REVISED: 05 February 2019

1. The Run In

-;-

Once upon a time, when the ray of morning light came through the small window of her bedroom, Misao blinked and mumbled her annoyance. Not that she disliked the sun; she simply disliked her place in life.

She never had the chance to meet her parents due to the fact that they died after fighting the rebellion in Northern Kyoto. According to her grandfather Okina, they were the bravest ninja that ever served the Imperial family of Japan. He always told Misao in her bedtime stories that her parents shed blood for their beloved country - because one of the things that will make them happy is to see Misao grow up in a country of peace.

Having no parents anymore to take care of the two-week-old Misao, Okina took her under his wing. He was a protective grandfather but had a massive weakness for women. There are times that Okina would spend his day in the red light district to woo young women. Years later, he remarried one of the most beautiful geishas in Gion whose name is Komagata Yumi.

Misao became an orphan, a servant, but hadn't always been - not until that whore Yumi killed her grandfather when she was only eight, and now she was suffering in her hands with her real husband Makoto Shishio and sister, Kamatari.

Before her grandfather was even cold in the grave, Shishio had sold all her belongings. Even Okina's inn, the 'Aoiya' which used to be the most popular in Kyoto was not an exception!

"I wonder what I shall do with you, hmmm…" Shishio murmured as he touched Misao's cheek, "throw you up in the street or work here? CHOOSE!" She had chosen the street but one freezing night in December forced her back to her home again.

That was a few years ago and Misao was now in her mid-sixteen. Not that everyone care about it anyway; she was glad to know that soon enough, she would pass the age of marriage and leave this place forever. That is, if some decent man would be interested in a servant girl like her.

Sitting up, she brushed some strands of hair from her face and braided the rest of her hair. It was still chilly despite the coming summer in Kyoto. She went to the kitchen and began the work she always did every day. The warmth from the fire warmed her shivering body as she set the water to boil and began to prepare breakfast for the household.

She sighed and shook her head. She had now three meals balanced carefully on one tray. At the first door, she paused to tap it lightly and gently slid the shoji door open.

"Enter." said by a woman and Misao entered into her step parents' room.

"Oh, Misao-chan…" Yumi said as she quickly covered her body with a blanket and fixed her dishevelled hair. Noticing their yukatas on the wooden floor, Misao have realised their recent "sessions".

"How very gracious of you to come so promptly." Shishio said in a deep voice as he pulled away from the naked woman on his futon. The words did not ring true and he offered her a false smile.

"Oh, you have some piercing eyes, my dear." Yumi added as Misao hardly put their meals on the table. Shishio quickly grabbed her wrist. The grip was so tight and it almost made her cry.

"Misao-chan, my angel…" he said as she urged to fight all the nasty words she wanted to say at him, "If you value your life, remember that we don't like you to give us that kind of glare. You know that we could do something that you don't want to."

She swallowed and pulled her hand free; stepping back while trying not to lose her calm and stoic act - where deep inside, she just wanted to kill the two people in front of her.

But silence was her only defence as she had discovered that under his thumb - speaking only made him angry. She has learnt to remain silent for the fear of being hit by Shishio.

"You're so ugly girl." Yumi laughed while she waved her away.

At the second door, Misao was surprised to see it open. Inside was Kamatari, she was wearing a new kimono; it was very beautiful with different colours of summer. The tall, short haired girl stands in the front of a large mirror as she practised the words of nobility.

When Misao put the last plate on the table, she noticed a new painting hung on the wall with a lot of kanjis wrote below the image line.

The artist's work portrays the image of the royal family.

She could not help but admire the painting, the Emperor, his wife and both sons who wore beautiful hakama and robes made in high-class fabric and leading designers. The eldest son was a red-haired person with a cross scar on his cheek. Many people said that this prince was adopted and there was no royalty blood running in his veins. He was found in the last civil war and was raised by the Emperor when his wife was having difficulty in producing children.

Misao's eyes went to the younger one; who looked very different from the eldest one. He was very tall with a jet-black hair. He did not smile in the picture unlike the others yet, Misao admitted that he was more attractive than the red-haired guy.

"Oh, captivated by Aoshi-sama's beauty?" Kamatari's voice made Misao looked away from the painting. "He was the crowned prince and soon to be the next Emperor." she added and threw her fan on her bed. "Give up now girl because with that figure and face of yours, I bet that he will just laugh at you."

Misao shrugged as Kamatari laughed at her own joke. She is not tall, not beautiful and is too thin unlike Kamatari. She did not speak more words knowing that this sister of whore would mock more at her.

"Oh, since wars are growing rapidly, the palace was now demanding his heir and I planned to..." Kamatari paused with a dramatic tone, "…convince him that I am worthy to be his future wife." she laughed.

'Well, good luck then.' Misao thought, repressing the urge to shake her head before leaving.

Aside from doing all the household chores, she was required to gather some woods and herbal plants every noon. Shishio hired two boys to take care of the poultry; they are Yahiko and Yutaro. They are a few years younger than her and are her friends. With both of the boys, Misao could be just herself – a cheerful and outgoing person! It was great that both boys possessed the same traits too.

It was still chilly despite the coming summer in Kyoto. Misao was now in the woods and was glad to find a lot flowers and Sakura trees as she enjoyed the silence surrounding her. This day, she was now finished doing her tasks and was excited to bring home the herbal plants she found and picked. She slowly sat on the bed of grass and looked at the town in the far distance. The thought of running away came into her mind, but she has no idea where to go. With a depressed heart, she let her dreams of freedom fly away like birds.

The silence suddenly broke with laughter that belonged to a group of voice. Misao turned to the source and was surprised to see familiar faces that were only ten feet away from her.

It was Cho and his gang - the rebels on painted images that were displayed in every post of town. They were swordsmen who loved to break the rules. Not only the way they slaughter made her afraid, it was also they take woman's innocence before they slay. Their behaviour made Misao worry; she won't let those bastards touch her. She was thankful that Okina was a former ninja because he taught her some basic martial arts skill when she was five. But that wasn't enough to defend herself because she was obviously outnumbered.

Cho grinned when she saw Misao, "Oh, young lady…." he said with a huge grin on his face, "Why are you all alone in this place?" his voice implied the dark plans inside his head.

Misao threw the bucket of woods at their faces and run as fast as she could. She runs deeper in the forest, hoping that she had lost Cho and his friends. But she was suddenly trapped; a vine on her left foot caught her off guard. Misao looked up and her face was filled with terror when she saw Cho stood before her.

His hand caught her arm, she tried to fight but they were strong, only her actions made them laugh. As they tossed Misao hardly on the ground, her heart beats in panic! She already knows what will happen next when one of Cho's friends went on top of her and they held both her wrists.

Her scream filled the entire place.

Clink. All men stopped when they have heard a sound of wielding swords. A pair of kodachi glint in her indigo eyes.

-;-

In the palace, Kenshin's eyes wandered at the pots in his father's study room. All are beautiful with different shapes and kanjis designed on it. Like any other commoners, the Imperial family has a rest day once a week and his father, the Emperor Hiko often spends it with pottery. Kenshin's thought suddenly went to his younger brother, Aoshi. He was so committed to his duty and the word 'rest day' always rings a dirty word for him.

Of course, as a member of royalty, Hiko, Kenshin and Aoshi knew the art of killing. Kenshin was always saddened the way a sword must be, no matter how much his fiancée sugar coated it. It does not change the fact that he was taking away the lives of people.

"Kenshin!" a feminine voice cried from the shoji door of the room.

He turned around to face the lady he was longing to see these past few weeks. Touching her left cheek, he whispered, "The weeks felt like so many years of not seeing you."

Kaoru blushed. "Stop being poetic!" She answered and slowly placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"Your cheeks are red, young lady." He teased and that made Kaoru pouted on the word 'young lady'. Kenshin's parents were against at his relationship with Kaoru due to the 11 year age gap but they have learnt to accept it as the time goes by.

"How many times I should tell you that I am now a lady?" she answered and hit him playfully on his chest. Both of them were laughing when a deep voice said, "I hope I'm not interrupting something."

"Oh. Hiko-sama." Kenshin and Kaoru said in unison and bowed to the Emperor.

"Can I talk to my son for a minute?" The Emperor asked and smiled at Kaoru. She nodded and made her way to leave and slid the shoji door closed.

"I have heard that four of our friends died." Hiko said as Kenshin gave a nod. Both of them sat on the brown tatami mat.

Looking out the window, Hiko glared at the distant forest wondering what was happening to his own son Aoshi, who always felt so distant to his family. Since the incident weeks ago in the Northern Kyoto, Aoshi has become more pensive and his thoughts were always deep. He mourned for his four precious friends who died protecting him in the northern border of their kingdom.

"I have already hired a samurai whose name is Seta Soujiro as a temporary replacement. I know that Aoshi's trust for Hannya will never be replaced." Hiko said and lit the lamp to shred the shadows of the coming night. Hiko wondered where was Aoshi, he knew he left by the noon.

The Emperor stared at the boy he raised and love as his own. "Kenshin, I'm so sorry if you couldn't marry Kaoru now, I…"

"I know Father that Aoshi must marry first and that he needs to produce his first heir. You have told me that so many times." Kenshin said. In the next few days, he will be spending his third year of being engaged to Kaoru. It was a bittersweet thought because Kenshin wanted to marry her as soon as possible.

"There are times that I want to force the title to you, Kenshin." Hiko took a deep breath and grabbed a bottle of sake, "But that was impossible." He took another gulp and slammed his fist on the table "As it was almost impossible for Aoshi to find happiness too."

"I'm sorry father. I could not do anything to help you." Kenshin apologised but his father put his right hand on his right shoulder.

"No son, I'm happy for you, as long you are happy with Kaoru." Hiko said and smiled at the red-haired boy he raised, "If Aoshi failed to find a girl before the year ends…" he paused and shook his head, "I will force him to marry Princess Emi!"

Well, Kenshin knew Emi, the only daughter of daimyo who resides in the Southern Kyoto. Everyone knew that the poor girl had fallen obsessively for Aoshi but unfortunately, the ice block never feels the same way about her.

"But the Empress gave me an alternative option. Kaoru was involved with this." Hiko added and Kenshin was surprised to hear his fiancée's name.

"And what would it be?" he asked. He won't allow his father to use his lover as a tool for Aoshi to love someone. What if Hiko demands Aoshi to have a child from Kaoru? It was a ridiculous idea.

"Okon has asked Kaoru to organise a party. It will be a series of balls where all women will gather and dance with Aoshi so he can choose the woman of his likings!" Hiko stated.

He shook his head at his father's idea as he thought of his younger brother. Poor Aoshi, he will suffer through a lot of women who will chase him like flies to a corpse. He imagined him rejecting the squealing women in their foul scent of perfume. He wondered if the idea would help his younger brother to find a bride. Kenshin just hopes for the best.

End of Chapter