I don't own RK.
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Night was taking forever to come. Lord Hiko Seijiro had grilled Aoshi during the midday to verify the truth for he had taken actions based on impulse rather than fact during their meeting in the twilight hours of the morning. Shinomori Aoshi had replied an affirmative to Shishio's claim and referred him to the elderly woman who was the head of the household in the main Mitsurugi Manor. The elderly woman had resided in Kaoru's village in Nagasaki, former head of the servants in the palace during the reign of the monarch and confidante to Kaoru's foster father, Kamiya Koshijiro. She had been the mother of a recently departed heroic soldier during their raids on Houshi Manor and had hence been allowed to stay in the Mitsurugi mansion to watch over its household running. Hiko did not know whether to thank Kamiya Koshijiro, an ex minister to the past monarchy, for raising his daughter in such a strong and independent way or to hate him for not returning her to his side during his years of search. He sighed and went off to embark on his guaranteed method of stress relied – sparring with his baka deshi.
"Kenshin" he bellowed from the veranda overlooking the courtyard where the soldiers trained.
Kenshin whipped his head up and turned to face an annoyed Hiko from his position at the centre of the courtyard. Giving instructions to Sano who was now the next in charge, Kenshin left the courtyard and approached his shissou.
"Shissou" he acknowledged, as he climbed up the steps onto the veranda, bowing as he met his Lord and teacher. It was only when they were alone was he allowed to address Hiko so.
"Dojo" was the sole word Hiko murmured and began walking in its direction. Kenshin followed after him, he knew better then to argue with his shissou when Hiko was in one of his moods.
They sparred seriously, each treating the other as an enemy to be vanquished and sustained cuts and bruises. At the end of the sparring session, both master and student treated their cuts with the balm on the shelf at the front of the dojo in silence.
"You said her during the meeting" muttered Hiko, breaking the stifling silence.
"Yes," came Kenshin's reply after the momentary pause as he closed the balm and returned it to the shelf.
"How long did you know?"
"I only knew Kaoru was a girl after we conquered Houshi, I had my suspicions on her identity though"
"And you did not discuss it with me?"
"You would have killed her then. She would not resist death by your orders"
"You think I will kill my only daughter?"
Kenshin remained silent at Hiko's question, his eyes trained on the shelf where he had placed the balm, never shifting till the door of the dojo slid open and shut, signaling Lord Seijiro's departure. He could not answer his master's question.
--
Kaoru stirred once again on that futon and let out a groan, when she realised where she was. Attempting yet again to get up from her lying position, she was expectedly greeted by pain and an unexpected voice.
"I don't think you should get up"
Reaching for her pillow which had retuned once again to her side, she flung it in the direction of the voice in a sudden motion, this time successfully hitting the figure in the face. Soujiro blinked, momentarily losing his grin for the 2nd time around her in 2 days. Did she just hit him with a pillow?
"Who is that?" she demanded, her senses dulled by the drugs and her voice raspy. The blasted room was poorly lit with only candles by the side of her futon and dimming sun rays from the door – it was late afternoon now.
"Seta Soujiro" Soujiro supplied helpfully, the grin returning to his face as he moved closer to her futon so that the candle light highlighted his face. She had by then, managed to pull herself into an upright position.
"TenKen" growled Kaoru in response, "I really hope you are in as much pain as I am"
Soujiro laughed at that and shocked Kaoru for a moment for it was not a harsh cruel laugh but one of merriment. He had never laughed back in the days they spent together in Mitsurugi Manor.
"Now," he teased, "Is this how you thank your saviour?"
"Thank? You want me to thank you?" snapped Kaoru, "Honestly, what has the mummy taught you? I am dead certain mercy is not one of them. What is it that you want from me?"
"Information"
"Don't see a torture chamber here"
"Bargains"
"What?"
"I am sure Shishio-sama told you that-"
"That he wants my father who happens to be 6 feet below and decomposing"
"You wish for death then?"
"I do not shy away from it. It follows me everywhere I go"
"Yet you fought to live"
Kaoru fell silent at his statement. She did not know how to rebut that statement but her strong pride would not allow Soujiro to win this argument.
"As would you," she replied sharply, looking him in the eye after a brief second of silence, "and any other man in a similar situation"
Soujiro's face remained constant throughout their conversation. As much as he would like to continue their bickering match just like old times, he had to prepare for the coming of the Mitsurugi Manor. He had to get his own wounds treated and healed to minimise the handicap he would face if the need of battle should arise.
"Drink this" he stated, pointing to the cup lying at the top of the futon. Kaoru turned her head around to see the cup of cold tea resting at the edge of the futon and scowled.
"No way, it is cold" she replied even though her dry throat was screaming for moisture. Her instincts demanded she stayed consciously away from enemy food and water. Besides, she was not too fond of cold tea.
Soujiro picked up the cup with his left hand and with the same smile and swift skill succeeded to force the raging girl to swallow the tea using a move doctors used to force feed their patients. Kaoru gagged and choked on the liquid that was welcomed by her dry throat. Coughing and sputtering, she pushed against Soujiro who had held her close to his chest by an arm wrapped carefully around her slim waist avoiding her wounds.
"Scoundrel, cad, mud pool, pig…"she cursed as she coughed, trying desperately to force the liquid out of her system. Then her vision blurred and her instincts triumphed in the fact that they were right. "Low life prick" she slurred as she wavered from her upright sitting position and collapsed into Soujiro's awaiting arms, falling into defeated unconsciousness.
Resting her body back on the futon, Soujiro got up to retrieve the pillow for the second time and lifted her head gently to tuck the pillow underneath it. Brushing the rogue locks of hair that covered her face and tucking them behind her ear, he admired her sleeping face before standing up and leaving the room to prepare for the arrival of the Mitsurugi Manor.
--
As Lord Seijiro and his 2 other captains approached, they were greeted by Lady Yumi. Bowing in respect, she said simply, "My Lord expects you; please follow me carefully for the cave fortress is doom to those who do not know the way." Upon crossing over several booby trapped rooms which still held the bodies of its victims, Kenshin fervently hoped that spunky Kaoru had not tried to escape the cave. (Well, we all know she had).
Approaching the grand hall where Makoto Shishio awaited, the men settled down in the cushions prepared for them. The sole female, in the room which was brightly lit by dozens of candles, was Yumi and she was happily seated beside Shishio. Kaoru was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is she?" demanded Lord Seijiro, "I will only commence talks when I see her"
Shishio merely snapped his fingers in reply and the main door once again slid open to reveal Soujiro carrying an unconscious Kaoru in a bridal style. Soujiro walked in calmly, ignoring the intense gaze he was receiving from each of the men from the Mitsurugi Manor and settled himself down beside Shishio. Shifting his hold of Kaoru so that she was now cradled in his arms with her head rested against his chest as he sat in a kneeling position. Kenshin growled at the intimacy of Soujiro's position to Kaoru and wanted nothing more but to sheathe his sword and embed it into TenKen's heart when that annoying smile of Soujiro's widened at his reaction.
"Pretty little thing isn't she?" commented Shishio as he smirked at the 3 glaring men who had silently eyed the unconscious girl. Yumi let out a low noise of disproval at Shishio's comment and at the blood stain that was on her kimono that rested in Kaoru's body.
"What have you done to her?" came Hiko's low and dangerous voice
"Induced her into a state of unconsciousness. Her wounds are pretty bad from battle and triggering the little booby traps around here" replied Shishio smoothly. "Don't worry daddy dearest," mocked Shishio as he saw lines of worry seeping through the usual stoic man's face, "your little girl will be kept safe"
"What do you want?" snarled Hiko
"Alliance," Shishio replied, "I am all too aware of what Lord Amakusa's intentions are and I know my own military strength. Dear captain here saw to it that I lost half of my soldiers and vice-captain destroyed a good quarter of my supplies. I will be the eventual ruler of Japan."
"Did you think I will serve you?"
"No…but I did think you would not want your little girl harmed. She does have her mother's spirit and pretty eyes you know."
Hiko fumed, Shishio had got him right where he wanted. Helpless. If it was someone else, including his baka deshi (Hiko doubted this possibility); he would have gladly sacrificed the fool. But this was his daughter – all he had left in this world. He could and would not lose her again. The 2 captains who sat behind him knew his eventual answer and closed their eyes, not wanting to witness the defeat of their proud Lord. Hiko opened his mouth to form the words when jingles of bamboo were heard. It was then that Kaoru began to awake once more, slowing taking in the events.
Shishio and Soujiro looked around the room and frowned. "You did not comply with the rules!" hissed Shishio as he stood up, clutching his sword. The cave shook with cannon fire and screams could be heard. An attack was commencing.
"It is not me!" snarled Hiko angry at the sudden change of situation. He too stood up clutching his sword. The cave shook with cannon fire once again and the many candles that served to illuminate the room began to tilt and fall on the wooden floor boards, setting the hall a blaze.
Yumi beckoned away and headed for the secret passage way hidden behind the screen of the great hall. "Stay behind me" whispered Soujiro as he got up from his sitting position with Kaoru, gently pushing her behind him.
Cannon fire came yet again and in a cave such as the one there were in, it could mean its collapse. They had to get out. Kenshin, Soujiro, Hiko and Shishio however readied for battle. In the flurry of rocks that came tumbling down and the fire that began raging, their battle was forcibly stopped. Kaoru had dodged away from the rocks with great difficulty thanks to the kimono and her injuries. By some stroke of luck, in the process of doing so, she had managed to come to Kenshin's side. She did not know whether that the stroke of luck was good or bad for he had shot her an odd look and yanked her by the wrist away towards the main doors of the blazing hall almost painfully, carefully avoiding the crumbling rocks.
Making a dash on a path which he had memorised from the blueprint Aoshi had managed to obtain in redemption of Shishio's cave mansion. Whichever idiot who was firing the cannons, Kenshin did not know whether to thank him or to swear at him. Racing through the steps, they finally reached a small clearing which was guarded securely by Aoshi's team and his battalions of men. The both of them were panting hard by this time and were wounded but still remained standing. Kenshin's grip on Kaoru's wrist was still firm.
"Himura-san. I-" she was cut off by Kenshin's lips pressing against hers in a desperate kiss. Her eyes widened. She had meant to explain her situation, give her thanks and accept her eventual fate but he had caught her totally off guard.
Pulling back slightly, he released her wrist and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and rested his chin on her left shoulder, effectively hiding his face from her gaze. "Don't say anything" he softly implored, closing his eyes and savouring the feel of her in his arms. He was conveniently ignoring the emerging presence of Lord Seijiro and Doctor Gensai as well as the omni-presence of the many spies Aoshi had stationed there, along with Misao.
--
Shishio and Soujiro emerged scarred and wounded. The cave had collapsed and along with Yumi, they were the sole survivors. Shishio let out a cry of anguish and out of the darkness that surrounded them, 3 swords were pointed at each of their necks.
"Shishio" came the voice of the owner of the sword which was pointed at Shishio's neck.
"Lord Amakusa" snarled Shishio, his eyes burning with rage.
"You found her and you harmed her" stated Lord Amakusa Shuugei coldly.
Silence prevailed for a moment and Lord Amakusa's lips thinned into a snarl as he loped off Shishio's head in a single stroke, earning a loud shriek from Yumi. The same was done with TenKen but Yumi was spared for she would be pleasurable company for the men who served well this night. Leaving the bodies by the clearing, the men and their Lord faded into the darkness.
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A/N: Next up the final chapter! I apologise for any spelling and grammatical errors. They are purely unintentional. )
I am not sure if I am the only one feeling this way but the story is beginning to take on a more crappy turn, which is unintended. Urgh. I may re-write it in the near future, for now though, I need to have at least the outline out here before my muses die and I forget the idea entirely. Really sorry if it has become a letdown. .