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Once Upon a time: Chapter 24
by white seraph
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Kaoru shivered uncontrollably after the traumatizing experience the guards thought was all but a joke..
JUST KIDDING! MWAHAHAHA [A/N hehe hellooo people I'm finally back. Miss meeeee?" lalala okay lets get on with the story, I won't let kaoru be taken advantage of that easily!]
The moon hung high, it was a cold night and kenshin rocked on his chair restlessly. She had been missing for two days, and it was all his fault. Really, he'd never forgive himself if Kaoru was harmed in any way because of this. He had sent nearly have the population in the castle to try to locate where she is, yet there was still, no trace of her.
Suddenly a lad barged into the room, panting exhaustedly. "We.we.." He gulped for breath "We found.."
"What did you find?" He demanded impatiently.
"Lady Kaoru." Once he calmed down and gained his posture again, "Lady Kaoru, a guard told us, saw her at the western dungeons, we-"
He didn't even finish the sentence when the redhead dashed past him and out of the room. He never believed in God, yet now, he wish he did, right now, he really wish he did. For right now, he was silently praying, praying that she'd be all right, praying she be safe and sound.
Yet inside he knew, there was no one, but himself that can save her. Running as fast as his legs can take him, he wished he could reverse time. If only.
And there was a time when he thought he was omnipotent, yet now, he couldn't even protect the one he loved most. The one he loved most? Yes, he finally admitted to himself how much Kaoru meant to him.
His heart slowed a bit when he saw the large metallic gates that opened to a staircase to the dungeons, yet his legs did not.
"Get that wench!"
"Where did she go?!... Ouch!"
What was going on? Kenshin heard bits and pieces of a group talk from above the staircase, who was the wench? Kaoru? At that thought he literally threw himself down the stairs, panicking that they would do something harmful to her.
The sight was chaotic, much to the King's fury; not only were the guards not doing their job, they were lounging around, playing cards, drinking heavily.
"What the hell is going on here?" He roared demandingly, catching everyone's attention, guards, prisoners, pet dogs alike. They're reaction was pretty much expected; shocked and apprehensive. Fortunately for them, that was not the subject his royal highness pursued for. He took a deep breath "Just tell me, where is Kaoru?"
Nobody dared to look at him in the eye.
Kenshin didn't like the implication of the response, with his patience wearing out, he raised his voice "Where the hell is Kaoru?!"
One man plucked up his courage and pointed to one of the cells at the farthest end of the filthy black cemented corridor. As he approached, sounds of whippings and torture resonated spontaneously in his ears. "This is for slapping me" a man yelled in a distance before whipping more "And this, this is for biting my friend" more whipping. Kenshin couldn't bare but to cringe a little at the cry. of the girl. Kaoru?
As knowledge dawned, he quickly sprinted to the end, and sure enough there she was crouching in a ball, enduring the pitiless whips from a mad man. "Stop! Drop that murderous tool at this instant!" He turned to the men behind him "Unlock the door immediately!"
He pushed the assaulter away and warned him that to stay and explain to him afterwards. But Kaoru was first in his list of priorities. He quickly bent to pick the pretty much lifeless Kaoru. Her clothes were torn and matted with dried cakes of blood from her wounds, it wasn't a pleasant sight, no it wasn't. He gently picked her up and wrapped her into an embrace. However, under the darkness and being half unconscious, she only thought the he was one of the guards trying to take advantage of her, and whimpered with fear.
"Please." She tried to force out "Please don't" she tried to push with all the strength left in her away, still, not willing to realize that all her pain and torture was over.
"Hush, don't worry, no one will hurt you anymore, I'm here." He rocked her soothingly. "And if only I had believed you, then you wouldn't have had to suffer so much. It's all my fault" He silently added to himself.
Little did they know, everyone in the dark claustrophobic room they call dungeons, fell silent upon the little melodrama displayed in front of them. Weather it was guilt, shock, surprise, everyone was awed. So it was true, this was the girl who the king was besotted to.
Gradually, Kaoru came to consciousness, the red glimpse of hair confirmed that he was here. Oh god, can this get any worse? Did the guards report to him of her attacks? Did they report to him that not only did she break the rules and tried to escape, that she also fought back and spat at the guards? Oh god. Not this wasn't true. They tried to rape her! it was only self defense! She panicked inwardly, believing the guards really reported to the royal highness of her unexpected escape.
She quickly pushed away from his confining grip, and bowed "You're highness! I'm really sorry! I didn't-" She quickly poured out her explanation, assuming that if she did not, the king would probably have her executed without letting her explain her point of this.
"No Kaoru, please don't do this to me" He couldn't help but let sadness and remorse take over. His heart already broke at the sight of her wounded, helpless body, and she was only stepping on the shards of his broken heart by saying this. But, as if unable to hear him talk, she continued, rambling on and on. Unable to take anymore of this, he didn't let finish and picked her up firmly, carrying her out of the filthy dungeons.
He'll let Kaoru take her own revenge on those heartless dogs later.
Now she really panicked, thinking he's taking her to the executors. "No! she screamed and kicked, You have to let me explain!" She pushed again, but it was useless, finally feeling her energy slowly depleting, and her consciousness once again draining away, she left her life in his arms. She didn't care anymore.
[A/N explanation: sorry I was listening to linking park, not really concentrating on the language of the story, but basically the last few paragraphs are of Kaoru's view; she doesn't know that Kara had told Kenshin everything, so she thinks he's only coming because the people reported to him that she escaped and that he came to see her execution, which only made kenshin ever more guilty]
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Shishio smiled at the sight of the magnificent ship. Enishi had done a wonderful job, an excellent partner to work with. He very informative, the young man, being a close advisor of the king's new exactly what was going on lately. With him, Shishio collaborated to devise a plan. A perfect one.
With the information provided by Yumi, Soujiro and Enishi, They had started gathering raw sketches and model pictures of a certain servant girl called Kaoru who worked in the palace.
The original plan was to assassinate that girl, but since Soujiro had insisted to have that girl's life kept, there was a slight change, and, Shishio thought to himself, it wasn't that bad of an idea, for that girl would definitely be useful in the future anyway..
Shishio laughed to himself, "A wonderful play is just about to start" He told himself.
Once Upon a time: Chapter 24
by white seraph
**************************************************
Kaoru shivered uncontrollably after the traumatizing experience the guards thought was all but a joke..
JUST KIDDING! MWAHAHAHA [A/N hehe hellooo people I'm finally back. Miss meeeee?" lalala okay lets get on with the story, I won't let kaoru be taken advantage of that easily!]
The moon hung high, it was a cold night and kenshin rocked on his chair restlessly. She had been missing for two days, and it was all his fault. Really, he'd never forgive himself if Kaoru was harmed in any way because of this. He had sent nearly have the population in the castle to try to locate where she is, yet there was still, no trace of her.
Suddenly a lad barged into the room, panting exhaustedly. "We.we.." He gulped for breath "We found.."
"What did you find?" He demanded impatiently.
"Lady Kaoru." Once he calmed down and gained his posture again, "Lady Kaoru, a guard told us, saw her at the western dungeons, we-"
He didn't even finish the sentence when the redhead dashed past him and out of the room. He never believed in God, yet now, he wish he did, right now, he really wish he did. For right now, he was silently praying, praying that she'd be all right, praying she be safe and sound.
Yet inside he knew, there was no one, but himself that can save her. Running as fast as his legs can take him, he wished he could reverse time. If only.
And there was a time when he thought he was omnipotent, yet now, he couldn't even protect the one he loved most. The one he loved most? Yes, he finally admitted to himself how much Kaoru meant to him.
His heart slowed a bit when he saw the large metallic gates that opened to a staircase to the dungeons, yet his legs did not.
"Get that wench!"
"Where did she go?!... Ouch!"
What was going on? Kenshin heard bits and pieces of a group talk from above the staircase, who was the wench? Kaoru? At that thought he literally threw himself down the stairs, panicking that they would do something harmful to her.
The sight was chaotic, much to the King's fury; not only were the guards not doing their job, they were lounging around, playing cards, drinking heavily.
"What the hell is going on here?" He roared demandingly, catching everyone's attention, guards, prisoners, pet dogs alike. They're reaction was pretty much expected; shocked and apprehensive. Fortunately for them, that was not the subject his royal highness pursued for. He took a deep breath "Just tell me, where is Kaoru?"
Nobody dared to look at him in the eye.
Kenshin didn't like the implication of the response, with his patience wearing out, he raised his voice "Where the hell is Kaoru?!"
One man plucked up his courage and pointed to one of the cells at the farthest end of the filthy black cemented corridor. As he approached, sounds of whippings and torture resonated spontaneously in his ears. "This is for slapping me" a man yelled in a distance before whipping more "And this, this is for biting my friend" more whipping. Kenshin couldn't bare but to cringe a little at the cry. of the girl. Kaoru?
As knowledge dawned, he quickly sprinted to the end, and sure enough there she was crouching in a ball, enduring the pitiless whips from a mad man. "Stop! Drop that murderous tool at this instant!" He turned to the men behind him "Unlock the door immediately!"
He pushed the assaulter away and warned him that to stay and explain to him afterwards. But Kaoru was first in his list of priorities. He quickly bent to pick the pretty much lifeless Kaoru. Her clothes were torn and matted with dried cakes of blood from her wounds, it wasn't a pleasant sight, no it wasn't. He gently picked her up and wrapped her into an embrace. However, under the darkness and being half unconscious, she only thought the he was one of the guards trying to take advantage of her, and whimpered with fear.
"Please." She tried to force out "Please don't" she tried to push with all the strength left in her away, still, not willing to realize that all her pain and torture was over.
"Hush, don't worry, no one will hurt you anymore, I'm here." He rocked her soothingly. "And if only I had believed you, then you wouldn't have had to suffer so much. It's all my fault" He silently added to himself.
Little did they know, everyone in the dark claustrophobic room they call dungeons, fell silent upon the little melodrama displayed in front of them. Weather it was guilt, shock, surprise, everyone was awed. So it was true, this was the girl who the king was besotted to.
Gradually, Kaoru came to consciousness, the red glimpse of hair confirmed that he was here. Oh god, can this get any worse? Did the guards report to him of her attacks? Did they report to him that not only did she break the rules and tried to escape, that she also fought back and spat at the guards? Oh god. Not this wasn't true. They tried to rape her! it was only self defense! She panicked inwardly, believing the guards really reported to the royal highness of her unexpected escape.
She quickly pushed away from his confining grip, and bowed "You're highness! I'm really sorry! I didn't-" She quickly poured out her explanation, assuming that if she did not, the king would probably have her executed without letting her explain her point of this.
"No Kaoru, please don't do this to me" He couldn't help but let sadness and remorse take over. His heart already broke at the sight of her wounded, helpless body, and she was only stepping on the shards of his broken heart by saying this. But, as if unable to hear him talk, she continued, rambling on and on. Unable to take anymore of this, he didn't let finish and picked her up firmly, carrying her out of the filthy dungeons.
He'll let Kaoru take her own revenge on those heartless dogs later.
Now she really panicked, thinking he's taking her to the executors. "No! she screamed and kicked, You have to let me explain!" She pushed again, but it was useless, finally feeling her energy slowly depleting, and her consciousness once again draining away, she left her life in his arms. She didn't care anymore.
[A/N explanation: sorry I was listening to linking park, not really concentrating on the language of the story, but basically the last few paragraphs are of Kaoru's view; she doesn't know that Kara had told Kenshin everything, so she thinks he's only coming because the people reported to him that she escaped and that he came to see her execution, which only made kenshin ever more guilty]
*******************
Shishio smiled at the sight of the magnificent ship. Enishi had done a wonderful job, an excellent partner to work with. He very informative, the young man, being a close advisor of the king's new exactly what was going on lately. With him, Shishio collaborated to devise a plan. A perfect one.
With the information provided by Yumi, Soujiro and Enishi, They had started gathering raw sketches and model pictures of a certain servant girl called Kaoru who worked in the palace.
The original plan was to assassinate that girl, but since Soujiro had insisted to have that girl's life kept, there was a slight change, and, Shishio thought to himself, it wasn't that bad of an idea, for that girl would definitely be useful in the future anyway..
Shishio laughed to himself, "A wonderful play is just about to start" He told himself.