Little Bird
Chapter 27
Kaen blinked slowly when she felt a hand shake her shoulder. She groaned and looked up to see her mother walking out of her room, closing the door behind her.
'Oh right, today I have to go…'
Kaen lifted her head off the special pillow that held her hair up off the bedding. Wincing, she sat up and rubbed the back of her neck.
'Okay, I'm never sleeping with this thing again. I'm taking my hair down and sleeping like a normal person tonight…'
With a groan she stood and picked up her clothes and made her way to the bathhouse, not really surprised to find that her father was already awake.
"Hurry up and take your bath. We're meeting Yutaro and his family at the train station in two hours, and I want you to eat something before we go."
Kaen rolled her eyes and stumbled past, grumbling incoherently and yawning. Kenshin watched as she left, her neatly styled hair looking out of place on the usually disheveled girl. He wondered if Yutaro would be giving her a big room or a small one… then he shook his head and returned to the wrapping of the rice balls.
Kaen sat in the warm water, absently rubbing her arms and looking at her hands under the water. Today was the day… The last time she would see her family for nearly three years, and still… She wasn't as nervous as she had thought she would have been.
'I suppose it's because the decision's been made.'
With a sigh, she splashed her face with the water and climbed up out of the tub and dried off quickly, shrugging on her yukata and tying her hakama in a few practiced movements. She turned and opened the door with a shaking hand and stepped into the bright sunlight. Waiting for her was her youngest brother, but rather than smile and run to her for a greeting, the little boy looked at her for only a moment before turning and running for the dojo.
Oh, little Asuma. You'll forgive me someday for leaving… I hope.
She sighed and walked into the house, her eyes trained to the floor. Kenshin saw her downcast face and the smile he had quickly pasted on when he had seen her coming slid off. He put down the small tray of soup and rice, something that would be less taxing on her stomach on the train and boat, and took a slow step toward her. To his surprise, she walked past him and sat down next to her food and began to eat, her eyes never leaving her bowl.
"Are you alright little bird?"
"I'm fine Daddy. I assume Mother and the boys are in the dojo?"
Kenshin nodded when she looked up at him. She nodded and took a few more bites of rice and downed her soup before standing up and smoothing her sleeves.
"So, are you ready?"
"Go say goodbye to your mother and brothers. I'll meet you outside with your things."
"Alright."
She walked quickly to the dojo and bowed respectfully to the room before entering, her eyes moving from her mother to her brothers. Ken lifted his facemask and looked at her sadly and nodded. Genro and Asuma lowered their wooden weapons and looked at their sister with blank faces. Kaoru was the first to break the silence.
"Ah, are you getting ready to go Kaen?"
"Yes."
"We'll miss you."
Kaen bowed uneasily to her mother, then to her brothers. When she turned away to leave, Asuma howled and threw himself at his beloved sister. Kaen stumbled and slammed to her knees, gritting her teeth as her kneecaps met the hard wood floor.
"Don't go! Don't go, Kaen! Don't go!"
Kaen looked over her shoulder to see her youngest brother sobbing and clinging to her leg. She turned slightly and pulled the boy into her lap and looked up to see her mother and brothers walking out, giving her small smiles as they filed past.
They're giving me time to talk to Asuma…
"Asuma…"
The boy looked up at her with huge tear-filled eyes, his round cheeks red. The redhead absently wiped the tears off his cheeks and tucked him close to her chest, like when he was really little, rocking back and forth gently. The little boy buried his face in her chest and cried even harder for a moment, then slowed down to a hiccup. Finally, she set him on his feet and rose to her knees, looking him in the eyes.
"Asuma, I said that I would go. I want to go."
"You won't come back though…"
"Of course I'll come back. And I will write to you all as often as I can. And the best part is, when I'm gone, you get to think of all new ways to make me insane when I get back."
Asuma thought about her words for a moment then sniffed and wiped nose on his sleeve. Kaen smiled and ruffled her brother's hair, earning her a little giggle. Standing, she led Asuma out of the dojo to where her mother and brothers waited with her father and Sano by the two trunks and her shamisen in it's case.
"Well little bird, it's time to go."
Sano hiked one trunk up onto his shoulder and waited as Kenshin lifted the other one, and Kaen lifted her shamisen and a small cloth bag that held a snack for on the train. With one last look back at her mother and brothers, she followed her father and adopted uncle down the road.
Goodbye…
A/N
Whew. Sorry that there has been such a…er…gap in this story. There have been lots of issues, some with health, others not, but I am back!! Sorry that this is a hanger… I will update soon. Promise!
Please review! Much love!
Deception'sChosen
