I spit out a bit of blood raising slowly as the masked man forces me to me
knees. "If you value your life, you will give me the information I need..."
I gaze at the ground, the chill of the wind pulling at my bloodied back and chest, as the masked man kicks me again, having already torn off the top of my kimono, leaving my flesh open to the attacks. The pressure of his kick throws me a short way, and as I begin to stand, the man pushes me back onto my knees. "If you value your life, you will tell me what I need."
"I will tell you nothing." My response not what the man had in mind, he kicks me into a tree, and I lay on the ground, not bothering to stand, a small pool of blood forming underneath me. The masked man looks around the clearing at the camp he and his followers had made. Spitting at me, he kicks me in the stomach, and I clench my eyes as two of his followers pick me up roughly, tying me to the tree so I am sitting on my knees. The bark bites into the wounded flesh on my back, but I ignore the pain, my head lowered so that my hair hides my face. The red of my hair is tinted with blood. Lifting my head, I look upon one of the men standing post around me, so that I cannot escape. I hear a rustle in the bushes, thinking it is only wind, and correct. Bare back against the tree, head lowered yet again, I fall asleep.
I would try to escape, but the man has promised that if I did, he would personally kill Miss Kaoru. My mind wanders to her while I sleep, her soft lips torching to my cheek and maybe lips, but I dare not imagine any more. For a long time, she has been the only thing keeping me alive, but I am not so sure love can protect me forever.
I have a reason to live, and would fight my hardest, but if my conditions here get any worse, I am doomed to failure. Being taken from the past, my arrow wound has not fully healed, and now there are many more scars to be formed. I need to get out of here, but how? Surely I cannot escape.. I will not put her life at risk. I could give the man information, but he may keep me here nonetheless. It seems there is no hope for me.
I sense someone coming. The men around me have fallen asleep, as have the rest of men in the camp, as far as I know. To tired to look up, I keep my head bowed as a figure approaches me. "Kenshin?"
My head snapped up upon its own accord when I heard Miss Kaorus voice. "Miss Kaoru. You should be at the dojo, that you should.."
I gazed at her, worry obvious upon her face. "They hurt you.." I remember my wounds, but ignore them.
"I came here so you would not be hurt, Miss Kaoru...I do not wish it to be for nothing, that I do not..Please, Miss Kaoru.."
She ignores my pleas, heading to the back of the tree, where the ropes binding me to the tree can be found. I should have known she would. She places the metal of my sword against the gnarled bark of the tree, sliding it under the rope, and turns the sword, so the blade touches the ropes, and saws with it until the bindings around me break free. I fall foreword, hand thrust out so I don't catch a face full of dirt. I wince, hitting the ground hard, even though I wasn't far from it. She helps me to my feet, and takes my hand, placing the sword in it.
"Thank you, Miss Kaoru." I gaze at her for a moment, as she looks around, to be sure everything is still clear. She steps ahead of me, motioning to follow. She makes a ragged whimper, as an arrow flies into her back. Moaning, she falls to her knees, then griping at the ground. I feel my old temper surfacing, and I glance at the man, no longer wearing his mask. He is familiar, but I know not from where.
He rushes at me, and I swing my sword as hard as I can, with little focus, and so I miss my target, and he slashes at my side with his sword. Taking a deep breath, realizing this is real, I focus on him, studying his attack carefully, eyes narrowed. His next attack I dodge easily, finding he has no real technique. He only rushes and tried to attack, far more skilled with bow and arrow. As he makes his next pass, I leap above him; bringing the sword down on his skull, and watching him crumple and fall below me. Landing next to Miss Kaoru, I pick her up, running toward the Dojo, arriving shortly. I pry the arrow from her back, noticing she has passed out. I wrap her wound and carry her to her room, placing her on the bed, and covering her with a soft blanket, kissing her forehead and silently saying goodnight
I gaze at the ground, the chill of the wind pulling at my bloodied back and chest, as the masked man kicks me again, having already torn off the top of my kimono, leaving my flesh open to the attacks. The pressure of his kick throws me a short way, and as I begin to stand, the man pushes me back onto my knees. "If you value your life, you will tell me what I need."
"I will tell you nothing." My response not what the man had in mind, he kicks me into a tree, and I lay on the ground, not bothering to stand, a small pool of blood forming underneath me. The masked man looks around the clearing at the camp he and his followers had made. Spitting at me, he kicks me in the stomach, and I clench my eyes as two of his followers pick me up roughly, tying me to the tree so I am sitting on my knees. The bark bites into the wounded flesh on my back, but I ignore the pain, my head lowered so that my hair hides my face. The red of my hair is tinted with blood. Lifting my head, I look upon one of the men standing post around me, so that I cannot escape. I hear a rustle in the bushes, thinking it is only wind, and correct. Bare back against the tree, head lowered yet again, I fall asleep.
I would try to escape, but the man has promised that if I did, he would personally kill Miss Kaoru. My mind wanders to her while I sleep, her soft lips torching to my cheek and maybe lips, but I dare not imagine any more. For a long time, she has been the only thing keeping me alive, but I am not so sure love can protect me forever.
I have a reason to live, and would fight my hardest, but if my conditions here get any worse, I am doomed to failure. Being taken from the past, my arrow wound has not fully healed, and now there are many more scars to be formed. I need to get out of here, but how? Surely I cannot escape.. I will not put her life at risk. I could give the man information, but he may keep me here nonetheless. It seems there is no hope for me.
I sense someone coming. The men around me have fallen asleep, as have the rest of men in the camp, as far as I know. To tired to look up, I keep my head bowed as a figure approaches me. "Kenshin?"
My head snapped up upon its own accord when I heard Miss Kaorus voice. "Miss Kaoru. You should be at the dojo, that you should.."
I gazed at her, worry obvious upon her face. "They hurt you.." I remember my wounds, but ignore them.
"I came here so you would not be hurt, Miss Kaoru...I do not wish it to be for nothing, that I do not..Please, Miss Kaoru.."
She ignores my pleas, heading to the back of the tree, where the ropes binding me to the tree can be found. I should have known she would. She places the metal of my sword against the gnarled bark of the tree, sliding it under the rope, and turns the sword, so the blade touches the ropes, and saws with it until the bindings around me break free. I fall foreword, hand thrust out so I don't catch a face full of dirt. I wince, hitting the ground hard, even though I wasn't far from it. She helps me to my feet, and takes my hand, placing the sword in it.
"Thank you, Miss Kaoru." I gaze at her for a moment, as she looks around, to be sure everything is still clear. She steps ahead of me, motioning to follow. She makes a ragged whimper, as an arrow flies into her back. Moaning, she falls to her knees, then griping at the ground. I feel my old temper surfacing, and I glance at the man, no longer wearing his mask. He is familiar, but I know not from where.
He rushes at me, and I swing my sword as hard as I can, with little focus, and so I miss my target, and he slashes at my side with his sword. Taking a deep breath, realizing this is real, I focus on him, studying his attack carefully, eyes narrowed. His next attack I dodge easily, finding he has no real technique. He only rushes and tried to attack, far more skilled with bow and arrow. As he makes his next pass, I leap above him; bringing the sword down on his skull, and watching him crumple and fall below me. Landing next to Miss Kaoru, I pick her up, running toward the Dojo, arriving shortly. I pry the arrow from her back, noticing she has passed out. I wrap her wound and carry her to her room, placing her on the bed, and covering her with a soft blanket, kissing her forehead and silently saying goodnight