Disclaimer: I wonder what I would do if I did own Kenshin... baka no
hentai!!!
Definitions:
¤ Ojiichan – grandfather
¤ Dochirahe – "how are you" (forgive me, I couldn't find 'are you alright?')
b if you know how to say 'are you alright', please let me know! b
¤ Oyasuminasai – good night
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A Love for One Hated
By: Mystic Song
Chapter 8: At Sword Point
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"Wake up, sleepy!" A small voice sounded from the end of the bed.
Kaoru's eyes fluttered to reveal a pair of hazy blue orbs. She looked towards the end of her bed to find the owner of the little voice that had awoken her from her pleasant dream. When Kaoru sat up, pushing her loose hair behind her ears, she couldn't find anyone else present in her room, yet when she lay back down she felt the presence at the side of her bed.
"Obi Kaoru, wake up!" The small voice persisted.
Kaoru groaned and rolled over onto her side, looking down at none other than Suzume. Her bright eyes were shining eagerly as she shuffled anxiously alongside the bed. "Suzume," Kaoru said softly, her voice unusually low from her tiredness, "It's early. Was there something you needed?"
Suzume shook her head innocently, the two brunette pigtails bouncing off her shoulders. "Ojiichan just said that he was going to take me and Ayame out shopping!"
"Is that so?" Kaoru asked, sitting up straight. "When are you leaving?"
Suzume paused in her rustling to press a finger against her lips, eyebrows scrunching in deep thought. "Ojiichan says that he wants to leave this afternoon."
Kaoru nodded and slipped out of bed. "That sounds fine." After steeling a glance out the window she bent down alongside the small girl. "Suzume, it's almost noon now. How about you go ahead downstairs; you will be leaving soon. I will see you later tonight."
Suzume nodded and skipped anxiously out of the bedroom as Kaoru headed towards the bathroom. Kaoru had already entered the bath when she heard Dr. Genzai's calls from downstairs, declaring his leave and wishing for Kaoru to not leave the house until they returned. Kaoru sighed and slouched in the tub. She wanted Kenshin to return soon so that she wouldn't be alone, that void in her heart was becoming painstakingly unbearable and she wanted it to end now more than ever.
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Storm clouds rolled over the skies, clouding the sun from view as Kenshin headed forward towards the palace. A dark shadow was cast upon it and there was a dreary silence that engulfed the fortress. As Kenshin neared, two stern guards drew back their weapons and hauled open the grand palace doors for Kenshin's entrance while curtly bowing their armored heads. Kenshin pulled on an austere expression to hide his worry and weariness from the journey as he entered the palace.
To his surprise, maids and various servants were packed into the wide entrance hall as even more guards watched over a certain hallway that Kenshin knew led to various meeting halls. Kenshin's lips formed a frown at the thought of his Shishou being in a meeting at that dire moment; he didn't have time to waste. As he scanned the area for any familiar servants that could lead him to Shishou, his eyes landed on a tall man with abnormal strength, gravity defying hair and the symbol 'bad' embedded into the back of his jacket. This man was none other than Kenshin's good friend Sanosuke, who was chatting excitedly to a slender woman with long, sleek ebony hair and sultry eyes.
Without wasting another moment, Kenshin stepped forward towards the room, calling out, "Sano," in a deep voice that caught basically everyone's attention in the room.
"Oi, Kenshin!" Sanosuke exclaimed once his eyes rested on a disgruntled red head. A fish bone was casually drooping from the corner of his mouth. "Long time no see. How's Jou-chan doing?"
Kenshin looked down towards the floor, his bangs hiding the many worried emotions that crossed his steely blue eyes. "I must return quickly or I fear she might not be doing so well." Sanosuke faltered. Kenshin's head immediately snapped back up, his eyes churning a deeper color that could have been mistaken for amber, "Take me to Seijuro now."
"S-sure, Kenshin." Sanosuke abated, he was not used to Kenshin's sudden mood swings, and his temper wasn't one to mess with.
"Now just wait a minute, rooster." The girl Sanosuke had been talking to earlier butted in, holding her hand out firmly. "Lord Seijuro does not want anyone barging into his meeting, not even you, Ken-san."
If it was possible, Kenshin was frowning even more. "Megumi-dono, this is a very important matter, I must see Shishou right away."
Megumi shook her head.
"Kitsune." Sanosuke said decisively, "Let the guy through." Megumi still didn't respond. Sanosuke sighed and slipped his hand around Megumi's waist, drawing her aside so she would not step in the way again.
"Hey!" Megumi shouted out loudly, throwing her fists against Sanosuke's chest to no avail. "Put me down, tori-atama!"
Sanosuke shook his head, "Sorry, fox, but you gotta do what ya gotta do. Go ahead, Kenshin. Fifth door on the left."
Kenshin nodded his head appreciatively and headed down the hallway past the leering guards and through a small door that would lead to Hiko Seijuro.
"Ahou!" A voice cried angrily as Kenshin opened the door. "I thought I specifically told you NOT to enter this room in a MEETING!" The man who was yelling suddenly hesitated as Kenshin's blazing red hair came into view, the cigarette dangling loosely at the corner of the man's mouth in surprise, his scrutinizing eyes slimming in disbelief. "Well if it isn't the Battousai." The man said in a long, sarcastic drawl.
"Saitou." Kenshin stated simply, his eyes hardening.
Hiko stood against the wall at the far side of the room; arms folded neatly across his chest as he silently observed the two glowering at each other. His eyes lightened in amusement as the two rivals bickered in their own silent language. After a minute had passed by and no one made another movement in the room, Hiko stepped forward, breaking the tension that hung between Kenshin and Saitou.
"So, baka deshi, you return. Where's my future stewardess?" Hiko said, the corners of his mouth upturning into a smirk.
"Back at your summer house, Shishou." Kenshin replied humbly, as he always did in his guardian's presence.
"Ahou." Saitou spat, his jagged features hardening. "You left her there alone."
"Under the protection of your men." Kenshin retorted.
Hiko looked over at Saitou and said nonchalantly, "Do you doubt the ability of your men?"
Saitou mumbled a few words before stating loudly, "They are capable and strong, though nowhere near the potential of Shishio's men."
Hiko frowned. "Well, it's no good leaving her there then. Baka deshi, go bring her back here to the palace where she can remain safe. Her quarters within the palace will be ready for her in just a few months now. Until then, she may stay in her designated room in the guest house."
"I will not be returning her to the castle, de gozaru yo." Kenshin stated firmly, a steely note in his voice.
"Then where will you take her?" Saitou asked casually leaning up against the wall.
"To the Aoiya." Kenshin said, winning the approved nod of Hiko. "I will go and bring her there immediately as long as she can find a bed when we return."
"We?" Saitou asked.
Kenshin nodded curtly. "She is still under my protection after all."
Saitou and Hiko exchanged discreet glances under Kenshin's inimical gaze. Saitou's features lightened while a sarcastic grin spread across Hiko's face. "Very well." Hiko said finally. "Two beds will be ready for you and the girl's return." With that, Hiko waved Kenshin out of the room so that he could bring Kaoru back in the least amount of time possible.
After Kenshin had left, Saitou turned to Hiko. "Time is running out, and we are going to have to attack soon."
"I will not attack until Kamiya is ready for her duties." Hiko replied stubbornly. In truth, he had never actually met and gotten to know the girl and wasn't entirely sure that she could run an entire country properly. But that is why he had put his reliable baka deshi into the picture. He hoped that Kenshin would be the one to take his place next to Kamiya.
Saitou looked disapprovingly up at Hiko. "She is being sought out for. Already they have left the town and are heading towards your summerhouse. She will need all the protection she can get. Having her stay at the Aoiya is a smart idea, but it won't be until long when they return. This time, though, they won't be disguised as simple men, this time they will be here to fight."
Hiko looked down at the ground. It was time for him to take action to protect his country, his people, his world.
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Kaoru looked uneasily about her as she walked through the empty halls. Not many maids worked there, and all the maids that were present were either in the kitchen or were too thoroughly indulged in their cleaning to spare a moment to spend with Kaoru.
Kaoru was clad in her regular fighting attire: blue hakama and white gi, her chest bounded by the usual bandages she would steal from the medicine cabinet in her washroom. She strolled outside onto the grounds and towards the dojo, intending to take a closer look at all the weapons stored in the dojo's back room to take her mind off life itself.
Once she had stepped inside the dojo, she cautiously made her way towards all the weapons, allowing her eyes to scan the entire room as it fell from sakabatou to wakizashi. She was amazed at the multitude of weapons in the room and wondered if every mace had been handled in the war when she was born.
The sun glinted off the sharp edges of the swords and Kaoru couldn't hold herself back from stroking the dull side, her eyes mesmerized with the agile sticks. It wasn't before long when she picked up a few to test them out. Of course she detested swords that killed, but such a multitude of swords that hadn't been used for years in one room was overbearing. Kaoru would pluck a sword from the barrack, slide it out of its sheath and grasp the handle firmly. This was a sakabatou with a reversed edge blade. She would swing it high over her head in an even arc before slashing it down in a perfect forward strike. Kaoru soon found herself testing out the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu out on the sword. The only difference was that her bokken was lighter while this sword was heavier, but executed her moves perfectly. She strapped the sheath to her waist as she walked out into the dojo's arena, determined to master the sakabatou along with the bokken.
Just as Kaoru was about to put her foot down for an extended forward strike, the shoji door was abruptly shoved open. Kaoru jumped but took the person in the doorway to be a servant of some sort. Kaoru turned slowly to face the figure, sword pointed harmlessly towards the ground so as not to intimidate the silhouette in the doorway.
"Hai?" Kaoru asked slowly as she stepped forward to meet the man by the door.
"Kamiya Kaoru." The man growled as he took a menacing step forward. "How long have we been searching for you?"
Kaoru gave a startled gasp as she realized that this man was not a servant at all. He was clad in Shishio's coat of arms, a rapier hanging loosely at his side. She gave a frantic look over her shoulder to find a means of escape but only found a window to the left side of the back room. There was not enough time for her to slip through that without being cut off by the man by the door.
The man seemed to sense Kaoru's apprehension and gave a wicked sneer that was soon followed by an ominous laugh. "Don't worry, Kamiya." The man said in mock amiability, "We aren't going to kill you ... yet."
Kaoru growled and responded to him like she did to every challenge that came her way. "It's i to you!" Kaoru froze as she registered the man's last part of the sentence. "Matte, we?"
The man gave another laugh, this time shaking his entire being. "You didn't think I would come here alone, now did you?"
Kaoru's eyes widened in fear and surprise as she stepped back. The man loomed forward, raising his sword over Kaoru's head. "I t-thought you said you w-weren't g-going to kill me?"
"Right." The man replied, swinging the hilt of his sword down to make contact with her head.
Kaoru's eyes widened even further, if that was possible, until her eyebrows had elevated past her hairline. She couldn't die, not yet. There were still so many things left in her life for her to do! She immediately shifted herself to the right as the rapier slammed into the ground at her side.
The man gave a growl of agitation and attempted to strike Kaoru again. 'I'm not going to give in without a fight.' Kaoru thought as an audible growl escaped her throat.
Kaoru's attacker smirked at Kaoru's determined look and stepped forward once more to strike another attack. "I won't miss this time!" He cried, arcing his sword over Kaoru's head, intentionally missing his target. Kaoru ducked and was immediately elbowed in the ribs as the man thrusted his elbow forward, causing Kaoru to trip to the ground.
The man towered over Kaoru, laughing menacingly as he raised the hilt of his sword once again over Kaoru's head. Kaoru only stuck out her tongue before kicking her legs out in an effort to kick the man off his feet. Her attempt succeeded as the man tumbled to the ground, causing the dojo walls to rattle as he hit the ground.
Kaoru pushed herself off the ground, tucking the stray black hairs out of her face and behind her ears as she quickly rushed out of the dojo. To her dismay, however, there were multiple men standing outside the dojo, as if waiting for her. Kaoru was pleased to find that their attention wasn't directed at her, instead it was directed towards the many guards that had leapt down from trees and jumped out of the bushes to attack the intruders. Kaoru slipped by the fight unnoticed and back into the house where she dashed down a small hallway.
"Look what we got here." A slim man with a pointy nose drawled as he caught Kaoru off guard inside the house. Kaoru gasped, looking horrifyingly down at her grasped arm. Why hadn't she noticed that there were men both inside the house and out? "You thought you could get away from those fellows out there by coming in here, didn't you? Well, think again." He was smiling deviously down at her, running filthy fingers across her face and down her jaw towards her neck.
Kaoru was disgusted and spat in his face. "Get your dirty hands off of me." She growled.
The man looked at her in shock. "So you think a small girl like yourself can tell me what to do?" He drew out his sword and aimed it for Kaoru's neck. "I will not take orders from a wench such as you!" With that, he charged forward.
Kaoru bent low to the ground, her attention focused on his left foot. His left foot would be the one used to propel himself forward for the lunge that was meant to take Kaoru's life away, or at least her consciousness. Kaoru's eyes widened when that foot stepped forward once again, this time the heel arching upwards higher than his last step, launching forward. She took this time to strike and thrusted her fist forward at his knee, causing the pointy nosed man to stumble and fall flat on his face.
"Hmph." Kaoru said stubbornly as she rested her foot on the man's back and slapping her hands clean of dirt. "You should learn to never underestimate a woman." She gave the man a kick at the neck, knocking him out. Kaoru left the unconscious man on the floor as she continued to walk down the hallway, only to find that even more footsteps were clambering down the narrow path as well.
Kaoru kept on walking, hoping to find a door that would lead her to some other secured room that would keep her safe when she came upon a dead end. She couldn't push the sound of pounding feet storming down the hallway as she turned around with a startled look on her face. She fingered the strings of her hakama nervously, trailing them around her waist. Karou's fingers rested upon a hilt, and she gasped at the sudden remembrance of strapping the sakabatou to her waste. How could she have forgotten? She wasn't weaponless after all! Kaoru immediately drew the sakabatou out of her makeshift sheath and gripped the hilt firmly, awaiting her soon-to-be attacker.
As Kaoru stared out in front of her, she noticed that a group of men were bounding down the hallway. Their thick legs lumbering towards her, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy that she was greatly outnumbered. However, as the men approached her, they started to file into a line.
Maybe this was to her advantage after all. They were so huge that they could only come down the hallway one at a time, giving Kaoru the advantage of not being attacked all at once. Kaoru nodded to herself reassuringly and stood her ground, giving her attackers a glare that froze them in their shoes for a moment before one stepped forward with a leering grin.
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Kenshin bounded forward until he had reached the summerhouse. The sun had already dipped past the trees and was scraping the horizon when he had reached the settlement. He was disturbed to find that the front of the house seemed oddly abandoned. There were no guards at the doors and he couldn't sense the servants and maids that usually bustled through out the establishment.
Kenshin cautiously took a step forward and pushed open the front door. To his surprise, many groaning bodies were strewn across the summerhouse, and they all seemed to make a path towards a back hallway that Kenshin knew led to the laundry rooms and other maintenance closets.
There was a faint sound coming from the end of the hallway that Kenshin recognized as weapon-to-weapon contact, and he felt his stomach churn in uneasiness. He quickly rushed down the hallway, hopping over several unconscious bodies that littered the ground. The only thing on his mind was for Kaoru's safety.
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Kaoru winced as the attacker's sword thrusted forward and bit her leg. She had stepped to the side to avoid the attack, but could not entirely escape the blade's steely touch. She looked up at the attacker, it was the fifth man, and her affects had long started to show. Kaoru was tired, her arms slouching and her form becoming sloppy, yet she had to hold on.
The man in front of her thrusted his sword again, and Kaoru found this thrust easier to dodge than the last. Yet as she looked up again to read his form, she realized too late that the man repositioned his hand on the handle, ramming the handle into her ankle and letting loose a sickening crack.
Kaoru cried out as her ankle gave way and she toppled onto the ground, her sword flinging out of her hand and clattering against the wall. Groaning, she looked up at the man who had a new glint in his eye. He aimed the sword at her neck. "Forget about the orders, lovely, you deserve death!" He lunged the sword forward and Kaoru reacted quickly. She ducked her head as the sword struck the wall behind her. She then reached over, grasped the sakabatou, and thrusted it at the man's stomach before bringing it down on his head. He fell over instantly to join the many other unconscious men strewed across the ground.
"You were lucky." The sixth and final man growled after his comrade had fallen. "But I fear that your luck has run out."
He gave a large battle cry and gracefully leapt over his other comrades to have his blade touch her flesh. Kaoru's eyes widened, she would not be able to dodge this attack easily if at all because of her ankle. She didn't dare to glance down on it, afraid of what she might find, but could imagine bluish purple flesh covering the lump that was five times the size of her ankle. She scrunched up her nose just thinking about it and shifted her weight so that she was sitting upright against the wall behind her.
She was trapped with nowhere to go, the man in front of her seemed to be taking forever in reaching her even though he was just a few yards away. Kaoru figured these were her last moments and wanted more than anything to be safe in someone's arms. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. His sword was pointing down at her chest, she was going to be pinned to the wall, and she wouldn't be able to dodge it.
He was just a few feet away now. Any moment now she will feel the blade's bite. Any moment now she will draw her last breath. All she had to do was wait...
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Kenshin strode down the hall quickly, fearing what he might find once he reached the end, but he knew he had to face it sometime or another. He took a few more brave steps forward and faltered.
"...Kaoru." She was pushed up against the wall, her foot lying at an odd angle next to her body, her chest heaving, and she held a sword uselessly at her side. Kaoru was glaring at the man in front of her who was pointing his sword at her chest.
Kenshin's blood started to boil at the sight he beheld as he rushed forward, unsheathing his own sakabatou in a blink in the eye and striking the man hard in the back.
The man didn't have time to register what was going on, and before he knew it, his world went black as his motionless body was sprawled across the ground, a huge gash across his back.
Kaoru gasped in shock as she looked up to find an amber-eyed Kenshin staring down at her. A shiver ran up and down her spine at the way he stalked towards her. "That's twice you have saved me." Kaoru said weakly, trying to break the tense silence that fell between the two.
Kenshin stepped forward, his hands reaching out to touch her shoulders, but Kaoru flinched away. A lighter color flickered in Kenshin's eyes as confusion overcame his body. Why was she so scared of him?
In all truth, Kaoru wanted to be in his arms, but she wouldn't allow herself to. She wondered if Kenshin found her to be weak because she couldn't protect herself fully, and his amber stare sent shivers up and down her spine. There was something in those eyes that lured her to him, but she wasn't going to give in. Not then.
As Kaoru pushed her thoughts aside, the wave of pain from her ankle washed over her. She gave a startled yelp and immediately found herself in Kenshin's strong arms.
"Dochirahe, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked worriedly, cradling Kaoru in his arms. Kaoru's eyes were squeezed shut as she took in strangled gasps. "Kaoru?" Kenshin asked again, more urgently this time.
Kaoru opened up one eye and drew in a shaky breath. "I'm fine, Kenshin. Really. I'll just need Genzai-sensei to take a look at this." She gestured towards her swollen ankle.
Kenshin's expression grew stiff as his eyes widened slightly in shock. "Come, Kaoru, we must have this looked at. Where are the maids?"
Kaoru looked down at the ground, dropping her sword and fearing the worst. "That's the thing. I don't know. A man intruded in on me in the dojo and I ran into the house and down this hallway. I never saw anybody. I hope they're alright."
Kenshin glanced around the hallway at all the locked doors and tried a few locks that were closest to him. As each door opened, Kenshin found no one behind them. He sighed and scooped Kaoru up into his arms.
"Let's go upstairs, and I'll lay you on your bed. Make sure your foot is elevated." Kenshin said as he walked out of the hallway and up the stairway. Kaoru simply nodded her head in understanding and leaned back into Kenshin's grasp.
Kenshin continued walking up the stairs and down the hallway until he reached Kaoru's room. He nudged the door open with his shoulder and proceeded to Kaoru's neatly made bed. Kenshin then drew back the covers with one hand as he clutched Kaoru with his other and cautiously placed her on the bed. After making sure her foot was elevated and she was comfortably tucked underneath the covers, he left the room to find some ice to keep the swelling down in her foot.
Kaoru sighed once Kenshin left. It was so good to have him be back! She had been at death's door once again and was saved by Kenshin...again! But look what she got herself into! Kaoru glanced down at her foot and knew that it was either severely sprained or broken, and she wouldn't be able to walk on it properly. But that didn't mean that she was going to be stuck in bed for the next few weeks.
Kaoru crossed her arms across her chest and tried to position herself in her bed more comfortably. It was awkward in having Kenshin tuck her in, she felt like such a child. She propped her back up against the bed's backboard and drew her knee up to her chest while leaving her hurt foot elevated on the pillow.
After feeling satisfied with her position, she let her eyes drift shut as she awaited for Kenshin's return.
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Kenshin was bristling in response to what had happened to Kaoru, and he immediately blamed himself for everything that had happened to her. If only he stayed with her that day, and took her with him to the palace. If only he had returned quicker. If only...
He sighed as he walked briskly through the summerhouse, opening up every door he passed by. The ice would be in the kitchen, he knew that, but he didn't know where he could find the maids. He dreaded them being attacked as well, and had hoped that they had escaped the estate or locked themselves in some other room. However, every room he passed was open and empty, or had an unconscious soldier in it.
Kenshin brushed back his loose red bangs as he stepped through the dining room and approached the kitchen door. To his dismay, he found that the door was locked. A spark of hope leapt up inside of him as he thought that perhaps the maids had locked themselves in the kitchen. Kenshin knocked on the door, proclaiming, "It's Himura Kenshin!" Sure enough, immediately after he had named himself, he heard shuffling footsteps on the other side of the door.
"Master Himura!" A maid cried as she slowly pulled open the door, peering out with a weary eye. She pulled the door open wide and beckoned Kenshin inside. "We weren't expecting you until tomorrow morning, or sunset at least."
Kenshin peered around the room and found that more maids had stepped out from behind tables and counters or behind cabinets. He nodded his head in recognition to the maid's statement. "It would have been too dangerous to have returned later than what I already have. Kaoru-dono is up in her room now, and has injured her ankle. I will be bringing up some ice and would like to have some assistance."
The two maids that were closest to the door nodded and stepped through the door to head up towards Kaoru's bedroom. Yet once they reached the door that left the dining hall, Kenshin could hear their startled screams.
"I would also like for the rest of you to clean up this mess that you will find outside of this kitchen. If it could be cleared up before Genzai- sensei's return, as I understand he had taken leave for the day," several of the maids nodded in agreement, "that would be of great help." The various servants and maids that were in the kitchen immediately filed out into the main foyer as they dragged unconscious bodies out onto the front lawn.
Kenshin, meanwhile, walked towards the icebox and took a handful of ice before grabbing a towel by the sink. He wrapped the ice in the towel and was walking towards the steps when he heard a distinct growl of distaste. "Ahou."
"Saitou-san, what are you doing here?" Kenshin asked without turning his head.
Kenshin could hear Saitou enter the household, muttering more choice words of disgust as he watched the unconscious bodies being pulled out of the house. "I found Genzai-sensei shortly after you left and had him return to the summerhouse. I directed him towards the back door so that his granddaughters wouldn't have to encounter the mess that Shishio left behind."
"Aa." Kenshin said, continuing to ascend the stairs. Saitou shortly followed.
"How is the girl? That tanuki isn't hurt, is she?"
"I found her at sword point." Kenshin said monotonously, his head bowed so that his bangs covered his revealing eyes that could easily betray his feelings.
"Ahou." Saitou muttered once again. "I thought that they weren't going to kill her. She must have aggravated them quite a bit in order for them to resist Shishio's orders and attempt to kill the girl."
Kenshin sighed. "She's in her room now, being treated with possibly a broken ankle." He fingered the bag of ice in his hand.
"I'll make sure to call Genzai-sensei up to her room once he returns." Saitou reassured.
Suddenly a shriek rang out through the upper level of the house, followed by a distinct hiss.
"You better hurry up there, boy." Saitou said curtly. "Sounds like she's in pain."
Kenshin nodded and bounded up the remaining steps and dashing towards Kaoru's room.
Kaoru was on her bed; the maids at her side were gingerly wrapping the ankle into a brace. Kenshin couldn't bear the amount of pain that was written across Kaoru's face and hesitated when stepping forward to hand over the ice.
One of the maids nodded her thanks when taking the ice from Kenshin and placing it on Kaoru's elevated ankle. Another hiss of pain escaped Kaoru's pursed lips. Kenshin stepped forward and grabbed Kaoru's hand, squeezing it for reassurance.
"Genzai-sensei should be coming back soon. Just hold on." Kenshin soothed as he subconsciously rang his fingers through Kaoru's hair.
The maids looked at Kenshin with uncertainty but decided against questioning him. After all, he is their master, and whatever he does goes.
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After hearing that Kaoru had been hurt from Saitou, Dr. Genzai immediately dropped his two granddaughters off with a nearby made and rushed into the house. He felt responsible for leaving Kaoru alone in the house, convinced with the thought that if he had stayed behind, Kaoru might have had more protection. But he knew that it wasn't true. He can't even protect himself in a situation such as Kaoru's, and marveled at the girl's bravery. All he could do now was to offer Kaoru his medical abilities in hopes of her recovering from her injured ankle in no time.
As he entered Kaoru's bedroom, he found her sitting up in her bed, foot elevated and wrapped with ice wrapped in a towel around it. Her ebony locks had strayed from her original ponytail and were falling down her shoulders. Kenshin was at her side, as usual. His face seemed strained and he could only be in awe at his undying loyalty to the young stewardess.
Kenshin looked up when the door had opened and was pleased to note that it was Dr. Genzai. His hand that was previously resting on the side of the bed crawled up and clutched Kaoru's again as the doctor neared Kaoru.
Kaoru squirmed in her bed, anticipating the pain that was sure to come. She was comforted by Kenshin's reassuring hold on her hand and his blissful caress. Dr. Genzai proceeded in slowly taking off the bandages wrapped tightly around Kaoru's ankle to induce the least amount of pain. After inspecting the ankle and fingering it briefly, he announced that Kaoru's ankle was not broken, yet severely sprained.
"The only thing I can do, Kaoru-san, is to wrap your ankle into a brace. You will have to stay off your foot as much as possible, and it will heal in a couple months." Dr. Genzai said somberly.
Kaoru's face was downcast. She wouldn't be able to practice her style for several months now! That also meant that she could not learn more about that sakabatou she had taken an interest in. Her eyes had misted over, churning the usual bright blue into a dim gray.
Kenshin's amethyst eyes softened as he looked upon Kaoru, her miserable features affecting him as well as the others present in the room, maids included. He turned to Dr. Genzai. "I must return to town tomorrow, and I'm taking Kaoru with me."
Dr. Genzai shook his head. "Kaoru-san can not walk."
"She will not need to walk." Kenshin said curtly. "I will carry her."
"What?!" Kaoru cried out, her arms flailing out from their previous position on her chest. "You will not carry me anywhere, Himura Kenshin!"
"Not if I can help it." Kenshin argued back.
Kaoru folded her arms gruffly and sighed a note of irritation. She knew she couldn't win, but she didn't want to give up.
"Then it's best for you to get your rest, Kaoru-san." Dr. Genzai said softly. He quickly left the room.
"Oyasuminasai, Kaoru." Kenshin whispered huskily as he bent towards Kaoru's ear.
Kaoru reddened and turned her head away from Kenshin as he left the room.
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A/N: Okay, it took me A LOT longer than what I had expected to finish this chapter. I don't think it was necessarily writer's block, because I knew what I wanted to happen, but it just wouldn't happen! Okay, so maybe that is writer's block. But I thank all of you who are still sticking with this story, and so many kind reviews!! I'm very grateful.
Okay, now to answer some questions and make some comments!
Abstractmind: Of course I'm going to put more Sanosuke in the story!! He's one of my favorite characters, next to Kenshin and Kaoru of course! It's just that I have to put him in at the right time. He will appear more frequently towards the end...right now I'm heading more towards Aoshi and Misao.
MizzLee: I know that I had them admit their feelings early on, and I somewhat regret that. But in many of the stories I've read, it's just about HOW Kenshin and Kaoru hook up, and it's not very often when you actually get some good quality fluff after they're announced as a couple. So I was somewhat anxious to hook them up, but I'm also fitting in Kenshin's unworthiness and Kaoru's shyness/stubbornness, or whatever you want to call it.
Lightning-storm: Of course I'll review your stories! As a thank you to all of the reviewers, after I finish this story, I'm going to read at least one of everybody else's and review it! What a goal! But I'll do my best.
Lady Dragon: Oh wow, your compliments are too great! I'm rethinking about putting Tomoe in the story, hoping that I can somehow work around it. After all, this story is sort of writing itself. Keep reading!
Poppy2, Lily of the Shadow, Silver Eyes Bright, Bando-Eido no Megami-Sama, BloodyRune, CEEGEE, Tori, 'a reader', Koishii Sweet : all of your reviews mean soo much to me! You're all so encouraging and there's now way that I'm ever going to even consider abandoning this story.
I would like to add a SPECIAL thanks to my regular reviewers, you know who you are!
I will see you next time!
~Mystic Song
Definitions:
¤ Ojiichan – grandfather
¤ Dochirahe – "how are you" (forgive me, I couldn't find 'are you alright?')
b if you know how to say 'are you alright', please let me know! b
¤ Oyasuminasai – good night
¤¤**¤¤
A Love for One Hated
By: Mystic Song
Chapter 8: At Sword Point
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"Wake up, sleepy!" A small voice sounded from the end of the bed.
Kaoru's eyes fluttered to reveal a pair of hazy blue orbs. She looked towards the end of her bed to find the owner of the little voice that had awoken her from her pleasant dream. When Kaoru sat up, pushing her loose hair behind her ears, she couldn't find anyone else present in her room, yet when she lay back down she felt the presence at the side of her bed.
"Obi Kaoru, wake up!" The small voice persisted.
Kaoru groaned and rolled over onto her side, looking down at none other than Suzume. Her bright eyes were shining eagerly as she shuffled anxiously alongside the bed. "Suzume," Kaoru said softly, her voice unusually low from her tiredness, "It's early. Was there something you needed?"
Suzume shook her head innocently, the two brunette pigtails bouncing off her shoulders. "Ojiichan just said that he was going to take me and Ayame out shopping!"
"Is that so?" Kaoru asked, sitting up straight. "When are you leaving?"
Suzume paused in her rustling to press a finger against her lips, eyebrows scrunching in deep thought. "Ojiichan says that he wants to leave this afternoon."
Kaoru nodded and slipped out of bed. "That sounds fine." After steeling a glance out the window she bent down alongside the small girl. "Suzume, it's almost noon now. How about you go ahead downstairs; you will be leaving soon. I will see you later tonight."
Suzume nodded and skipped anxiously out of the bedroom as Kaoru headed towards the bathroom. Kaoru had already entered the bath when she heard Dr. Genzai's calls from downstairs, declaring his leave and wishing for Kaoru to not leave the house until they returned. Kaoru sighed and slouched in the tub. She wanted Kenshin to return soon so that she wouldn't be alone, that void in her heart was becoming painstakingly unbearable and she wanted it to end now more than ever.
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Storm clouds rolled over the skies, clouding the sun from view as Kenshin headed forward towards the palace. A dark shadow was cast upon it and there was a dreary silence that engulfed the fortress. As Kenshin neared, two stern guards drew back their weapons and hauled open the grand palace doors for Kenshin's entrance while curtly bowing their armored heads. Kenshin pulled on an austere expression to hide his worry and weariness from the journey as he entered the palace.
To his surprise, maids and various servants were packed into the wide entrance hall as even more guards watched over a certain hallway that Kenshin knew led to various meeting halls. Kenshin's lips formed a frown at the thought of his Shishou being in a meeting at that dire moment; he didn't have time to waste. As he scanned the area for any familiar servants that could lead him to Shishou, his eyes landed on a tall man with abnormal strength, gravity defying hair and the symbol 'bad' embedded into the back of his jacket. This man was none other than Kenshin's good friend Sanosuke, who was chatting excitedly to a slender woman with long, sleek ebony hair and sultry eyes.
Without wasting another moment, Kenshin stepped forward towards the room, calling out, "Sano," in a deep voice that caught basically everyone's attention in the room.
"Oi, Kenshin!" Sanosuke exclaimed once his eyes rested on a disgruntled red head. A fish bone was casually drooping from the corner of his mouth. "Long time no see. How's Jou-chan doing?"
Kenshin looked down towards the floor, his bangs hiding the many worried emotions that crossed his steely blue eyes. "I must return quickly or I fear she might not be doing so well." Sanosuke faltered. Kenshin's head immediately snapped back up, his eyes churning a deeper color that could have been mistaken for amber, "Take me to Seijuro now."
"S-sure, Kenshin." Sanosuke abated, he was not used to Kenshin's sudden mood swings, and his temper wasn't one to mess with.
"Now just wait a minute, rooster." The girl Sanosuke had been talking to earlier butted in, holding her hand out firmly. "Lord Seijuro does not want anyone barging into his meeting, not even you, Ken-san."
If it was possible, Kenshin was frowning even more. "Megumi-dono, this is a very important matter, I must see Shishou right away."
Megumi shook her head.
"Kitsune." Sanosuke said decisively, "Let the guy through." Megumi still didn't respond. Sanosuke sighed and slipped his hand around Megumi's waist, drawing her aside so she would not step in the way again.
"Hey!" Megumi shouted out loudly, throwing her fists against Sanosuke's chest to no avail. "Put me down, tori-atama!"
Sanosuke shook his head, "Sorry, fox, but you gotta do what ya gotta do. Go ahead, Kenshin. Fifth door on the left."
Kenshin nodded his head appreciatively and headed down the hallway past the leering guards and through a small door that would lead to Hiko Seijuro.
"Ahou!" A voice cried angrily as Kenshin opened the door. "I thought I specifically told you NOT to enter this room in a MEETING!" The man who was yelling suddenly hesitated as Kenshin's blazing red hair came into view, the cigarette dangling loosely at the corner of the man's mouth in surprise, his scrutinizing eyes slimming in disbelief. "Well if it isn't the Battousai." The man said in a long, sarcastic drawl.
"Saitou." Kenshin stated simply, his eyes hardening.
Hiko stood against the wall at the far side of the room; arms folded neatly across his chest as he silently observed the two glowering at each other. His eyes lightened in amusement as the two rivals bickered in their own silent language. After a minute had passed by and no one made another movement in the room, Hiko stepped forward, breaking the tension that hung between Kenshin and Saitou.
"So, baka deshi, you return. Where's my future stewardess?" Hiko said, the corners of his mouth upturning into a smirk.
"Back at your summer house, Shishou." Kenshin replied humbly, as he always did in his guardian's presence.
"Ahou." Saitou spat, his jagged features hardening. "You left her there alone."
"Under the protection of your men." Kenshin retorted.
Hiko looked over at Saitou and said nonchalantly, "Do you doubt the ability of your men?"
Saitou mumbled a few words before stating loudly, "They are capable and strong, though nowhere near the potential of Shishio's men."
Hiko frowned. "Well, it's no good leaving her there then. Baka deshi, go bring her back here to the palace where she can remain safe. Her quarters within the palace will be ready for her in just a few months now. Until then, she may stay in her designated room in the guest house."
"I will not be returning her to the castle, de gozaru yo." Kenshin stated firmly, a steely note in his voice.
"Then where will you take her?" Saitou asked casually leaning up against the wall.
"To the Aoiya." Kenshin said, winning the approved nod of Hiko. "I will go and bring her there immediately as long as she can find a bed when we return."
"We?" Saitou asked.
Kenshin nodded curtly. "She is still under my protection after all."
Saitou and Hiko exchanged discreet glances under Kenshin's inimical gaze. Saitou's features lightened while a sarcastic grin spread across Hiko's face. "Very well." Hiko said finally. "Two beds will be ready for you and the girl's return." With that, Hiko waved Kenshin out of the room so that he could bring Kaoru back in the least amount of time possible.
After Kenshin had left, Saitou turned to Hiko. "Time is running out, and we are going to have to attack soon."
"I will not attack until Kamiya is ready for her duties." Hiko replied stubbornly. In truth, he had never actually met and gotten to know the girl and wasn't entirely sure that she could run an entire country properly. But that is why he had put his reliable baka deshi into the picture. He hoped that Kenshin would be the one to take his place next to Kamiya.
Saitou looked disapprovingly up at Hiko. "She is being sought out for. Already they have left the town and are heading towards your summerhouse. She will need all the protection she can get. Having her stay at the Aoiya is a smart idea, but it won't be until long when they return. This time, though, they won't be disguised as simple men, this time they will be here to fight."
Hiko looked down at the ground. It was time for him to take action to protect his country, his people, his world.
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Kaoru looked uneasily about her as she walked through the empty halls. Not many maids worked there, and all the maids that were present were either in the kitchen or were too thoroughly indulged in their cleaning to spare a moment to spend with Kaoru.
Kaoru was clad in her regular fighting attire: blue hakama and white gi, her chest bounded by the usual bandages she would steal from the medicine cabinet in her washroom. She strolled outside onto the grounds and towards the dojo, intending to take a closer look at all the weapons stored in the dojo's back room to take her mind off life itself.
Once she had stepped inside the dojo, she cautiously made her way towards all the weapons, allowing her eyes to scan the entire room as it fell from sakabatou to wakizashi. She was amazed at the multitude of weapons in the room and wondered if every mace had been handled in the war when she was born.
The sun glinted off the sharp edges of the swords and Kaoru couldn't hold herself back from stroking the dull side, her eyes mesmerized with the agile sticks. It wasn't before long when she picked up a few to test them out. Of course she detested swords that killed, but such a multitude of swords that hadn't been used for years in one room was overbearing. Kaoru would pluck a sword from the barrack, slide it out of its sheath and grasp the handle firmly. This was a sakabatou with a reversed edge blade. She would swing it high over her head in an even arc before slashing it down in a perfect forward strike. Kaoru soon found herself testing out the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu out on the sword. The only difference was that her bokken was lighter while this sword was heavier, but executed her moves perfectly. She strapped the sheath to her waist as she walked out into the dojo's arena, determined to master the sakabatou along with the bokken.
Just as Kaoru was about to put her foot down for an extended forward strike, the shoji door was abruptly shoved open. Kaoru jumped but took the person in the doorway to be a servant of some sort. Kaoru turned slowly to face the figure, sword pointed harmlessly towards the ground so as not to intimidate the silhouette in the doorway.
"Hai?" Kaoru asked slowly as she stepped forward to meet the man by the door.
"Kamiya Kaoru." The man growled as he took a menacing step forward. "How long have we been searching for you?"
Kaoru gave a startled gasp as she realized that this man was not a servant at all. He was clad in Shishio's coat of arms, a rapier hanging loosely at his side. She gave a frantic look over her shoulder to find a means of escape but only found a window to the left side of the back room. There was not enough time for her to slip through that without being cut off by the man by the door.
The man seemed to sense Kaoru's apprehension and gave a wicked sneer that was soon followed by an ominous laugh. "Don't worry, Kamiya." The man said in mock amiability, "We aren't going to kill you ... yet."
Kaoru growled and responded to him like she did to every challenge that came her way. "It's i to you!" Kaoru froze as she registered the man's last part of the sentence. "Matte, we?"
The man gave another laugh, this time shaking his entire being. "You didn't think I would come here alone, now did you?"
Kaoru's eyes widened in fear and surprise as she stepped back. The man loomed forward, raising his sword over Kaoru's head. "I t-thought you said you w-weren't g-going to kill me?"
"Right." The man replied, swinging the hilt of his sword down to make contact with her head.
Kaoru's eyes widened even further, if that was possible, until her eyebrows had elevated past her hairline. She couldn't die, not yet. There were still so many things left in her life for her to do! She immediately shifted herself to the right as the rapier slammed into the ground at her side.
The man gave a growl of agitation and attempted to strike Kaoru again. 'I'm not going to give in without a fight.' Kaoru thought as an audible growl escaped her throat.
Kaoru's attacker smirked at Kaoru's determined look and stepped forward once more to strike another attack. "I won't miss this time!" He cried, arcing his sword over Kaoru's head, intentionally missing his target. Kaoru ducked and was immediately elbowed in the ribs as the man thrusted his elbow forward, causing Kaoru to trip to the ground.
The man towered over Kaoru, laughing menacingly as he raised the hilt of his sword once again over Kaoru's head. Kaoru only stuck out her tongue before kicking her legs out in an effort to kick the man off his feet. Her attempt succeeded as the man tumbled to the ground, causing the dojo walls to rattle as he hit the ground.
Kaoru pushed herself off the ground, tucking the stray black hairs out of her face and behind her ears as she quickly rushed out of the dojo. To her dismay, however, there were multiple men standing outside the dojo, as if waiting for her. Kaoru was pleased to find that their attention wasn't directed at her, instead it was directed towards the many guards that had leapt down from trees and jumped out of the bushes to attack the intruders. Kaoru slipped by the fight unnoticed and back into the house where she dashed down a small hallway.
"Look what we got here." A slim man with a pointy nose drawled as he caught Kaoru off guard inside the house. Kaoru gasped, looking horrifyingly down at her grasped arm. Why hadn't she noticed that there were men both inside the house and out? "You thought you could get away from those fellows out there by coming in here, didn't you? Well, think again." He was smiling deviously down at her, running filthy fingers across her face and down her jaw towards her neck.
Kaoru was disgusted and spat in his face. "Get your dirty hands off of me." She growled.
The man looked at her in shock. "So you think a small girl like yourself can tell me what to do?" He drew out his sword and aimed it for Kaoru's neck. "I will not take orders from a wench such as you!" With that, he charged forward.
Kaoru bent low to the ground, her attention focused on his left foot. His left foot would be the one used to propel himself forward for the lunge that was meant to take Kaoru's life away, or at least her consciousness. Kaoru's eyes widened when that foot stepped forward once again, this time the heel arching upwards higher than his last step, launching forward. She took this time to strike and thrusted her fist forward at his knee, causing the pointy nosed man to stumble and fall flat on his face.
"Hmph." Kaoru said stubbornly as she rested her foot on the man's back and slapping her hands clean of dirt. "You should learn to never underestimate a woman." She gave the man a kick at the neck, knocking him out. Kaoru left the unconscious man on the floor as she continued to walk down the hallway, only to find that even more footsteps were clambering down the narrow path as well.
Kaoru kept on walking, hoping to find a door that would lead her to some other secured room that would keep her safe when she came upon a dead end. She couldn't push the sound of pounding feet storming down the hallway as she turned around with a startled look on her face. She fingered the strings of her hakama nervously, trailing them around her waist. Karou's fingers rested upon a hilt, and she gasped at the sudden remembrance of strapping the sakabatou to her waste. How could she have forgotten? She wasn't weaponless after all! Kaoru immediately drew the sakabatou out of her makeshift sheath and gripped the hilt firmly, awaiting her soon-to-be attacker.
As Kaoru stared out in front of her, she noticed that a group of men were bounding down the hallway. Their thick legs lumbering towards her, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy that she was greatly outnumbered. However, as the men approached her, they started to file into a line.
Maybe this was to her advantage after all. They were so huge that they could only come down the hallway one at a time, giving Kaoru the advantage of not being attacked all at once. Kaoru nodded to herself reassuringly and stood her ground, giving her attackers a glare that froze them in their shoes for a moment before one stepped forward with a leering grin.
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Kenshin bounded forward until he had reached the summerhouse. The sun had already dipped past the trees and was scraping the horizon when he had reached the settlement. He was disturbed to find that the front of the house seemed oddly abandoned. There were no guards at the doors and he couldn't sense the servants and maids that usually bustled through out the establishment.
Kenshin cautiously took a step forward and pushed open the front door. To his surprise, many groaning bodies were strewn across the summerhouse, and they all seemed to make a path towards a back hallway that Kenshin knew led to the laundry rooms and other maintenance closets.
There was a faint sound coming from the end of the hallway that Kenshin recognized as weapon-to-weapon contact, and he felt his stomach churn in uneasiness. He quickly rushed down the hallway, hopping over several unconscious bodies that littered the ground. The only thing on his mind was for Kaoru's safety.
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Kaoru winced as the attacker's sword thrusted forward and bit her leg. She had stepped to the side to avoid the attack, but could not entirely escape the blade's steely touch. She looked up at the attacker, it was the fifth man, and her affects had long started to show. Kaoru was tired, her arms slouching and her form becoming sloppy, yet she had to hold on.
The man in front of her thrusted his sword again, and Kaoru found this thrust easier to dodge than the last. Yet as she looked up again to read his form, she realized too late that the man repositioned his hand on the handle, ramming the handle into her ankle and letting loose a sickening crack.
Kaoru cried out as her ankle gave way and she toppled onto the ground, her sword flinging out of her hand and clattering against the wall. Groaning, she looked up at the man who had a new glint in his eye. He aimed the sword at her neck. "Forget about the orders, lovely, you deserve death!" He lunged the sword forward and Kaoru reacted quickly. She ducked her head as the sword struck the wall behind her. She then reached over, grasped the sakabatou, and thrusted it at the man's stomach before bringing it down on his head. He fell over instantly to join the many other unconscious men strewed across the ground.
"You were lucky." The sixth and final man growled after his comrade had fallen. "But I fear that your luck has run out."
He gave a large battle cry and gracefully leapt over his other comrades to have his blade touch her flesh. Kaoru's eyes widened, she would not be able to dodge this attack easily if at all because of her ankle. She didn't dare to glance down on it, afraid of what she might find, but could imagine bluish purple flesh covering the lump that was five times the size of her ankle. She scrunched up her nose just thinking about it and shifted her weight so that she was sitting upright against the wall behind her.
She was trapped with nowhere to go, the man in front of her seemed to be taking forever in reaching her even though he was just a few yards away. Kaoru figured these were her last moments and wanted more than anything to be safe in someone's arms. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. His sword was pointing down at her chest, she was going to be pinned to the wall, and she wouldn't be able to dodge it.
He was just a few feet away now. Any moment now she will feel the blade's bite. Any moment now she will draw her last breath. All she had to do was wait...
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Kenshin strode down the hall quickly, fearing what he might find once he reached the end, but he knew he had to face it sometime or another. He took a few more brave steps forward and faltered.
"...Kaoru." She was pushed up against the wall, her foot lying at an odd angle next to her body, her chest heaving, and she held a sword uselessly at her side. Kaoru was glaring at the man in front of her who was pointing his sword at her chest.
Kenshin's blood started to boil at the sight he beheld as he rushed forward, unsheathing his own sakabatou in a blink in the eye and striking the man hard in the back.
The man didn't have time to register what was going on, and before he knew it, his world went black as his motionless body was sprawled across the ground, a huge gash across his back.
Kaoru gasped in shock as she looked up to find an amber-eyed Kenshin staring down at her. A shiver ran up and down her spine at the way he stalked towards her. "That's twice you have saved me." Kaoru said weakly, trying to break the tense silence that fell between the two.
Kenshin stepped forward, his hands reaching out to touch her shoulders, but Kaoru flinched away. A lighter color flickered in Kenshin's eyes as confusion overcame his body. Why was she so scared of him?
In all truth, Kaoru wanted to be in his arms, but she wouldn't allow herself to. She wondered if Kenshin found her to be weak because she couldn't protect herself fully, and his amber stare sent shivers up and down her spine. There was something in those eyes that lured her to him, but she wasn't going to give in. Not then.
As Kaoru pushed her thoughts aside, the wave of pain from her ankle washed over her. She gave a startled yelp and immediately found herself in Kenshin's strong arms.
"Dochirahe, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked worriedly, cradling Kaoru in his arms. Kaoru's eyes were squeezed shut as she took in strangled gasps. "Kaoru?" Kenshin asked again, more urgently this time.
Kaoru opened up one eye and drew in a shaky breath. "I'm fine, Kenshin. Really. I'll just need Genzai-sensei to take a look at this." She gestured towards her swollen ankle.
Kenshin's expression grew stiff as his eyes widened slightly in shock. "Come, Kaoru, we must have this looked at. Where are the maids?"
Kaoru looked down at the ground, dropping her sword and fearing the worst. "That's the thing. I don't know. A man intruded in on me in the dojo and I ran into the house and down this hallway. I never saw anybody. I hope they're alright."
Kenshin glanced around the hallway at all the locked doors and tried a few locks that were closest to him. As each door opened, Kenshin found no one behind them. He sighed and scooped Kaoru up into his arms.
"Let's go upstairs, and I'll lay you on your bed. Make sure your foot is elevated." Kenshin said as he walked out of the hallway and up the stairway. Kaoru simply nodded her head in understanding and leaned back into Kenshin's grasp.
Kenshin continued walking up the stairs and down the hallway until he reached Kaoru's room. He nudged the door open with his shoulder and proceeded to Kaoru's neatly made bed. Kenshin then drew back the covers with one hand as he clutched Kaoru with his other and cautiously placed her on the bed. After making sure her foot was elevated and she was comfortably tucked underneath the covers, he left the room to find some ice to keep the swelling down in her foot.
Kaoru sighed once Kenshin left. It was so good to have him be back! She had been at death's door once again and was saved by Kenshin...again! But look what she got herself into! Kaoru glanced down at her foot and knew that it was either severely sprained or broken, and she wouldn't be able to walk on it properly. But that didn't mean that she was going to be stuck in bed for the next few weeks.
Kaoru crossed her arms across her chest and tried to position herself in her bed more comfortably. It was awkward in having Kenshin tuck her in, she felt like such a child. She propped her back up against the bed's backboard and drew her knee up to her chest while leaving her hurt foot elevated on the pillow.
After feeling satisfied with her position, she let her eyes drift shut as she awaited for Kenshin's return.
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Kenshin was bristling in response to what had happened to Kaoru, and he immediately blamed himself for everything that had happened to her. If only he stayed with her that day, and took her with him to the palace. If only he had returned quicker. If only...
He sighed as he walked briskly through the summerhouse, opening up every door he passed by. The ice would be in the kitchen, he knew that, but he didn't know where he could find the maids. He dreaded them being attacked as well, and had hoped that they had escaped the estate or locked themselves in some other room. However, every room he passed was open and empty, or had an unconscious soldier in it.
Kenshin brushed back his loose red bangs as he stepped through the dining room and approached the kitchen door. To his dismay, he found that the door was locked. A spark of hope leapt up inside of him as he thought that perhaps the maids had locked themselves in the kitchen. Kenshin knocked on the door, proclaiming, "It's Himura Kenshin!" Sure enough, immediately after he had named himself, he heard shuffling footsteps on the other side of the door.
"Master Himura!" A maid cried as she slowly pulled open the door, peering out with a weary eye. She pulled the door open wide and beckoned Kenshin inside. "We weren't expecting you until tomorrow morning, or sunset at least."
Kenshin peered around the room and found that more maids had stepped out from behind tables and counters or behind cabinets. He nodded his head in recognition to the maid's statement. "It would have been too dangerous to have returned later than what I already have. Kaoru-dono is up in her room now, and has injured her ankle. I will be bringing up some ice and would like to have some assistance."
The two maids that were closest to the door nodded and stepped through the door to head up towards Kaoru's bedroom. Yet once they reached the door that left the dining hall, Kenshin could hear their startled screams.
"I would also like for the rest of you to clean up this mess that you will find outside of this kitchen. If it could be cleared up before Genzai- sensei's return, as I understand he had taken leave for the day," several of the maids nodded in agreement, "that would be of great help." The various servants and maids that were in the kitchen immediately filed out into the main foyer as they dragged unconscious bodies out onto the front lawn.
Kenshin, meanwhile, walked towards the icebox and took a handful of ice before grabbing a towel by the sink. He wrapped the ice in the towel and was walking towards the steps when he heard a distinct growl of distaste. "Ahou."
"Saitou-san, what are you doing here?" Kenshin asked without turning his head.
Kenshin could hear Saitou enter the household, muttering more choice words of disgust as he watched the unconscious bodies being pulled out of the house. "I found Genzai-sensei shortly after you left and had him return to the summerhouse. I directed him towards the back door so that his granddaughters wouldn't have to encounter the mess that Shishio left behind."
"Aa." Kenshin said, continuing to ascend the stairs. Saitou shortly followed.
"How is the girl? That tanuki isn't hurt, is she?"
"I found her at sword point." Kenshin said monotonously, his head bowed so that his bangs covered his revealing eyes that could easily betray his feelings.
"Ahou." Saitou muttered once again. "I thought that they weren't going to kill her. She must have aggravated them quite a bit in order for them to resist Shishio's orders and attempt to kill the girl."
Kenshin sighed. "She's in her room now, being treated with possibly a broken ankle." He fingered the bag of ice in his hand.
"I'll make sure to call Genzai-sensei up to her room once he returns." Saitou reassured.
Suddenly a shriek rang out through the upper level of the house, followed by a distinct hiss.
"You better hurry up there, boy." Saitou said curtly. "Sounds like she's in pain."
Kenshin nodded and bounded up the remaining steps and dashing towards Kaoru's room.
Kaoru was on her bed; the maids at her side were gingerly wrapping the ankle into a brace. Kenshin couldn't bear the amount of pain that was written across Kaoru's face and hesitated when stepping forward to hand over the ice.
One of the maids nodded her thanks when taking the ice from Kenshin and placing it on Kaoru's elevated ankle. Another hiss of pain escaped Kaoru's pursed lips. Kenshin stepped forward and grabbed Kaoru's hand, squeezing it for reassurance.
"Genzai-sensei should be coming back soon. Just hold on." Kenshin soothed as he subconsciously rang his fingers through Kaoru's hair.
The maids looked at Kenshin with uncertainty but decided against questioning him. After all, he is their master, and whatever he does goes.
¤¤
After hearing that Kaoru had been hurt from Saitou, Dr. Genzai immediately dropped his two granddaughters off with a nearby made and rushed into the house. He felt responsible for leaving Kaoru alone in the house, convinced with the thought that if he had stayed behind, Kaoru might have had more protection. But he knew that it wasn't true. He can't even protect himself in a situation such as Kaoru's, and marveled at the girl's bravery. All he could do now was to offer Kaoru his medical abilities in hopes of her recovering from her injured ankle in no time.
As he entered Kaoru's bedroom, he found her sitting up in her bed, foot elevated and wrapped with ice wrapped in a towel around it. Her ebony locks had strayed from her original ponytail and were falling down her shoulders. Kenshin was at her side, as usual. His face seemed strained and he could only be in awe at his undying loyalty to the young stewardess.
Kenshin looked up when the door had opened and was pleased to note that it was Dr. Genzai. His hand that was previously resting on the side of the bed crawled up and clutched Kaoru's again as the doctor neared Kaoru.
Kaoru squirmed in her bed, anticipating the pain that was sure to come. She was comforted by Kenshin's reassuring hold on her hand and his blissful caress. Dr. Genzai proceeded in slowly taking off the bandages wrapped tightly around Kaoru's ankle to induce the least amount of pain. After inspecting the ankle and fingering it briefly, he announced that Kaoru's ankle was not broken, yet severely sprained.
"The only thing I can do, Kaoru-san, is to wrap your ankle into a brace. You will have to stay off your foot as much as possible, and it will heal in a couple months." Dr. Genzai said somberly.
Kaoru's face was downcast. She wouldn't be able to practice her style for several months now! That also meant that she could not learn more about that sakabatou she had taken an interest in. Her eyes had misted over, churning the usual bright blue into a dim gray.
Kenshin's amethyst eyes softened as he looked upon Kaoru, her miserable features affecting him as well as the others present in the room, maids included. He turned to Dr. Genzai. "I must return to town tomorrow, and I'm taking Kaoru with me."
Dr. Genzai shook his head. "Kaoru-san can not walk."
"She will not need to walk." Kenshin said curtly. "I will carry her."
"What?!" Kaoru cried out, her arms flailing out from their previous position on her chest. "You will not carry me anywhere, Himura Kenshin!"
"Not if I can help it." Kenshin argued back.
Kaoru folded her arms gruffly and sighed a note of irritation. She knew she couldn't win, but she didn't want to give up.
"Then it's best for you to get your rest, Kaoru-san." Dr. Genzai said softly. He quickly left the room.
"Oyasuminasai, Kaoru." Kenshin whispered huskily as he bent towards Kaoru's ear.
Kaoru reddened and turned her head away from Kenshin as he left the room.
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A/N: Okay, it took me A LOT longer than what I had expected to finish this chapter. I don't think it was necessarily writer's block, because I knew what I wanted to happen, but it just wouldn't happen! Okay, so maybe that is writer's block. But I thank all of you who are still sticking with this story, and so many kind reviews!! I'm very grateful.
Okay, now to answer some questions and make some comments!
Abstractmind: Of course I'm going to put more Sanosuke in the story!! He's one of my favorite characters, next to Kenshin and Kaoru of course! It's just that I have to put him in at the right time. He will appear more frequently towards the end...right now I'm heading more towards Aoshi and Misao.
MizzLee: I know that I had them admit their feelings early on, and I somewhat regret that. But in many of the stories I've read, it's just about HOW Kenshin and Kaoru hook up, and it's not very often when you actually get some good quality fluff after they're announced as a couple. So I was somewhat anxious to hook them up, but I'm also fitting in Kenshin's unworthiness and Kaoru's shyness/stubbornness, or whatever you want to call it.
Lightning-storm: Of course I'll review your stories! As a thank you to all of the reviewers, after I finish this story, I'm going to read at least one of everybody else's and review it! What a goal! But I'll do my best.
Lady Dragon: Oh wow, your compliments are too great! I'm rethinking about putting Tomoe in the story, hoping that I can somehow work around it. After all, this story is sort of writing itself. Keep reading!
Poppy2, Lily of the Shadow, Silver Eyes Bright, Bando-Eido no Megami-Sama, BloodyRune, CEEGEE, Tori, 'a reader', Koishii Sweet : all of your reviews mean soo much to me! You're all so encouraging and there's now way that I'm ever going to even consider abandoning this story.
I would like to add a SPECIAL thanks to my regular reviewers, you know who you are!
I will see you next time!
~Mystic Song