The Devil's Workshop
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: You know what... I don't have time for this. No disclaimers from this chapter until we get to chapter... twenty-one I think. No A/Ns either.
*****
Chapter Eleven: Shades of Torment
"So this is Kyoto," Kaoru muttered under her breath. "He dragged me across miles upon miles of countryside for this?"
"Yes, Kaoru." She swore quietly, she kept forgetting that Battousai wasn't human. He smirked yet again. "I'd suggest you walk closer to me, love. There are plenty of men here that would gladly take you, but not from me."
She noticed that his eyes were nearly closed, yet he could still make his way through the crowd expertly and with little effort. "Why is it that you can walk Kyoto in daylight?" she questioned, remembering that he had never been out in other towns unless under the cover of darkness.
"It's a long story," he replied. "It's not that I'm accepted, but I've made a deal of sorts, and I've got contacts with the Oniwabanshuu, so I can move about at my own free will."
"I see," she mused. She paused for half a second and then continued walking at his insistent tug on her arm. "Why do you have your eyes closed?"
"The light hurts," he snapped. "Haven't I told you that before?"
"Yes, I suppose you have. I'm sorry." Kaoru fell silent.
Battousai kept increasing his pace and lengthening his stride until Kaoru nearly had to run to keep up with him. He was fairly dragging her along by the hand when he stopped abruptly before a large inn. Kaoru glanced at the sign to see that it read "Aoiya." Battousai simply barged right in; he obviously knew his place in the order of things, she snorted.
"Battousai-san," a female voice said from off to their right. He halted and Kaoru ran into his back; he didn't move a single inch.
"Misao." He acknowledged her with a slight jerk of his head. "I'm here to speak with..."
But Misao cut him off before he could finish, "Oh! And you've brought someone with you this time! Is this your woman?"
'Cheeky little thing,' Kaoru thought, somewhat bewildered and taken aback by the girl's behavior.
Battousai glared at Misao and ignored her question. "This is Kamiya Kaoru. Kaoru, this is Makimachi Misao. Now. Misao, I'm here to speak with Aoshi, I was trying to say before you interrupted." His eyes narrowed dangerously at her.
"Sorry Battousai-san!" Kaoru had a feeling that this Misao didn't hold as much fear of Battousai as he'd like her to. She almost giggled at the thought, but managed to refrain.
As Misao led Battousai to the room where Aoshi was currently meditating, all the while muttering something about his never doing anything else, Kaoru stood forgotten. Shifting her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably, she looked around her half-heartedly, hoping that either Battousai or Misao would return soon. She would prefer Battousai, but at least she had been introduced to Misao. This was not a situation that was high on her list of things to repeat anytime soon.
'What am I DOING here?!' she wondered, the full impact of the last few weeks hitting her, finally. 'I've willingly become Battousai's woman, and allowed him to drag me across Japan and treat me as he wishes. I gave up my father's sword style and have completely changed as a person. What the hell could I possibly have been thinking?!' She sank slowly to the floor as the realization came to her, sending her into a mild state of what might be considered shock. Teardrops began streaming down her face as she dropped her head into her hands and tried to stop herself from bursting into sobs. 'How did it come to this?' She wasn't really sure, but she knew that she had let her emotions take control and that she had gotten herself into a complicated mess. 'But I love him. Does that justify my betrayal to my father? Would Battousai have killed me if I refused to come? What do I do now?' The amount of questions she had far outnumbered the amount of answers she had. A huge upheaval was going on in her heart and mind, and it was causing her to break down, which she didn't like one little bit.
Soon she heard footsteps approaching, and she quickly tried to compose herself, but it seemed to be of no use. She looked up with a helpless expression to see Misao staring down at her, concern inscribed in her face and eyes. Kneeling down and setting a hand on Kaoru's shoulder, she was swift to offer her shoulder to cry on and wrapped Kaoru in a warm hug. It wasn't as healing as Battousai's embrace, Kaoru noted, but it felt good to be cared for, even if she'd only just met Misao.
"Has Battousai done something to upset you?" Misao asked. "I know it's not really any of my business..."
"No, it's ok," Kaoru said, offering her a wavering smile. "I don't really know if it's Battousai or myself anymore," she sighed.
Misao grinned. "Say it's Battousai's fault, it's always better to blame a man."
Kaoru giggled with her. "He can be such a jackass, can't he?" Her tears were beginning to fade.
"Uhm..." Misao started. "Battousai-san requested that you two be given a room to share. Is that... alright?"
Kaoru nodded, so Misao offered to show Kaoru the way, and the two walked off down the hall, laughing and chattering as if they'd know each other for years instead of just a few minutes.
***
Battousai listened solemnly as Aoshi intoned the details. This was serious, more serious than he'd first thought; he frowned. This didn't slip past Aoshi's notice, that the usually faceless Battousai seemed upset by the turn of events, but he let it pass, unwilling to bring up such a trivial matter at a time such as this one. Information could at least be attempted to be cajoled out of the Battousai later, at the moment there were more important things to discuss.
"Here?" Battousai leaned forward to ask. "What makes you so sure they've set their sights on Kyoto? Why not Tokyo or any other large city?"
Aoshi spread a map out over the table. "You know why, Battousai. Because you're here, and you can be here without causing panic. They don't want the city, they want you. Don't pretend you think otherwise."
Battousai smoothed his palms over the map and furrowed his brow in concentration. "So then..." he said, his voice barely above than a whisper. "I'm wanted not only here, but by the Chinese as well."
"You haven't exactly been too friendly with them," Aoshi stated dryly.
Battousai grinned, remembering the blood he'd spilled on the shores of China, the taverns he'd left in disarray, and all the pretty women he'd had in his bed. His smile faltered at the last thought, but he pushed Kaoru from his mind. If she was going to live, he would have to focus on the matter at hand.
"When, Aoshi? And who exactly are we after?"
"A small group sent by the Chinese government to secure your assassination. They been ordered to burn and slash everything and everyone that stands in their way, obviously they mean to drag the whole city down with you. We don't have much information on them." He paused. "In fact, we don't have anywhere near a satisfactory amount. All I've been told thus far is that they are about two dozen strong, and are superbly skilled at their craft. Usually I would say that they'd be no trouble for you, especially if I stood at your side, but I can't be sure this time. I'm sensing that something is not quite right. They're far too elusive to be normal warriors, and I don't like the fact that we haven't been able to gather more information on them. I've sent out some of my men, but they're proving to be exceptionally difficult to track down. If we hear anything more, I will be sure to let you know."
Battousai blinked. This must have been serious, because it was typically easier to get a cow to say as much as Aoshi just had rather than force Aoshi to say it himself. And he hadn't even had to pry, or, much less, ask at all. 'Kaoru...' he thought fleetingly. "What do you suggest the plan of action be?"
"Nothing just yet. We'll wait and see what my men can learn, decide how much of a threat this is, and then plan to eliminate them."
"Where are they now?"
"Fukui. A good way from here, so you're safe for now. But they move fast, so I don't know how long we'll have. I'll keep you updated as best I can."
"I see. I trust your judgement, Aoshi." Battousai turned to leave, but Aoshi stopped him.
"I wouldn't let your woman out of your sight unless you've left her under someone's care, Battousai," he said, his voice flat. "She'll be the first target."
Battousai nodded curtly and slid the shoji open, making for his usual room only to be stopped by an anxious-looking Misao. 'Well this can't be good. Have I ever seen the girl without a demented smile?'
"Battousai-san!" she exclaimed. "It's Kaoru-chan!" He glared at her, and she quickly corrected herself. "Kaoru-san." He didn't care what Misao called her when he wasn't around, but in his presence, at least, she would be referred to with more respect. He was peculiar that way.
"What about her?"
"I... she... well..."
"Is she hurt?" he asked sharply.
"No, that's not it," Misao was beginning to babble, and it was becoming intensely annoying. "We were talking and then she just started crying and she had been before but she stopped and I tried to comfort her but she just kept sobbing and I'm worried that something's wrong."
"Misao!" Battousai snapped. "Take a goddamned breath, slow down, and for the love of the gods just go do something else!"
"But... Kaoru-san..."
"I am perfectly capable, just go!" he ground out, curling his hands reflexively.
Misao noted this and quickly skittered off down the hall. Today was not looking to be the best day Battousai had seen.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath, stalking towards their room. He burst in and closed the shoji behind him, and stared down at Kaoru huddled in a pathetic ball at his feet. Crouching next to her, he cupped her chin with his palms, gently lifting her head to look in her eyes.
"What could possibly be wrong, love?" he said softly.
"Everything," she spat. "Think about it. I miss my home, I've failed my father, and I have no more purpose in life other than to be Battousai's bitch. What could be wrong? What COULDN'T be wrong?!"
Battousai's eyes swirled with a mixture of hate and hurt for just a second before he closed it off. "I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I thought we'd been through this. You're more to me than just a woman to warm my bed, sweetling. It seemed that you'd realized that, but you keep dragging back up these trivial things."
"Trivial?" Now Kaoru looked utterly wounded. "My home and family are trivial?"
Battousai sighed. "Come, lovely, you know that such things have never been important to me. It's part of my nature. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But you did!" She was on the verge of shouting, shaking with tears and anger. "That's just the problem. Whenever I let my guard down you hurt me again, then claim it's 'against your nature' and you didn't mean it! I don't know if I believe you anymore Battousai-san."
He winced. Battousai-san. That just didn't sound right coming out of her pretty mouth.
"I'm trying, love, you have to believe that I really am."
Kaoru flew to her feet, and he followed quickly, giving her a heated scowl. "Well then TRY HARDER!"
It seemed like such finality as she stomped out of the room. Battousai stood in the center of the room that now seemed so empty without her, stunned into paralysis. He decided that conversation could have gone better, swore at himself, and set out to follow her. In the back of his mind, the words 'China,' 'assassins,' and 'Fukui' were swirling about, and he knew he had to tell Kaoru, but the only thing that mattered was to keep her from doing something stupid.
'Really, what could she possibly do?' he asked himself. After a few long moments of thought he concluded. 'She could leave me. She could kill me with that.'
So his step gained intensity and he rapidly went after her, hearing her muffled sobs and shuffling footsteps. He caught up to her just as she was about to slip out the entrance of the Aoiya. She gasped when his arms shot out and wrapped around her from behind, and tried to beat at him with her fists when he started dragging her back down the hall to their room.
Throwing her down on the unrolled futon, he dropped to his knees by her side. A fearful look crossed her deep blue eyes and he noticed that she was trembling. It used to entice him, but her fear disgusted him now. No longer could he stand the terror that darted across her face every time he got angry or upset.
"You will not leave me like that," he growled. "Do you realize how dangerous that is?"
She looked quizzical.
"There is a group of assassins from China after me right now, and I don't know who in the hells else wants my blood spilled in the dirt. You are my woman, and I'm sure people know it by now. They'll want to go for my weakness, and you'll be the first objective. You can't leave me... don't leave me..." his tone changed drastically.
"I..."
"Don't leave me... don't kill me..."
Her eyes brightened, he didn't know it, but he'd said exactly the right thing. "I won't leave you," she whispered, sitting up and pulling her knees to her body. "What... what is this about the Chinese?"
"A small group of highly skilled assassins have been hired to kill me. They're in Fukui right now, but eventually they'll become a problem. I don't know what will happen, but you must promise that you'll do whatever I tell you to."
"I... promise. Please, Battousai, don't let them harm you. If I can't leave you, then you can't leave me."
"Whatever will happen is going to happen, love. I don't control the might of the gods."
*****
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: You know what... I don't have time for this. No disclaimers from this chapter until we get to chapter... twenty-one I think. No A/Ns either.
*****
Chapter Eleven: Shades of Torment
"So this is Kyoto," Kaoru muttered under her breath. "He dragged me across miles upon miles of countryside for this?"
"Yes, Kaoru." She swore quietly, she kept forgetting that Battousai wasn't human. He smirked yet again. "I'd suggest you walk closer to me, love. There are plenty of men here that would gladly take you, but not from me."
She noticed that his eyes were nearly closed, yet he could still make his way through the crowd expertly and with little effort. "Why is it that you can walk Kyoto in daylight?" she questioned, remembering that he had never been out in other towns unless under the cover of darkness.
"It's a long story," he replied. "It's not that I'm accepted, but I've made a deal of sorts, and I've got contacts with the Oniwabanshuu, so I can move about at my own free will."
"I see," she mused. She paused for half a second and then continued walking at his insistent tug on her arm. "Why do you have your eyes closed?"
"The light hurts," he snapped. "Haven't I told you that before?"
"Yes, I suppose you have. I'm sorry." Kaoru fell silent.
Battousai kept increasing his pace and lengthening his stride until Kaoru nearly had to run to keep up with him. He was fairly dragging her along by the hand when he stopped abruptly before a large inn. Kaoru glanced at the sign to see that it read "Aoiya." Battousai simply barged right in; he obviously knew his place in the order of things, she snorted.
"Battousai-san," a female voice said from off to their right. He halted and Kaoru ran into his back; he didn't move a single inch.
"Misao." He acknowledged her with a slight jerk of his head. "I'm here to speak with..."
But Misao cut him off before he could finish, "Oh! And you've brought someone with you this time! Is this your woman?"
'Cheeky little thing,' Kaoru thought, somewhat bewildered and taken aback by the girl's behavior.
Battousai glared at Misao and ignored her question. "This is Kamiya Kaoru. Kaoru, this is Makimachi Misao. Now. Misao, I'm here to speak with Aoshi, I was trying to say before you interrupted." His eyes narrowed dangerously at her.
"Sorry Battousai-san!" Kaoru had a feeling that this Misao didn't hold as much fear of Battousai as he'd like her to. She almost giggled at the thought, but managed to refrain.
As Misao led Battousai to the room where Aoshi was currently meditating, all the while muttering something about his never doing anything else, Kaoru stood forgotten. Shifting her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably, she looked around her half-heartedly, hoping that either Battousai or Misao would return soon. She would prefer Battousai, but at least she had been introduced to Misao. This was not a situation that was high on her list of things to repeat anytime soon.
'What am I DOING here?!' she wondered, the full impact of the last few weeks hitting her, finally. 'I've willingly become Battousai's woman, and allowed him to drag me across Japan and treat me as he wishes. I gave up my father's sword style and have completely changed as a person. What the hell could I possibly have been thinking?!' She sank slowly to the floor as the realization came to her, sending her into a mild state of what might be considered shock. Teardrops began streaming down her face as she dropped her head into her hands and tried to stop herself from bursting into sobs. 'How did it come to this?' She wasn't really sure, but she knew that she had let her emotions take control and that she had gotten herself into a complicated mess. 'But I love him. Does that justify my betrayal to my father? Would Battousai have killed me if I refused to come? What do I do now?' The amount of questions she had far outnumbered the amount of answers she had. A huge upheaval was going on in her heart and mind, and it was causing her to break down, which she didn't like one little bit.
Soon she heard footsteps approaching, and she quickly tried to compose herself, but it seemed to be of no use. She looked up with a helpless expression to see Misao staring down at her, concern inscribed in her face and eyes. Kneeling down and setting a hand on Kaoru's shoulder, she was swift to offer her shoulder to cry on and wrapped Kaoru in a warm hug. It wasn't as healing as Battousai's embrace, Kaoru noted, but it felt good to be cared for, even if she'd only just met Misao.
"Has Battousai done something to upset you?" Misao asked. "I know it's not really any of my business..."
"No, it's ok," Kaoru said, offering her a wavering smile. "I don't really know if it's Battousai or myself anymore," she sighed.
Misao grinned. "Say it's Battousai's fault, it's always better to blame a man."
Kaoru giggled with her. "He can be such a jackass, can't he?" Her tears were beginning to fade.
"Uhm..." Misao started. "Battousai-san requested that you two be given a room to share. Is that... alright?"
Kaoru nodded, so Misao offered to show Kaoru the way, and the two walked off down the hall, laughing and chattering as if they'd know each other for years instead of just a few minutes.
***
Battousai listened solemnly as Aoshi intoned the details. This was serious, more serious than he'd first thought; he frowned. This didn't slip past Aoshi's notice, that the usually faceless Battousai seemed upset by the turn of events, but he let it pass, unwilling to bring up such a trivial matter at a time such as this one. Information could at least be attempted to be cajoled out of the Battousai later, at the moment there were more important things to discuss.
"Here?" Battousai leaned forward to ask. "What makes you so sure they've set their sights on Kyoto? Why not Tokyo or any other large city?"
Aoshi spread a map out over the table. "You know why, Battousai. Because you're here, and you can be here without causing panic. They don't want the city, they want you. Don't pretend you think otherwise."
Battousai smoothed his palms over the map and furrowed his brow in concentration. "So then..." he said, his voice barely above than a whisper. "I'm wanted not only here, but by the Chinese as well."
"You haven't exactly been too friendly with them," Aoshi stated dryly.
Battousai grinned, remembering the blood he'd spilled on the shores of China, the taverns he'd left in disarray, and all the pretty women he'd had in his bed. His smile faltered at the last thought, but he pushed Kaoru from his mind. If she was going to live, he would have to focus on the matter at hand.
"When, Aoshi? And who exactly are we after?"
"A small group sent by the Chinese government to secure your assassination. They been ordered to burn and slash everything and everyone that stands in their way, obviously they mean to drag the whole city down with you. We don't have much information on them." He paused. "In fact, we don't have anywhere near a satisfactory amount. All I've been told thus far is that they are about two dozen strong, and are superbly skilled at their craft. Usually I would say that they'd be no trouble for you, especially if I stood at your side, but I can't be sure this time. I'm sensing that something is not quite right. They're far too elusive to be normal warriors, and I don't like the fact that we haven't been able to gather more information on them. I've sent out some of my men, but they're proving to be exceptionally difficult to track down. If we hear anything more, I will be sure to let you know."
Battousai blinked. This must have been serious, because it was typically easier to get a cow to say as much as Aoshi just had rather than force Aoshi to say it himself. And he hadn't even had to pry, or, much less, ask at all. 'Kaoru...' he thought fleetingly. "What do you suggest the plan of action be?"
"Nothing just yet. We'll wait and see what my men can learn, decide how much of a threat this is, and then plan to eliminate them."
"Where are they now?"
"Fukui. A good way from here, so you're safe for now. But they move fast, so I don't know how long we'll have. I'll keep you updated as best I can."
"I see. I trust your judgement, Aoshi." Battousai turned to leave, but Aoshi stopped him.
"I wouldn't let your woman out of your sight unless you've left her under someone's care, Battousai," he said, his voice flat. "She'll be the first target."
Battousai nodded curtly and slid the shoji open, making for his usual room only to be stopped by an anxious-looking Misao. 'Well this can't be good. Have I ever seen the girl without a demented smile?'
"Battousai-san!" she exclaimed. "It's Kaoru-chan!" He glared at her, and she quickly corrected herself. "Kaoru-san." He didn't care what Misao called her when he wasn't around, but in his presence, at least, she would be referred to with more respect. He was peculiar that way.
"What about her?"
"I... she... well..."
"Is she hurt?" he asked sharply.
"No, that's not it," Misao was beginning to babble, and it was becoming intensely annoying. "We were talking and then she just started crying and she had been before but she stopped and I tried to comfort her but she just kept sobbing and I'm worried that something's wrong."
"Misao!" Battousai snapped. "Take a goddamned breath, slow down, and for the love of the gods just go do something else!"
"But... Kaoru-san..."
"I am perfectly capable, just go!" he ground out, curling his hands reflexively.
Misao noted this and quickly skittered off down the hall. Today was not looking to be the best day Battousai had seen.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath, stalking towards their room. He burst in and closed the shoji behind him, and stared down at Kaoru huddled in a pathetic ball at his feet. Crouching next to her, he cupped her chin with his palms, gently lifting her head to look in her eyes.
"What could possibly be wrong, love?" he said softly.
"Everything," she spat. "Think about it. I miss my home, I've failed my father, and I have no more purpose in life other than to be Battousai's bitch. What could be wrong? What COULDN'T be wrong?!"
Battousai's eyes swirled with a mixture of hate and hurt for just a second before he closed it off. "I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I thought we'd been through this. You're more to me than just a woman to warm my bed, sweetling. It seemed that you'd realized that, but you keep dragging back up these trivial things."
"Trivial?" Now Kaoru looked utterly wounded. "My home and family are trivial?"
Battousai sighed. "Come, lovely, you know that such things have never been important to me. It's part of my nature. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But you did!" She was on the verge of shouting, shaking with tears and anger. "That's just the problem. Whenever I let my guard down you hurt me again, then claim it's 'against your nature' and you didn't mean it! I don't know if I believe you anymore Battousai-san."
He winced. Battousai-san. That just didn't sound right coming out of her pretty mouth.
"I'm trying, love, you have to believe that I really am."
Kaoru flew to her feet, and he followed quickly, giving her a heated scowl. "Well then TRY HARDER!"
It seemed like such finality as she stomped out of the room. Battousai stood in the center of the room that now seemed so empty without her, stunned into paralysis. He decided that conversation could have gone better, swore at himself, and set out to follow her. In the back of his mind, the words 'China,' 'assassins,' and 'Fukui' were swirling about, and he knew he had to tell Kaoru, but the only thing that mattered was to keep her from doing something stupid.
'Really, what could she possibly do?' he asked himself. After a few long moments of thought he concluded. 'She could leave me. She could kill me with that.'
So his step gained intensity and he rapidly went after her, hearing her muffled sobs and shuffling footsteps. He caught up to her just as she was about to slip out the entrance of the Aoiya. She gasped when his arms shot out and wrapped around her from behind, and tried to beat at him with her fists when he started dragging her back down the hall to their room.
Throwing her down on the unrolled futon, he dropped to his knees by her side. A fearful look crossed her deep blue eyes and he noticed that she was trembling. It used to entice him, but her fear disgusted him now. No longer could he stand the terror that darted across her face every time he got angry or upset.
"You will not leave me like that," he growled. "Do you realize how dangerous that is?"
She looked quizzical.
"There is a group of assassins from China after me right now, and I don't know who in the hells else wants my blood spilled in the dirt. You are my woman, and I'm sure people know it by now. They'll want to go for my weakness, and you'll be the first objective. You can't leave me... don't leave me..." his tone changed drastically.
"I..."
"Don't leave me... don't kill me..."
Her eyes brightened, he didn't know it, but he'd said exactly the right thing. "I won't leave you," she whispered, sitting up and pulling her knees to her body. "What... what is this about the Chinese?"
"A small group of highly skilled assassins have been hired to kill me. They're in Fukui right now, but eventually they'll become a problem. I don't know what will happen, but you must promise that you'll do whatever I tell you to."
"I... promise. Please, Battousai, don't let them harm you. If I can't leave you, then you can't leave me."
"Whatever will happen is going to happen, love. I don't control the might of the gods."
*****