The usual warning and disclaimer applies, see chapter one.
Chapter Eight
For the next week Kaoru drifted in and out of a state of half-consciousness, surfacing from the stack of books she'd taken from the library only when she heard people talking in the hall. When she did see Kenshin, she'd nod to him in passing, nothing more. The piano was out of tune and she didn't have the desire to tune and play it; she didn't have the will to do much else beside sit in her room and read, or walk down the road to the vineyard and stroll through the grapevines, feeling the wind blow through her hair. As far as Kenshin was concerned, she was free to do what she wanted. He spent the rest of the month with la Rue, then returned to the manor to read until it was time for them to leave.
Kaoru was grateful for the fact that they had two separate cabins on the return trip, and she had gotten more and more depressed and withdrawn during the rest of their time in the south of the country. When they returned to the flat, Kenshin did some paperwork while Kaoru unpacked, then knocked on her bedroom door.
"Come in." Kaoru had her back to him, as she was sitting at the desk. Opening the door, he crossed the room and dropped a thick envelope on the desk.
"I'm going to Rome on business. I leave in a week. This is your stipend, thank you for your services. I'll return before fall, and I expect you to be gone by then. Good day." He walked out, the hells of his shoes clicking on the wooden floors, and sounding like the beat of a snare drum, heralding her doom. He was kicking her out, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Her first reaction was shock, which quickly changed to fury. How dare he, after all she'd done! The day after he left, she stormed out of the flat with her pay, a few dresses, and what was left of her pride. A simple not was pinned to his pillow with a simple "Goodbye, Mr. Himura. Good luck with your life." She placed the money in a bank and then wandered the city. He had saved her from having to become a whore, but her next few jobs were absolutely horrible. The men were boors, exactly the types she hated. They were crude, cocky, and generally cruel, and they only wanted her there for what she could do in bed, not for her company or entertainment skills. Kenshin, meanwhile, had returned to Paris having made new contacts and signed with several dealers. He was quite pleased, and spent the night with some friends, only managing to stumble home around three in the morning, drunk, and fall asleep.
The months passed, fall becoming winter with a heavy snowfall that blanketed the city in several feet of white fluff. Christmas came and went, as did the turning of the new year, until the icy cold faded, and melted into March. A sunny day found Kaoru leaning against one of the walls of the Pont Neuf, watching the boats float down the river. The dress she wore covered her neck and arms all the way to the wrists, as her current employer seemed to take a perverse pleasure in beating her. It wasn't enough that she was severely injured and her job was impeded, but her entire body was covered with bruises. She also looked ill…tired, and was, in general, listless.
It was rare for her to have a day like this where she could be alone to think…and her mind had drifted to Kenshin of late. She hadn't seen him since he'd left the flat, but she read about him…and a few of his exploits. He was becoming quite a public figure, and there were photographs of him with several other men, but never another courtesan, which she found mildly amusing. Kenshin, on the other hand, was enjoying himself, although he did miss the sound of the piano. However, he was too caught up in his work to think much about it.
Kaoru closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the city. It truly was a rare day when she could get out and walk around on her own. It was then that Kenshin happened to drive by in a hansom. He ordered the driver to stop, and got out, crossing the street to where she stood. "What are you doing here?"
Kaoru, startled, spun around. "Mr. Himura! I…" she looked away. "I was just thinking."
Kenshin could bear to ask what was on his mind, he just couldn't. "How have you been?"
"Alright, I suppose. I'm still a courtesan, if that's what you were wondering."
He bowed. "Good. It was nice to see you. Good day." He walked back to the hansom, got in, and drove off.
"Good day, Mr. Himura." Kaoru looked back out over the river. There were times when she wished he'd never let her go.