King's Box

Lil-Sun-Rie


Author's Note Please review!

Summary Amber eyes glowed eerily in the dark shadows. All he knew was that a soft heart was not a heart at all. It must be of stone, so as to carve the law of living: The strongest survive. Will a light pierce the dark abyss they call insanity?

 
Disclaimer *sits in a dark room, rocking back and forth* Mine, all mine. My own, my precious. *clutches Kenshin doll tighter* Just joking, I'm just some kind of psycho freak who is really obsessed with Rurouni Kenshin!

King's Box

Chapter Six: Pain


Kaoru twisted in her saddle as she tried to look at all the cottages and the shops around the market place. She hasn't been in a large village in a while. If she remembered correctly, she hasn't been in a large village since she was nine. She then turned her gaze to the people around her. Yahiko was riding with Aoshi in the front and Kenshin was somewhere in the back, alone.


She didn't get him sometimes. He was always so quiet; it really opposed Kaoru's out-going nature. She has never, in her eighteen years of living, met anyone so secretive.


Suddenly the procession stopped. She looked up and saw that they had stopped in front of a small restaurant, the Aoiya. She stepped down from her saddle and rested her hand on the neck of the horse. She glanced at the world around her. It was a lot larger than she would have ever thought.


For the last five years, Hiko's home had been her only world. The only place she had been.


They entered the small hut. Kaoru found herself pushed to a table with Aoshi and Kenshin. Kaoru sat next to Kenshin, across from Aoshi.


Aoshi sat there expressionless. All the thoughts running through his head was so secretive, that even Kenshin had a hard time determining what he was thinking.


They heard a small peep. And together all three of them turned their heads.


There stood a small girl, almost as tall as Kaoru, in a tunic and riders legging. She smiled happily at them with her eyes closed. Kaoru examined the girl and found that she looked around two years younger than her. The girl was very beautiful with her long braid and pale complexion; she could have easily been the town beauty.


The young girl opened her eyes, and it seemed like realization had dawned on her.


She shook her head vigorously.


"Can I get you something?"


"Some sake." Aoshi answered, surveying the girl in front of him. "Bread and cheese would be good, too."


The girl nodded and left.


*****


The moon was full and Aoshi sat on a small hill all alone. Another figure made a move to join him. The young girl from before took a seat next to Aoshi under the tree. She leaned against the tree and sighed.


"Misao, what are you doing here?"


Misao looked down, "My mother disowned me. As you know she has just gotten married and is still young, but she found a new jealousy in me. She believed that the longer I stayed the more doomed their marriage would be. She tried to marry me off, but I rejected every suitor."


Misao turned her head to him.


Aoshi looked at Misao out of the corner of his eye. Here was a girl he knew his whole life. A strong, independent, sweet girl disowned by a woman she had once called mother. He thought of Misao as a friend, nothing more and nothing less. But, there was that warm happy feeling he always got when she was near.


Like in the Aoiya when he saw her.


"Why didn't you just marry?"


"Well, you see I don't want to marry someone I don't know and I'm waiting for someone."


"Waiting for someone?"


"Yes, someone very special."


"This someone of yours, does he know?"


"No, he's stupid."


"Then, why do you wait?"


"Because I love him. I'll wait forever for him just to notice me as someone." She closed her eyes and sighed.


"Forever is a long time."


"Then I'll wait a long time."


Aoshi chuckled at his companion's youthful innocence. But, that didn't help the cold feeling of rejection stop.


Aoshi went silent after that. That was how the night was spent. Aoshi and Misao sat under a tree sharing the open view of the harvest moon.


*****


The next morning Kaoru woke up refreshed and with a strong want to go horseback riding. She could see Kenshin sitting in a corner with his sword tucked under his arm. Kaoru sighed and gently lifted his sword out of his hand. She smiled when he didn't move. She laid the sword on the table and placed a large blanket on top of him.


Kenshin squirmed a bit and then snuggled in the blankets. Kaoru held in a laugh and left the room biting her bottom lip so hard that she was sure it was swollen. He looked so much like a little kid snuggling up to his blanket. Kaoru walked out, but she didn't get far. She was just about to walk out the door when something hard bumped into her. She fell back and looked up at the opposing person.


"Hi Kaoru," said a light, but masculine voice.


*****


Kenshin stumbled up when he heard someone scream. He tried to move, but something was tangled around his body. He struggled and struggled trying to get his sword, but it was on the table. It was pretty far from where he was. Finally the blanket let go of his body and he ran to his sword, then downstairs.


He saw Kaoru and another man. They were both hugging each other, oblivious to the world around them. Kaoru turned her head and smiled at him.


"Oh, hi Kenshin!" she eyed his ruffled clothes and messed up hair. "Rough morning?"


Kenshin didn't reply. He just stared at the man who was standing next to Kaoru. He was short, maybe just as short as he was but a little taller than Kaoru. He had big blue eyes and black hair and the smile on his lips never seemed to falter.


He was handsome; Kenshin had to admit with bitterness.


"Kenshin?" Kaoru waved her hand in front of Kenshin's face. "Kenshin?" She continued waving her hand.


Kenshin reached up and snatched her hand in his. Kaoru blushed at that, but didn't say anything.


"Kenshin, this is Soujiro Seta. He was my best friend when we were kids. I haven't seen him since the day he ran away."


Soujiro just smiled mysteriously and nodded. He pulled Kaoru back into a hug and she giggle as she returned it.


"We were really close, we knew almost everything about each other."


Soujiro pat her head and let her go.


"I had a really lonely childhood. All the other girls didn't like me, I never knew why. They would always avoid me and pretend I wasn't there." She smiled at the bitter memory, "Then I met Soujiro and we became friends just like that."


All this time Soujiro didn't say anything. He just nodded in agreement. This got Kenshin wondering if he was mute.


"Well, I better go Kaoru. I was planning on riding around before everyone else wakes up. It was nice to see you again." Soujiro smiled.


"Soujiro would you mind if I went with you?" Soujiro nodded.


Kaoru turned to face Kenshin, "Would you like to come?"


Kenshin shook his head and left curtly. Kaoru just sadly watched him go. It wasn't like she would force him. Together Soujiro and Kaoru saddled their horses and rode to the outskirts of the small town.


Kaoru smiled as they both talked about their lives and what happened after Soujiro left.


"I was so lonely, you could have at least taken me with you."


"Kaoru think about it. Would you have left your father?"


"No, but. . ."


"Kaoru, you know I would have loved to have my best friends there with me, but I needed to sort out things for myself." Soujiro looked down into Kaoru's innocent face and another face flashed through his mind.


One more menacing, more malicious. 'Kill her!' shouted a threatening voice. 'Kill her and don't leave any evidence.'


Soujiro stared at his friend and wasn't sure if he would be able to do it. She was like a sister to him. It would be a horrible death to die by the hand that you once trusted.


Soujiro pushed all the malicious thoughts away and continued to ride with Kaoru in silence.


It was a while since she heard Soujiro talk. Kaoru was beginning to wonder what was going on inside his head, but she didn't say anything about it. Kaoru was battling within herself wondering whether or not to ask him about his thoughts. Finally she wanted to ask him about it.


She opened his mouth to ask him about it.


"Soujiro.?"


Soujiro turned to her, smiling.


She opened her mouth to say something when a loud battle cry cut her off. Soujiro looked guilty and sad at the same time. But, his face returned to a calm exterior.


"Run." Kaoru looked at him wide-eyed.


"Run!" he repeated. Kaoru was about to say no.


"Run, damn it, run!" with that he slapped the horse and it went bounding away. Kaoru hooked her arm around the horse's neck because the reins had fallen and she was much to frighten to reach down and get it. She could hear commotions behind her. She felt a force wind past her ear. She turned back and saw that they had bows and arrows.


She urged her horse faster. Then something popped into her head.


'Soujiro!' She turned her head back to see if he was okay. He was no where in sight. She sighed to herself when suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her leg. She looked down at it and there was an arrow embedded in it. She felt like she would feint from the pain. She was about to stop the horse and pull the arrow out, except there were people after her so she couldn't stop. She urged her horse faster and ignored the pain as the horse galloped under her.


She found herself in the fields. She turned her horse to face her pursuers when out of no where Kenshin, Aoshi, Yahiko, and the rest of the men came from behind her. The men who were chasing her immediately turned around not wanting to die. One of the scouts pulled back their string and aimed for the last one. He shot the arrow and its aim was true. It struck the man right in the chest. The man fell from his saddle and the horse trotted away.


Kaoru let the horse stop. Kenshin immediately made his way to her. He saw the arrow protruding from her leg and frowned.


"Kenshin don't."


He didn't listen. He gave the arrow a swift tug. Kaoru yelped in pain and Kenshin let his hand fall to his side. The arrow wouldn't budge. He gave it another try.


Kaoru bit her lip in pain. She didn't know how much she could take. It was so much pain for her. Kenshin pulled the arrow, slower this time. But it just wouldn't budge. The arrow was deeply embedded in the rough leather saddle. The blood kept flowing. He pulled out his sword. Kaoru bit her lip harder. Had he finally lost it and wanted to kill her? She saw the other men trying to stop him, but Aoshi held up his hand to stop them. Did he want to see her dead too? Kenshin gently pried her leg from the saddle and slipped the blade between her thigh and the leather. He then yanked the blade down and the arrow broke. The feather and a small wooden stick were stuck in her leg.


Kenshin didn't touch the wound in fear of hurting her more.


"Is there a physician near?"


The men shook their heads.


"There isn't a physician here for many a league, but there is an old couple just up the hill who healed the wounds of our men when we pass by these parts. Kenshin nodded and cradled Kaoru against his chest. Kaoru struggled not wanting to get closer to Kenshin. She would have blushed if the pain in her leg didn't increase with her movement. She winced, but kept quiet. She didn't want anyone to know she was in too much pain.


They finally made it atop the hill and an old man was working outside. He held a small ax in his hands and chopped the small stumps in half. He looked up and saw them all standing there with one carrying a bleeding woman. He called out to his wife and she came out immediately. She led them in her house.


"Put her on the bed." Kaoru was about to protest saying that she would rather sit down, but the bed was so comfortable and her muscles ached for rest. The woman examined her leg and made a clicking sound with her tongue.


"It's deep. With a wound like this she would have to wear a bandage and rest for a while or else it would get infected."


"How long?" Aoshi questioned.


"About a week."


"Is there any other cure?"


"Well, there's one. Its used on men mostly because it hurts so much. Most men start to cry during the process."


"She won't cry. She won't make a sound, that she won't." Kaoru turned her eyes to Kenshin and stared at him in disbelief. Men couldn't take the pain so what made him think she could?


Kenshin turned his golden eyes to her with a certainty that scared her. At that instant, Kaoru made an internal promise to show her courage. She nodded her head.


The old woman looked down at Kaoru with uncertainty, but did not disagree.


She came back with two small wooden bowls piled on top of each other and a small wooden rod that resembled a club. She placed some herbs in the bowl and crushed them with the club.


The lady scurried around and added water to the concoction. "There are two parts of this remedy, both are painful."


She came back with a small cup full of a green liquid and a large leaf with horrible smelling gunk on it. Kaoru bit her lip as the woman gently pulled the arrow out of her leg.


"At least it missed the bone."


The old lady gently sponged the wound.


"Someone has to hold her down, or she'll trash too much."


Aoshi looked back at Kenshin and nodded. Kenshin showed no emotion as he made his way to the bed. He climbed on top of Kaoru and held her wrists above her head and trapped her legs between his knees.


"Okay, ready." Once more the lady sponged the wound. Kaoru let out a shaky breath.


The old woman doused a different sponge with the green liquid and let it hover above Kaoru's wound. Kaoru sucked in her breath and held it.


The sponge brushed against her skin and instantly she felt a mind blowing pain. She but her lip harder, reminding herself of her inner promise. Kenshin looked down at her face and she closed her eyes tightly. Finally the old lady pressed the sponge against Kaoru's bleeding wound.


Kaoru's eyes rolled upward as the pain coursed through her body.


'Men cry for this? I can see why.'


Kaoru felt like crying then and there, but she didn't want to seem weak. Opening her eyes she found that Kenshin's face was only inches away from hers. She swallowed as the old woman cleaned her wound with the concoction, causing a burning pain. It felt like the earth opened up and swallowed her. She felt as if the fires of hell taunted her with pain.


The woman pulled the sponge away, but the burning pain remained. Then the woman hastily slapped the leaf on her thigh, covering her wound. Then she wrapped a long bandage around her leg. Kaoru bit her lip harder. She tasted something bitter sweet and knew that she pierced her lip.


She had lost all feeling in her leg.


Kenshin looked down at Kaoru and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Maybe she should have just taken the other cure. It would have spared her from the pain.


Kaoru looked around the room and found that they were alone. She looked back up at Kenshin and saw that his eyes were closed and his face seemed to get closer and closer.


Kenshin placed a small chaste peck on her lips and climbed off of her. Kaoru sat up, ignoring the dull pain in her leg and nervously fingered her lips. Then climbing off the bed, she made her way to the darkest, thickest part of the forest and wept. Kaoru pushed the kiss out of her mind and wept the tears she wasn't able to earlier. She would think about Kenshin later.


The pain had been unbearable, but she managed to keep her promise. She heard footsteps and saw the young girl from the Aoiya. She was wearing a purple ninja outfit, which oddly seemed better than the kimono she had worn earlier.


Kaoru looked at her, frightened. She didn't want everyone to know she was weak and cried after the cure. She wanted them to go on thinking that she was some kind of hero.


Misao, knowing exactly what she was thinking smiled.


"Don't worry, I won't tell."


"Really? I mean its no big deal if they find out."


"I know. I don't think I would have been able to put up with that the way you did."


"How did you know what happened?" asked Kaoru as she tilted her head to the side.


Misao, mimicking her action replied, "I was there."


"Thank you."


"No problem. I'm Misao."


They both smiled at each other and at that moment both found a life long friend. They were both sure that they would be able to understand each other and if they weren't they would try. It was like they found their long lost sisters.


******


Oh well. I think I'll update next week, or maybe later!


Lil-Sun-Rie