Author's Note I really don't like typing these all the time. Just review and check out my other stories. I decided to keep the powers! LOL! I know some people wanted me to take it out because it was confusing, but I was an idea just hit me… and I assure you it hurt like *beep*! LOL! Potty mouth… -_- Any who… what do you want me to type here? C'mon just review telling me what you want up here! Advice column… funny junk… riddles… jokes… stupid things… quotes… fortune cookies… you get the idea! LOL! Power to the reviewers! O.o

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

Disclaimer I don't own Rurouni Kenshin so don't sue me.

King's Box

Chapter Nineteen: Coming

I want to stand by you on a mountain,

I want to bathe with you in the sea.

I want to lie like this forever,

Till the sky falls down me.

-Savage Garden

Kenshin steered his horse to the mountain, but Aoshi blocked his horse from traveling any farther.

"What's wrong with you Shinimori? Get out of the way! I have to save Kaoru!"

Aoshi's face stayed pallid.

"You won't make it if you go that way. Now is the time of the great snow storms."

Kenshin's eyes widened. "Then we should hurry. They could be in danger."

"You forget that Soujiro-chan is with them."

Kenshin glared at Aoshi. "Then how are we going to get to them?"

"We're going the long way."

Kenshin just nodded mutely. He was wallowing in his emotions… he was deep in the warm waters of love and could do nothing against it.

He didn't want to do anything against it. He wanted to love and win Kaoru's love. Kenshin nodded and followed Aoshi. Both men rode their horses at full speed and rested them at night, but they rose early and drove their horses faster and faster. They wanted to protect the women who were dear to them.

*********

Kaoru looked up at the sky and pulled her coat closer to her. It was snowing and hard. She wasn't sure if they would be able to make it to the other side.

Soujiro scooted closer to Kaoru, offering her some of his warmth. Misao yelped and hugged Kaoru's other side. They all laughed… they knew that this was dangerous and that they all could go back, but they didn't want to.

Nothing waited for them back there. Nothing was there, no dreams, no love, no nothing. Kaoru sighed. Love.

How she longed for it! How she thirsted and hungered for it. No one would ever know this pain deep in her heart. It felt like millions of swords drove through her, one by one and each at an agonizing pace.

Kaoru gasped as a cold wind blew against her face, taking her crystallized tears away with the wind. Kaoru wished on every tear that flew. She wished for everyone's welfare. She wished that Misao find love in Aoshi.

She wished that Soujiro find forgiveness and that Kenshin… She wished that Kenshin finds happiness in Tomoe… if that is what he wanted. Soujiro felt Kaoru shiver and he pulled her closer to him. Guilt. He held her innocence and tainted her with his guilty hands.

Soujiro looked over at Misao and got scared for her welfare too. Misao was younger than both of them and therefore wasn't as strong as them. He pulled Misao to him with his other arm so that they formed a small circle. They huddled together and hoped that nothing would happen to them.

Misao wondered what Aoshi was doing. She wanted to know, desperately. Misao unhooked her arm from Soujiro and pulled an envelope from her coat. She broke the wax seal and pulled the letter she wrote to him.

Would she ever be able to give him?

It was a letter describing her love for him, but she never gave it to him because she wanted to keep it close to her so that she can remember her love for him. So that she can stay faithful. So that she can die with her love for him, if that is what it takes.

Soujiro noticed Misao's sudden silence and looked down at her. She was staring at a letter… what could it be?

Soujiro never really gotten to know Misao, but he wanted to know her as a friend. He wanted to know Kaoru's friends. It's been awhile since he had seen anyone else make her smile the way she does. It's been a while since anyone has been able to make her laugh heartily.

It kind of made Soujiro jealous. But, he must remind himself not to say a thing because he was bonded by the guilt deep within him. Kaoru stood up and the snow crumbled under her weight.

"We better get going. That's enough rest for the day. We'll ride till night and we should make it by the next sun set."

Soujiro smiled his regular smile and helped Misao up.

Misao smiled gratefully and mounted her horse. The three set off higher onto the mountain of snow.

The one bound by guilt, the one bound by faithfulness, and the one bound by honor.


********

Kaoru, Misao, and Soujiro journeyed through the heavy snowing area. The mountains were very dangerous and Kaoru felt something warm grow inside her. She didn't understand, but it felt as if she was returning to something she had once lost.

It was as if she were a puppy returning to her master. Kaoru didn't understand this. She was never obligated to Shishio, only to Hiko-sama. He was a wonderful man who took her in with no regard to her past. He took her in no matter what happened, he stayed by her.

Even when Kenshin attacked him to get to her. Even when he was faced by the Battousai to release her. Hiko-sama stayed by her and protected her like a daughter.

He protected her from the hardships of men's wooing. He raised her to be strong and never to give in to the hardships of life.

It was funny, all she wanted to do now was to disobey him and give up. To cry and hope that things will get better. She wanted to be a child again.

She wanted to be carefree and happy. She wanted to go on walks and play with friends. She didn't want this, she never wanted this. It was too much for her to handle. It was torture for her to awake and remember that she would never see her Kenshin again.

He was never her Kenshin, but in her mind she would always think of him as the loving Battousai. He was very easy to love, even though they didn't speak a lot, she could tell that he cared for her.

She guessed that the care diminished when he was surrounded by many beauties.

Kaoru cursed her looks. She wasn't that beautiful, she was just plain. She didn't feel the need to wear rouge on her cheeks or lips.

She didn't feel the need to paint her eyebrows. She just didn't feel beautiful enough to wear those things. It didn't matter anyways. She wasn't that type of woman. She was more independent and cared more about what was inside.

She didn't want to be wooed because of her looks. She wanted people to see what was inside. She wanted people to see the real her. She wanted to be thought of as a person instead of a decoration.

She couldn't stand the fact that women actually wanted to be decorations, just to get a high ranking in society. She couldn't stand the fact that some women wouldn't talk unless spoken to. Women were people too. They can do whatever men can do, if not some can do it better.

Kaoru shivered under her fur lined coat and pulled the horse's reins towards her in hope of finding warmth.

She wondered where her heart would lead her next… she wondered if she would see her beloved again. She wouldn't mind seeing him… even if it had to be from afar. At least she would be able to see his face.

She wanted to see him smile. He never smiled with her. He never smiled with anyone. She just wanted to see him smile a true heartfelt one.

She wanted to be the cause of that smile.

********

It passed sun set and a new moon awoken over the horizon. Misao looked up at the crescent shaped moon. To her, the moon would always be a symbol of new beginnings. She needed to start a new life… one without her Aoshi.

She couldn't stand the thought of being near him, but not being able to hold him. She wanted to kiss him and hold him against her. She wanted him to whisper sweet nothings in her ears. She wanted him to love her and to cherish her. She wanted everything from him and yet, all she wanted for him was his happiness. She wanted him to laugh and smile and be free. She wanted him to be open with her and not hold back his emotions. She wanted his emotions.

She never knew that her childhood fancy could evolve into this pure, unending love she had for him. Her love for him will never end. It was as deep as the sea and as endless as time itself. She would never be able to replace him. She would never be able to let him go. She wanted him, she needed him. But, here she was, far away from him.

She hoped against all the odds that he would one day discover how much she loved him, but for now she would have to be satisfied with remembering him.

*******

The trio made it to the other side of the mountain by the next sunrise. They basked in the warmth the sun gave off.

"Can we visit someone first?"

Misao and Soujiro nodded. Kaoru smiled and led them to Hiko-sama's hut. She could see the tip of the house and knew that everything would be okay if she could see Hiko-sama again. She knew that everything would work out.

She didn't care if she would be enslaved by Shishio. She didn't care if he hurt her. She didn't care about anything… except the two most wonderful men in her life.

Kaoru jumped off her horse with a rush of adrenaline pumping through her veins.

"Hiko-sama!" Kaoru ran towards the house. She felt light hearted and happy. She would finally return to her "home."

She was returning to the man who had been her father. She was happy and the happiness caused her to feel lightheaded. She smiled as she ran, but… it was like being hit with a wooden club.

The house was empty and there was no sign of life near the house. Kaoru felt something tighten in her throat and she tried her hardest not to cry. The happiness she had experienced only moments before was gone. Hiko wasn't there. What could that mean? Could he really be dead?

Kaoru wanted to cry louder. She clenched and unclenched her hands. Her fisted them tightly until her nails cut her skin.

The pain made her realize that this was not a dream. This wasn't a dream. It was real and her father wasn't waiting for her with open arms. Soujiro and Misao ran to Kaoru, both of them were laughing.

They also thought that things would be okay… suddenly it seemed as all happiness in the world was gone. Soujiro and Misao stopped when they saw Kaoru fall suddenly to the ground.

"Kaoru!"

A strangled scream arose the hills and plains and there was no place that did not feel the sadness radiating off of the trio.

TO BE CONTINUED…

I don't think this chappie was really good… -_-

It seemed to rush, but I didn't know what to do so I just did this to fill up space. LOL! I hope you liked it and if you don't, that's okay. I really don't mind the flames… no that's a lie! I'd be really sad if you flamed me… :'(

Don't make me sad, okay?

LOL!


And that's a wrap!