Disclaimer: I do not own any Rurouni Kenshin characters (but oh how I wish I did!!)

AN: Ok, so this is definately my first story, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes I make. Reviews as well as critiques are most certainly welcome! Enjoy!! : )

By My Side

Ch.1

Smoke filled the air as flames danced upon the walls. They were under attack. Who would have thought that the enemy could've breeched the walled city with so little effort? They had thought themselves invincible, but they were clearly mistaken, as brusque men ransacked and murdered throughout the city. No one was safe.

Princess Kaoru and her lady-in-waiting, Misao, dashed through the halls, searching for the King and Queen. They had been going over a history lesson together in the library when the attack had started. As they entered the throne room, they found the king and her eldest brother Sanosuke shouting out orders to his generals, and the queen, with a look of pure horror etched upon her face, clutching to her youngest son desperately.

"Our forces are not strong enough to hold them off for long," a general explained, "you should get the queen and children to safety quickly, before it's too late." The ominous pounding against the door supported his statement, as the enemy was already trying to barge through, the guards trying to futilely keep the doors shut.

"Tokio, take the children through the underground chambers," Saito ordered, "Do not come back until someone sends for you."

"I'm not going to leave you," she cried, "Sano take them and go!"

Sano looked to his father for permission, who understanding his wife's stubbornness, just nodded his head for an answer.

Kaoru flew into her mothers' arms, tears streaming down her face as she embraced her for the last time. Little Yahiko, not exactly knowing what was happening started crying as well, seeing the tears from his sisters and mothers eyes.

"Take them now dammit!" Saito demanded, "Go!"

Looking back at his parents one last time, Sano picked up his brother and pulled his sister from their mother's arms. Misao, who had been crying the entire time, followed wordlessly, shock evident on her face.

"Be brave, my children," Tokio whispered as they fled the room. She walked over to her husband, taking his hand as they faced the large, double doors together, knowing that the enemy would be breaking through the barricade at any moment.

...............................................

A lone shadow drifted across the country road, the moon highlighting his crimson locks. He had not seen a soul for days, but that is how he preferred it. It left plenty of time for reflecting without any distractions, for he had much to seek atonement for.

...............................................

Gohei stalked into the throne room, following his men through what used to be the sealed entrance. He smirked at the King and his trembling wife, knowing it was over for their once grand kingdom.

"Fight me," Saitou growled, assuming his stance, hoping to at least give his children enough time to escape through the passage.

"I think I'd rather just kill you," he replied, "while my men go round up your kiddos." He gestured for half of his men to continue on through the door Sano had dragged his siblings through just moments ago, while he and the others circled round the regal couple, anticipating what was to come.

........................................................

'Shit. Shit. Shit. I can't believe I just left Mom and Dad to those monsters,' Sano thought to himself. 'I want to help fight those bastards off. But I have to get Kaoru and Yahiko to safety first, then I can come back. Damnit, I can hear them coming. Well that's just great.' He rolled back the rug quickly with Misao's help, found the notch in the floor, and pulled. He pushed Misao ahead down the stairs, and was going to pick up Yahiko to hand him down when the door burst open. Gohei's men filled the room, swords drawn.

"Go Misao," Sano harshly whispered, and at Misao's hesitant look, he added "that's an order!"

Although she didn't want to abandon them, she couldn't disobey a direct order from her prince, and so she sadly continued along the darkened hall.

Sano shut the trap door and turned to face his enemy. "Well, well, well, looks like we found ya," a rather gruesome looking man replied as he started in there direction.

Kaoru, who had finally snapped out of her shock, glared at the men, and put up her fists, mimicking her brother, ready to fight.

"Well, looks like the little chickie wants to put up a fight too. How cute," the man replied, as he started to move towards Kaoru. "You really are as beautiful as they say you know. Wouldn't mind keeping you for myself."

Sano's eyes narrowed as he boiled over with anger, "I'll be damned if I let any of you ever touch her!"

"Well damned you'll be," he yelled as he and five others charged Sano. At first Sano was holding them ok, but once he took a few hits, along with some slashes, he was starting to fade. He was renewed when he saw a few men slinking towards Kaoru, and began to recklessly lash out when he saw them start to attack her. It was then that he made his fatal error. When he turned his back to get to her, he was hit on the head with the blunt end of someone's sword, stopping his movement. He instantly crumbled to the floor.

"Sanoooo," Kaoru screamed, tears streaming down her face once again as a man drove his sword into Sano's unconscious body. Removing it and flinging him aside, the man headed towards Kaoru. It was then that Yahiko ran out from the corner and stepped between his sister and the men, arms stretched out wide, scowling.

"You're not going to hurt my sister!" The men burst out laughing as Kaoru attempted to unsuccessfully hold Yahiko back, as he kicked the guy closest to him in the shin.

"Why you little brat!" The man picked him up as Kaoru begged for them to leave him alone, but she was just tossed to the side when she tried to reach for him. The man effortlessly threw him into the wall, a resounding crack echoing through the room as he collapsed next to Sano.

As Kaoru started to run to him, a hand grasped her wrist, flinging her back towards the group of laughing men. Her eyes blazed with anger, as she kicked and punched at her captures, but was only rewarded with a harsh slap to her cheek. She bit her lip to stop her cry; she would not give these beasts the satisfaction of her scream, she would not cry. She would be strong. She would be brave, as her brothers had been when they had tried to protect her from these brutes. She looked to where her brothers lay, hoping that perhaps they were still alive. But as she saw the amount of blood pooled around the both of them, she knew they couldn't be. They couldn't help her now, no one could.

The men were tying her hands together now, she had tried to fight them, but her efforts had been fruitless. The events of that day came flooding back to her; it all seemed so surreal to her, as if she was in a horrible nightmare, and would wake up at any moment.

As the men began to drag her towards the throne room once again, she remembered that her parents were still in there. Maybe her father had been able to fight them off! But her hope was crushed as she gazed upon more of her family's blood spread upon the floor, seeping out of her parent's bodies. Her mothers lifeless eyes gazed upward, the horror still etched in their azure coloring while her fathers remained closed, as if to hide the terror he had felt for himself and his family.

Kaoru was overcome with sorrow, as she fell to the ground and wept. She cried for her brothers, who had died trying to protect her, for her beautiful mother who would shine no more, and for her father, who had seemed invincible. As she cried for her loved ones, Gohei approached the girl, pulling on her rope to make her stand. He grabbed her chin to make her look at him, and smirked at her tears.

"Looks like we picked ourselves up a souvenir," he laughed as he stroked her cheek. Kaoru jerked away from his touch and glared at him.

"Don't touch me," she whispered harshly.

"You belong to me now girly, so you better learn some respect for your master," he said back. She only responded by spitting in his face, which she received another slap for, this one causing her check to swell rather quickly. He then told his men to take whatever they wanted, and to burn the rest to the ground.