A/N: I wonder why the last chapter had a very few reviews. Have my story have become boring? Is it because I change the story profile picture for awhile? Or is it because I make Misao an infant?

Anyway, thank you for Ihaine 07, Getsunohimesama, and t42n24t2 for your reviews. It gave me the motivation to continue this story

Chapter 11

The morning sun woke Kaoru up. The sun was warm and the birds were chirping. Her body was sore but nothing more than what she felt after her usual rigorous training.

She felt elated and a bit mellowed. Kaoru realized that her husband was not in her side.

'Why is he not here?'

Last night she had said the words. She never imagined that she would say such words in such moment. It would be easy to think it as a spur of the moment.

He had… Kaoru blushed. He had been very gentle and suddenly she just said the words.

She did not regret saying it. She was not even sure whether it was truly only a spur of the moment.

She did not regret anything. She had enjoyed his touches and kisses. He had been every bit of a gentleman and… and he had satisfied her.

She never thought that she would be so wanting… so aggressive. At least not in her first time.

Nothing and something. She walked from her bed to her vanity table. Her body did not show any difference yet inside she felt so different. Her skin also felt more sensitive.

"My Queen, may I come in?" Megumi was knocking the door.

Kaoru immediately wore her nightgown. "Come in."

Megumi came inside, her face was detached.

"I come to take the sheet my queen. We have to show the proof of the consummation," she said.

"And the proof of my virginity I assumed."

Megumi nodded.

"What will happen if there is no blood in the sheet after a wedding night?"

"It rarely happen my queen."

"But what happen when it does?"

"It will be up to the husband and his family. They might just pretend that there is blood."

"Or?"

"They will cast away the woman. Her family can take her back," Megumi said.

"Or they can just left her to fend for herself in the street," Megumi added with a sad tone.

Kaoru sighed. She already read about it in some books but it was different hearing it firsthand.

"Don't people in Hiten know that not all women bleed during their first intercourse? That some pregnant women can even still have their maidenhead intact?"

Megumi was silent.

"Don't they?"

"Do they my queen? I mean, how can they still have it intact?"

"Because each woman is different. Sometimes, the maidenhead does not break even after an intercourse," she said.

"For other women, her maidenhead can be broken if she have done some hard physical activities and accidentally break it," Kaoru said.

"I… We never know that," Megumi stuttered. Still astonished, Megumi came to the bed and took the sheet.

"There is blood in the sheet my queen," she said.

"Even if there was not, I know I was a virgin Megumi," Kaoru felt stressed. She imagined the life of the poor women who were cast away because of foolish misperception. She knew it was not Megumi's fault.

"Of course my queen," Megumi immediately took the sheet and went away.

XXXX

Kaoru was having a bad mood. Kenshin was not around and the incident with the sheet made her sad.

She had taken a bath and had breakfast but she did not really want to go outside the room.

"My queen can I come in? I bring Misao," Lady Tokio said.

Now, that's a way to brighten her day. Kaoru immediately opened the door and hugged her goddaughter. The baby laughed, smiling widely to her. Children… the blessings of the world.

XXXX

"She is such a happy baby," Kaoru said as the three of them took a stroll in the castle garden.

"Yes, she is. She loves to laugh and hear music. She also loves to hear stories. She won't sleep before Hajime tells her a story."

Kaoru laughed as she imagined the formidable Lord Saitou telling bedtime stories to little Misao.

"I am sorry Lady Tokio. It's just…. I can't imagine your husband telling children stories," Kaoru giggled.

"Nah… his stories are mostly about his battles. It's a good thing that Misao did not really understand it. But he does make interesting face expressions and my daughter like it."

"You are a very lucky woman Lady Tokio. Your husband really loves his family."

"Yes, he does," Tokio smiled.

"Are there many?"

"Pardon me?"

"Husbands and fathers who adore their families like Lord Saitou?"

"Well, our men do love their families but mostly they do not show their affections. They are afraid that it would undermine their authority. Their roles are as breadwinners and protectors."

"So they did not do much in raising their children?"

"It is a father's duty to ensure his sons to be strong warriors. In home, they train their sons about warfare. Most men do not care much for their daughters," Tokio said.

This conversation was beginning to depress her. She had always known that Hiten had a very male-oriented culture.

"As you said, I am a very lucky woman. Most men in Hiten had more than one wife yet my Hajime is very loyal to me. He also adores Misao," Tokio smiled.

Kaoru suddenly remembered her husband. "Have you seen my husband in the throne room Lady Tokio?" she asked.

"I did not my lady."

"I had asked the guards and they did not know also."

"I believe he had an important business my queen."

Kaoru sighed. It seemed that her husband was not the romantic type. Well, not that she was surprised. But then… she felt a bit slighted as a woman. In Kamiya, most newlyweds did not leave each other for a week or more. Was she really that unimportant for him? Or was he mad about anything that happened last night? Was he…

Sensing the bad mood of her queen, Tokio said, "Would you like to hold Misao again my queen?"

Kaoru nodded while feeling a bit guilty that she was using a baby as a distraction. But then Misao laughed and Kaoru felt her mood becoming lighter.

XXXX

Even after the sun set, Kenshin had not come back to the castle. This was supposed to be their honeymoon, yet she never felt so alone.

What happened? Did she not please him?

She felt bored. Megumi did not allow her to do any of her previous jobs.

"Your Majesty you are no longer a servant. There will be others to supervise the healers," Megumi insisted.

Her first obligation was clear. To produce an heir as soon as possible.

The night was cold and she was alone in the royal bed. While Kaoru knew that all these were parts of her own choice, she could not stop herself from wondering if only things were different.

She sat in the chair nearby the door, waiting for her husband. If he came soon, she might no longer feel this loneliness.

XXXX

Kaoru woke up. She had fallen asleep in the chair. The sky was still dark.

Kaoru felt so restless. Damn… she could not stand it. She wanted to walk out from the room and take some fresh air. But it would be annoying if the guards follow her around and watch her every movement. The last thing that she wanted was to act as an elegant queen when she was fuming with emotion.

Kaoru walked to the bed and had a funny idea.

'If I jump in the bed like I used to do, will I feel better?'

Kaoru grinned. Even after she became a queen, she often did that when no one watching. Whenever she felt things were stressful, she tried to do small things to cheer herself. Indulging a part of her childish behavior to make her life less heavy.

Kaoru giggled like a child. She jumped in the bed. Once… Twice… Third….

Suddenly, she heard a voice of moving stones. She gasped as the wall next to the fireplace cracked open. She came closer to inspect. There was a small tunnel behind the wall. Big enough for one person to pass through.

A secret passage, Kaoru thought. Kaoru took a candle and went inside. She felt a bit afraid. But well… what is life without a bit of risk. She would be careful though, she did not want to be trapped inside.

The tunnel was small yet clean. It's likely a secret path used only by the royalty. Kamiya's castle also had similar tunnels. The tunnel branched into three directions.

She took the left way and found a door. She opened the door and found herself in the royal garden's gazebo.

Well… what a great thing. Kaoru walked to the royal garden. There were no guard stationed inside the garden although they guarded the wall that surrounded the garden. If she did not make much noise, they wouldn't even notice.

Kaoru walked to the garden. It was full moon time and she could see the silhouette of flowers. She had liked the garden since the first time she came. There was something that made her felt so comfortable and safe in this place even in the darkness.

'If I have children, I will teach them to plant flowers and medicines in this garden,' she thought. 'I will also sleep with them in this gazebo. Maybe the violet eyed angel will also visit them.'

Thinking of 'the angel' reminded Kaoru of his missing husband.

'Is it possible that he is still working in his private office?' Kaoru thought. 'I wonder if any of the way is connected to his office. It would make sense anyway'.

Kaoru went back to the tunnel and continue to walk to the right direction. After walking for five minutes, she found a stair. The stair led to another hidden door. Kaoru opened the door and realized that she was in the alley in front of the room of nobles.

The nobles that visited the castle stayed in this floor. Kaoru tried to remember the passage to Kenshin's private office. As she was pondering, the door of the room in front of her cracked open. Kaoru instinctively hid herself in the corner.

A shirtless man walked from the door. A woman followed. And before Kaoru could blow her candle to hide herself, the man suddenly kissed the woman passionately.

Kaoru gasped. The candle fell away. The couple reflexively looked at her direction.

There was no doubt. There, in the arms of Tomoe Yukishiro, was her red head husband.

A/N: Okay, time to hate Kenshin.