Ciao!!!

Finally, the second chapter has been finished. Phew! *wipes sweat off of brow*

Yasai: Don't complain. If you hadn't insisted on watching those Kyoto/Shishio episodes all over again you would have completed this much faster!

 But I... well, you're right. But I was depressed because I realized that I have to go back to school next Monday. So no more interesting stuff… boredom will return with a vengeance and I can't even do sports to take my mind off it! Well I still have my rediscovered love for playing the piano, ne? Rekindled by anime…  Now, I had forgotten the disclaimer last chapter again so this one is for both chapters... and well, I hope you enjoy this chapter despite its weirdness!


"…." Denotes talking

….. denotes thinking

*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place


Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, it's characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.


Chapter 2

Unspeakable

After having punished the donzel for failure of his duties King Kamiya felt better. Walking across the dusky courtyard towards the two tall male figures awaiting him he even allowed himself a rare, thin-lipped smile. The stance of the two men shifted the nearer the King came. Snapping into full stiff alertness they greeted their liege.

"Good morning, Kamiya-sama." Their voices were pleasantly low and demure. Their heads were bowed low and they showed the proper respect to their King who was more imposing and seemed to stand taller than them despite his slight stature. They were not required to kneel, a privilege the King had bestowed upon them when he had given them their rank.

"Rise," the King commanded. Silently, both of the men complied with the order.

"Shinomori, how is the training of the new guards coming along?" He asked his captain of the guard. Dusk tinged the man's ice-blue eyes a shimmering orange.

"They are trying... however, I regret to have to inform you that the villages seem to have sent nothing but incompetent fools to serve you this year- there's not one whom I would consider a true warrior. I will form them into a fighting force- but it will take longer than expected and they will not measure up to you honorable father's- may the Gods guide his soul- guard." Captain of the King's guard Shinomori Aoshi bowed his head, his icy exterior betraying nothing of the fear the King was sure he had to feel when announcing quasi-defeat to his King.

"I understand, Shinomori," King Kamiya said haughtily, "it's the villages' fault for not providing you with good enough material. I think they need to be reminded that they should give us their best. I will see that taxes are raised this year. You are not to blame. I trust you will have my guard perform to the best of its abilities in no time."

"Thank you, Kamiya-sama, you are too kind to your servant." Shinomori was a man of well-chosen words, the King noted with pleasure. He had done well appointing him to his position even though the man was barely three years his senior. Turning to face his second advisor King Kamiya gestured for Shinomori to stand at ease again.

"What do you have concerning the death of my beloved father, King Koshijirou, Saito?" Predatory yellow eyes glowed in the light of the sun's first rays.

"The investigation so far has yielded no results. However, our spy network is activated in all of Dunkelland. The men and women have been instructed to report anyone with a suspicious scar immediately. Results should be coming in starting today."

"Good work as always, Saito. Nobody beats you as chief investigator. I will order all personnel in the country to be at your or your people's disposal." Saito bowed. He spoke even less than Shinomori if not provoked.

The King was pleased with how the meeting had turned out. These two certainly merited the trust put in them. Whirling around to face the gates he called for the donzel.

"You! Boy! Go and fetch us practice weapons. We want to train." The donzel acknowledged the order with another of his stiff bows and scurried off towards the toolshed hidden in a corner of the spacious courtyard. The King frowned at the light, small figure of the boy. His stature was so similar to his own... normally, he would have been declared unfit to be a fighter, even an aspiring one, but since the King of Dunkelland was one of the most dangerous fighters around in spite of his rather scrawny body that attitude had changed slightly. Still- even the King had a hard time approving of scrawny boys as part of his protection force.

"Why did you let this shrimp join?" the King asked Shinomori.

"Actually, he's the most talented of the bunch," his Captain of the guard replied, glacier-like mimic in place and impeccable as usual, "he's one of the few who have managed to learn the correct way of holding a sword, and he actually hits the target when he aims for it."

"Oh." King Kamiya said. If that was the case, the villages needed to be punished much more seriously than planned. How could they send such failures that a slip of a boy was the best they had? Shrugging, the King set aside his musings for the moment and stripped the wide cloak off his shoulders, throwing it carelessly to the ground. The gold chain that had held it at his neck clinked softly when it landed on the ground, but the King had already forgotten about it by that time since the boy returned carrying three of the weighted wooden practice swords formed to resemble actual weapons. They were not the bokken used for theater fights, but neither did they possess the deadly sharp edges of real katanas. It was only their shape and weight that was the same.

"I have brought the swords, Kamiya-sama." His voice was still irritating the King. Smooth and soft, but with an underlying steeliness that seemed to tell everyone not to mess with its owner it was, cold and leaving no room for argumentation.

"Scram, boy," Saito snapped grabbing one of the weapons from his hands.

"Make sure nobody comes in while we practice," Aoshi added impersonally.

The boy bowed- again, King Kamiya couldn't help but notice the obvious disrespect in the respectful gesture- and moved backwards until he reached the heavy wooden gate. Pushing it shut he positioned himself outside, a motionless statue in the shadows of the early morning. Listening to the clatter of the practice weapons sound from behind the gates he turned his back to the practice yard.

"Fools," he whispered to himself, "you could be dead, you know. I thought I did the country a favor by disposing of the old King- who would have thought the new one was worse?"

He did, a little voice in his brain spoke up, he told you it was not worth it. He told you not to throw away your innocence for revenge. But you didn't want to listen..."

"I will prove to him I was not wrong. If King Kamiya can see the truth behind the deception going on for all of eighteen years... then perhaps we will have peace and prosperity again."

And why don't you simply kill Kamiya? It would be the quickest way to end it all, wouldn't it? But then you don't want to, do you? There is, after all, the promise of the one person you once called family standing in the way- a promise you swore to honor!

The donzel let out a groan, inaudible to anyone farther then three feet away. Why did he always have to discuss things with himself, addressing himself like he would another person even? Was he going insane? He had thought he had been taught better than that, and there wasn't even any apparent stress on him at the moment.

But then a healthy measure of insanity hasn't even hurt anybody, has it?

Hiding within the folds of the mandatory uniform cloak the donzel relaxed his body. He could as well try to catch up a little on rest, he had been sleepless the whole night again. The yells and the dull sound of lead-covered wood hitting a similar device accompanied him into his drowsing state.

Kamiya twisted underneath a vicious slashing attack from Saito to retaliate with a diagonal trust at the chief investigator's midriff. Saito, of course, was too good of a fighter to let such an obvious move hit him and whipped his practice sword around to block the blow. The King smirked and slightly changed the angle of the blade with a flick of the wrist so that Saito's block would lead the attack to its target instead of blocking it. However, on crucial mistake in this strategy came to Kamiya's notice when his second opponent, Shinomori, caught the back of his shirt on his blade. In a desperate attempt to evade both fighters at once Kamiya ducked and rolled. The sound of ripping cloth filled the air with the maneuver, however, and rather fast the King stumbled to his feet again.

Shinomori had frozen in his tracks when he had heard the King's tunic ripping. Looking as shocked as he could with his rather icy mannerism he watched the two halves of the dark green garment flutter towards the ground. Saito halted his movements as well, and both stood perfectly still watching the pale figure of their King whose torso was only covered by a wrapping of white bandages. Kamiya wasn't making any attempt at getting up. Still crouched in the same position he had landed in when his tumbling roll had been completed the King seemed to have lost his touch on reality.

"Kamiya-sama, are you injured?"

"Kamiya-sama, do you require assistance?"

Two voices speaking up at the same instant. The King, however, did not answer, at least not for a few seconds. Then the shrieking began.

A thin wail, like that of a wounded creature of the forest Dunkelwald rose from where King Kamiya crouched. His slim frame was shaking as he rocked back and forth on his heels, mumbling incoherently amid the horrible shrieks he produced. Saito and Shinomori looked at each other questioningly before turning their attention back to the King who was by now emitting high-pitched yells while clutching at the bandages around his chest. Shinomori was the first to give up trying to figure the King out.

"We should get him back to his chambers. Hand me the cloak," he said. Saito wordlessly went over to the carelessly discarded pile of scarlet fabric and gold chains and picked it up from the floor. Shinomori draped the cape across the slim, shaking shoulders of his liege before touching them with his hands. Kamiya had stopped shaking the second he felt the fabric on his body. He shook off Shinomori's touch rather brutally.

"I will retire now." His voice was harsh and raw from the treatment it had just received. Without acknowledging his closest advisors he hurried from the courtyard. Vaguely, he noticed the presence of the donzel at the gate but didn't care whether the boy was sitting there slumped against the wall and sleeping. The mind of King Kamiya was hurtled into chaos at the moment, and the only thing the King truly desired was some quiet- and perhaps a nice hot bath to help him sort things out.

The memories that had arisen when Shinomori had torn his tunic had been so horrible that he couldn't handle them. He had buried what had happened then so deep inside himself... still, such a simple trigger was sufficient to bring them all to the surface again. Kamiya stormed along the corridors, his pace so fast the air rushing past him blew out a few torches on the walls. He only stopped when he had entered his private quarters and was all alone for once. 

Kamiya fell onto his bed like a dead man. His upset mind was still too shocked to think any coherent thoughts, a rapid succession of images and sounds flashing before his eyes. Never go undressed... you know why I gave you the private bath, Kamiya!... Why am I different, Father?... you will obey my commands...

"STOP IT!" he screamed, the assault finally taking its toll, "Stop it, I was obeying you! I didn't go against your commands. Please, no, not again... don't!" Heaving sobs wrenched themselves from the young King's throat. King Koshijirou's frowning, stern face bearing down on him, his body burning with the memories he let the tears fall, helplessly, feeling insignificant, small and alone. "I didn't want it to happen, I didn't!"

*~*

"You didn't want it to happen? That's your excuse?" King Koshijirou towered before the small, shivering wet figure of his son who cowered in fear at his feet.

"Please, it was an accident, Father... Koshijirou-sama... an accident! I was knocked over in training and tore my clothes!" The child was frantic.

"I will teach you that accidents like this shall never happen again!" The King's hands were so large... for a fleeting moment the child imagined himself to be but a little sapling under the King's foot- and then the sapling was crushed...

*~*

Kamiya whimpered pathetically as this particular memory decided to come to the surface. His mind had become a sea of unchecked emotions, calling forth yet another lecture from his father about how 'emotions were for the weak and a future King was not weak'. "But now I am King, and I am still weak?" the young King whispered into the cold emptiness of his room.

"I am different from the other boys- still. Father told me when I was younger that it would become better with time, but I am still different... and it's not become better at all!"

A knock at the door made the King stop whimpering and collect himself into some semblance of dignity. He got up from where he had flopped onto the bed and dressed himself into another wide tunic, this time a dark black-violet in color. King Koshijirou had not believed in fancy clothing, and he had passed his dislike of embroidered silk robes, constricting vests and tight pants hindering free movement to his son.

"Kamiya-sama? May I ask you to come and eat breakfast?" That voice- it was the annoying donzel again. The King studied his reflection in the small mirror he had put up on the wall next to his bed, the only mirror he ever looked into. His eyes were slightly reddened, but the flash of rage in them at the thought of having to encounter the respectless boy again covered that up. Straightening his posture, King Kamiya slowly and proudly strolled to the door and flung it open so that the donzel had to leap out of the way of the heavy wooden projectile it had become.

"Lead the way, boy!" King Kamiya ordered gruffly, feeling slightly undignified at the high squeak to his voice that always seemed much more prominent when he had agitated his throat. The donzel gave an ever so slight inclination of the head- only a very benevolent person could have seen this as a bow- and turned on his heel, briskly walking down the hallway. King Kamiya narrowed his eyes in annoyance. The boy would need to be taught a lesson.

"You. What is your name?" The boy seemed to flinch at that, his frame shuddering slightly under the dark, heavy cloak he was required to wear. No answer came from him as he slowly walked on. The King was furious. How dared this little boy defy him, the all-powerful ruler of Dunkelland, again? He lashed out with his fist, catching the boy on the side of his head. He didn't make a sound as the cloak's hood was pushed off his head, long hair that seemed the color of blood in the light of the torches on the wall spilling over his shoulders since its binding had been torn by he King's punch. King Kamiya gasped.

What is your name, little one? the donzel thought idly, uncaring that the King's fury increased with each passing moment. Perhaps it would be better to answer him... but he couldn't use his true name, oh no, he couldn't. His true name was known to at least one person in the castle, and he couldn't run the risk of being found out before he had accomplished what he had come for...

"What is your name?" the King asked again, drawing the sword he always carried on his hip as a sign of his rank and privilege. The donzel watched the blade whip towards his throat with impassive eyes whose color was hidden by the shadows of the bangs covering his forehead. Red lights flickered up and down the sharp side of the King's sword as the tip touched the boy's flesh at his throat. Giving the slight cut he inflicted upon himself no regard the boy lifted his head to meet the King's enraged, stormy blue eyes.

"My name is Akai." His voice was so even! The King wondered whether he was human. Pressing his blade more into the boy's throat he tried staring him down, which was next to impossible considering the dark violet eyes were as flat as the surface of the mirror the King had looked into earlier and showing about as much of the boy's feelings.
"What is the name of your family?" At this, something flickered in Akai's face, something akin to fury. It was gone too fast for the King to be certain it had been there, though, so he simply stared into the vacuous gaze of the donzel. The boy's face was still half covered by shadows, except for his eyes, which stood out with almost piercing clarity.

"Adauchi." He had given in. The King withdrew his blade.

"Well then, Adauchi Akai, you will be in the training court this afternoon." With this, the King stalked off. The donzel hid his head underneath his cloak again, one hand flying up to his cheek as soon as the King had turned his back on him. He has not seen, he told himself before hurriedly following the ruler of Dunkelland to the Great Hall where meals were served.

Breakfast was a quick affair, as always, the King no believing in long, drawn-out and scrumptious meals. Once it was finished, however, the King rose, signaling he was about to give a speech. Silence befell all the men and women working and living in the castle as the expectantly settled their gaze upon their young ruler. The King cleared his throat once before addressing the assembled people.

"As you all know, my Father has been murdered by the infamous coward known as Battousai. And I am certain you are privy to my attempts at locating and bringing to justice this criminal. However, the past two days have shown my efforts are in vain so far. I have therefore decided to award a bounty of 10 gold pieces to anyone who captures the murdering scum. His description is common knowledge. How hard can it be to find a man with eyes like a falcon and a single, long scar on his left cheek? I expect results by the end of this week. If not, I will have to punish you all."

Akai the donzel shrunk further into his cloak at the King's words. He knew about Battousai, of course- after all, how many men could claim firsthand experience at killing a King? Not many, that was for sure. But how many had been foolish enough to linger, to stay at the crime scene and wait for events to unfold that were only a very indistinct hope? None that he knew of.

"Hey, what do you think? You comin' with me Battousai-huntin' this afternoon?" The brutish man next to him slammed a hand onto his back, meaning to be friendly. One glare from icy cobalt eyes underneath the cloak shut him up.

"I see... ye're busy this afternoon, right?" the man stuttered. The donzel nodded, then, out of the blue, decided to elaborate.

"My presence is required at the training court," he said, his voice as cold as his eyes.

"No need to get all worked up, tyke. I don't even think a shrimp like you would be of much help against the Battousai, right?" The man had an annoying habit, adding 'right' after his sentences. But he did have a point: the donzel wouldn't be any help in going against Battousai...

"I think you are right saying this," he stated matter-of-factly. His neighbor's jaw hit the floor. Apparently, the donzel proved to be too much of an enigma for him.

The King left the Great hall, officially ending breakfast. The donzel quietly went back to his duties, leaving a very bewildered would-be Battousai hunter behind.

... to be continued ...

*grins* so this is hat you get when you send a weird little authoress on a plot-bunny hunt. Yes, I know Kaoru is waaaay OOC but I'll try to keep her the only one. After all, she has been raised as a boy and by a cruel father nonetheless. I know that in the series Kaoru's father is most likely nothing like this since she speaks very reverently of him and honors his ideals so much, but for the sake of the fic he had to be a bad guy. Please forgive me! As for the other characters and their appearance: well, it's not yet time for them. 


Reviewer's corner:

Natsuko: Thank you sooo much for understanding. There's so much on my mind right now that I find it relaxing to write, but I guess this will change once school starts again...

Nicky9: Not too much story yet, I'm afraid. But once I get to the next chapters there will be a plot revealed- promise!

MP1: *grins* I meant for it to be confusing... but you're right in assuming Kaoru/Kamiya as Koshijirou's daughter. Only she was raised as his son... *grins again*

lebleuphenix: Thanks a lot! I hope I can keep the suspense... even though I don't want to employ too many cliffhangers in this one because it's not as regularly updated as SL.

Darkening: Whee... your questions are pretty complicated but yes, this is more like a medieval setting.No specific country, even though I'm daring to venture into Japanese honorifics *insecure looking*

Brenna: what would I do without my darling betareader? I love you and your wonderful ideas!

Thank you all for reading! If you'd rather contact me by e-mail like Brenna and Darkening either look into my stats or simply mail to Hoshiakari@web.de

Cya next time!!!

Chibi-chan