Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. I'm using them for fun because I'm on of the enthusiasts of Nobuhiro Watsuki's creation. So please no SUING.
AN: I made a huge revision and I know…I update far too long. There is a major OOC here so enjoy
Italic – in thoughts
"…" - in words
Chapter 1 : The Meeting
Laid in her futon, she thought about her miserable life. She never felt unsure and scared of what was to come with the man she loves. And now, she even started doubting her very own self, she felt as though Kami-sama is turning his back on her, her whole world is starting to crumble like a shattering glass after a fall, and doesn't know what to do anymore. She closed her eyes as memories flooded her mind, she remembered the time when he'd said his farewell to her, embracing her and whispering words of comfort and telling her without a doubt that he'll try to go back, back to her. She also remembered how she followed the ex-hitokiri battousai to Kyoto because she wanted to prove to him that her world is with him.
But now she wanted time to stop forever. She doesn't want the ceremony to continue this afternoon, even though it is what she whished for the past months or even years. Or perhaps someone, who is blessed enough, would take her away from her dojo as a means to an end to her wedding ceremony.
She could have laughed so hard at her foolishness about not marrying the ex-hitokiri battousai but that was what her heart told her, that was what her mind agreed on, and that was what her body wanted. Tears started to form in her eyes but she blinked it away.
She doesn't know if the consequences of being with him are the things stopping her in fulfilling her dreams. She couldn't imagine dying with the sword protruding inside her body as revenge for his past sins, or to give birth to their son all alone because he was dead from his enemies' sword. She smiled softly and touched her face with both hands as she shook her head in dismay. Then, there is also the contradicting emotions that permeated around them. Whenever he looks at her, his eyes shown love and admiration even though he never said those words to her, but when it comes to his actions towards her everything is a mess. He pats her as any brother would do to his sister, he embrace her as any father would do to comfort his daughter, and he would kiss her in the forehead as any grandfather would do to his scared granddaughter. And now, she's uncertain about his feeling as an egg being hatched in the day light.
"Am I truly in love with him? Is what I feel for him for the past two years is just an infatuation?" She asked herself, loathing her uncertainty and doubt about her future. She shook her head and blinked back the tears that are threatening to fall any minute. She took a deep breath to calm her chaotic emotions and thought about the outcome of their wedding. She knew that he'll be a good father, they will have lots of children, their family has a wonderful home to stay…..but what about those times when he have to go back to the past just to finish what he started, what about those times when danger is coming near and he can't stop it. She doesn't know anymore. She doesn't know if what she is doing is right or wrong, only one thing mattered…she's scared….scared of the outcome of their marriage, scared at path she was going to choose any minute now.
She rose in a sitting position on her futon, trying to calm her heart's thundering beat, and stared at her wedding kimono hanging on the window ledge, vertical from her position. It is totally so hard to accept that she will soon-to-be-wife of the ex-hitokiri this afternoon, Why? Why do I have to feel this way? It is not fair! I hate it! I hate him! I hate myself for wanting to die alone! She slid back down as her body tremble in helpless anger and sorrow. She placed her hand on her eyes, trying to shut out herself from the world, and wept brokenly. She tried to stifle her scream of agony but to no avail.
She heard footsteps coming toward her room, with slow and deliberate grace, she stood up and went to the mirror and brushed the remaining tears that were still clinging to her blue eyes.
After a minute or two, Megumi and Tae lightly knocked at her door, uncertain if she's a wake or still sleeping. They heard Kaoru's faint reply and they both smiled at each other and entered the room quietly. They saw her standing in her full height with so much bearing, they smiled knowingly and ushered forward until they were few steps away from her and what they felt is something akin to uncontrollable happiness and pride at their little Kaoru.
Kaoru look at them through her reflection, showing all the doubts, confusion, vulnerability, and other emotions that were hard to understand then they immediately notice the dull look at her eyes. A frown marred their forehead and shared a look at each other in a silent question of what to do.
Kaoru resumed her preparation leaving the two other occupants of the room on their own. Tae was the first one who dispelled the tension around them, "What's wrong Kaoru? Is there something bothering you?" she asked, "You know you can tell us about it" Tae assured, trying to soothe the wild look in her eyes.
"Aren't you happy that you're going to be a wife now? Megumi asked blatantly as ever but softly
With their emotions showing, Kaoru's knees almost buckled, her body silently tremble with terror but she stayed her dull expression unwavering. She clenched her hands at her side until her knuckles turned white, she gritted her teeth in dread and she closed her eyes shut to stop the flow of tears. She doesn't want them to know that she is not and will not be happy about it. When she opened her eyes it was glazed with pain and it had a faraway look.
Tae became more worried at Kaoru's reaction; she closed the distance separating them and hugged her fiercely, "Kaoru it is all right. Nothing is going to happen to you. He will protect you, love you, and…" Tae trailed. She couldn't continue any further because Kaoru was giving her the coldest eyes Tae had ever seen.
"And what?" Kaoru asked faintly.
"And he will treasure you." Tae finished
Kaoru slowly bowed her head in defeat and her eyes were downcast, she opened her mouth in denial but no words came out it is as though all words were trapped inside her esophagus.
Megumi looked at them and smiled, but her smiled did not reached her eyes and her smile is as weak as Kaoru was. She shook her head placed her hands on her hips, "You two are not going to stand there forever. Kaoru is supposedly to be beautiful at her wedding not looking as though she was raped." She reprimanded Tae with sternness but gentle at the same time. Tae nodded and did what she was told. At first, they fretted at Kaoru's appearance but in the end they made her one of the most beautiful bride in the town.
"I heard that women tend to be emotional when it's their wedding day" Megumi broke out the silence that permeated the room. A pair of fox's ears appeared at her head while she laughed at her own joke. Tae glared at her and Megumi stopped laughing. Kaoru watch them cautiously from the mirror and groaned. They look happy for me but why can't I be happy for myself? Why can't I just look like a happy bride…a happy bride? She thought miserably. When the two finished their work, Tae clapped her hands together and smiled sweetly at Kaoru. "Oh Kaoru you look beautiful and I think he will be proud to be your husband" Tae beamed at her. "I'm also proud of you" She hastily added
"Yes he will be happy and be fulfilled to have you as a wife" Megumi said sweetly, clasping Kaoru's hands in her own.
After their compliments, Kaoru, not leaving her gazes at her reflection, asked them to leave her for a while in her room. They nodded and left without a word giving her the privacy she needed. As the shoji door closed a mocking laughter escaped Kaoru's mouth then tears began to fall from her eyes and she didn't even bother to wipe them away. She collapsed on the floor and placed her hands on her face and wept uncontrollably. At that minute she wanted to die in peace.
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A man in a black cloak walked quietly down the nearly dark hallway. He stopped and leaned on the wall with his foot propped against it. He took out a cigar from his pocket and placed it on his mouth, he lightened it, took a long puff before he removed it. "I have a job for you" he called out. His eyes were plastered on the cigar he was holding as he regarded the other man in the hallway.
"What is it?" A deep baritone voice rung out, clipped with deadly finality. His eyes were closed, his hands on his
pockets and his sword was on his side. He was leaning on the opposite wall from his friend and he was ten to fifteen paces away from one another.
A ghost of a smile hovered at the man's, in a black cloak, mouth "You have to kidnap the bride at the Kamiya dojo" he said dryly before he puffed another from his cigar.
"What does she looked like?" he asked implacably
"I gather, she's beauty but spitfire." He warned
"After that what will I do to her?"
"Do what you want. It doesn't matter if she dies or not." He looked at the other man and smirked, "You could sell her to the highest bidder or you could marry her yourself." His grin widened at the sudden flare of anger radiating from the other man, "You could also make her your slave, she's free and besides our action is our revenge to the ex-hitokiri." He turned around and left.
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Run! Kaoru's frightened mind screamed at her. Her eyes were full of dread as she stared at the man standing at the altar smiling at her. You know that he doesn't own you and you doesn't belong to him! Run for Kami-sama's sake, Run!
I can't! My body is working on its own. I can't…I can't stop it! Kaoru answered herself in silent scream. Kami-sama, don't do this to me! I'll be a nun if you just do something. Don't let him have me! Don't let him! Kaoru raged at God while doctor Gensai let her towards him.
"I can see she's vulnerable" Sano whispered to the ex-hitokiri battousai. "Man, you're one lucky guy to marry such beauty" he tapped the ex-hitokiri at the shoulder. The ex-hitokiri nodded in response.
She's mine at last after the entire pretense I had gone through, he smirked at the thought
Everyone stared at her but she ignored them. Take me now, kill me if you want but don't let me be his wife she talked to God. The ex-hitokiri extended his warm hand towards her; she stopped and stared at it for a while and took it with her cold and trembling hand. As the fingers intertwined, he tightened his hold and gave her a warm look with a promised of fulfillment.
The priest began his ceremony while the guests looked at them with happiness in their eyes but a shout drew every body's attention but Kaoru, who doesn't care any longer. They all look at the rooftop of the dojo and was overwhelmed by the figure's chilling stare. Some women gawked at him but he kept his eyes on the bride.
Kaoru felt pure terror run down in the back of her spine; she stiffened and looked at him behind her shoulder. The groom tightened his hold on Kaoru and shouted at the intruder with fury and anger. "What do you want?" Instead of cowering, as the ex-hitokiri expected, the intruder roared back at him but his voice was deadly and chilling. The ex-hitokiri fury doubled and his eyes narrowed dangerously. How dare him, to claim my bride as his! He thought as his hands went to the hilt of the sword at his side separated himself from Kaoru and took a threatening step. He will taste my wrath he swore fervently
Kaoru's eyes widen at the intruder's words. My prayer is answered after all. She whirled around to look at the man standing on the roof of her dojo and almost leaped in merriment.
The two men stared at each other before they attacked with speed but the advantage was on the intruder's side as he moved gracefully and stealthily like a panther. He was faster and more skillful than the ex-hitokiri. Their swords clashed at each other with many times before the intruder wounded the ex-hitokiri. The ex-hitokiri landed on his butt and was about to stood up but the intruder pointed the blade on his neck and whispered, "One more move and you'll be dead!" He glared menacingly at the ex-hitokiri and went to Kaoru's side. Kaoru could only stare at him in amazement. She never thought that someone was faster than the ex-hitokiri and of course, no one would dare to fought with the ex-hitokiri for they fear his wrath. Her jaw dropped open as the intruder walked towards her. Kaoru backed up a step but he followed her step for step.
How could someone be faster then me? He murmured as he stood up but his wound on his stomach and legs prevented him. Sano and Yahiko was about to intervene when the intruder glared at them that sent terror in the back of their body. With one rapid motion, the intruder caught Kaoru at her waist. She screams but was cut off when he roughly tossed her at his shoulder like a sack of wheat. He jumped from the ground to the rooftop and stared at the guest and the groom sprawled on the ground.
"How dare you to touch what is mine?" The ex-hitokiri rage at him while Sano and Yahiko helped him to stand up.
"What was yours ex-hitokiri but now she's mine" the intruder shouted went on his way with Kaoru kicking at his shoulder.
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Jumping from roof to roof, I thought it would be hard to get his woman but that was just easy, too easy in fact" his thought was cut off when he smelled the fragrance of the woman. It was jasmine. Then he felt her chi rise up, she's angry all right! He thought. He went in the direction of the woods so that the ex-hitokiri will take long before he found them
I'm free at last! She mentally shouted with happiness. Then she considered what has just transfixed that afternoon. Did he really slash the ex-hitokiri? And his moves, his moves are faster than the ex-hitokiri. Is he human?
"Yes I'm a human, if I'm not then you won't be in my shoulder" he answered callously. Black frown marred his forehead.
Did he just answer my question? Oh Kami-sama, did I just said it aloud? She squeezed her eyes tightly and scolded herself. The clip holding her hair gave way and raven mane tumbled down on his back, she wiped her face off from the cosmetics on her face with the back of her hand and she licked her lips and bit it to stop herself from screaming with delight.
"Will you stop squirming!" he commanded, voice was gruff, hard and frightening but it hadn't had any effect on her glorious mood. Instead of telling him that he shouldn't take that tone on her she hastily did what she was told just to placate the gruff man. "Will you loosen your grip, its killing me" She ordered with hardness in her voice too. He did not expect that reaction from her and he didn't like the audacity she had just showed but he could help himself to find her totally refreshing and amusing. Most women he encountered always cower before him and they never did what this girl has just done. He smiled in spite of his irritation and it took all his courage not to look at her.
"Well?" She asked
"Well what?" He asked perplexed
"Aren't you going to loosen your grip, its killing me?" she gritted her teeth in exasperation as she repeated her request a while ago. She looked at his feet and was suddenly weary with every jump he took and every branch they land on. "Will you slow down, I'm getting dizzy" she requested
The intruder did not acknowledge her request and continued his pace and his hold on her. When he heard her wrenching sound coming from her he did what he was asked and slowed down and jumped from a branch and landed on the ground. He released her with a thud and crouched down. "Ouch!" She cried in pain and continued, "You ungrateful toad! Mou is he a gentleman or what?" she asked herself in a near shout as though he wasn't there. She stood up and stretched as he started walking towards the clearing near a cave in the far side of the forest. He looked at Kaoru's stilled form sighed in frustration. He roughly grabbed her hands and hauled her towards the cave as she started shouting at him again.
"Stop it, you're hurting me!" she pleaded
Silence
"Please release me"
Silence
"Are you deaf?"
Silence
"You know what, you are undeniably exasperating! And to think…ouch!!!" She tripped from a large stone and collided at the man's back. Through out her bickering he hadn't shown any reaction until he felt her falling. He stopped from walking and used his back to catch her but he never looked at her. When she regained her footing he then resumed his pace towards the cave. When they got in, the man started to build a fire to light the dark cave and to ward off the chill. For the very first time, the man noticed her face. She is really exquisite he thought, and she has the face of an angel. Her complexion was flawless, her blue eyes captivated him. Her black eyebrows were perfectly sculptured into soft arches, nose is magnificently straight, and her soft mouth was full, rosy, and damned appealing. He found himself bodily affected at her and he was instantaneously disgusted with himself. He is a hired killer for Kami-sama's sake and he has no time for weakness such as this temptation. They remained silent for an hour then Kaoru spoke first.
"What is your name?" she asked shyly all of a sudden
Silence
"If I'm going to stay with you, I want to know the name of my companion."
Silence.
When she thought that he will not speak at all, he said his name in a hard tone.
"Kenshin, Kenshin Himura is my name."
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A/N: so there what do you think? Please read and review!
