. "What's behind that screen?" he asked.

Miyori turned back to the pot, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. "There's a bathing tub, a chamber pot and a drain over there."

Kenshin thought for a few moments. Miyori began to ladle some of the soup from the pot into two bowls she'd brought with her. Bringing a bowl to Kenshin, she went and retrieved chopsticks. Sitting down next to him she watched his face as he thought. Kenshin looked at Miyori and asked her another question. "How long have you been here?"

Miyori looked at the floor. "A month and a half," she answered.

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I'll be posting this story 3 chapters at a time as I edit it and rework it. I've altered it from its original form to share it with as many people as I can. I think the plot is something very different from what's been done before and I'm pretty proud of it. I'd love to hear feedback!

Thanks for reading!