The Voice

11

Mine

Your absence hurts me, kills me.

Come back, please.

Fast.

Forever.

The group traveled in silence through the darkening forest. The only sound which disturbed the uneasy and tight atmosphere was one of the horses whining from time to time. They had been traveling for log hours now and not once had they stopped. The beasts were kept at a steady and slow pace in case they needed to run but apparently, running was not going to be enough.

Kaoru was silent though the entire ordeal and obediently rode the black beast she had been given. She was just behind Yukishiro and was surrounded by a pair of bodyguards. Somehow she felt as if she was the one they were protecting instead of Yukishiro, but it just didn't make sense.

"They should be around here," Yukishiro Enishi broke the silence. He continued on forward, his head moving from one side to the other, never relaxing. "Be cautious."

Kaoru was dying to ask all her doubts and concerns but she bit her tongue into submission. She knew Yukishiro was tense enough and she didn't want to cause him more stress. Furthermore, they weren't exactly friends and she wanted him as far away from her as politely possible.

A small flare, probably a candle, drew their attention. Kaoru stopped when Enishi did and so did the men at her sides. Everyone was silent for a moment and then Yukishiro whistled. They all waited and a few seconds until a copy of the whistle replied. Assured, they resumed their travel and walked to the new group.

Enishi jumped off his tan mare and went to meet with his underlings. Kaoru and the bodyguards remained still and waited for their boss to return. Night had by now fallen and Kaoru hugged her small frame in order to catch some warmth. Blue eyes turned to Yukishiro-his white hair always easy to find—but found him still in deep conversation with the men. Cold and unsure she turned to the side and her eyes met with one of the bodyguards. After seeing her pleading face the bodyguard groaned and threw her a bundle of clothes. At first Kaoru had been caught unguarded but then self-preservation had her catching the clothes firmly and she covered herself, "Thanks."

Once again they waited—this time like ten minutes—until Yukishiro finally returned. The White Tiger simply walked closer towards them with a serious awareness to his steps. As soon as he reached Kaoru he stopped and allowed her a quick inspection of the package he carried with him.

"That's a boy," Kaoru said between shock and confusion. It wasn't the smartest thing to say but it was what came to her mind. She knew Yukishiro was a drug dealer but she didn't think he abducted people or children.

Aqua eyes studied Kaoru's reaction and before she could add anything else he interrupted. "This is a special boy," he clarified and took off the cloth covering the boy's face. Instantly dark red hair appeared and the boy's serene sleepy face helped Kaoru relax some, "This is the only child of my enemy. He's your insurance."

Kaoru blinked her eyes questioningly a few times before Yukishiro motioned for her to take the child in his arms. Instinctively she did and settled the sleeping boy—no older than five—in front of her and snaked her arms around his form protectively, "I don't understand."

"He will insure his father doesn't kill your brother," Yukishiro explained, his eyes still in the child sitting on Kaoru's lap, "Be sure to take good care of him and…use him well."

Kaoru froze and felt as if she had been thrown into cold water but remained silent. She was sure her face turned hard and serious but she couldn't help the anger that suddenly overcame her. Did he intend she use this child as a child… or as a hostage? She will do no such thing, much less to an innocent child. That would simply go against her father's teachings. He was so wrong, he knew her so little.

So, she did the only thing she could and silently nodded her head. After that, she held back the vile expletive that tried to spill from her mouth when Yukishiro's hand fell over hers in a silent show of support.

xxoOoxx

They traveled the whole night and Kaoru was holding the boy against her for dear life. So tired she was that she feared she would fall asleep and let go of the waif on her mount. She was starting to get moody and it was because of the lack of sleep, she needed some rest soon. However, she was aware that stopping may very well mean their deaths. They were being followed by an angry assassin, why did Yukishiro get in this mess? Kidnap his enemy's son? That was absurd.

Her blue eyes glanced down at the child. He had woken up some time during the morning and had looked up at her. His eyes were a dark blue almost violet and she thought them beautiful. If his father was indeed that red haired hair assassin she saw yesterday he was a faithful copy. His mother should have been perfect as well, this was no ordinary boy.

The boy had remained silent and compliant the whole way and she had started to get unnerved with him. Was he not afraid? She hoped he wasn't kidnapped frequently because that would be just plain sad. Perhaps he was. If he was, then it meant his father always got him back…and that put them in a hard spot. Also, why was the boy staring at her like that? He hadn't stopped looking at her since he awoke and it was starting to make her nervous. His eyes were almost beating Yukishiro's in making her uncomfortable. "Are you all right?" Kaoru ventured to ask the child in rough and hardly practiced Chinese. The boy blinked his eyes but did not reply.

"He's Japanese," explained Yukishiro a few steps in front. He was walking slowly under the trees and his glasses were covering his eyes entirely. She suspected it was because his eyes were hurting and because he didn't want anyone guessing where he was looking at.

Kaoru shrugged and sighed, "Are you all right? Are you hungry?" she asked now in fluid Japanese.

The boy answered with a vigorous nod of his head and a wide smile. After that he finally dropped his scorching gaze on her and turned to the forest they were walking around, "Where are we going?" he asked and his voice was a soft but clear Japanese.

"Shh," ordered Yukishiro without a glance back and pushed his horse into a faster pace. Everyone followed his silent command and all talking stopped after that.

xxoOoxx

The three o' clock sun was unforgiving and Kaoru was starting to wobble on her horse. She had gone by without sleep more than a day and last night had been a bad one. Besides, she was not a fighter or anything like that, she was a technician, and she wasn't cut out for this kind of thing.

"Yukishiro-sama," one of the bodyguards called on to their leader, "We should rest."

Enishi turned to glance back for a moment and his eyes fell on Kaoru and the child she carried. The boy was once again dozing off in her lap and Kaoru's face was hidden by her long black mane of hair. He couldn't tell if she was asleep or not and it was then he realized he had pushed this party too hard. He shook his head in agreement but continued on as he thought about it. A few minutes passed when he replied, "He's following."

The bodyguards at the end of the line muttered some and moved closer to Kaoru and her charge. They would need space in case they were attacked. They continued like that for another hour or so.

Kaoru wobbled from time to time and each time the bodyguards flinched—imagining her fall—but every time she would manage to remain on the horse. After another hour had come to pass they had deemed her inhuman. There was just no way she could keep her balance like that. That would need rigorous training and balance, something they both knew she lacked. The pair of eyes watched her suspiciously until the horse gave a false step and Kaoru swayed more than usual and her body fell to the left. They gasped in unison but before they could do something, the child grabbed onto the woman for dear life and managed to keep her on her mount. They sped towards the woman and helped the child to set her right again. The commotion made Enishi stop as well but his eyes were on their surroundings rather than on them.

"We could carry them," the bodyguards offered gently, but Enishi's glare quieted them.

Enishi sighed and dropped off his mount and walked towards Kaoru's. He eyed the boy firmly for a few moments before turning to one of his bodyguards. "You will take the child," Enishi ordered and grabbed the squirming child impatiently. When the boy resisted him still he glared down at him, "Look here boy," he said with a brusque voice, "I don't like you. Don't make me like you less…because you may end up dead. Enough I have done for you, I brought you here. You should be thankful. Anywhere is better than living with that monster of a father you have." After that Enishi passed him to the bodyguard and watched with satisfaction as the boy remained still and small tears fell from his eyes.

Enishi turned his back to the bodyguards and tied his horse to Kaoru's black stallion. He petted his tan mare's neck and then climbed up the stallion behind Kaoru. His hand instantly snaked her waist and he felt himself freeze. Everything turned in that moment and his breath hitched. His hands started to shake and he began to pant.

"Yukishiro-sama?" one of the bodyguards asked in a worried tone, but was ignored.

Enishi used his other hand to plaster Kaoru's form against his chest and sighed contentedly. He accommodated himself and pressed his nose against her long pale neck and took a long sniff of her. Instantly his whole body relaxed. It had been so long since he had her so close and it felt like heaven and hell at the same time. He knew she wouldn't let him this near if she was awake and the knowledge speared painfully through his cold heart. He had missed her so much and having her at arm's reach for almost a year ate at him slowly. He wanted nothing more than to hug her close and shower her with unlimited affection. He knew he had treated her horribly but he had honestly fallen for her.

At first, she was only the tool to get to Aku Soku San. Then she turned out to be Battousai's partner—his mediator—and he had decided to use her to get his Jinchuu. He did, he used her to her last tear and her last drop of blood and then discarded her like a stray dog. Each day and night regretting it and hoping Battousai acted soon so he could get his revenge and get her back. Every day was poison to his vein but he held it. When he discovered Jinchuu was finally at hand he had left everything and went to kill Battousai.

He failed and what was worse lived to tell the tale. Battousai defeated him but did not kill him. That only added to the insult, although, he would never say he wasn't thankful. Thanks to Battousai's kindness he was able to get Kaoru and take her again. Even if she didn't allow him near, her instinct forbade her, she was close and that was good enough, for the moment.

One last sigh and Yukishiro Enishi made a sound and the black stallion darted forward. They would reach one of his safe zones by nightfall. He just hoped they managed to get there before Battousai caught up with them.

xxoOoxx

Morning came and surprised Kaoru by its suddenness. She sat on the cloth-made-bed and a startled gasp escaped the person at her side. Blue eyes scanned the area in panic but as soon as her gaze fell on the bodyguards her worries eased. She was safe.

"Morning," the voice of the young boy she had rode with yesterday chirped in Japanese.

She turned to the boy and was amazed when she saw him sitting cross legged with his arm inside the opposed gi sleeve. He seemed at peace with the world, as if he didn't have a worry at all. "Morning," she replied back with a friendly smile, but there was a nagging feeling that wouldn't leave her. His carefree attitude about his situation made her very nervous.

"I saved you some breakfast," the dark-red haired boy said with a smile and handed her a folded piece of bread, "I drank the tea," he said with a pout, "Sorry."

Kaoru shook her head telling her she didn't mind, and after a glance to the bodyguard to be sure there was no poison, she bit into the bread. She munched it thoughtfully and found it to be satisfactory. It was not the best food ever, but it was good enough. At least the kidnapped child wasn't being mistreated. "Did you eat?"

The boy nodded his head and smiled, "Father says not to eat too much in the mornings," the boy told her with a serious expression.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "You know what, I think so too. It's bad for morning training to have a full stomach," she explained with a soft smile and took another bite of the bread.

"You train?" the boy asked excitedly, "What do you learn?" The boy's dark blue eyes widened with excitement and his earlier quiet attitude began to dissolve and be overrode by this 'twitching in excitement' boy.

Kaoru stopped mid bite and stared at the boy with doubts. She couldn't just tell him her Family's Martial Art style because there were only two people in the world who knew it. She would be giving her identity in case the boy's father was as smart as Enishi believed him to be. "Sorry boy, I'm not telling."

The boy's smile fell and she felt instantly guilty. Having a child in a mission like this was cruel and she was still upset at his being here. Why was Enishi so obsessed with having the assassin's son? This was suicidal.

"I have your breakfast here," admonished Yukishiro upon entering the room and seeing Kaoru eating bread. Plates in hand he skillfully made his way through the somewhat messy room and sat the plates on a circular wooden table, "I didn't know you were this hungry." He added playfully.

Kaoru merely stared at him. He was wearing his usual Chinese shirt and pants but was missing his glasses. His white hair—messier than usual—shone with the few sunbeams that broke through the holes in the roof. "I didn't know you cooked," Kaoru voiced out with unhidden surprise.

"If I had known food was the way to your heart I would have shown you earlier," he said back with mirth in his voice. He pulled a chair out and turned to her, the sweetest gentleman.

Kaoru fidgeted in the floor balancing her options. He could get upset if she refused him but he could also get the wrong idea if she accepted him. There was no safe escape from the situation—he would never accept she wasn't hungry—and so she was left with few options. "It's an honor," she said evenly and plastered a small smile on her face, "After all, I should repay my boy for his earlier offer."

She saw the twitch in Yukishiro's eyebrow but chose to ignore it and took the boy's arm and helped him up. "Just what is your name young man?" she asked the child as she led him to the table.

The boy looked uneasily from her to Enishi but answered nonetheless. "I am named Kenji."

"Oh, what a nice name," she said as she sat on the chair Enishi had chosen for her and sat the boy on her lap. She took a small fruit and tried it before her eyes lit at the flavor. She picked a second one and offered it to the boy, "Here Kenji-kun, you try it too!"

Through the simple interaction aqua eyes studied their behavior closely. He knew he had done the impossible and had put himself in much danger but when Yahiko had told him Kaoru had mothered a son with the assassin he promised to get the boy. If the boy was Kaoru's it was his. He didn't want any interference in his plans this time and he knew that if Kaoru managed to get her memories back—as it was a possibility depending on her own brain activity—she would never forgive him if he had separated her from her child.

His heart was beating faster than usual. Every minute a small torture as he waited for some kind of recognition from Kaoru, but thankfully none ever appeared.

It seemed that Jinchuu was working fine. Now, he only needed to find the Battousai and defeat him this time for good.

xxoOoxx

To be continued

xxoOoxx

Thanks to Kokoronagomu for beta-reading this chapter. Having a wonderful beta makes one want to write more. Hopefully The Voice will be finished soon.

Please, review.