DISCLAIMER:

Cel: ~*Looks around cautiously before speaking.*~ I own Ruroken completely! ~*Looks around again.*~ All of it! Including Saitou and Kenshin.

Kenshin: Oro?

Cel: ~*Jumps.*~ Where did you come from?

Saitou: He's a hitokiri, what do you expect? Anyway... Cel does NOT own any of us. Specially me.

Cel: ~*Pouts*~



To the Beginning to Find the End
by: Celena Schezar
Ch. 1 - Nursing Wounds



A soft groan drew his attention over to the pallet on the floor. The girl was moaning as she moved around in the bed ever so slightly. He imagined it hurt like hell just to move at all. Eventually the green eyes opened up to stare at the ceiling. They blinked a few times before focusing and quickly scanning the room surrounding her.

"Wh... Where am I?" Came the whispered query from the futon.

"In my room. After a serious battle with the Ishin-shishi two days ago they had to get you out of the infirmary so all our men could fit. I decided that you needed a place to heal and had you moved to my room."

At his voice her head moved to the side to look at him. It was the jerk from yester...

"Two days ago?"

"Yes. You've been on the brink of death for three days now. It's about time you've awakened fully. They wanted to claim you dead, but you woke up before they got the chance. However, you were never focused and then the battle happened..." He trailed off figuring she could connect the information he had given her.

"So now I'm just lying here in your room hoping to come to life." She groaned a bit more as she tried to roll to the side and face him better.

"Stop that. You'll open your wound."

She did as she was told surprisingly enough. With a feeling of trepidation Kethry slowly peered down the length of her body to where her wound lay. Removing the carefully placed sheets she lifted her shirt ever so slightly only to grimace and recover herself. It wasn't that bad now that it was cleaned up and stitched closed, but she could imagine what a gash that size must have looked like laying open for all its contents to fall out.

Kethry shook her head to clear the thought. She was kind of surprised she was even alive. After all, wasn't it the Hitokiri Battousai that had sliced through her like butter? With a sigh she let her thoughts drop out of her mind and instead concentrated on the room before her.

It was an empty room. The only furnishings were the futon she occupied, the chair the Shinsengumi sat on, and the desk on the wall to his right. He sat facing her having turned the chair away from the desk to do so. It was then that she noticed that he was farthest from the door and not her. The door must have been behind her, above her head. She tried to look, but it was hard because she couldn't move anything other than her neck without feeling the pain.

Letting out a soft whimper she finally gave up and put her head back where it belonged. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. The pain seemed to be growing now that she was awake and able to comprehend it.

"Here." At this one word, Saitou stood from the chair with precise elegance and ease. He picked something up from the desk and walked over to her. "It's for the pain."

He gently lifted her head up and gave her a pill to swallow. With great force she managed to get it down with the water he slowly poured into her mouth. When she had finished taking all the water she wanted he carefully lowered her head back down.

"I guess you're not such a jerk after all. Thanks."

"I accept the thanks, but I must ask that you apologize for calling me such. Perhaps you can do so by staying in my bed with me after your healed?"

With that her eyes snapped open to glare at his smirking face. "You... you... jerk!"

"Hmph. Wench."

She gave a growl and then a hiss as a stab of pain streaked through her abdomen. The pain hadn't subsided yet and at her movement of unrest had flared it up again worse than ever. Hopefully the medicine would kick in and allow her to rest some more. With a sigh Keth settled down and tried to help her body relax by closing her eyes and taking deep, even breathes.

Saitou looked down upon her with a frown as he considered the circumstance. He would have to go on patrol soon, but he didn't want to leave her without knowing that she would be fine. He gave a sigh before speaking to her. "There's food on the desk if you wake while I'm gone. I'm sure if you get hungry enough you can get to it, but just try to sleep and not move. It would be better. I'll give the food to you when I get back anyway."

"While your gone?" One green eye stared up at him with a hint of fear.

"Yes. Don't worry, you'll be fine here. I have to go on patrol with my squad now. I'll be back soon." With that said he left her to rest.

"Hmph. Fine then, just leave the maiden still in distress. I'll live..."



Waiting a safe amount of time before moving, Kethry carefully removed her right arm from underneath the covers. Dangling from a silver bracelet was a small green orb. The orb glowed softly as Kethry concentrated on its magical properties. In unity with its own glow, a green aura surrounded her briefly before the spell was cast. Sprinkles of blue energy fell upon her in accordance to the completed spell and quickly disappeared when they landed on her.

Resting for a few more minutes she finally decided it was time for her to leave. Getting up slowly she removed the sheets and then placed them perfectly back on the bed. She stretched quickly and then looked around the room from her better angle. Her wound pained her not, for there was no longer such a thing on her. Even the stitches where gone somehow.

One glance around only confirmed her earlier assessment. The room was bare except for the futon, chair, and desk. She did notice that there was an extra set of swords resting against the wall beside the desk where she couldn't have seen them before. Hidden in a corner like prized possessions. She wondered... With an evil smile spread across her face she snatched them up and placed them in her belt on her left hip. Its not like he needed them, he already had the ones he wore.

Taking the proffered food left on the table Kethry began to make her exit in a stealthy manner. It didn't take her long to find her way out of the building and into the street. After that, it was home free.