Standard Disclaimers Apply.

White Rose, Black Rose

By Amberle-chan

Chapter Six

Late that afternoon, Megumi insisted that she be taken back to the house to see the damage the intruder had caused. Okina did not think it was a good idea, saying she should wait until it could be repaired and cleaned, but Aoshi agreed to accompany her, knowing that it would be better for her to see it for herself, no matter how much it might upset her. She would need to see what had happened to her things so she could get a sense of what she needed to replace.

Megumi walked slowly through each room, searching and assessing all the damage with clinical detachment. Aoshi had been correct in his description of the damage. Every piece of clothing had been torn to shreds, every book ripped and cut, every single bottle, jar, dish, plate, and cup broken and smashed. It was not until she returned to her bedroom and opened the door of her large trunk that the loss of all her things began to weigh down on her.

She had so few things to remember her family by; most had been lost during the fire that had destroyed her childhood home. One of the few was a small, music box made out of mahogany that had belonged to her mother. It had been such a simple box, only a single delicate rose bloom carved into the wood. She knelt down and picked up what was left of the music box out of the chest. The top had been ripped off, the rose carving ruined by a slashing knife, the inner workings smashed beyond repair.

"Megumi-san?" Aoshi said behind her. She had not even heard him come in.

She ran her fingers over the box, trying to hide the tears that threatened to fall at any moment. "It was my mother's," she whispered.

He crouched down beside her. "What song did it play?"

Megumi smiled sadly and shook her head. "I never knew what it was called...she died before she could ever tell me." She put the broken box back into the chest and closed the lid. "It was a beautiful song, though," she murmured, her voice choked.

Aoshi wound an arm about her shoulders as she began to weep, pressing her back into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Megumi," he whispered tenderly as she wept out her sorrow and pain. He held her tighter, and he found his own heart aching for her. She truly had nothing left of her family now. Once more she would need to find the strength to rebuild again. How often could one person lose everything time and time again and not be broken by it?

After only a few moments, she broke away from him and stood up. She dashed the tears away from her face. "I wish I could understand why," she said with sudden fury, her face hard with anger. "Who would do such a thing and why? I want to know why, Aoshi-san. I hurt people in my past. I know that. But does what I've done merit this?" She flung out her arms to the damage around the room.

Aoshi was surprised by her sudden change in demeanor, but he was heartened by it as well. Perhaps she would not break after all. He was glad that she had regained her spirit so quickly. "No, it does it not, Megumi-san," he stated firmly, his eyes hard as he looked down at her. "But I will help you to find out who and why."

He led her out to the porch, and as just they moved past the next house, Megumi glanced back and spotted Shiro lurking by the back entrance to her garden. Then she remembered that the other Oniwabanshuu had been watching the house the day before. "Aoshi-san? I was too distraught last night to notice. How did whoever got in yesterday get past Kuro and Okun?"

She couldn't help but notice the expression of anger that crossed his face. "That is the other reason I must find out who did this, Megumi-san," he said sharply. "Whoever this person is got past the Oniwabanshuu. He had to be very good to do that. Such a person is not only a threat to you but to us as well."

Aoshi informed her the following evening that he had hired some men that he trusted to repair the damage to her house. She thanked him profusely once again, but was a bit surprised when he waved her thanks away, saying that the men had needed some employment anyway. He told her that the house would be repaired in a few days.

She went shopping the very next morning, searching for the practical everyday things that she would need to replace. Misao, Omasu, and Okun went with her.

"Look at this tea set, Megumi-san," Misao said as they all browsed through one store that sold dishware. "Isn't it lovely?"

Megumi ran one finger down the delicate china teapot that had been painted with blue forget-me-nots. It was indeed a lovely set, but one that she could not afford. She looked further down the shelf to another set that had been glazed all in blue. It was tea set she could afford to buy. She picked up one of the cups to examine it.

"Are you going to take this set, Megumi?" Okun asked.

"I think so. I don't really need anything fancy."

"That's pretty, too," Misao said. "It's the color of Aoshi-sama's eyes."

Megumi jerked up her head to stare at Misao in wonder, but the young woman had moved on to look at some other tea sets on the shelf. She gazed down at the cup in her hand. It was indeed the same blue as his eyes, the eyes that she had noticed watching her with a great deal of concern in the last three days.

After Megumi purchased the tea set and a few other dishes, they stepped outside into the bustling streets of Kyoto's market district. They were not even twenty feet away from the shop doorway when they were stopped by the very young daughter of the woman who owned the store.

"Please, you forgot this package," she said, bowing slightly as she handed a small box to Megumi.

"But I have everything that I bought," Megumi protested.

"No, you did forget this one. Okaasan was told you would pick it up today."

Misao frowned. "By whom?"

"By the person who ordered it." the girl replied. Omasu abruptly turned around and went back into the shop.

Okun was also frowning. "What person? When was it ordered? What did they look like?"

The young girl's expression was confused by all of the questions. "I don't know. Okaasan was just told to give it to a pretty lady dressed in a pink kimono like hers." She pointed at Megumi.

Misao smiled at the child. "Thank you. You should go back now."

The girl skipped back to the doorway just as Omasu stepped out. "She doesn't know who ordered it. All she received was a note three days ago asking her to make it and to give it to Megumi," she told them.

Megumi's hand trembled as she opened the box and her face blanched at what lay inside. She flung the box away and what had been a glass-blown black rose a moment before shattered as it hit the ground.

"We're returning to the Aoiya right now," Misao said firmly, grabbing Megumi's wrist and pulling her along the street. Okun and Omasu walked quickly along either side of Megumi, their eyes now searching the street for anyone who was paying too much attention to them.

They reached the Aoiya several minutes later and were barely across the doorway when Misao called out, "Aoshi-sama! Get down here!"

The door to Aoshi's office opened and he appeared at the top of the staircase. "Misao, you know better than to yell...," he began to admonish the young woman as he came down the stairs, but then he saw the expression on her face. "What happened?"

"Megumi-san got another rose," Misao answered.

"Are you alright, Megumi-san?" Aoshi asked.

Megumi shook her head. She suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion descend upon her. The whole situation was becoming too much for her to deal with. Was there nowhere she was safe from this madman? "Please...I'm tired," she muttered, hanging her head down. Without another word, she turned and climbed up the stairs. A minute late they all heard her room door slide open and close.

Aoshi watched her retreating form until the door slid closed. His eyes narrowed as he turned to the three other women before him. "What happened?" he repeated.

Misao explained the situation, with other brief explanations from Okun and Omasu.

"He ordered the rose three days ago?" Aoshi asked

"That's what the shop keeper said," Omasu answered. "He's watching us, too, Aoshi-san, and has been for awhile. He knew that we would take Megumi-san to that store."

"Hai," Aoshi agreed, already realizing that fact even before Omasu spoke of it. His expression turned hard. "You all know what to do now. Contact all the others here in Kyoto. This person, whoever he is, is very skilled, but he will falter sometime and we must be there when he does. Misao, I know you'll tell Soujiro. Omasu, please inform Kuro and Shiro. Where is Okina?"

"He went out with Sou," Misao said. "I'll go find them now." She hurried out of the door; Omasu and Okun quickly followed.

Aoshi returned to the upper story of the house, pausing momentarily in front of Megumi's closed door. There was no sound from within. Deciding to leave her be for the moment, he went back into his office, leaving his door open for once so he could hear if she stirred. He did not want to leave her alone with all of the others gone from the house.

Okina stepped into the office a half-hour later. He was slightly startled by the open door but refrained from commenting. "Misao told me what happened. I sent her and Soujiro to tell Cho. I had a feeling that you did want to leave Megumi-san by herself."

"This one is clever, Okina," Aoshi said. "Not only does he watch Megumi- san, but he watches her friends as well."

Okina brushed his fingers through his beard, a sign that he was thinking. "Another onmitsu perhaps?"

Aoshi nodded. "Perhaps. But I also keep thinking about the damage done to Megumi-san's house. He is attempting to frighten her, threaten her, that much is certain. However, after I what I saw, I'm also positive that he is angry with her as well. Why destroy everything that she owned? He could have achieved his aim of terrifying her just by sending the notes and the roses. He is furious with Megumi-san. I could almost sense it as soon I stepped into the house."

"So you are definitely thinking that it has something to do with her past? When you both worked for Kanryu?"

"No. That is one thing I would disagree with. If he knew about her past with Kanryu, he would know about mine as well. I have not been threatened in any way. I do not think it is revenge for that."

Okina remained silent for several moments, still combing his beard. Aoshi leaned back in his chair, patiently waiting to hear what the old man would say next. He was also thinking as well, of the young woman who still remained quietly in her room. He was disturbed by her reactions to the afternoon's events. He knew that she normally had a strong spirit, a fighting spirit. He had heard the anger in her voice the other night, seen the fury in her face as she wondered why she was a target. Yet this afternoon she seemed defeated. Had she reached a breaking point?

"There is one other concern that I have, Aoshi," Okina said. Aoshi turned his attention back to the older man. Okina had stopped brushing his beard and his hands were now laying quietly in his lap. "I am worried that you are becoming too involved in this. I know that you wish to help Megumi-san because of what she has done for all of us in the past; however, I am not blind. I can see that you care for her. I'm worried that it will cloud your thinking." Okina stood up and moved to the open doorway. Aoshi did not reply, his face expressionless, his eyes icy.

"Do not get too entangled, Aoshi," Okina advised as he left.

Aoshi stared in the direction of the closed door at the end of the hallway. "It's too late for that," he murmured.

Despite what he knew to be logical advice from Okina, he could not help becoming even more worried when he joined his friends for dinner and Megumi had still not emerged from her room. He found Misao in the kitchen preparing a tray to take up to her.

"I'll take it, Misao," Aoshi said, picking up the tray from the counter. Misao did not say anything, but her eyes looked up at him curiously. Aoshi chose not to answer the questions those eyes asked.

Moments later, he tapped lightly on Megumi's door. "Megumi-san, may I enter?" he asked. There was a soft sound of assent from the other side of the door.

Aoshi slid the door aside. Megumi was standing by her window, staring off into the night. She did not turn around as he set the tray down on the small table. "You should eat, Megumi-san," he said.

"I am not safe anywhere, am I?" Her soft question floated across the room to him. "And perhaps because I am here, neither are any of you."

"Megumi..."

"I figured out that he had to be watching everyone here at the Aoiya as well. How else would he have known to go to that shop?"

He walked across the room to stand at her side. "The Oniwabanshuu know how to take care of themselves, Megumi-san," he assured her softly as he placed one hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. "You are safer here than anywhere else."

Her head fell forward, her face enshadowed by her long hair. "I don't want anyone to get hurt because of this, Aoshi-san. Perhaps I should go back to Tokyo or even Aizu."

"He could find you in those places as well, Megumi-san," he replied softly. "You should not let yourself be defeated by this man's actions, Megumi Takani. Do not run away. You are too strong a woman for that."

She shook her head, her loose hair lashing against her face. "I'm not feeling very strong right now, Aoshi-san," she murmured. "Perhaps you think too highly of me."

He tilted her head up with one finger; Megumi found herself staring up into blue eyes that were soft with concern and warmth. "There is no other choice but to think highly of you, Megumi-san. I believe in your strength. Now you must believe it yourself."

Megumi gazed up at him wonder, a light blush dusting her cheeks as his fingers dropped from her face. She could not find any words to say in reply to his compliment as he lightly wrapped his hand around her elbow and led her over to the table. "Please eat something, Megumi," he insisted as he headed toward the door.

Her soft voice stopped him before he crossed the threshold. "Aoshi?" she asked quietly. He turned back to her, his eyes and face now hidden by the shadows of the doorway. "Thank you." He bowed deeply in reply and was gone.

Every night since Megumi had begun to stay at the Aoiya, she and Aoshi would retreat to the small common room just for the staff and play chess. On most nights, their nightly game would be watched by the others or when it ended too soon due to Megumi's ongoing losing streak, she would watch as Aoshi and Okina played. Tonight they were alone. The others were in the kitchen talking about the preparations for Misao's and Soujiro's wedding.

Megumi glanced at Aoshi from underneath lowered lashes. He was so handsome, that cool exterior never wavering, but after several weeks of being his constant companion, she was finally convinced that his heart was not made of ice. The conversation they had had several nights before had proved that to her. He had been too kind to her, too caring. She found her herself thinking about him constantly, wondering if she was feeling infatuation for the man who was her protector or something deeper. She knew she wanted his protection because she felt safe in his presence, but as the days and weeks passed, she wanted his companionship as well. When he wasn't there, she felt...lonely. Could it be something deeper, something she just wasn't willing to admit to herself or to Aoshi, yet? And if she ever did make her feelings known to him, would he reciprocate? What did he feel for her?

Aoshi's nimble fingers took hold of an ivory-carved bishop and moved it forward.

Aoshi watched the candlelight flicker across Megumi's beautiful face, which was now frowning, as she concentrated on the game. She had learned the game quickly in the several weeks they had been playing it, and he knew that someday she would match his mastery of it.

Megumi moved her rook to the center of the board.

However, she would lose once more to him tonight.

"An interesting choice, Megumi-san," Aoshi commented dryly. Megumi looked up to gauge his expression, but found only his normal coolness as he studied the chess board between them, his head propped on one hand. He stared at the pieces laid out before him silently for several moments before reaching out to move his queen to threaten the rook.

Aoshi then gazed at Megumi through shadowed eyes. She had recovered some of her spirit over the few days since they had spoken in her bedroom, but he felt that she was still fragile, still vulnerable to the terror the stalker wanted her to feel. He felt strangely drawn to that fragility, wanting to protect her, needing to protect her. He had gone far out of his way to protect her when they had both worked on the Kanryuu estate. Did his feelings for Megumi go back that far? Had he been denying them, locking them away for so long because he was afraid to admit them to himself or to her?

Megumi's brown eyes were intense on the board as her delicate fingers hovered over one piece and then after a moment's hesitation moved to wrap around a knight..

Aoshi recognized the move she was going to make. She was going to move her knight to bishop six, leaving her king vulnerable, and suddenly he could not allow it. He did not want her to lose tonight. He wanted her to win.

Megumi was slightly startled when Aoshi's hand lightly descended upon her own. She looked up to find his blue eyes studying her intently. The coolness that had been there only a few moments before was gone, replaced by a reflection of what she had been feeling only moments before. "Are you sure that is the move you wish to make, Megumi?" he whispered. Megumi swallowed, all thoughts of the chess game lost as she stared at the handsome man sitting before her, his warm hand clasped around her own. He was gazing at her the way he had the other night when he told her he believed in her strength, but there was also something more. Something she suddenly wanted to understand. "Aoshi...," she murmured.

Aoshi's head suddenly whipped up and toward the staircase behind them. In an instant, he was leaping up the stairs to the upper story. Megumi watched for only a shocked second before she followed him, her own speed hampered by her kimono.

She recoiled in horror when she reached the top of the stairs. The door to her room was ajar, and Aoshi was struggling with someone in the doorway. They both fell backwards into the room, their arms locked tightly about each other. She ran to the doorway, just as the black-clad intruder broke free of Aoshi's grip and backed away, his hands raised. In one hand was another black rose, in the other kunai. Aoshi stepped in front of Megumi, one of the small sharp weapons cutting his cheek as he spun her out of the way. The intruder threw the black rose to the floor. "Nine," he called as he leapt out of the window.

"Stay here," Aoshi ordered, as he ran across the room and jumped out the window to follow the intruder.

Aoshi did not return to the Aoiya until an hour later. His quarry had successfully eluded him. He punched one hand against the entranceway in frustration. He had not let his skills deteriorate over the last few years despite a lack of need for them. How had the intruder gotten away so fast if he had not been trained in the ninja arts himself?

Aoshi became even more upset when he could not find Megumi anywhere within the main house of the Aoiya. His anger was well honed by the time he finally found her in the Aoiya's gardens, her back to him, her dark hair hiding her face. He approached her slowly. "I thought I told you to stay inside," he said, barely contained fury suffusing his voice.

"I can't do this anymore, Aoshi," she said, ignoring his anger, her tear- strained voice a mere whisper. "I can't allow you to protect me anymore."

"Megumi...," he whispered, his anger gone in an instant.

"No!" she cried vehemently, whirling around to face him. "I don't want you to get hurt because you are protecting me."

"It's just a scratch, Megumi. You've seen me with far worse."

"And what if it does become worse? What if it's something I can't fix next time?" her voice choked as she lifted one finger to trace the line of the cut on his cheek. "I don't want you to get hurt, Aoshi. I've lost too much...I...can't...lose...you."

She half turned from him, embarrassed that she had finally revealed all that she had feeling for him for the last few weeks, but Aoshi wrapped his hand tightly around her wrist, pulling her forward, as his other hand reached out to cup her face, tilting it upward. "I would not lose you, either, Megumi Takani," he stated roughly. His blue eyes glittered sharply as they locked onto her startled cinnamon irises. "Do you yet not understand why I choose to protect you? Why I need to protect you?" he demanded as he bent down to claim her lips with his own.

Megumi was startled only for a moment as Aoshi's lips brushed insistently against hers, but then her arms twined about his neck, bringing him closer so she could kiss him back as passionately as he was kissing her. She parted her lips to allow his tongue to enter her mouth, wanting to discover his taste. He willingly obliged, the velvety softness of his tongue dancing and entangling with her own. When they finally parted to catch their breath, she fell against him, wrapped tightly in his arms, her face pressed against his chest.

"I will continue to protect you, Megumi Takani," he whispered fiercely as his hand brushed down her hair. "I will not allow anyone to hurt you. This I swear with my life. There is no other choice for me."

She pulled back slightly to look into his face. "Aoshi..."

"Hush," Aoshi murmured as he bent forward to kiss her again.

Megumi leaned back long moments later to gaze up steadily into his eyes. "Why me?" she breathed.

Aoshi's blue eyes flickered in puzzlement. She smiled up at him tenderly. He seldom wore such an expression, and she found it endearing. Her voice stumbled as she tried to make him understand the question she was asking. "I was just wondering...given our past... why? You could have anyone you wanted."

He gathered her more tightly into his embrace, his lips brushing her forehead before he gently pressed her head to his chest. "You have touched me as no other woman has, Megumi. I have never met anyone kinder than you, and yet you are fierce as well, especially when you are caring for others. I've seen it so many times, and I've had no choice but to admire you. Even when your life is threatened, and you have every reason to think only of yourself, you think of others. You amaze me, Megumi Takani."

Author's Note: First and foremost, I must thank my brother, otherwise known as "The Tree," for his contribution to this chapter. He has a Master's rating in chess and gave me the chess moves that are written in the chess scene. I could have probably written this scene without them, but I wanted to lend a little authenticity to the proceedings. Thanks, Tree! -

Second, there are some reviewers/readers who are speculating as to who Megumi's stalker may be. Well, dear fans, as one of my favorite authors, Robert Jordan, is fond of saying: "Read and Find Out."

A foxy laugh floats through the air as Amberle-chan glides out into the night...