Disclaimer: RK and PB aren't mine!
Author's note: Wa-hey! Welcome to the second chapter of the two-chpater Sunday Special! ^_^ Yay for all things fluffy and romantic! *happy dance*
Enjoy!
The Princess Bride: Kenshin StyleNineteen
"There was a battle fought here. Between two masters of the sword, no less. Blood was shed- there are drops on the ground."
"How did it end?"
The Count watched as his Prince paced tracks that only his sharp eyes could see. His feet moved carefully, as if mimicking the moves he followed with his hunter's gaze.
His hands rose, as if holding a sword, and made a sharp movement.
"This was a duel of incredible speed, and great strength. If I am not wrong- and I never am- there was an ougi used here. It decided the battle. The loser was left unconscious here," the Prince gestured to a spot on the grass, "Before running that way," he indicated a direction that ran at a small angle to the coastline, "And the winner went that way." The Prince followed his own pointing hand, and examined the ground without bothering to crouch down. "It seems he was following two others. Though, if one of those two were carrying the Princess, there could be three in the group. The victor of this battle makes it four."
"Shall I send a party after the losing swordsman?" asked the Count.
"No. I don't care about losers. The strongest will be the one, or ones, with the Princess, so they are all that matter. We will continue along this trail," he ordered abruptly, swinging himself back into the saddle of one of his whites.
The whites were a group of four horses, bred specially by the Prince for use on his hunts. They were magnificent beasts, tall, elegant, strong, and incredibly fast, as well as possessing a rare level of stamina.
Depending on how long the Prince expected a hunt to last, he would take one, or even three, of his whites with him, so that, once one tired, he could switch to another, leaping from one saddle to another in mid-gallop, so as not to waste even a moment. He had never felt the need to take all four with him.
Now, one of his white horses danced with anticipation under the familiar weight of its master, and the moment his heels touched its sides, it sprang away, leaping into a canter, then a full gallop, in seconds.
The rest of the party, made up of Count Enishi and a small group of the elite army, set off after their ruler, leaving nothing but dust in their wake as they streamed on across the landscape after the Princess.
"Welcome, man in black."
The man in black had already seen the pair from a few hundred metres away, so he had been prepared for the sight now before him.
The Princess sat, blindfolded, on a rock, a dagger held to her throat by the business-like leader who sat beside her. He was a particularly nasty-looking man, the man in black thought, with dark slick hair and a sharp nose. And a decidedly malicious grin, as well, he added to himself.
There was a cloth set out over a flattish rock in front of them, and two cups with a bottle of wine, as if prepared for negotiations. The man in black somehow had the feeling that Hoji would not be open to much in that department, though.
The man in black took a step closer.
"I suppose you are here to take what I've rightfully stolen," said the business-like man.
"It would appear that way."
Another step closer.
Kaoru sat perfectly still under the unflinching touch of the dagger. That voice… So deep and strong, it was almost familiar somehow…
Hoji was still bartering. Or not, it would seem.
"Is there no arrangement we can reach?" asked the man in black, taking another step forward.
"No. And you're killing her," replied Hoji angrily, pushing his dagger a little more firmly against Kaoru's neck.
The Princess let out a frightened gasp as the cold metal drew a drop of bright red blood from her fear-paled skin.
The man in black stopped moving.
"I'm sure there must be some way of settling this," he said reasonably.
"There really isn't."
The man in black thought quickly. Judging from the look of this man, and the position he held in his group, there was one thing he was certain Hoji would not refuse.
"What if I challenge you to a battle of wits?" he said.
"For the Princess?"
"Yes."
"To the death?"
"Of course."
Hoji sheathed his dagger.
"Fine, I accept."
The man in black approached, his inner smile of satisfaction never surfacing to his calm, composed face. Kaoru listened on in understandable interest (very understandable, considering her life depended on the outcome of the contest).
The man in black seated himself opposite Hoji calmly, his eyes always on his enemy. It was as if Kaoru no longer existed- for the duration of the duel, at least.
"How do you propose we do this?" asked Hoji grandly. He had a high opinion of himself most of the time, but when it came to situations like this, he positively oozed self-confidence and satisfaction. He was practically preening himself now, glinting eyes watching his opponent with a cunning look.
The man in black produced a small, long flask from inside his dark clothes, and held it up for Hoji to see.
"This contains iocane powder: it is tasteless, odourless, colourless, and dissolves instantly in water. It is also one of the more deadly poisons known to man."
Hoji was looking more excited at every word that passed the lips of his enemy. This was looking to be exactly the kind of challenge he relished the most. He was almost twitching by the time the man in black stated the challenge.
As he spoke, he was reaching over to pour wine into each cup, his eyes never leaving Hoji's face.
Once the cups were each full, the man in black took them and turned away to add the powder, crouching over so that Hoji couldn't see.
He set the cups back on the boulder.
"The battle of wits has begun," he said. "It ends when you decide which cup you want, and we both drink."
Hoji was already rubbing his hands together, gazing greedily from one cup to the other, back and forth, his eyes full of rapid thought and anticipation.
"Well, it's quite simple, really," he said. The man in black just watched him calmly.
"I must merely deduce, from what I know of you, whether you are the kind of man who would put the poison in his own cup, or in the cup of his enemy."
The man in black leant back slightly, eyes still on Hoji's face. Hoji glanced up at him, as if wishing to penetrate his enemy's gaze, but unable to. Those amber eyes reflected Hoji's image back like glass. Nothing could be seen in those golden depths.
Hoji gave up on that tactic easily. There were other ways to win this.
"Well, I have already seen that you are strong, as you beat Sanosuke, so you may think that you could put it in your own cup, and rely on your strength to save you from the poison."
There was no reaction from the man in black. He merely blinked coolly.
"So, you are strong, but you must also be intelligent if you beat the Tenken, so you would know that strength cannot save you from the poison, so you would not have put the poison in your own cup, so I obviously can't take the wine in front of me."
The man in black lifted a hand to his chin, watching Hoji with considering eyes, as if weighing him up. Hoji tried to interpret this, but could not. However, he may as well let the man in black think that Hoji could interpret it.
"You are getting nervous, man in black! But just wait!"
"You're stalling." The man in black's gaze never faltered.
"Ha! I am only showing you generosity before you die, by allowing you a glimpse of my amazing pattern of thought!
"Now: to continue. I see you are brave, but are you foolishly brave? For only a fool would put poison in his own cup: yet only a fool would reach for what he was given, and you must know I am not a fool, therefore I cannot take the cup in front of you."
The man in black's amber eyes flashed a little. "Stop stalling. You think you can make me give away something, but you won't. Make your choice."
Hoji grinned insanely. "You may think so, but you're wrong! I know exactly where the poison is! It's- what's that?"
The man in black whipped round to look where Hoji pointed, and turned back again.
"There was nothing there," he said coldly, his eyes still flat and icy.
Kaoru was sure there was something in his voice, though… Amusement? She listened on breathlessly, ignoring the tiny sting in her neck from the dagger's cut, everything she had pinned on what would happen in the next few seconds.
"Sorry, I was sure I saw something. Never mind. Well, I have made my choice."
With that, Hoji took the cup in front of him.
The man in black took his cup in turn, and they both lifted their wine to their lips simultaneously, each took a gulp.
They each set the cups down.
"You lost," said the man in black.
Hoji started laughing, a shrill, hollow, mocking sound. "You are a fool! I switched the cups when your back was turned: only a complete idiot would fall for that! You LOSE, man in black! Hahahahaha! HAHAHA-"
Hoji fell over.
Kaoru gasped.
The man in black just stood calmly, and reached for the Princess, ripping her blindfold from her eyes.
"So your cup was the poisoned one all along?" she said, blinking to regain focus.
"They were both poisoned. I've spent some time building up an immunity to iocane." He spoke abruptly as he knelt to slice the bonds about her ankles with his sword, which he sheathed again gracefully.
He glanced up at the Princess, and froze perfectly still for a split second.
Her hair, black as the midnight that had passed less than two hours ago, poured over her shoulders as she leant forward, just slightly, to look down into the face of her kidnappers' vanquisher. Her eyes were brighter than the summer sky, even in the dim, cool moonlight, and there was both trepidation and curiosity in their sapphire depths as she watched him, eyes travelling over his black clothes, black head-cloth, trailing over his unsmiling lips and cold amber eyes, following the crossing lines of his scar.
Her thoughts were unreadable to him, but he only looked at her, her palely lovely face in the fraction of a moment where time seemed to stop.
Even more beautiful…
With that, he was moving again, standing and grabbing the Princess by one arm and pulling her somewhat roughly to her feet.
Kaoru looked over at his profile, and wondered why he had suddenly become so cold and angry looking.
His profile made her think… That scar on his face…
Her feet tripped a little on the grassy earth, and she stumbled.
"No time for that, Princess," said the man in black as he hauled her forwards, nearly at a run himself.
As they rushed onwards, ever onwards for what felt like hours to Kaoru, she couldn't stop thinking about the man in black's face, even as he never stopped glancing back behind them for signs of pursuit.
They ran and ran through the night in silence, until the man in black suddenly let go of the Princess and let her sink to the ground to rest.
She glared up at him, rubbing her aching arm. "He will find us, and when he does, he will kill you! If you stop now, I may be able to convince him to let you live," she said, willing calm into her voice.
"He?"
"Prince Shishio. He is the greatest hunter ever to live on earth: he will find you, be assured of that."
"You are very confident that your dearest love can find you, Princess."
Kaoru was so angry that she didn't catch the note of bitterness and pain in the man's voice.
"I never said he was my dearest love, but yes, he will find us."
"You don't love him, yet you are engaged to marry him? You are actually honest."
"He knows I don't love him."
"Are not capable of love, you mean." The bitterness and hurt was undeniable that time, but Kaoru still didn't notice it. His words infuriated her, and touched raw wounds with the subtlety of a hammer.
"How dare you!" she burst out, blue eyes sparkling with anger. "I have loved more deeply and more truly than someone like you could ever imagine!" she cried, the words ripping from her uncontrollably as an image of Kenshin flickered through her mind. Tears threatened her blinking blue eyes.
Her words were cut off as the man in black raised a hand towards her. She thought he was going to hit her, but his hand fell back to his side. His head had bowed a little, enough to hide those intimidating golden eyes from her. She could not read what emotion could have been hidden behind that black mask.
"Please don't lie to me." His voice was deep and surprisingly serious. The 'please' caught Kaoru completely off guard, and her brow creased in puzzled surprise.
After a moment of absolute silence, the man in black looked up again, but his face was blank, expressionless. Kaoru merely stared at him, opening her mouth to protest, and closing it again when she saw the fleeting look on his otherwise unreadable face.
With no further ado, he was pulling her up and on again, rushing them over the grassy ground.
They ran on for a long while that time, Kaoru feeling increasingly exhausted, and more and more thoughtful about the man at her side. She was certain she knew something…
The moon was beginning to creep towards the horizon when the man in black released his grip on Kaoru's arm again, and she fell back, landing heavily on a rock, near the edge of a steep hillside.
The rest felt good to her tired feet, but that wasn't what she was concerned with.
She gazed intently at the man in black, as he walked away to gaze out to sea, which lay a little way off, down through a channel of water. He noted the ships gathering at the coast, and strode back to the Princess.
She was still lost in thought, watching him.
I'm sure…
I'm sure I know who this is…
As the man in black's eyes were lit with a burst of silver light, as a cloud moved away from the moon, realisation struck Kaoru like a dash of cold water in the face.
Her heart clenched tightly in her chest, and tears threatened her wide blue eyes.
One hand reached out, and flew back to clench against her heart.
She knew.
The man in black, as if sensing the turmoil in his captive's heart, turned to look at her.
"You!" she cried.
He cocked his head at her.
"You're… The Dread Hitokiri Battousai!"
The man in black stood straighter and bowed politely, if a little stiffly.
Kaoru felt fury and bitter grief rush through her, the inner conflict making her feel almost sick to the stomach.
She curled over, gasping a little.
It hurts…
She whipped her head up to glare at the Battousai with a ferocity that could have slain an army.
"You killed my love!"
"You had a love? I don't think so."
"Do not play games with me! You killed him!"
"And who was he? Another rich snob like the Prince?" asked the man in black callously, looking away from her, hiding the look in his eyes.
"No. He was poor. Poor and perfect," she murmured to herself. Aloud again, she continued. "On the Great Road, you ambushed him. A young man with flame-bright hair and violet eyes, eyes like clouds lit with lightning in a storm…" Tears rose again to Kaoru's eyes, and she blinked fiercely.
She did not catch the flicker of a warmer colour in the Battousai's amber gaze.
"Yes, I remember him. Though I think he wouldn't mind so much if he knew what he was in love with. A woman who would marry someone else as soon as her supposed true love died. A worthy bride, indeed. I am sure the news of his death must have been very hard." His eyes were icy again, and there was a shade of deep hurt there, too.
Kaoru didn't notice it in her fury. "Do not mock my pain!"
"You feel pain?"
It was too much. All the hurt and anger burst from Kaoru.
"I died that day." Everything about him was suddenly unbearable. She hated him, hated that he had taken away her one true love, hated what he had done to her life.
"You can die too for all I care!" she shouted, pushing him suddenly and harshly.
The hillside worked quite effectively against the Dread Hitokiri Battousai. Unable to keep his balance against that hard shove, he fell, tumbling over the side of the hill.
Kaoru stood and watched as he fell, until three words she had never expected to hear again floated up to her.
"As… you… wish…"
Her blue eyes flew wide with recognition, and without another single thought, she threw herself after the man she had wished dead.
"KENSHIN!"
The ground seemed to whirl in every direction as Kaoru rolled and slid, stumbled and flew her way down the steep slope.
With a final bump, she slid to a stop at the foot of the hill.
Kenshin was already there, lying on his back with one hand to his head. His black head covering had come away during the fall, and fluttered down after him to land at his side.
His flame-bright hair lay spilled against the earth like red silk, and as his face turned to Kaoru's, tears started in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
"Kenshin! Oh Kenshin, Kenshin Kenshin, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry Kenshin!" She crawled her way across the ground to him, ignoring the bruises and cuts all over her, hating the space between herself and her love, desperate to touch him, to be sure he was real.
As his gaze took in her face, so full of love, the amber in his eyes flickered away and died, and they shone a deep and rich purple, the colour Kaoru had loved so much. A soft smile spread across his face.
"Kaoru…"
He reached out with both arms, and suddenly she was there, and he was holding her, arms wrapped around her warmly and tightly, snugging their bodies together like two pieces of a puzzle that fitted only each other.
Kaoru's tears wetted Kenshin's cheeks as his lips found hers, quickly, hungrily, aching with the sadness and loneliness of their time apart. Her mouth did not wait for him, letting him possess her lips for one long, intimate moment, before she needed more, and her mouth left his to trail down his jaw and over his neck, with the passion and fury of a forest fire, landing sweet, nibbling kisses over every inch of his skin she could find.
Kenshin's eyes closed as he let her touch, so long missed and so unexpected, rush demandingly over his skin, sending waves of electric pleasure storming through him. His hands moved instinctively to her dark, thick hair, and he ran his fingers through it, wondering when it had become so much softer, wondering how she had become even more beautiful.
The initial rush of reunion was slowly satisfied, and the desperate fire in their contact turned gradually to a gentle, loving, slow-burning heat.
Kenshin gently coaxed Kaoru back to his lips, and he kissed her more slowly that time, savouring her taste and drinking her in deeply and passionately.
His hands swept smoothly over her, taking in the curves so fondly remembered, the soft shape of she who was so dear to his heart. Her waist seemed so small and delicate to his strong, gentle grasp.
His warm touch sent a tingling heat through Kaoru's whole body.
"Kenshin…" she moaned between kisses. It felt so good to be touched by him again, felt so amazing to know that he was alive, and with her right then, loving her. She still couldn't quite believe it.
Her lips parted gratefully to his deeper kiss, and she lost herself in the feel of his touch, wishing for time to stop and let her have this moment forever. Strong as she was, to be back in Kenshin's arms, to know that their love was not defeated, was too much for her grief-battered heart. Tears streamed freely down her face as she ran a trembling hand through bright red strands of silken hair. His chest was warm and solid against her; she could feel each breath he took as his arms tightened gently around her. Everything around them lost focus and importance. There were only these two people and the loving caress they lavished upon each other.
If only time could stop just then.
Please, just a little longer…
Please…Author's note: YAY! *does the happy dance for about half an hour* Yay yay hurrah yippee yay! *huge grin* I've been waiting to get them back together for so long… *sigh* Poor sweeties… Been through so much already.
OH, and I know Westley was really harsh to Buttercup at one point- I know for a fact Kenshin would never even think of hitting Kaoru, like EVER, so when he raised her hand, I was thinking that he wanted to hold her, but didn't go through with it. All the same, he was bitter and hurt the same way Westley was about Kaoru going off and getting engaged like that. And I know- she had to or else die. Don't worry, more K/K stuff to come! ^_^
Oh, in case some didn't know or wondered, this is NOT the end of the story! Those familiar with the PB will know that, but I just thought I'd confirm it for any who weren't sure. Okay! ^_^
*goes back to sighing in a terribly lovesick manner, while fishing her bowl of popcorn out from under the multiplying amounts of fluff around her. Hits 'rewind' to watch the reunion scene again, while smiling tearfully at the much-missed fluff: and it's the pure, rendered-down stuff! We're talking pink and sparkly, here!*
Yay!
*happy dance* I love reunions!
Leave your thoughts! You know you want to. *laugh*