Disclaimer: Hey I say to you all now and forevermore that I, CrypticMaidenRK, does not own Rurouni Kenshin and probably never will. Thank you.

Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once.

-William Shakespeare

May You Never

Chapter Two: The Days Go By

The days had increased at an alarming rate after the adjourned meeting with the Duke of Saete, and lucky within that time the young Count of Fant had won a victory over his illness and since then the province had made vast amounts of progress towards harmony once again.

Kaoru shuffled her way through the private gardens of the palace. All was quite, and dark since the cloak of drowsy night had settled upon the capital of Lome. Her sapphire eyes traveled the length of the rose bushes that towered over the eastern side of the garden enclosing her into a sweet smelling maze of green. Everything seemed to change with the night; the smell of the air, the colors, a deep sense of peace came every night and left the following morning.

A stone beach came into her line of sight; the legs were perfectly designed and arched. It was such a perfect sculpture that Kaoru felt that to sit on it would be a sin. But her own weariness won over her silly thoughts as she sat down on the cool, gray stone.

The moon hovered above the mountains in all its full glory, and Kaoru if she were to go to the highest point of the garden, Ivory Peak; a mound of earth that rose up from the garden, she would be able to see her mountainous land and the Chain River of clear emerald that glittered in the night's light. Swift and calm the river traveled through the High Kingdom of Aekinia sending goods and people to different regions.

Kaoru fingered her pale gown. Father will be here in a couple of days, was her thought. Oh, how she dreaded that day because once the King got back to Kadir then she had five more days in her kingdom before being shipped off to the capital of Hiten, Sadiva. She groaned momentarily, repeatedly singing far back in her thoughts, 'For my people.'

Looking up into the sky once again with tired sapphire eyes, she wished on all the stars in the jeweled sky for at least her contentment in her marriage.

"Princess!" A voice bellowed through the marble hall. Kaoru ceased her steps and looked back at the almost bounding girl. Smiling Kaoru, picked up her feet and ran to her long time friend and maid.

"Asteria, what's the matter." Her smile was jubilant, Kaoru had always wished for a smile like Asteria's.

"Princess, the King was spotted just a couple of hours ago. I was just informed by the Captain of the Guards, Dertion, to inform you of your father's return from Hiten."

Kaoru felt helpless, in just a few hours her beloved father would be home, and for the first time she wished it weren't true. Her father had been her best friend ever since her mother died twelve years ago, and she always missed him dearly. He had taught her everything she knew, the bad and the good, and for the first time in her life she wished him not to return for the simple reason that once he did she would be sent off.

"I can't wait." She lied between her teeth to the bubbling blond.

"Come on Princess you have to dress for his return, there will be a celebration for his return and your engagement." Kaoru smiled again, it was her only defense to the outside world. 'Just smile Kaoru and will be fine', was what she had started telling herself around the time she lost her mother. She never wanted people to worry.

Her friend eyed her. "Kaoru please don't stress over your future wedding. I know that you do not wish it, but just think of the possibilities of becoming the High Queen of Aekinia."

Kaoru's eyes widened. If she was called to talk she knew she wouldn't be able to utter a word; she never expected to hear that from Asteria. Lowering her head, "All I'm just doing is my duty to protect your rights." Her friend became silent as she led her down the condor to her chamber.

With a sad smile the other replied, "I know and..." With a momentary hesitation she added, "Thank you." Kaoru merely nodded her head slipping her protective smile once again.

'I can't remember a time when I really did smile.' The halls passed as they had every day of her life; never did the halls change and she always found comfort in that. The walls will never go. It was a wonderfully dreary statement to Kaoru.

"Kaoru?" A voice tore her thoughts.

"Yes." She seemed somewhat startled as if she had woken her from a dream. Asteria smiled, Kaoru use to always have such dreams, until duty over took her life.

"I often wonder what happened to that little girl who was always so carefree and adventurous."

They both came to a stop in front of a crimson door with gold handles cradled by two guards standing parallel to it, and who which upon their appearance opened the door. Kaoru nodded towards them in appreciation, and once the two were inside Kaoru responded.

"I never knew such a girl." And it was at that point she felt the need to cry. 'Just smile...'

The celebration was wonderful as always; the food, the dancing, the merry conversations which overall topic was the Princess Kaoru's royal engagement. The voices whispered out of all the corners and cracks of the palace thinking that she would not hear the voices, but she was but a ghost in the back ground to all of them. She defended them, and they loved her for her kindness and loyalty, but shunned her. Or was it she who shunned them.

"I would never have guessed that she would ever leave Ivory Hall."

"The poor girl. Don't you ladies remember when she was that carefree bubbling girl."

"Yes she was such a character always making the ladies and gentlemen of the court laugh."

"Not only us Hevera, but she was one of the common. Equal in all ways to the people."

"Really I never found anything attractive about the Princess, " With a harsh in take of breathe from the person's mother she went on. "Mother don't do that. Please she is so coarse, and always so dutiful." Looking at the other stunned ladies the young girl went on. "I heard from Sena that she barely attends any balls."

"Shush your mouth young lady. All that the Princess does is for you." The mother replied red from embarrassment and shame alike. "And it is also common knowledge about her never attending any balls."

"I have to agree with Tilvia, Countess Ivito, the Princess isn't like us. I have been to other Kingdoms, Ma'ma, and they have barely heard of our Princess. How can she be counted noble when she doesn't even go to converse with other Kingdoms. She is also shaming this land; it isn't a woman's place to be doing a man's job. Personally I'm glad she is going."

"Child, how can you say such!"

Kaoru, paid no heed to their words, she simply did as she always had done; walked off. So what if she never conversed with other Kingdom's, never went to balls, she had a job to her people. It was her duty, not just a man's job.

Walking up to her father's thorn where he was currently conversing with some parliament members, she smiled at him, and taking his hand into her own she whispered in his ear. "Father I will retire for the evening." Squeezing her hand gently he nodded. She bowed to the parliament members.

"Excuse me gentlemen, sorry for the interruption, but I will be retiring now." They nodded and bowed low to her.

"I hope you sleep well Princess." An older gentleman replied.

"Thank you Lord Gadin." She smiled to her father once again. "Father?"

"Yes I need to converse with you Kaoru." He seemed deep in thought. "I summon your dear later. You may go." Nodding she made her way out after another fifteen minutes of saying her farewells to the party.

Finally she walked across the entrance of the room and was consumed in a dimmer light. Sighing, she made her way down a grand staircase that lead to another and then to another and before she knew it she was at the main entrance to the palace. Looking over her shoulder she went back through the monstrous French door that held beneath the combing stairs.

It was dark in the condos of the palace, and as suddenly it became dark it was dissipated by the moonlight. She was now in an opened aired hallway. She didn't have any memory of coming here. Kaoru moaned, "Mou!"

Her eyes snapped open. 'How long...How long had it been since she had said that word?'

Memories came flooding back to her from her youth. Sano, Tusume, Soujiro, Misao...her friends. Her only real friends that she ever remembered. When was the last time she saw them?

"Ten..." She mumbled. "Ten years ago was the last time." It was the time her duty was put before everything else.

"Smile Kaoru. Smile dammit!" She breathed out harshly. Rubbing her head, she slide against the wall, the distant sound of playful music filling her ears. She remembered at time when she was free, a time when she smiled, laughed, and actually breathed.

"No! You have a duty Kaoru." She hushed her thoughts. She would work herself to her death, it was for the good of her people. The only thing that mattered was their happiness. She was tired, so tried though. Sometimes she felt as though she wanted to get away, she wanted to see her best friend Misao again, but she couldn't. Duty was what she had to do, she loved her people. Their happiness was before her own.

Her heart settled. Yes, she had lost her friends, her mother, but she wouldn't lose her people. She would go on with her life, working for others. She loved what she did, she truly did. It was just that...she missed that girl she once knew.

The sound of wood pounding aroused her from her book. Her room was dimly lit with the golden arms of candle light turning her white sheets to a cream paint, the remainder of her room was decorated with darker colors of purple and blue. Her room was wispy and elegant fitting her style of decor. Simply put it was beautiful any which way a person would look at it.

Opening the dark French door to her leading into her spacious sitting room she walked to her chambers door and opened it with a smile.

"Princess you father request your presence in his library." The manservant's voice was deep with exhaust, and for some reason he brought a lighter smile to her face.

"Where else would he be now." She laughed startling the man. He barely ever heard her laugh, but her laugh was pleasant, he thought laughing along with her.

"Thank you, Setan." He merely nodded, and as she walked out he went to follow her but she stopped and gently shook her head. " You don't have to escort me. I' am well acquainted with these halls, and you my good sir," she said poking him playfully, " need your beauty sleep."

"Princess I' am long past beauty." Shaking her head she again put on her smile.

"Go to bed, and get some sleep." Bowing at her kind nature he took his leave and did as he was told.

Kaoru was truthful to her statement, she did know her halls, and within a few minutes was seated with her father in his cherished library.

"My daughter I have missed you very much." He voice was tired, and remorseful. She took his hand in hers again putting it to her cheek.

"Father, don't be sad. You and I are doing what we have to do that's all." She made her voice sound pleasant and soft. The last thing she wanted was to have her father distressed.

She let go of his hand as her own dropped down into her lap. Her father had always been there for her, so now it was her time to be there for him, and what he needed was an alliance and an alliance was what he would get. He was timeless, a figure a perfection to her. His black hair over the years had been tainted with white strands, and his skin had become less firm from the weight of the gravity of time, but his eyes, his expressful green eyes had remained the same as far back as she could remember.

When she was little he had always towered over her, and she ran around with him in the vast gardens with her mother playing chase or ball. From her father she had his chin and hair, and her mother given her stunning sapphire eyes along with beautiful hands.

"Kaoru, my dear little girl I'm sorry that you have to marry." Kaoru shook her head almost in a begging manner for him to stop, but he continued. "No, child, don't try to stop me. I should have never given your hand to Prince Kenshin. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry."

"No, Father! Don't say that I would..." She never finished her sentence.

"Yes Kaoru you always say it for our people!" Her father stood and walked about the room. "When is it ever time for you!"

"Father its not just our people now though...they had been oppressing other lands for their greed of power." Her voice was steady.

"I want you to be happy, Kaoru. I'm so sorry that I did what I did. I gave up your future to secure the rest of our futures."

"Father, I' am happy." If this was true or not Kaoru didn't bother to think further on it, but she only continued on. "But I' am happier when my people and other people of Aekinia are happy."

He dropped into his warm, red, cushioned chair once again. "It was for the sake of the alliance. The King had more of a hold on our people then any other. Kaoru we are one of the strongest Kingdoms in the land. I knew it was our job...your job to..." He couldn't finish as he buried his face in his hands.

"Father don't torment yourself over this. I know my duty to my land. I will be content, you don't have to worry." She stay in her seat, unmoving, unflinching. Her practiced voice never wavering.

"Kaoru...I'm sorry."

Kaoru shook her head, and with a leveling smile replied. "I will on one condition," Her father raised his head looking onto her practical face. "Tell me what is my future husband is like."

He mouth twitched a bit. "Kaoru I haven't heard you talk in such a manner in so long." Kaoru's face became blank.

"I've missed that child of twelve years ago."

"That's exactly what she was Father...a child." Though she said she knew it was a lie, and at the same time she longed to be like that child.

Smiling sadly at his daughter, he noted how much she had grown. The child had grown up to fast for her age. She had become an adult too young, and he knew that girl; the girl she really was was hidden beneath the clock of duty that she had put on and never washed away. She use to be exactly as her mother was- a free spirit, but that side was no longer visible.

"Well," He leaned back against the chair, intertwining his fingers, "All I can say is that all the ladies of the Nation are quite taken with him. He is very popular and well known."

"Really I barely hear about him, but from what you have told me he sounds like a lecher." Kaoru wanted to hit herself, of course she never heard about him, she never heard about any of the nobles unless it had something to do with her work. Her father only smiled.

"You need to have fun once in a while dear, and to your last remark he isn't." He said shaking his head sending black and shiver wispy strands across his aging face.

"I do when I help at the orphanage." She exclaimed in defense. "I see no point in just sitting around and conversing with other gossiping ladies just to talk about other peoples business that doesn't even involve them."

"He nodded. That was your mother's and I exact opinion as well." He replied nonchalantly continuing with his explanation. "As I said, Kenshin Himura, is a very honorable man who cares about his Land and people. Together you two shall be just rulers I hope."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Kaoru questioned. She had a feeling deep inside of her that told her there was more to this Prince.

Her father's eyes dropped. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Yes, there is more, but" He spoke in a deeper manner, "this is not something to go flaunter around with. Its not a secret, but still it would be impolite." She just nodded her head, ignoring the fact that he was treating her as if she would go tell the world something that would vex her future husband.

I may not know him, but I respect him because he is my Prince, was her thought.

"He loved someone long ago, and lost her. I think her name was Princess Atria Yure Jekel Arobchech, but sadly she did not love him back, and later it was found out that she only wanted him for his, our, lands. I think she was the princess of the Nation of Uthum."

'Uthum...' Kaoru remembered the name. "Did this involve the Uthum Aekinia Conflict, was that the reason for the war seven years ago."

"Yes, the War of Dominance. She had stolen information about our lands and techniques and her Nation attacked to take over us. The Prince rallied his lands went to war, it was then he received his title of Battousai."

"...Battosuai..." Kaoru's voice echoed. "I had no idea he was...he was...him, nor about the affair between him and the princess."

'I'm going to be the bride of Battousai the Manslayer. All those stories I heard about that man were so horrible, and I'm going to be his wife, but Father say he is honorable...' Her thoughts were cut short when her Father spoke up once again.

"Yes lots of people know about him being Battosuai, but I guess you wouldn't dear. You were always so busy during those times helping our people and traveling around Kadir."

"Yes...yes I guess so."

A/N: Hey everyone, please review and tell me what you think. Thank you for those who reviewed it means allot to me! If you have any question feel free to ask, and please tell me if my writing style is good/bad/ or blah.

Don't You Just Hate Me,

CrypticMaidenRK