A Lifetime Forgiven
Chapter Nine: Seething
The Battousai and the woman wore identical expressions of utter horror at Arami's announcement. As a feeble attempt, the woman held up the sapling like she bore a sword. Arami didn't bother to glance even once at the woman, but continued to stare menacingly at the man with the round blades.
"You killed that man?" Growled Arami, her sapphire-silver gaze flickered with malice. No answer came and so she took a step forward, meanwhile Kenshin watched with baited breath, as well as a hand on the hilt of his reverse-blade. "Fool, answer me. Or you'll die now."
Arami was answered reluctantly, but from the woman instead.
"Ye-yes. He murdered my husband." Her grasp on the sapling tightened and with it came a touch more bravery. "Are you here to finish us off?"
"No. If I'd wanted you dead, I would have let that rounded blade finish you off." Answered Arami in a low growl. "Now Murderer, I take it you work for Shishio?" She addressed the new Battousai once more. At this accusation he seemed to come to his senses.
"That's right." A wicked smirk formed on his lips as he said this. Arami returned the gesture.
"You will give Shishio this message."
"Or what?"
"Or I will kill you now and just tell Shishio in person." Shrugged Arami, still with a nasty sneer sent at the man. He nodded reluctantly. "My name is Arami, and I will be there soon to take his life." Said Arami, her voice as cold as ice. Her smirk had vanished and was replaced by a more serious expression then Kenshin could ever achieve. "That is the end of my message. Now, deliver it. And if I find you have murdered again, your life will be taken as well."
The man's wicked expression had also vanished, instead replaced by a fearful glaze. He nodded jerkily before turning and sprinting off. Arami smirked at his back.
"Though I will injure him anyway, once he's delivered my message." Whispered Arami under her breath as she turned and smiled at Kenshin. "That wasn't hard at all." She announced, just before she was hit over the head by a miniature tree.
"Ack! Demon! Be gone demon!" Scream the woman, who continued hitting the unaffected Arami over the head with a now broken sapling. Arami simply turned to the woman, giving her an annoyed look before swiftly grabbing the small broken tree and carving it into toothpicks with one or two swipes of her claws. This plan, however, backfired and only frightened the woman more so. "Don't hurt my baby! Kill me instead, just don't hurt my baby!"
With her eyebrow twitching, Arami turned and looked at Kenshin, whose eyes were wide with an emotion she couldn't read.
"What?" She snapped.
"Oh nothing Arami." Said Kenshin, wearing a knowing smile as he turned his back on her and began strolling away.
Author's note: I'm trying to get out of my depressing rut with most of my fan fictions… Thanks to my readers, and most of all thanks to my reviewers!
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin™. I do own any of my original characters.