A/N: To all my reviewers (don't care if I've only got a few! At least some reviewed! :D!)

Anyway . . .

Mewberries: Thanks so much! I'm glad you found my fairy tale fic just when you were wondering about an RK/Beauty and the Beast thing. Though this story has LITTLE connection to said Disney movie, I'm really glad you reviewed! Happy reading!

Zeh Wolf: You like it? Glad you did. You see, this is my first RK fic, so don't expect too much; but I would like to thank you for telling me about the dialogue thing, though I would like to apologize because school just started so I don't have time to edit my fics, plus, I'm not the one posting them. All the same, thanks for reviewing!

Eres: I'm serious—I was really touched when you said you supported me! Thanks! I really appreciate it!

I AM ROYALTY: Thanks for all the suggestions and support! Hope you like this :D

Adonna Karadawn: Freak. Where's YOUR review dammit?

NYMPHA FABELLA

Chapter Three: Siblings

The man who sat in front of his hut-like home, took a sip from his cup of sake. He opened his eyes to the north, smirking slightly, and muttered to himself.

"Baka deshi…"

"Are we there yet?"

Kenshin smiled at Yahiko. It had been a few days since they had met, and ever since then they had been heading for Hiko Seijuro's home. "We're almost there, de gozaru." Kenshin told him as they walked under the shade of the forest trees.

Unlike the previous forest the wanderer had encountered, this one had more light in it, and it was filled with the sound of rushing water from a stream not far away. Birds sang in the distance; a soothing sound that made the two somewhat calmer; giving them momentary peace, peace from the worries that haunted them day and night.

They veered a little to the left, where a small walking path began, covered with pebbles. A few meters away lay a cottage, with a very tall man sitting on its front porch. Kenshin heard Yahiko gasp in awe, as Hiko looked up at them, an amused, but intimidating glint in his dark eyes.

Kenshin motioned for Yahiko to follow him, and soon he came face to face and only a few paces near the man who raised Kenshin. "What brings you here?" Hiko smirked, but Kenshin knew it was the closest to a welcome as he could get. "We came for a visit, Shishou." He put a hand on Yahiko's shoulder.

"This is my young friend, Yahiko. Yahiko, this is Master Hiko Seijuro." He turned again to the taller man. " Sessha brought him here for some…help?" The former samurai grinned rather sheepishly at the older man, and with a nod of his head indicated the boy's dirty clothes.

Hiko smirked again and considered Yahiko for a second. "Making me a nanny again, eh, baka deshi?" 'Good grief, what is this pathetic pupil of mine up to, now?'

Well then, boy," He said to Yahiko as he stood up. "There's a stream a little to the right behind the cottage--you'd better start washing up quickly, because I am not letting you eat supper smelling like that."

Yahiko crossed his arms stubbornly at the mention of this, but soon headed for the stream, at Kenshin's gentle urging. "Sessha will lend you some of his old clothes--they will fit you well. You still have them, ne, Shishou?"

Hiko raised a brow at him, and started to walk away. "Start making dinner if you plan on staying a while, baka." He walked past a grinning Kenshin, after giving him a small smile; one that was rare but comforting to the redhead.

Kenshin sighed, as he made his way inside the cottage. "It's going to be a long night…"

***@***

"So you really have no idea who is wreaking havoc there, Shishou?" Kenshin asked. It was late at night, Yahiko was already asleep inside, and the two of them sat on the hut's back porch, facing the stream which was bathed in starlight. A few hooting owls could be heard, while the surrounding pines swayed a bit to the cold wind.

For the past half an hour he had been relating to Hiko the weirdness of Yahiko's situation, and was relieved that his Shishou did not ask too many questions. After all, he himself did not know why he felt obliged to help the boy. Not that he didn't like being of service to others.

"Iie," Master Hiko poured himself another cup of sake, and smirked as Kenshin refused one. "I am not that oblivious, though. I knew something was going on in that town. Months ago, the villagers started moving out; a good few of them passing by this forest." He drank deeply, and kept his eyes ahead. In truth, he was very much curious as to why his baka deshi was so willing to help that town. He had his reasons, he supposed. Probably stupid reasons, though.

"And you said the boy's sister had been taken by this man?" Kenshin nodded. "Hai, but he does not know for what purpose. What do you think, Shishou?" Hiko finished his cup, and rose, grunting. "That whatever I tell you, baka deshi, you will still head back to that town and fight that man in order to help others, using any means you can to defeat him." He looked down at Kenshin, who remained sitting down.

Hiko's eyes watched him with something which looked distinctly like pride. Kenshin grinned. "Arigatou, Shishou." The man simply smirked again. "Don't fall asleep out here--I'm not carrying you inside like the old times, baka."

***@***

Enishi smiled darkly. The black crystal orb floated in front of him, the result of a week's hard work. 'A new spell; one I'm dying to use on anyone who will dare defy me…' The room he was in was equally dark. Long tables lined it everywhere, full of bottles of every color, each one emitting different smells. A few of the tables had swords on top of them, bows, arrows, and other deadly weapons as well.

A towering bookshelf stood behind him, beside it another smaller table with small porcelain figurines of men who had once walked the earth, but made their biggest mistake in disobeying him. Now they were only centimeters tall, frozen in mysterious positions, faces contorted with fear.

Yukishiro Enishi smiled again. He could feel his power run through his veins. 'You should have been here to see, Onee-San…' He clenched his fists, memories of his sister flooding his mind.

Her death happened years ago, when she had been deliberately killed by that hitokiri. Of him Enishi did not know of any more; aside from the fact that he murdered Tomoe, and acted as though it was an accident. 'If I ever see that good for nothing scoundrel, I will make sure he pays for her death.'

***@***

"Onee-San!" Enishi ran to his sister, enjoying the warmth of the sun, and the softness of the lush green grass beneath him. Tomoe's beautiful eyes shone in a smile, her arms outstretched to her brother. The two laughed a rare thing she did, with that tender kindness only reserved for her brother.

He held his hand for what seemed like forever. Enishi looked up at her. She was smiling at him, and he gave her one of those rare grins of his. He was glad he was there. 'Like she always will be,' he said to himself.

Or so he thought.

***@***

The sound of someone coming snapped Enishi out of his thoughts. A knock on the heavy wooden door sounded, and Enishi watched as one of his servants walked in. "Master," his voice was soft, his face hidden underneath the hood he wore.

"Master, we have conquered more land." Enishi raised an eyebrow, a taunting smile playing on his lips. "Oh, really now?" The figure under the hood stirred uncomfortably, and Enishi continued. "More land? Oh, and without any slips? Like last time?"

"No, of course not, sir. The land to the east, near that clump of hills has been taken by my men, and we killed the family which dwelt there." Enishi walked towards the man, his eyes secretive, and his pace calm and easy.

His servant trembled, as Enishi came closer, until his face was only inches from his. "Oh? And did not thy master tell thee to bring back a single person so he could experiment on him with his new spell?"

The man swallowed. "Sumimasen, Enishi-sama! My-mmmy men…They, ano, they- they…got carried away…" Enishi smiled. "Ah, yes…" He turned his back on the man, and called the dark orb to his palm. "That can sometimes happen, eh?"

"Hai." The man whimpered. Enishi turned to face him, smiling evilly. "And so can this." The man knew no more, as he felt pain course through his body, something cold and spiky choking him, and a freezing feeling capturing his limbs, foam and blood both forming at his mouth.

Enishi smiled proudly at his new found power as his former servant melted into a puddle of reddish brown muck. "Well now; it works…"

A/N:

Why the hell is Enishi a damn sorcerer?! Did Tomoe know about his interest in magic? Did he go to Hogwarts?!

Okay, that last question was a joke; but the other two I will answer in the next chapters.

By the way, if you are a poem-lover, try reading Adonna Karadawn's single poem in the site--you won't regret it.

Please review, it would mean a lot, but please go easy on me. I am hoping the way I portrayed Enishi was just right. My description of Hiko was weird though, ne?

Hey, Attila, don't keep Mike Shinoda in the cupboard under the stairs too long, okay?

See you in the next chapters; please no flames and may God bless you all!!!

Kalasin