"Rain," Said Iaei blandly. She stared glumly at the dark door. It was early in the morning, before anyone was awake. She had awoken, hoping to get an early start but the weather had other plans for her. It was raining, and not just a drizzle, but a full out down pour. She wasn't fool enough to go out in this rain. She would be soaked to the skin almost instantly and that would not be good for her health, she would undoubtably get sick.
'Oh well.' she thought and turned back to get to sleep, 'As long as I have a place to sleep, I may as well stay.' she sighed and drifted back into sleep.
- - - - - - - - - -(line)(space)(line)
"Miss Iaei..." A soft voice called from the other side of the door. Iaei turned over in her bed, the cool air from the rain making her want to stay asleep in her warm blankets.
"Miss Iaei, are you awake yet?" came the voice again.
She muttered something that sounded like; 'but I don't want to go...' She was still half asleep.
"Miss Iaei, you must get up now, that you should. Breakfast is ready, and it is going to get cold soon." She finally began to wake up, as she realized that the voice was talking about food, which her stomach desperately wanted. She cracked her eyes open in the dull light, and her hearing picked up the sound of steady rain.
"Miss Iaei..." said the voice. She made a small noise in her throat as her body protested her sitting up.
"Mmm... Kenshin?" she managed to groan out.
"Miss Iaei, I came to tell you that breakfast is ready."
"Breakfast?" she said in a question before it clicked in her foggy mind. "Oh! Sorry, I am still a little tired. Thank you Kenshin. I'll be out in a minute." she saw the shadow of Kenshin nod before he walked away.
Iaei shook her head in an attempt at trying to wake herself up more. When she finally stands she pulls out a plain red kimono from her bundle and dresses herself in it. Quickly she drags a comb though her hair, but leaves it down, and shoves her bundle back under her futon before she leaves the room. She walked at a good pace down the hall towards the smell of food, not wanting for her hosts to wait for her for too long.
Once she entered the dining room she looked around and smiled as she saw the three tenants of the house smiling at her, despite her late arrival. Though, the boy Yahiko seemed like he was ready to eat at the sound of pin drop.
"I am sorry everyone," she gave a small bow as she spoke, "I did not mean to over sleep, and cause you all to delay your breakfast."
"Don't worry about it Miss Iaei. We only just sat down a few minutes ago, so we didn't wait that long. And I understand how tired you must be after traveling so long yesterday." said Kaoru, with a smile. Iaei smiled, happy that she had been forgiven. "Now, sit here."Kaoru motioned to a place across from her self that was set with everything she needed.
"And lets eat!" she said once Iaei was seated, and they all proceeded to dig in. After everyone had finished eating Iaei had offered to clear up and/or wash the dishes but both Kenshin and Kaoru graciously denied her. They said that since she was a guest she didn't have to. She finally gave up her insistence of trying to do some kind of work around the house, and decided to take a personal tour of the house. In other words she decided to wander and figure out where things were on her own.
She wandered slowly towards the dojo sign she had seen in the house yesterday evening. She had really wanted to have al look outside but since it was still raining, and obviously still muddy. It only took her a few minutes, even at her slow pace, to find the door that she was looking for. After only a quick glance at the sign she slid the door to the side and stepped in. The rainy sky left bluish lights on the floor of the dojo. Iaei stepped around the room inspecting its wonderful appearance. She smiled.
It was spotlessly clean, but it still held the smell of work and perspiration. Iaei walked to the center of the dojo and paused, listening for the others around, and when she was satisfied that they were not near, she sat down and relaxed. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The fell and smell of the dojo brought memories flooding back to her.
A small girl was standing in the center of a dojo. The sun was spilling in though the windows, casting a golden glow around the room. The girl small girl looked quickly around the room to make sure that no one was there to see her.
When she was sure that she was alone she lifted a full sized, battle-ready sword and began to swing it around, imitating the moves of adults she had seen. She was having a great time and her face was lit with a wonderful smile. Little did she know that a man had snuck into the dojo when she wasn't looking and was now watching her with a small smile on his face. He decided that it was time that she learned the lesson on her own.
She swung again but this time she lost control of the heavy weapon and it jerked her to the floor, her hand accidentally grasping the blade, slicing the soft, fleshy palm. She instantly clutched her injured hand to her body, tears of pain leaking down her young face. The man off to the side quickly rushes to the girl, opening her hand and wiping away the blood with a rag.
He spoke soft words to the girl, calming her tears. She looked up slowly, for fear of being yelled at for taking the sword, but the man had decided that she had learned her lesson. He smiled at her, causing her sniff and smile back at him. He wrapped her wounded hand with a strip of cloth and patted her head and took the sword off the ground.
The girl looked back to the ground for a moment, then the man placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. Her eyes and face lit up as she saw the gift he had for her. It was a perfect short sword, just the size that she could handle. The blade was purposely unsharpened so that there would not be a repeat of the wound on her hand. He handed to her with a promise of teaching her how to use it. The girl held the gift and stepped forward and hugged the man as best as she could....
The door slid open loudly. Iaei turned around to see who had entered.
"Oh, I am sorry, I did not know you were in here." It was Kenshin, "I'll will come back when you are done, that I will." Iaei held back a sigh. Sometimes she thought he was too nice. She stood quickly.
"No, that's ok. I am finished." she bowed her head to him quickly as she left the room. She quickly headed back to her room, but on the way she ran into Kaoru.
"Oh, Iaei. Do you have a minute? You seem like such a nice person, I'd like to get to know a little bit more about you." she asked. Iaei, not being one to be rude, nodded, and followed Kaoru to the deck that over looked the back yard. Though the had come to talk, for a long moment they just sat and watched the rain. Finally Iaei broke the silence.
"Its such a nice place that you have here. It must be nice to live here."
Kaoru nodded "Yeah. When I was little, I would always complain to my father that I wanted to go somewhere else, but now that I have, and even though I have seen so many wonderful places, I think this is the only place I would want to live." Iaei smiled and continued to look out into the rain.
"This is where I grew up and I am still not tired of it." Kaoru turned to Iaei. "What about you? Where did you come from, and where do you live?" Iaei seemed to consider the question for a minute before answering.
"I was born and grew up mostly in Edo. I was there until I was about 10, I believe."
"Wow, Edo huh?" Iaei nodded and continued.
"My father, he liked to travel, and was partly required to by his employment. My mother hated staying in the house for such a long time while he was away. She enjoyed traveling as much as he did. So once I was old enough my mother and I would travel with him as much as we could. It was nice..." Iaei kind of faded off, her eyes looking off into the distance as if she could see something that no one else could.
"That sounds nice. So where do you live now?" Kaoru prompted. Iaei shook her head.
"Nowhere. I am traveling, looking for a place that I could live in."
"You aren't married?"
"No, why would I be?" Iaei looked curiously to Kaoru who blushed slightly.
"Well, you are older then me and you are very pretty, I would have thought that you or your parents would have found a nice young man for you to marry, especially now that the wars are over." Iaei looked back out into the rain.
"No, both my parents are dead. They died some time ago, I don't remember exactly when."
"Oh," said Kaoru apologetically, "I am sorry, I didn't know." Iaei turned to Kaoru,
"No, its ok. You didn't know. Plus worrying about I know wont bring them back."
'Its not like I haven't seen more death anyway...' she thought to herself. Kaoru smiled at Iaei.
"Yeah, I suppose you are right. But sometimes, I still miss my parents. Even though I know it wont help, but I cant help it. I feel lonely sometimes too. Especially when Kenshin leaves. That is why I follow him. I cant stand being alone for so long. It makes me depressed. And I worry about him, you know?" Iaei just smiled in response. They became silent again, comfortably looking out into the distance in the heavy rain. Suddenly the silence was broken as Yahiko came running by out of nowhere.
He shoved past Iaei who, in turn knocked into Kaoru, who began to fall. Iaei reached out a hand to try and catch Kaoru but she was still slightly off balance and ended up falling with her. They both fell off the deck and landed on the muddy ground with a splat. A moment later Kenshin, who had heard Kaoru cry out as she fell, appeared, looking a little worried. Usually screaming around here meant nothing good.
"Miss Kaoru, Miss Iaei, are you both ok." he asked worriedly.
"Yes, we are ok. And please, you have no need to call me 'Miss'" said Iaei, as she and Kaoru both attempted to stand. Unfortunately having no shoes in the fresh slippery mud was not a good combo. Kaoru slipped first and knocked into Iaei who fell as well. Now, not only were their kimono's filthy they were over all dirty. Yahiko began to laugh at the wet, muddy and rather ungraceful girls. Kaoru glared and took a big handful of mud and chucked it at Yahiko. It hit him square in the open mouth.
While he was busy spitting out the mud, Iaei had carefully stood up and gained her footing. Once she was standing well, she turned and helped Kaoru up. Kaoru slipped again, but this time Iaei had footing so neither of them fell. The two women climbed onto the deck and tried to wipe off. Kenshin hurried off to get some towels so they could clean up a bit.
"How does that mud taste, Yahiko?" asked Kaoru with a smirk. She was just answered with a glare.
"Here," said Kenshin as he returned with their towels. "If you clean up a bit, then we can be ready for dinner, and after I will fix you both a bath." Kaoru looked up.
"Dinner? Is it that time already?" Iaei turned to Kenshin.
"Dinner will be nice, but you don't have to fix a bath for me in the rain."
"Yeah, Kenshin. Its nice of you but, really, you don't have to do that." Kaoru agreed.
"Ah, but I will have Yahiko to help me as an apology for knocking you over, so I will be ok." Kenshin replied with an innocent smile. Both girls glanced at Yahiko, and a smirk lighted Kaoru's face.
"But I..." Yahiko started, but he knew it was pointless. "Ok fine. Lets just hurry up and get dinner, I am starving."
"Oh, that reminds me." Said Kaoru, she turned to Iaei, "Since this one is so dirty, do you need to borrow another kimono?"
Iaei shook her head, "I have the on that I was wearing yesterday." Kaoru shook her head as well.
"No, that one is dirty, you don't need to wear that one. I'll lent you a kimono." They both stood, now fairly clean, and the four walked into the house, Kenshin and Yahiko heading to the dining room and kitchen, Iaei following Kaoru to her room for a fresh kimono.
"Miss Kaoru, Miss Iaei, dinner is ready. Are you both cleaned up?" called Kenshin about 15 min later. A moment later the said girls emerged from the bedroom hall. Kaoru wearing a new kimono and Iaei looking very different and very nice in Kaoru's Yellow and orange kimono. Some how Kaoru had conned Iaei into letting her braid her hair.
"Thank you Kenshin," Iaei said as she sat down at the table. "But as I said before, do don't need to call me 'Miss' I have no need of such formality."
"You seem to insist greatly, you do deserve proper treatment, but if you would like me not address you as such I will try to remember not to." he responded. Iaei smiled.
"Thank-you." They all proceeded to eat the well cooked meal. And when they were finished, Iaei gave her thanks and complements and again asked to do some of the clean up work, but she was again denied.
"You are very generous, but you needn't feel obligated to help." insisted Kenshin as he cleared up.
"Make you self comfortable, and I will soon be out to prepare both your and Miss Kaoru's baths." Iaei couldn't help but feel like a bit of a freeloader, as she had not helped at all since her arrival at her the dojo. She headed back to her room, with nothing better to do. She sat down on her bed and pulled her package out and sat it on her lap.
'I like this place. I would be nice if I could stay here for a longer time. These people are very kind. I wish I could, but I know I can't. It would be rather dangerous for my kind hosts.' Iaei looked at the door where she could still hear the rain, as she thought.
'I hope the rain lets up soon. The sooner it does the sooner I can leave...' It seemed to Iaei that she had only been sitting for minute before she heard Kaoru at her door.
"Iaei? Kenshin says the bath is ready, you can go first, I don't mind waiting." Iaei quickly returned the long parcel to it hiding spot and opened up the door and smiled at Kaoru.
"Thank you, but I am afraid I don't have any towels or robes to wear after my bath, I hope I am not putting you out with my lack of things..." Iaei said with a hint of apology.
"No not at all. I'll go get you some towels and a robe." Kaoru said sincerely. The girl hurried off and quickly returned with what she had promised. Iaei headed to the bath quickly. She didn't want to keep Kenshin in the rain, and she was also looking forward to having a proper bath. It had been a few days since her last bath and that had been cut short rather abruptly... She turned to Kenshin as she walked into the bath house.
"Thank you Kenshin. I know I have said that many times since I arrived, but I truly mean it." Kenshin smiled.
"No problem." She nodded and smiled to Yahiko who was holding an umbrella and things to help Kenshin. Iaei climbed into the bath and relaxed. The hot water was very soothing and she found herself falling into her thoughts again.
'Father, I wonder if you can see me now. After all of my travels and hard ship and here I am bathing at the house of a host I have known for only a day.' she smiled to herself. 'Cant say I mind the treatment though...' Iaei was careful not to stay in to long. She didn't want to cause Kenshin to be in the rain for longer then he had to, and she wanted Kaoru to have her fair turn. She washed her hair and climbed into the robe Kaoru had lent her and then went quickly to he room, thanking Kenshin again on the way out.
Once she was dry and had combed her hair out, she lay down again for her second sleep at the dojo, significantly long then she had first anticipated. As she slept she was filled with dreams that she had not had since she had left her home years ago. When dawn finally broke, the rain had stopped and the sun cast the world into a shimmering pool. It would have been a beautiful sunrise, if you cared to be up to see it.
Iaei was up early again this morning, dressed in her blue kimono again. She had folded Kaoru's kimono and was intending to leave just after breakfast. She would be able to thank them at the table and leave in a polite manner. She left her room before she was called, heading into the kitchen to try one last ditch attempt at helping. She smelled the cooking fire and the smell of miso soup cooking.
"Ouch! Darn it!" To Iaei's surprise she found Kaoru standing over the pot nursing her finger. Iaei had been starting to wonder if Kenshin cooked everything. Kaoru looked up and noticed that Iaei was standing there.
"Hmm? Oh, hello Iaei. How are you this morning?" she asked politely.
"Fine thanks. Are you cooking miso soup?" Iaei looked over at the pot to try to get a glimpse of what was being prepared.
"Yes. Would you mind trying for me?" Kaoru said smiling. At the moment that the question of a taste test was asked Yahiko walked by the room and yelled in.
"No! Don't do it Iaei, its poisonous! Don't do it if you want to keep your tongue!" Iaei glanced at him and Kaoru gave him a stern glare.
"Hey now, my food isn't bad!" Iaei shrugged and dipped a spoon into the soup and brought it to her mouth. Both Kaoru and Yahiko looked at her, waiting for her response.
"Its not bad. But you need to add a bit more water, it's a bit strong. Use less seasoning next time." Kaoru smiled and Yahiko was just astonished.
"Lower the flame a bit and let it cook on a lower heat. That should finish it." Iaei added.
"Thanks Iaei." Iaei smiled and left to wander for a bit longer. As they all gathered at the table soon after for breakfast, Yahiko was giving the food questionable glances, but took his helping none the less. Kenshin was the first to taste the food and he smiled and looked up a Kaoru.
"This is very good Kaoru, you cooking as improved greatly." Kaoru smiled.
"Thank you Kenshin." she turned to the boy.
"Yahiko, what do you think?" He tasted it then looked up and then continued stuffing his face.
"Wow, it is really good Kaoru."
"Thank you Iaei, you were a big help." Kaoru thanked Iaei. Iaei just smiled and went back to eating. They had only just finished when there came a rather loud bang at the door.
"I'll get it." said Kenshin, and he rose to see the door. Iaei took this as her chance and helped Kaoru with the clearing of the table. At the door Kenshin found himself face to face with a taller man, dressed in traditional Japanese garb. He was not a police man, or other official, nor was he anyone that Kenshin had ever seen before.
"Hello." said Kenshin pleasantly. "May I help you?" The man smiled.
"Yes you can. I believe that some one here has something of mine, and I would like it back. Do you happen to have anyone here by the name of Iaei?"
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Ah yes, another chapter done. On to the next fic!! cough anyway, I have school now so I wont be able to update... ok, so I wasnt that good before, but now I have a reason!!! if you ask nicely I might update sooner... Review! Thanks!!