Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply
Author: Shika
Blessing In Disguise
Chapter Two
Of Soujiros and Misaos
Misao left after a prolonged silence and Kaoru settled down to sleep again. But sleep didn't come. Thoughts rushed through her head at warp speed and she didn't know what to think. She needed to talk to someone, someone she could trust. But here she was alone. She had nobody.
Angrily she sat up and dressed herself in a robe she found in the wardrobe. She opened the door a crack and peered out. There was no sign of Shishio so she slipped out and down the corridor. Not quite knowing what she was looking for she looked at a bunch of things that caught her eye.
She walked by a room and heard two familiar voices. Curiosity got the best of her so she leaned in to listen.
"She's just scared, that she is."
"Misao told her you know."
"It is better she find out sooner than later. Should she know after…she would lose trust."
"Kenshin, she has no trust in us."
Kenshin sighed and took a seat on a chair. He clasped his hands together and hung his head between his knees. "It's all his fault Sano."
"Hey now Kenshin, don't start putting the blame on yourself."
"I talking about Shishio!" he snapped.
Both Sano and Kaoru recoiled. Today was not a good day for Kenshin and she was smart enough to run away.
As she ran down the halls, she thought to herself about all the times she had shared with her family, her friends and Enishi. She stopped. None of that would be the same anymore. There was no more family. There were no more friends, no more parties, no more of the rich life she hated so much. She had nothing to gain and everything to lose. And she had lost it. All of it.
She rested her head on the wall nearest her and banged her fist on it. Nothing was left. Enishi was gone. There was no one to run to now. Nobody would hold her in a warm embrace and kiss away all of her fears and worries. Nobody was there to smile at her, make her laugh and run adventures with.
Nobody to catch her when she fell.
"Miss?"
She turned around, arms flailing and eyes wide with fear.
"What do you want?"
The boy, grinning from ear to ear and eyes shining bright only shook his head. 'I was only making sure you were all right, whoever you are…" he scratched his head and blushed, "Hey, Have you seen Misao?"
"What do you want with her?" Kaoru asked, groping the wall for some type of weapon.
He shrugged. "I was only asking—Oh! Shishio-sama! Have you seen--"
Kaoru's eyes widened even more and she turned and ran. The boy looked over his shoulder and chased after her. "Hey! Where are you going?"
Kaoru ignored this and kept running. She rounded a corner and leaned up against the wall, panting.
"What am I doing?" she puffed, "I should just let him kill me."
"No you shouldn't."
Kaoru screamed and tried to back away but a strong arm caught her.
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin began, "Suicide is not the answer."
"It's not suicide if he kills me," she hissed.
"Miss Kaoru listen--"
"Oh princess…" someone sang.
Kaoru froze.
"I told you suicide wasn't the answer," Kenshin hissed.
"Get me out of here!" she demanded.
"I called you princess, you should answer me." Shishio said menacingly.
Kaoru squirmed out of Kenshin's hold and tried to run in the opposite direction.
"No Miss Kaoru!"
"I called you, princess and I expect you to answer me."
She turned around figuring it was all going to end soon anyway and peered around the corner to meet Shishio's cold gaze.
"Much better."
Kaoru took note of the scarcely clothed women next to him and assumed it was Yumi. There was another woman clinging to his arm (to which he paid no attention) and Kaoru knew that it must have been the much talked about Megumi.
"Oh Sir Ken!" the woman swooned. Yup, that was Megumi.
"ORO?" was Kenshin's only response to her suffocating him. Kaoru turned her attention to Shishio once again.
"I see you've met Misao. She must have told you a few rules. I just knew you'd play."
Kaoru challenged his words with an ice cold glare. He waved her away and continued walking down the hall. "By the way," he told her, "I've just found two new servants. The little brats are hardly any use to me so be sure to use them well."
"Asshole," she cursed.
"I heard that princess. Just remember, next time I see you, I'll have to kill you."
Not knowing what to do, she stuck her tongue out at his back. Megumi let go of Kenshin and headed for Kaoru. "I just want to tell you Kamiya, Kenshin is mine. Lay one finger on him and I'll kill you myself."
"Oro?"
She left without another word. The two shorter ones stood there not knowing what to say. Kenshin put a hand behind his head. "Don't worry about what she says Miss Kaoru,"
"I'm not. Besides, its not like I like you anyway!"
He laughed nervously. "Well that's good then."
"Yeah," her voice had suddenly taken on a sadder tone, "I guess…"
Kenshin lowered his hand. "Do you want me to walk you back to your room?"
"No, I want to see the gardens."
"Alright, that sounds nice…unless you'd rather be alone."
Kaoru smiled. "Are you trying to accompany me?"
"Just doing my job," he replied.
"I see."
Kenshin nodded to her and showed her the way to the gardens. On their way they passed Sano whose hand was linked with that of a very beautiful, yet shy looking woman. He grinned at Kenshin and whispered something to the woman who Kaoru was later introduced to as Princess Magdaria. Magdaria giggled and waved at the two.
They arrived on a stone balcony and looked out onto the flowers. A piano played in the background and as much as Kaoru tried to find it source, her attempts were fruitless. The music however, only added to the beauty of their surroundings. Below them was a fishpond with tiny little emerald fish swam about in a constant game of tag. The hedges were trimmed perfectly and adorned with tiny pink and yellow roses. Sakura trees surrounded the entire garden, the petals falling and swirling around in the gentle breeze to add the effect of a fairytale forest.
There was more marble, this time in the form of benches, situated around the garden. They were about to go down the spiral staircase when two figures emerged. Kaoru crouched down and peered through the columns in the railing to get a better look.
"We really shouldn't be doing this," one of them stated.
Misao…
Kaoru took a few steps down further so she had a perfect view. The other one, she recognized as the boy she bumped into in the hall, stepped forward to caress Misao's cheek.
"I know," he told her cheerfully, "But I can't help it."
"Soujiro…" she breathed.
He moved closer to her so their faces were almost touching before she put a languid hand on his chest. "Soujiro…this isn't right."
Soujiro slumped down to the ground. "I know, but…"
Misao knelt down so their eyes were level. "There's nothing we can do Sou. We're on opposite sides. I wish there were some way we could stop it all. He'll kill me if he finds out. That's why we can't be together."
"I know, I know, but—I love you Misao."
Misao sighed and cupped his face in her hands. "And I love you too but you know what goes on in this palace. Sano and Magdaria are alright because Shishio suspects something of Sano and doesn't trust him. He doesn't care. But you…you are his right hand man. He'll kill the both of us and you know it."
Soujiro wrapped his arms around Misao and tilted her head back. He laughed. "I know that. But what he doesn't know can't hurt him!" he leaned in and just before their lips connected, Kaoru stood up.
"STOP RIGHT THERE LITTLE BOY!"
Kenshin 'oro'ed in the background.
Soujiro and Misao looked up and Misao sweatdropped. "K-Kaoru?"
"Princess Kaoru?" Soujiro wondered out loud.
"Yeah…"
Kaoru stormed down the stairs and grabbed Soujiro by his collar. "ORO?!" he shouted.
Misao sweatdropped. "Did Soujiro just 'oro'?"
"You listen to me," Kaoru snarled, "If you lay one stray hand on Misao, I'll kill you!"
Soujiro was finding it difficult to breathe so he choked out his next-to-last words. "I wasn't gonna hurt her. I- I love her."
Kaoru let go of him and he fell to the ground, rubbing his neck. He looked up at Misao and grinned. "Feisty little one she is."
"I'm sorry," she told him, "I guess I'm still dwelling on Enishi."
Kenshin's eyes glowed amber for a split second before putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't worry Miss Kaoru, that you shouldn't. Everything will be alright in the end. Just you see. You'll love again where…where I'm not sure I would be able to. You have a stronger spirit than I do Miss Kaoru!" he laughed.
Kaoru smiled. She did have a strong spirit and she could and would get over Enishi. This was obviously fate's way of saying: "Wake up stupid! This guy isn't for you!"
She stifled a yawn, stretched and announced she was going to bed. Perhaps now that dawn was almost here she would actually get some sleep. The other three agreed and followed suit. Kaoru bid good-night to Misao and Kenshin, gave a playful glare to Soujiro and opened her door. She lit a nearby candle and nearly screamed.
She held in the scream however and walked to her bed. Two children lay there coiled up in the luxury of sleep. The two of them looked so tired and hurt that she couldn't help but pity the boy. Yes, there on her bed, badly beaten, lie her maid Tsubame and her older brother Yahiko. Kaoru sighed, picked up Tsubame, put her under the warm covers and did the same for Yahiko. Sleep wasn't looking good for her so she just curled up on an armchair and did her best to sleep.
~~~~~
Yahiko and Tsubame both awoke and cringed from the pain in their bodies. Tsubame looked around and saw Kaoru sleeping in a chair. Then she looked down at the bed she had been sleeping in.
"So what do we do now?" Yahiko wondered out loud.
"I don't know. Lord Shishio said we were to do anything Kaoru told us to do. Or else…"
The boy slumped down on the pillows. "Great. The last thing I want to do is be bossed around by her"
"What's wrong with Miss Kaoru?"
"Nothing, I just like to pick on her."
Tsubame's face fell. "Yes but don't you think you should go easy on her? After all…when she finds about King--"
"I get it I get it!" he snapped.
Taken aback, the girl's eyes began to water. He immediately regretted snapping. "I'm sorry sis; you know I didn't mean it."
"I know…" she sobbed, "But…but…"
Kaoru stirred in her sleep and the two siblings looked over in her direction. There was knock on the door and it opened a crack. "Hey Kaoru?"
The two children hid under the covers.
Misao crept into the room and took note of the lump under the covers. She laughed a bit and wrenched them back. "Come on Kaoru! Kenshin made—huh?" she noticed the two under the blankets. "Hey, what are you doing here?"
"W-were here f-for Miss Kaoru," Tsubame said meekly.
"I haven't seen you around before. Where are you from?"
Both of them looked down. "Kaoru's palace." Yahiko muttered.
Misao began to panic. "What do you mean? What happened!"
"Shishio came. Then before we knew it, there was a lot of blood and dead people. Only three of us got out alive. That's only because he took us; just Tae, my sister, and me. The King's dead too."
Misao's eyes widened. "Don't tell Kaoru."
"Why not? She's got a right to know."
"She'll find out eventually. Right now we need to concentrate on making her happy here until the war breaks out you got that?"
"Yes ma'am," Tsubame squeaked.
"Sure Weasel."
Misao clenched her fists and grit her teeth. "What did you call me?"
"I called you a weasel. You're uglier than Kaoru!"
Misao's temper was running short. "If you weren't wounded I'd hit you so hard!"
"I'd like to see you try!" he shot back.
"Watch me!"
"Alright!"
Kaoru woke up to find her new friend and the stable boy going for each other's throats. Scrambling up, she pulled on Yahiko's tunic. "Stop! Stop!" she yelled.
The two complied and Tsubame crawled out from under the covers where she had been hiding.
"What is going on?" Kaoru wondered out loud.
"Nothing!" Misao and Yahiko both answered, looking away and humming suspicious tunes. Kaoru's eyes narrowed.
"Honestly," Misao assured, this time with a slightly more convincing tone.
Kaoru relaxed.
"Anyway," the green-eyed girl continued, "Kenshin made breakfast for us all. That's another thing with the game. We have to find or make our own food. I actually like that better though and I doubt Shishio even knows where the kitchen is. Something about afraid of setting his bandages on fire or something…"
Kaoru smiled. "I suppose I am a bit hungry."
"Alright then, come on!"
Still in her gown from the previous day, she ushered the two small children out of the room to follow Misao. She bet that they were starving too.
Arriving in a small well lit room, they stopped.
"Where are we?" Kaoru noticed that there was a huge chandelier lighting the room but other than that, it was empty. There was no furniture, no bookcases, not even a window or a door besides the one they entered from. The walls weren't of marble, as one would have thought in a place like this, but of a dark, moldy grey stone.
Misao led them to a corner that she would never have noticed if it hadn't been pointed out. There she indicated a staircase, dark and almost foreboding. Kaoru wondered what was going on.
"Follow me!" Misao yipped as she pranced downward. Kaoru shrugged and followed along with the two children.
They walked quite a while and when they came to their destination, Kaoru couldn't help but gape. They were standing in a room. It wasn't big, nor was it too small, but it looked as if they were throwing a party. There was food everywhere! On the walls hung ribbons and tapestries, from the ceiling hung a chandelier, larger than the one before and crafted with more caution and art. She glanced down at the floor and noticed a plush white carpet which was like walking on a cloud.
"Welcome!" Misao said proudly, "To our dining hall! Here you will enjoy three full meals a day, unless instructed otherwise or chose not to come. Here is our lead chef, Kenshin, our fine waiter Soujiro and…our garbage disposal Sano."
"Thanks." Sano stated flatly.
Kaoru blinked. "Th-this is the dining hall?"
"Ours anyway. Shishio's is much more extravagant. Well, this is what an average meal in captivity is like for us."
"A-average?"
Sano held in a chuckle. "Hey, just 'cuz we're all locked up in this place doesn't mean we're gonna go get all depressed about it!"
She smiled. It was true. She had to make the best of her situation, whatever it may be. She was about to ask Yahiko what he wanted but noticed he was already digging in. "He is so rude sometimes."
Sano waved it off. "Nah, it's expected."
Tsubame was talking to Soujiro, asking if he needed any help dishing out food, be he just placed a hand on her back and steered her over to the food where he instructed her to eat, claiming she was too underweight.
Kaoru smiled for the first time in a while. "He'll be a good father some day," she noted to Misao who turned bright red at the statement but then retorted.
"So will Kenshin."
Kaoru glanced at her funny. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I see the way you stare at him, Kaoru. I'm not dumb."
"Misao, I haven't even been here a whole day yet." She paused to think. "Does Soujiro…know about Kenshin, Sano and the Resistance?"
Misao took a bite out of her apple. She seemed to be quite fond of apples. " 'Snot my place to tell ya, ya know," she said while chewing. " 'Ts got a lot to do with his past n' all."
Kaoru couldn't help but think that Misao reminded her of Sano when she ate. Now she began wondering what Aoshi was like. If he was anything like the two, she didn't know if she'd be able to go through with meeting him some day.
"Well, I guess I could tell you one thing, he does know about it."
"Do you think that's dangerous?"
"Everything that goes on here is dangerous, Kaoru."
Overhearing their conversation, Soujiro pranced over. "Misao, why don't you get something to eat? I want to talk to Kaoru for a minute."
After a suspicious glance and a calming kiss, Misao walked away and Soujiro led Kaoru to the back of the room.
"I want to tell you," he began hesitantly, "About why I'm not doing anything against the Resistance. I saw the look on your face and all I want is your trust. Therefore, I am going to tell you something that no one else but Misao and Mr. Shishio know."
Kaoru narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I trust you."
To Be Continued...
Authors Notes: I can't contain it anymore. I need to tell you something! It's a tip for understanding the next chapter. 1: There was not Shinsengumi or Ishinshishi, only Shishio and this 'Resistance'. Woo0o0! What a hint. Lol. Anyway, I want to write more, I really do. But I must leave you with that. Sorry. Don't hate me. Other characters will be appearing such as: Saitou, Okita, Aoshi, maybe Ayame and Suzume, and if there's anyone you really really want to see, just tell me and I'll try to fit them in somewhere.
