On to chapter 4, hope everyone is enjoying! Please review and let me know what you thought!
Mia21
Although the party for the Marina opening didn't end until the wee hours of the morning, Prince Kenshin, Sano, and Aoshi were up shortly after dawn, practicing swordsmanship in the royal families private dojo.
"I may always be the first to believe in you hair-brained ideas, but even I have a hard time believing you can recognize the girl who saved you." Sano told him.
"You were half-drowned Your Highness, and it was the middle of the night." Aoshi agreed.
"It doesn't matter. I'm positive Kaoru was the one who dragged me to shore." Kenshin assured them.
"Very well, if you insist Miss Kaoru is your savior we will endeavor to believe you." Aoshi said, crossing swords with the prince.
"Considering the months you've pondered over her and searched for her, you could certainly do worse than Miss Kaoru." Sano said, watching his friends move forward and back, parrying, lunging, and landing counterstrikes.
The prince grinned, "Thank you Sano."
When the time for the dinner that evening came, Kaoru was dressed in a saffron gown with blue embroidery in the pattern of flowers.
"How are you tonight, Miss Kaoru?" Lord Sano inquired, materializing by her side.
"I am well. And you three?" Kaoru asked, noticing Aoshi and Misao behind him.
"We are fantastic. Who doesn't love a good party?" Sano said.
"Would you like to eat with us tonight?" Misao asked.
"Yes, please." Kaoru answered, watching Lord Aoshi turn and disappear into the crowd, presumably finding someone to ask about having Kaoru seated with them. Studying the crowd around them, Kaoru saw the prince, along with someone else.
"I've seen her with the Prince several times. Who is she?" Kaoru asked, nodding to the tall dark-haired woman who stood next to the Prince, her hands inflexibly holding his arm as they always seemed to be.
"That's Lady Megumi. The Prince's parents have been pushing him towards her all season." Misao said.
"Aye, she's a good match," Aoshi said, joining the conversation upon his return. "To make sure and keep themselves from any political machinations and to keep everyone's chances equal, the royal family has married lower-class nobility for the past century or two. Before the King married her, Lady Akane was the only child of the Nakamura family, who had no other branches and kept to themselves with their food business."
"And Lady Megumi is the only daughter of the Takani family, who keep to themselves and their health care business." Misao added.
"Ah, I see. So she is the perfect choice." Kaoru offered.
"His parents certainly think so, but I'm not sure Kenshin agrees." Sano commented.
"Really?" Kaoru asked, her interest sparked, but Sano just shrugged and would say nothing more. Just then, the orchestra struck up a lively tune. "May I have this dance?" Sano inquired. Kaoru nodded, allowing the tall man to lead her onto the dance floor. The dance itself involved whirling around one's partner and clapping in a steady beat. The longer the dance went, the faster the dancers whirled, ducking under each other's arms and popping upright. When the dance finally ended, Kaoru felt exhilarated, the pair returning to Aoshi and Misao, who stood with Prince Kenshin.
"Forgive me for not mentioning this before, but you are a beautiful dancer Miss Kaoru." Prince Kenshin said. His smile was warm tonight, not the false one he normally wore, and there was something in his eyes…'Perhaps hope.' Kaoru thought, knowing she would mull over that later.
"Kenshin? Dinner is about to be served. We should lead the way to the dining hall." Lady Megumi said, appearing behind them.
"I suppose you are right. I will see the four of you after dinner." The prince answered, turning to offer his arm, now wearing his false smile.
"Enjoy." Aoshi told him, waggling his fingers at their exit.
Dinner was over with fairly quickly, Kaoru seated with Sano, Aoshi, and Misao. Afterwards there was more dancing, Kaoru left standing by the refreshments table when Aoshi took Misao out for a turn and Sano took Lady Chiyo out.
"Miss Kaoru, is it? Not even any parents to cite – how pitiable." A soft voice from behind her said. Kaoru turned, and found herself face to face with Lady Megumi.
"What is it that you want, Lady Megumi?" Kaoru asked.
"Simply to give you a fair warning. You are nothing, you mean nothing. Prince Kenshin is mine, no matter how you might divert him for the moment. He certainly would never marry a commoner, let alone one who has no proper family. I will be queen, and when I am you can be certain you will never see Kenshin again."
"If that is true, why are you so angry? Are you worried your beauty can't win against someone who is nothing?" Kaoru asked, turning away. She was rescued from any further scathing comments when Sano, Aoshi, and Misao returned, the dance having ended. Kaoru watched Lady Megumi flounce off, probably to find the prince and rope him into another dance.
"What was that about?" Misao asked.
"Oh, she just wanted to warn me away from the prince, although from what you told me tonight, she already has all but the priest."
All three nobles laughed at Kaoru's words.
Oh, Megumi told Kaoru! Feel kinda awful making Megumi the bad character. Well, she's not really bad, just wants what she sees as her do. Plus Kaoru isn't very happy with Megumi in the beginning of Rurouni Kenshin anyway and her Ken-San.
Let me know what you guys thought!
Mia21