Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.
The Heart of a Queen
By Sevick
The first time ever I saw your face…
CHAPTER TWO:
Recognition flooded his eyes as he stared up at Kaoru. She could almost see the thoughts moving through his head. The female guard… is the queen…
"Cut him loose," she ordered suddenly, and the room burst into noise. Where before snakelike whispers had moved through the room, people now engaged in outright conversation. Gohei ran up to Kaoru's side, shock written in bold letters across his face.
"What do you think you're doing!? He's a dangerous criminal!"
"Did you find any weapons on this man? Any signs that he is a spy or an invader?" Kaoru asked calmly, eyeing Gohei carefully. In her peripheral vision she saw Shishio approach at his lazy gait from the side.
"He did have a sword, a strange one - and he would not answer any of our questions in interrogation," Shishio said as he reached their place in the middle of the court. "I would not recommend any rash actions on your first day ruling the court, my lady."
"Traveling alone in a foreign country, I suppose he would want a sword with him. And I'd imagine he wouldn't answer your questions, Shishio," Kaoru replied bitterly, silencing the room and gaining everyone's attention once more. "Captured by a swarm of guards, shoved into a dungeon, and asked, I'm sure, a bunch of inappropriate and personal questions. I can only imagine what sort of physical abuse he might have endured. He was probably frightened out of his mind. I wouldn't have answered your questions either."
The captive stared up at her, mesmerized by the fire in her eyes, unable to look away. It seemed everyone else in the room was equally entranced. Shishio only glared at her.
"Cut him loose," she ordered again, and the guards hastened to follow her orders.
"But Kaoru, he's from Tokugawa, he's-"
"It's an order, Gohei. My order." Kaoru sent a chilling glare in Gohei's direction, silencing him effectively. The rest of the court remained silent.
The guard sliced off the ropes with his sword, and the captive's arms fell forward. His wrists were marked by torn flesh, his hands trembling slightly.
Kaoru knelt forward, the fabric of her gown bunching about her knees. Her jewels tinkled softly as she descended to the captive's eye level. As though they were one body, the court members held their breath. The queen-to-be, down on her knees!
"I apologize sincerely for the actions of my guards," she said in a warm tone as she gazed deeply into the captive's eyes. He only stared back, seemingly amazed. "You may stay as a guest here in the palace for as long as you like."
"I do not deserve such kindness and splendor, Your Majesty. You do not know me," the captive said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. Kaoru smiled.
"Everyone has things they wish to hide… You must at least stay one night, attend my coronation ball, and rest for your continued journey," she said with a forceful edge to her words. The captive looked up, into the eyes of a queen.
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
The room once again dissolved into private conversations. As Kaoru stood and the guards helped the captive to his feet, Misao watched with concern in her eyes. She took her husband's hand.
"There are troubled days ahead," she whispered softly. Aoshi nodded without a word, his eyes fixed on the man the guards helped towards the stairwell. The court members continued to talk.
"Silence! Court is adjourned for the day so that everyone may prepare themselves for my coronation," Kaoru announced from the steps to her throne. "I expect every one of my guests in the palace to be treated with kindness and respect."
The court members disbanded, the same topic on everyone's lips. The former King had always been too kind to prisoners, and it seemed his daughter had inherited the same trait. Would it prove her downfall?
As the throne room emptied out, Kaoru returned to her throne and sat down with a weary sigh. She had seen the bruises peeking through the captive's tattered clothes. The poor man… She could only hope he would take advantage of her kindness and stay more than one night. It was the least she could do.
Soon no one was left but Kaoru and Shishio. Gohei had stormed off, furious. With his usual lanky steps, Shishio approached the throne.
"A foolish action for your first day, my lady," he drawled as he stood beside her throne. Kaoru did not even look at him. "It will be remembered for your entire reign, and I predict your foolish kindness will mark your downfall."
"Are you already predicting my downfall, Shishio? Is this the sort of confidence a general should inspire in his queen? His master?" she said bitterly as she stared him straight in the eyes, the only part of his face truly visible. She could see the singed eyelids, the wrinkled flesh charred by old flames. But the fiercest fires lay within his eyes, simmering just beneath the surface.
"I merely caution you, my lady. You are young, and you have just inherited greater power than you could ever imagine. It is more than playing dress-up and giving orders; you hold a nation of people in your hands. At this time, more than ever, your people need those hands to be strong and ruthless, able to crush the enemy at any moment should there be need," Shishio said with a subtle grin. "I fear you releasing an enemy prisoner will not go over well with your nervous and frightened subjects. Especially with Jineh-"
"Enough. I choose to believe that ruthlessness is not power, Shishio," Kaoru said as she rose from her throne and began descending from the platform.
"But to make him a guest in the palace? Foolishness."
"It is only for one night," Kaoru replied quietly, her eyes downcast. She watched her jeweled shoes peek out from beneath her gown with every step. "After what you did to him, it's the least I could do."
"I will do what I must to protect this country."
"Like invade Tokugawa again?" Kaoru knew she had broached a sensitive subject, could tell by the way Shishio's hands suddenly tensed and fisted. By the quivering rage in his eyes, it looked as though he were about to strike her.
With a scowl, he turned abruptly and left. Kaoru released a breath, and then looked at the place on the floor where the captive had knelt. Where she had knelt in front of him…
"Shall I make you proud, Father? Or shall I bring this kingdom down around me?" she whispered to herself, before she saw Gohei motioning her towards the stairwell.
It was time to become a queen.
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"I can't believe you did that!" Misao nearly shouted as she burst into Kaoru's bedroom. Kaoru sat at the vanity, surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, who were all attending to her hair and make-up for the coronation. "Freed a Tokugawan prisoner! They'll be talking about it for days, months, years!"
"Calm down, Misao," Kaoru said calmly as a lady tugged on her hair.
"Are you excited? Mere hours from becoming queen of Meiji! The first queen ever known in these parts. Will you still be my friend once you are true royalty?"
"I'm true royalty now, I always have been," Kaoru said with a slight grin. One of the ladies doing her make-up scolded her, and she allowed her face to fall flat. Brushes and pins pinched and poked her all over her head.
Misao approached the vanity so that she could meet Kaoru's eyes in the mirror.
"Why did you do it, Kaoru?" she said softly, and all the ladies slowed their work to listen. Kaoru peered at Misao intently, weighing whether or not to answer.
"There was something in his eyes," she answered, before lowering her eyes to the vanity desk. "And he was an innocent man." She glanced quickly back up at Misao, who looked as though she were about to ask another question when one of her maids came running into the room.
"Miss Misao, you must prepare for the coronation!" she shouted, running over and bowing hastily towards Kaoru before turning a begging look to her mistress. "Sir Aoshi is urgently looking for you." Misao gave Kaoru a grin and then turned to follow her maid.
"Well, if Sir Aoshi said so…"
The ladies made idle chit chat as they continued preparing Kaoru for the coronation. Kaoru zoned off, staring at her reflection in the mirror, as layers of make-up built up her pretty face to perfection. On the other side of the room, a tailor made careful last-minute adjustments to her gown.
Kaoru had been a princess all her life. The court seemed to dismiss her, believing that one day the king would have a male heir and tradition would continue. But then her mother had died, and the king had shocked everyone by refusing to marry again. Kaoru became the only heir, and uneasiness settled into the people.
Then the Bakumatsu Wars began, and no one had any time to be uneasy. Some say her father had ordered the invasion, others say Shishio did it on his own, but either way the formerly peaceful kingdom of Meiji suddenly invaded Tokugawa. Shishio disappeared for a while, but when her father became desperate to end the war, he brought him back. The mysterious battle of Hitokiri ended in the Tokugawa troops retreating and Shishio burned, his troops returning to Meiji. A shaky peace took hold, with a flimsy treaty the only thing keeping the now bitter enemy kingdoms from going to war yet again.
It had been ten years since then, but the people remembered the pain and suffering as though it reoccurred every day. She knew a queen was not as comforting as a powerful king, but she believed that she could be every bit as strong a ruler as any man.
Kaoru met her own gaze in the reflection. She would be the best ruler Meiji ever knew.
The ladies stepped away, admiring the work. As Kaoru rose from the vanity, the tailor came over to help her into her gown.
Within moments, Kaoru was surrounded in finery, from the diamonds decorating her hair, ears, and neck to the silk and lace covering her body. The gown was a deep blue, with highlights of sky blue and lowlights of amethyst. As she turned, those attending her gasped and praised as appropriate, though she liked to imagine they were sincere in their attention.
She lifted a hand to touch her head, which was unusually void of a tiara or elaborate hairstyle.
"In a few moments, there will be a crown there," one of her ladies said, eyes glistening. She had grown up with many of them, and in the cold days after her mother's death, they had been family.
Gohei strutted into the room, dressed in all his regal finery.
"It is time," he said, opening the door and leading Kaoru out. She slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow, shoving her shoulders back and lifting her chin. No longer a princess – now a queen.
"I'm ready," she whispered, and they walked to the top of the stairwell. The stairs led into the foyer of the castle, which connected with the throne room through a large archway to the side. A red carpet led down the stairs, through the foyer, and straight to her throne.
As musicians began a pounding processional, Kaoru and Gohei descended the stairs step by step. Those attending the event whispered and praised Kaoru's beauty as she glided down the stairwell like an angel coming down from heaven. Excitement and nerves clashed in Kaoru's belly, but she held her smile stiff and her eyes darted about, trying to take in every one of her subjects who had come to celebrate with her.
She barely remembered her father's coronation, when her grandfather died, for she had been barely older than a toddler at the time; but she liked to think she remembered the glittering lights, the twirling skirts, and the regal music as the ceremony went on. Of course, that could be just about any ball, but she could pretend with herself this time.
As they turned into the throne room, Kaoru held her breath and gazed ahead at the throne. Silk fell in smooth lines behind and around it, and rose petals were strewn over the marble steps. The Royal Minister stood beside the throne, the gilded crown on a velvet pillow at his side.
"This is it," Gohei whispered to her as they reached the first stair. He placed a chaste kiss to her cheek, and released her trembling hand. Then he stepped into the shadows.
Kaoru stood alone before the throne. This was it. Going over the rehearsed motions in her head, she took her first step towards the throne.
Step by step, Kaoru climbed before she reached the top of the platform where the Royal Minister stood.
She could hear him beginning the ritual words; automatically she replied as she had practiced. Finally, they reached the last of the phrases.
"Do you take the land of Meiji into your hands, for safekeeping, in poverty and wealth, in peace and in war, until death takes you?"
Kaoru gazed up into the minister's smiling eyes, and then eyed the shining crown for only a moment.
"I do."
Putting one leg forward, she slowly lowered herself to one knee. Immediately she was hit with a vision of that afternoon, when she had knelt to stare into the eyes of the captive. She saw him, staring at her, his eyes digging into her soul.
Then she felt the weight of the crown settle on her head.
Gracefully, as she had practiced, she stood from her place and smiled at the minister. Then she turned on her heels to face the crowd, which waited on bated breath for her to complete the ceremony. Kaoru stepped back until her legs hit the throne, and then sat down into the large marble seat. The minister cleared his throat and stepped towards the crowd.
"May I introduce, Her Majesty, Queen Kaoru of Meiji!"
The crowd yelled and cheered, some throwing long-stemmed roses onto the marble platform and steps. Kaoru closed her eyes and basked in the moment. Her entire body trembled and tingled, and she couldn't keep from smiling. She was queen now.
She opened her eyes, and found herself staring right into a pair of amethyst eyes in the crowd.
It was the captive, though his shaggy hair had been trimmed and his filthy skin cleaned. He was dressed in a borrowed outfit, a regal suit, and was suddenly the most handsome man she'd ever seen. As she stared, he smiled up at her, his hands clasped behind his back. For a moment she imagined they were tied there, but then he lifted one to straighten his collar.
Kaoru pulled her gaze away from him.
But for the rest of the ceremony, as she received endless congratulations, her eyes kept returning to find, once again, the man with the violet eyes.
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"You look beautiful tonight, Kaoru," an oily female voice said from her side, as Kaoru moved towards the doorway of the ballroom. She turned to see Megumi standing there, in a stunning red gown, eyeing her with a smirk. "Or shall I call you, 'Your Majesty', now?"
"You're family, Megumi. Call me Kaoru."
The crown had been replaced with a lighter tiara, and some of the layers had been removed from the dress so that she could dance. Still, the blue silk flowed over her modest curves and enhanced the deep sapphire of her eyes.
"You know, I don't blame you for freeing that Tokugawa man," Megumi said as she stepped partially through the doorway. "He is incredibly handsome. Perhaps I should welcome him to Meiji properly." With that, she slipped completely into the ballroom.
Kaoru growled beneath her breath and smoothed the top layer of her dress.
"There's nothing 'proper' about how you'd welcome him, Megumi," she muttered to herself as Gohei walked up beside her.
"Ready for your coronation ball?" he asked with a smile, his earlier anger dismissed or at least forgotten for the moment.
"Yes," she replied as once again she took his arm and allowed him to lead her into the room. The dancers on the wood dance floor halted their twirling to welcome her with congratulations and applause.
And standing to the side was the captive, smiling and cheering like the rest. Megumi stood closely at his side.
Kaoru and Gohei strolled out to the middle of the dance floor, as the dancers parted like the waters of the Red Sea. Then the orchestra struck up a waltz, and they began their first dance. If Kaoru had been married, it would have been with her husband that she took this dance. But, as everyone was well aware, she was not.
After an appropriate amount of time, others joined the waltz. Soon the dance floor was once again teeming with dancers.
Kaoru could see Misao happily dancing with Aoshi, who looked emotionless as usual. Although, upon closer inspection, Kaoru could see the warmth in his eyes as he gazed down at the woman pressed against his chest. They were inappropriately close, but anyone who gave them a second glance merely smiled a knowing smile. It had only been a few weeks since their wedding.
Kaoru looked around for the captive; he was nowhere to be seen.
But then she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"May I cut in?"
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Author's Notes: Hi! Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed the last chapter! Next chapter things really get going - so stay tuned. Should I do chapter previews? Let me know - I did in my last story (a long time ago) and if you guys like them, I'll do them for this story too.
The opening line/chapter title is from the song, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", by Celine Dion