I'm sorry about taking a long time to post this chapter, but you see with school and all; it's been taking most of my time. This however is a quick chapter, basically an overview of everything that's happening so far in the story. I hope you like this chapter, even though I thought I could do a lot better. Well I have to go and finish tons of homework. See ya! If you have any comments, suggestions or comment, please leave them in your review.
Disclaimers: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin series. I wish I did, but I don't. : (
The Heart Speaks
Chapter six
"Battousai," said a dark voice from the distance. Kenshin turned his head to the direction the voice came from. His eyes burned fiercely with so much anger. His fists clenched, he gritted his teeth. He wondered who would disturb him at such a time like this. First he was enjoying himself, his lust getting the better control of him over the young woman he kidnapped several days ago, and now he was caught here, having to fight someone who wanted his head. Could life get any worse?
Throughout the past few days, his hormones have been going over the overdrive mode. He couldn't believe one single woman, who was a slave can make him feel like this. If she had such control over his feelings, he couldn't stop himself if he ever hurt her to get what he wanted. Never did he have to stoop so low to get a female. Usually woman would die to be in her shoes. They fawned themselves over him, admired him for his strength, his skills he possessed, but this woman didn't have any physical attraction to him. She didn't want him. What made the situation even worse was the fact she acted like a virgin. A woman of her age would have lost her virginity by now, because either she was married, or she was a slave.
Slowly and carefully Kenshin stood up. He didn't want the woman to get hurt, plus he didn't want to alarm his opponent. He wanted to see his antagonist before fighting him. He felt the aura stir a little around him. He heard a rustle of clothing, knowing that the young woman scooted herself to get away from the battle scene. Kenshin couldn't help but smirk. The young woman by the name of Kaoru seemed to be a very intelligent person. He knew she was considering her chances of escaping. He would never let her get to far from his sight. Never will she escape him. He still had some unfinished business with her.
"What is it you want? You want to kill me?" asked Kenshin, as he tried to read his opponent who stood a few feet away from him.
"You could say something like that. But I'm also here for that woman of yours," said the stranger as he stepped closer.
From where Kenshin saw him, he saw the stranger; the mysterious man who wore a black cloak over his clothing, a hood covered his head and face, making him more mysterious then before. Kenshin noticed his right arm clutched his left side. Beneath the cloak the mysterious man carried a katana. Kenshin got his fighting stance position, his right arm clutch his katana; his body was well alert, ready and willing to make an attack if necessary.
"What is it you want from this woman?" asked Kenshin, his voice becoming harsher every moment. He wondered what this man wanted to do with Kaoru. Did Kaoru hide something from him, he was supposed to know? Well in ways it was his fault for not listening to her, because he never really wanted to get to know her better. He just wanted to see her laugh, the way she smiled. He waned to see her compassionate nature, the childish, yet innocent ways she possessed.
Kenshin turned his head from his opponent to her. What he saw astonished him. Kenshin saw the fear her sapphire eyes held, but it wasn't the fear of him, but of the other guy. Do Kaoru know this man? But before he could turn his head to look at his enemy, he felt something hard and sharp against his throat.
Kaoru looked at the mysterious man with so much fear in her eyes. Somehow she felt like she knew him before. She knew his aura, because there were many times, when she thought she was by herself, she felt another aura lurking around. What did he want? Why did he want her now, when he could have her before?
Kaoru backed away slowly, until she hit a tree slump. Her hands panicked as so did her heart. She dug the very heels of her hands in the dirt, hoping to find support to keep her ground. Her body trembled in fear, her forehead beaded with sweat. Some sweat ran through the valley of her breasts. It was only then she was well aware of the dress she wore. She could feel his heated gaze traveling up and down her figure. She could feel his amusement in the air.
"If I didn't come any sooner, you would have taken away her true purity. If she lost that, then she would lose all her value," said the mysterious man, as he dug the tip of his sword deeper into Kenshin's throat. His gestures and the way he talked were appointed to Kenshin.
"What do you know about purity? She's not a virgin. For your information, she's a slave. What exactly do you want with her anyways?" demanded Kenshin. He let go his sword, as he surrendered to the mysterious stranger. He cursed himself for letting the woman distract him.
"You maybe the famous Battousai, but I'm very ashamed you don't know the jewel you possess." The stranger merely backed up Kenshin to a tree, before he began speaking again. "You see you don't know what powers she possessed inside. She's the key we have been looking for a long time."
Kaoru couldn't believe her ears. What powers? She remembered before she left to go take her nice bath in the river, she heard Misao talk about her having powers. She told her about her past and her mother's promise. But what did he mean by she's the key we have been searching for a long time?
"You're the key, I've been looking for a long time Kaoru," said the stranger.
"What? You can read my mind?" she asked, looking at the stranger with shock in her eyes. How did know what she was thinking?
"Yes I can read your mind. I see all, what others can't see. I can see through their facial expressions. I can see into their soul. I've been looking for you for a long time, but I was never successful finding you until after your mother's death."
"If you found me a long time ago, then why now? Why do you want to take me away?"
"Because their after you. And they won't stop until they get you."
Kaoru could feel her fear disappearing, and her anger began to awake deep down inside her. She hated this stranger already. Obviously, from what Kaoru observed about him is, he knew a lot about her. Things she didn't know. She wanted to know who was after her, and why they were so interested in her. She felt so left out, so alone in this world. They were so many things going on, and Kaoru didn't seem to know anything at all.
"Do you remember the stories about the lost city called Desko?" asked the mysterious stranger as he kept his sword in an upright position, his five senses remained alert, ready for any attack, or any escape, from his enemy.
"Yes, but that's all myth. Nothing like that is true."
"That's where you're wrong my dear. The lost city once called Desko was true. How do you think you were able to possess such powers? Desko was once known as a city for our kind. People with magical gifts lived there, away from others who didn't have magical powers. Eventually, people who didn't believe in the sacred shrine which was located in Desko, planned an evil plot to destroy it. They succeeded too. Desko disappeared on the face of this earth. No one can locate it, because they believe the city was swallowed by the very sea. The only ones who can part the sea and open the sacred shrine doors are people like us, but you are the only one who can operate the sacred shrine with your powers."
"No that can't be," Kaoru whispered. She stood up, and with all the courage she had left she walked closer to him. The aura surrounding her seemed to get heavier and heavier as she made her way to him. She felt tiny needles pricking her insides. Her heart beat faster, then its normal rate.
"I'm the key for the sacred shrine? But if I operate the shrine, wouldn't release an evil force that'll take over the world?" she asked with a determined voice as she finally reached closer to the mysterious stranger.
"You are the main key, who could grant any wish, any desire whoever walks in the shrine with you. The evil forces that'll take over this place are the restless souls who look for you. They are the lost souls who are trapped between heaven and hell. They waited for you. They haunted you. All the suffering you went through for years, seeing the death of your mother, the beating to death of your father, the whipping, the burns, the torture of you dear cousin Misao. All of those events were just a few events that made you suffer."
"So they've been haunting me for a long time. Why do they want me so badly?" Kaoru asked. She feared the answer she was about to receive. Somehow the information was there in her mind, like it was naturally build inside her.
"The only time they'll rest is when they can get their revenge, for losing their lives. You are the key, and maybe the only key that can stop the hunters from getting from what they wanted, and stopping the vicious war," the stranger replied. The stranger looked at Kenshin, his reactions stayed impassive, but Kaoru could tell he was going to kill Kenshin there and then. She had to stop him from killing Kenshin. Wait a minute, why did she care for Kenshin's life? What did he ever do for her, besides the fact of trying to rape her?
By the time the mysterious person drew his sword over his head, ready to kill his enemy; he saw the young woman threw herself in front his sword. He stopped his actions immediately. He couldn't kill his enemy with the girl in front of him. He couldn't afford to kill the girl, because she was needed. He then realized why the girl threw herself in front him.
"Why do you throw your away your life for his?" Kaoru found herself both dumbstruck by his question and shocked. Why did she throw herself in front of him? She didn't want to see anything bad happening to Kenshin. So what if he tried to rape her? The fact was if something did happen to him, she couldn't live with the guilt of him dying because of her. The whole idea to stop the war that has been going on for years were to stop people from dying.
"Please let him let live. He never did anything wrong to die. If you want me to stop this war…" Kaoru paused for a moment, struggling for the right words to say. She didn't know what this stranger wanted. Maybe if she offered him her herself, her freedom to him, to save another's life, that could repay him. "If I offer you myself to you, if I was willing to go with you to find the lost city of Desko, then will you still kill him?"
The stranger thought for a moment. Finally he drew his sword back into his sheath. He walked slowly over to Kaoru, the swaying of his cloak following after him. He made a gesture for Kaoru to move, and when she did move, she never did realize that she saved Kenshin, because of her heart.