Ciao!!!

I am so horribly sorry this is once again late. I hope you'll accept my apology once you've heard my reasoning, though… so here goes nothing. After I was ill for one week, I had to make up for the time lost, meaning I had to cut down my sleeping time as there's no room during the day in my schedule. Then our headmaster came and told me that, unless I completely flunk my finals I'll graduate valedictorian and should start preparing a speech as he would like to go over it with me before term ends. Then there were the news that there is a special concert to be held at school, in honor of some sponsors coming by, and that one of them had specifically requested Franz Liszt's Liebesträume to be played on the piano, meaning Ryan and I were called upon as we're the only ones at the school who can learn them within two weeks, and the sponsors jumped to the idea of twins on stage and asked us to play another piece à quatre mains. Apart from the slight problem that I have no idea how to convey the idea of romantic love through music, seeing as I've never experienced it, this has added another hour of piano practice a day to my responsibilities, at least until this weekend, and the problem of Ryan and me synchronizing our timetables to practice together. Then I was taken up on an old offer I had made in a thoughtless moment and had to coach our debating team for their first ever competition along my English teacher, giving me even less time for schoolwork and practice, which meant simply less sleep. I had been running on two hours for two weeks, and it'd been getting to me. I had a very embarrassing little fainting episode in English class as I got up to teach and woke up in the infirmary (I go to a boarding school as a daytime only student, thus they have to have an infirmary) half an hour later, and the doctor they called said I never got over my influenza, simply hid the symptoms, that I was pretty weak and had to take it easy for at least a week. I told him I'd take it easy once this weekend was over and that I was fine, which was perhaps not the best or most diplomatic course of action since he demanded to talk to my parents, and since I'm underage there was nothing I could do to prevent his request from being fulfilled. Anyways, my parents were called, they asked what this was all about (my Mom hates being called away from her research), and the doctor asked whether they knew that their daughter was seriously overworking herself. Well, no amount of protest from my side helped (especially since Ry spilled the beans on me, saying he hadn't seen me sleep since I had been sick, traitor!), and my parents said they'd look into the matter and make sure that I'd rest. Unfortunately, for them that means I still do all my schoolwork, do a little less sports, and have my computer privileges taken from me. They don't understand that writing for me is relaxing… thus, I had no computer access at all this past two weeks, and am only getting half an hour a day at the moment until I'm declared all better again (and this damn concert is over come this weekend), so here's the story of why this chapter is late, and I hope you forgive me!!! Enjoy reading!!!

"…." 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, its 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.

This chapter is dedicated to my cousin, Néli. I wish I had your strength and courage, and I hope you know that only you writing to me and telling me what you have to endure has kept me going this week. Thanks, for living and for talking to me.

Chapter 13

Dusk

After a very heated argument with the medicine woman about taking far too long with the chief investigator, Sano found himself joining the other soldiers and officers that had just returned from an unsuccessful Battousai hunt on the field just outside the gates of Dunkelland Castle. Captain of the Palace Guard Shinomori Aoshi and chief investigator Saito had both issued the order, making the men very confused as to what this was about. Were they all to be punished for their failure in finding the number one enemy of the state?

Being a rather pragmatic man, Sano had no such concerns. He rather tore himself to shreds about his interrogation with Saito. Had he given the chief investigator hints as to how and where Akai had fled? But he didn't even know himself where he had run, so how could he have told…? His face pale and drawn under the messy mop of brown hair Sano let his gaze wander over the impressive array of manpower that the army stationed in Dunkelland Castle was. Even though most of the men showed signs of exhaustion after nearly twenty hours of running after a phantom they still were a force to be reckoned with, and thinking that Battousai might be confronted by this force sent a fresh wave of guilt trickle through Sano's body, from his heart outward. Had he not been careful? Had he not successfully followed the spur-of-the-moment plan he and the medicine woman had drawn together? Had he… there was no use in accusing himself. Saito had eyes and ears all over the castle, he might have gotten information from other sources as well, and perhaps all this wasn't about Battousai after all. Just before the Sekihoutai had been forcefully disbanded they had somehow gotten a financially powerful sponsor, and maybe that man had caused other groups to rise to be a threat, and Saito now wanted to make sure that subjects of King Kamiya didn't take to the idea of freedom?

Sano's heart was beating against his Adam's apple like the frantic wings of a hummingbird when Saito finally made an appearance. He was half expecting all the men on the field being ordered to commit seppuku and half that the Amazons had declared war on Dunkelland because the King had kissed their princess without Misao's consent.

"We have received word of Battousai's whereabouts. We have to make sure he doesn't get away again. Follow me through the forest, on the other side I will give you your orders."

Neither was the case, but somehow Saito had found out where Akai was hiding- the stern face almost showed satisfaction as the chief investigator turned on his heel and briskly marched towards Dunkelwald.

Akai… I hope you're alright. Sano had no choice but to follow, briefly wondering whether he might meet the stern soldier he had talked to the day before again.

With a heavy heart and a sigh on her lips the medicine woman watched as the whole force marched off trying to catch a single man. Whatever King Kamiya and his advisors had thought when they issued that order, it clearly had not been thought through. Dunkelland Castle was bereft of defenses. Only Shinomori Aoshi and the Palace Guard, the Amazon envoy and the two royals were left. And somehow, that made the medicine woman feel very uneasy. Should an enemy choose to attack right now, the whole of Dunkelland would fall to him with virtually no struggle. Take the castle, put on the crown and barricade the entrance- soon, the army would have no choice but to accept the new overlord, and since the castle was very well equipped in case a siege should occur… the medicine woman shook her head, muttering under her breath and slipped back into her home, deciding that she should not concern herself with politics. There were still so many scrolls to read, and the King would certainly call on her again that evening, demanding a sleeping draught and something to soothe upset nerves.

Saito had them marching very fast- about half of the men was out of breath by the time they were halfway through the forest. By the time Dunkelwald lay behind them it was already evening, and Sano himself was feeling rather winded. He didn't know whether he could fight to his best in the state he was in, but at least the rest of the soldiers and officers, apart from the unfathomable Saito, suffered the same fate. He would not hesitate to buy Battousai- Akai, his friend Akai- the time he would need to escape again, no matter what the cost to himself would be. Sano was not that fickle as a friend- even his own life was something he would give willingly if it saved someone he thought worthy of being called a friend.

The evening was quiet and serene, the cold of the night only slowly seeping through the scattered trees that marked the border of the deep, dark forest. Freshly ploughed soil tantalized the nose, its rich odor pleasant, old and cool. Saito sniffed the air, as though he wanted to make out Battousai's scent, then nodded to himself. It would be a clear night, no thunderstorms or surprise rainclouds. A perfect night to hunt a demon as the moon would soon rise and lend enough light that he would not be able to slip away unnoticed.

Facing the Dunkelland Castle forces, Saito quickly relayed his orders. The men fanned out in a broad semicircle, tighter at the front since they would flare out to circumfered Battousai's hiding place from there. The Amazons' country lay just behind the hills that were indistinct black shadow in the distance, and Sato knew from what the Amazon princess had told him that Battousai's lair had to be near where he was standing. Dunkelland forest had a somewhat triangular shape, with Dunkelland Castle lying close to the middle on the longest side and the Amazon border coming close to the forest only where it ran into a point. Their target area was small enough- now the prey only had to be cornered, caught and killed. He appreciated a good chase, but after almost five years of constantly hunting a shadow even the wolfish chief investigator got impatient. Battousai would go down today- and the King had not ordered him caught alive.

Saito pulled his katana from its sheath, reveling in the reflection of the rising moon on the expertly crafted steel. The blade caught and mirrored the moon's light like the even waves of the calm sea, and the chief investigator allowed himself a feral smile as he pointed it forward. "Go!" he whispered, a whisper that carried through all the ranks because of the force with which it was issued, and they all went, following their pack leader.

*~*

King Kamiya sighed and relaxed into his bath. Never had a hot bath felt so good, not even after a long day of training hard. The King had survived something far more taxing and dangerous after all- an afternoon with a princess who was hell-bent on getting a kiss from him.

After Kamiya had met Misao in his private gardens he had walked around with the lively girl, showing her the plants that had been presents from Kings from afar, basking in her delight as she sniffed on the delicate flowers of a specially protected orange tree that was among his most prized possessions. In the continental climate of Dunkelland such a delicate plant seldom survived, but the King's gardeners had chosen the warmest corner in the whole garden for it to grow, and had built a small house of glass that could be put around the small tree when winter came. For a moment, Kamiya had felt like laughing, especially after Misao had wrinkled her nose and had declared the plant's pollen as 'clearly a potent means to make me sneeze- but Mother forbid me to openly do so, so I beg your pardon'- she had pulled a large handkerchief out of the sleeve of her beautiful gown then and turned around to let loose a thunderous sneeze. Etiquette, however, prevented the King from laughing, and so Kamiya had simply smiled politely and had offered the princess his arm. "Shall we continue, then?"

Things had deteriorated from there. Somehow, the princess had taken the offering of his arm as an invitation to hang all over him, cling to him as though he were her lifeline, and chatter about her childhood in the Amazon castle.

Not that it was not very interesting to listen to the tales of a princess growing up, but what really unnerved Kamiya was the constant mentioning of his captain of the Palace Guard. He had even counted it once- she managed to say 'Aoshi' thrice in two sentences' time. Of course, she always had a condescending air to her when she spoke about him- an independent and spirited young woman who had been brought up believing in her superiority had a problem with what she thought was a traitor to her ways. Not to mention that she oftentimes forgot that she was in male company- the King's equally strong spirit and belief in his right to rule made her thing she was in the company of a female, most likely her sister.

Kamiya hid his pained grimaces when the topic of conversation turned to his trusted Palace Guard captain once more. It was just the… tenth time in as many minutes that Princess Misao had managed to change the topic to him. "My captain of the Palace Guard is a very interesting and able man indeed, princess," he said wearily, "but what I really wanted to talk to you about was-"

Misao's face lighted up in shameful recognition. She had just remembered something her mother had told her. In her youth, the queen of the Amazons had been a very sought after woman. She had advised Misao on how to get a man to like her, and just now one of her lessons popped into the princess's mind. Don't ever talk about another man when your fiancé is there. And if you do, make it up to him by kissing him and make him feel that he's the most important man in your life, Mother said. I have to kiss the King! Princess Misao didn't know whether she should be appalled or simply enraged about what she had brought upon herself.

"Princess Misao?" Kamiya spoke to her. Misao smiled seductively and giggled.

"Could you repeat that, my dear King?" Oh dear, this was going to be more difficult than she thought. Her whole body shook in revulsion at the behavior she forced herself to display. It was totally against her nature, but she clung tighter to the King's offered arm. Now to kiss… she didn't even really know how to kiss! Perhaps he knows… and we're in a nice, secluded corner of his garden right now, so… she puckered her lips and waited.

Princess Misao clearly was distracted. As King Kamiya tried to tell her about Dunkelland, its history, culture and economy she just started shivering next to him, muttering things under her breath about not knowing something and then attacked his poor arm with the force of a vise as she moved her lips uncomfortably close to his face. The King shied away, trying to dislodge the clinging girl, but he had not inserted Misao's natural stubbornness into the equation.

She moved ever closer the more he tried to pull away, and by the time they had maneuvered themselves into what was called the 'Lover's Corner' of the King's garden the kissing-or-no-kissing problem had developed into a full game of tug-of-war. The King pulled into the one direction, the princess into the other and when they both decided that it all wasn't worth it and relented their arms snapped apart with enough force to send them both tumbling onto the ground.

Misao started laughing helplessly as she took in the King's undignified pose. Kamiya lay spread-eagled on the ground and had trouble getting up again. She wasn't that much better off, either, but at least she climbed to her feet quickly and gracefully- until she stumbled again and it was Kamiya's turn to laugh.

"You are clumsy, you Highness," she laughed, aqua green eyes twinkling.

"I am not clumsy- I merely hoped to break the ice," Kamiya retorted, trying too sound dignified but sending Misao into another fit of hapless laughter instead. He got up and extended a hand to help her, and suddenly she was standing beside him again- and kissed him on the cheek.

Horrified, Kamiya whirled around and overbalanced, falling for the second time. And while he had certainly found that situation amusing Misao's next target had been his mouth, and he had had a very hard time of evading her advances.

More than once, the topic of going on the hunt for the dangerous Battousai had come up, but he had firmly denied her the right to leave the castle. She was his guest, and if anything happened to the daughter of the Amazon queen he would provoke a diplomatic disaster. Misao had pouted and given him icy glares all through dinner, until he finally distrusted her enough to assign captain Shinomori Aoshi as her personal guard to ensure she would not run after the demon Battousai on her own. Kamiya didn't blame her for her curiosity- he had been possessed by the same spirit until he had actually encountered the criminal and had found that he was even stronger than what everybody believed.

Misao had given in by the end of their evening together, and Kamiya had gone to a relaxing, peaceful bath. Which he was enjoying to the moment, and had no intention to end early just because of the incessant banging on the door of his private bathing chambers and the calls of a certain Amazon princess of how nice it would be to share a bath. Luckily, there was no way she could get inside- the only key to the chamber was his, and was currently hanging from the inside of the locked door awaiting the King's return from his bath.

"But Kamiya, how are we to get to know each other better if we don't even do anything together? At home, I would always bathe with Mother, Sister and the warriors!" Kamiya sighed and dunked his head underwater. The noise lessened that way at least, now he would only have to solve the little breathing dilemma…

*~*

When he had felt the massive congregation of living people too close to his home for comfort Hiko Seijurou already suspected something was wrong. His suspicions were even strong enough for him to act upon, ordering his brother to prepare himself for leaving Seijurou's home and going into hiding along with 'that baka deshi you dropped on my doorstep again'. Shimajirou, while his sense of haragei, his sphere of watchfulness in which he could see with more than his eyes alone, didn't compare to Seijurou's in size or clarity still was good enough to notice that something was seriously wrong- and thus had strong objections to his brother's plans. It was no wonder he was tenser than a bowstring pulled taut, trying to decipher Seijurou's calm, yet furious, face.

"I would prefer to stay," Shimajirou finally ground out. He had found his brother, after a quarter century of near-complete separation, and was very reluctant to let go of his relation so soon again. Even though he didn't doubt Seijurou's ability in the least, he had trained with the army himself, and knew from more than telltale what they were capable of. And perhaps… perhaps it wasn't just the army, but also that chief investigator, the Hunter himself, Saito. Saito Hajime.

"I know. But he," Seijurou jerked his chin in the direction of his bed where a too-still, too-pale figure lay covered in bandages, a thin sheen of sweat and Seijurou's thin blanket, "he won't. He hasn't woken up since yesterday."

"And he won't for some time yet- Kenshin's fighting the fever, the infection and the wounds on and in his body with all he's got, he can't afford consciousness." Shimajirou grimaced. When he had been the captain of the Palace Guard, he's had to deal with more than one village uprising, and he had tended to the wounded of his force himself because he had been the only one with at least rudimentary medical knowledge. Usually, cases such as that of Seijurou's student were left behind as unsalvageable- too little prospect for success.

"He was stupid and has to pay the price. He should have listened to me." As cold as that statement sounded, Shimajirou had come to be able to detect the finest traces of emotion that were all that marked his brother's speech, and what he could see was guilt deeper and wider than the river that ran along the border of Dunkelland. Seijurou was tearing himself to pieces because he didn't stop the redhead from leaving, because he didn't use the full force of his body and word, and because he had let his emotions get the better of him and drive his baka deshi even further away.

"He should have. But the past is the past, Seijurou." Gentle admonishment coupled with the wisdom of the ten-year age gap. Shimajirou was the worse fighter, there was no denying it, he hadn't even mastered the Hiko family style Seijurou had taught to the spitfire known as Battousai- and what a spitfire he had been, the stories Seijurou had told sounded almost unbelievable!- but he was better in dealing with other people as Seijurou preferred seclusion.

Seijurou tensed, almost imperceptible under the wide white mantle he had thrown across his shoulders with haphazard elegance. He would send his baka deshi and his brother off to the shelter he had built with his own hands, to guard things he should not lawfully possess- like the Hiko family weapons, for example. Swords had been made illegal to anyone outside the King's loyal forces a few years earlier, after the first killings of Battousai had rattled Dunkelland. Seijurou was not about to give up the precious heirlooms, however, and had thus ensured that nobody would ever find them- apart from his brother, of course.

"Hurry and pack. They will be here sooner than later, and don't forget to take this one with you so you can dump him on my doorstep for the third time once all of this is over," Seijurou grunted while lifting another heavy log to add fuel to the roaring fire that protected the shivering young man on his bed from hypothermia.

"I am all set, brother," Shimajirou showed his younger sibling an oblong traveling sack filled with water, food, medicine and bandages enough to last for four days.

"You should take a weapon with you, to be safe," Seijurou remarked, letting his gaze linger on the empty spot on Shimajirou's right hip where normally a katana hung.

"I will not take what the King has given me to stand against him," Shimajirou answered quietly, the challenge remaining unspoken. Seijurou should only try to convince him otherwise, and he would…

"I would not do this to you, brother." To Shimajirou's surprise, Seijurou reached behind a ledge atop the chimney and pulled from it a sheath similar to his own. "It's our uncle's. You know it's the twin blade to our father's, which I carry."

"Thank you." Shimajirou accepted the sword without further ado- it was much better to enter the forest armed, Dunkelwald was no playground for little children after all, and the sounds of its hunters were only too familiar to the man. He had gotten to know them before the great falling out, when he had run wild with Seijurou in the woods, had trained the art of iaido and kenjutsu under his father and uncle, the twin brothers who were so similar yet different and had, according to Seijurou, died one shortly after the other from a mysterious fever after he had left the family.

"Do you still know the way to…?" Seijurou couldn't finish the sentence. He only hoped his brother hadn't forgotten, after all, the memory of their secret place was one of the most treasured of his childhood, and it had been the feeling of security he had had with his older brother around in this place that he had started to build the shelter there Replaying the scenes of two laughing boys chewing on the sweet tips of the new branches of the firs while escaping from yet another lecture from their father and uncle, sitting on a log, a branch, the riverbank, a nice, dry spot under a fir… the past was long gone, but with Shimajirou here it came alive again, and Seijurou hoped that it would stay that way.

Shimajirou didn't disappoint him. "Of course. Who would forget a place like that?" And he meant it. The small creek, the feeling of a secret, the wild, dry-musky smell of the woods in summer… his childhood had been a happy one. Until he had met the current Hippolyte.

Shimajirou shoved the memory of the woman he had loved- still loved, if he was really honest with himself- into the farthest corner of his mind. He could not afford to be distracted. Lifting his bundle onto his back he waited for Seijurou to make the first parting gesture, yet his brother only stood there, watching him.

"There's nothing that can kill a Hiko, Shimajirou- and me twice not," his trademark smirk was back, in his eyes as well as on his lips, "so if you don't want to pale in comparison you should better get going. They won't even be able to tell what hit them." Arrogance, self-confidence, reassurance. As young as Seijurou had been when he had left, these attributes had only become more prominent with age.

"I certainly hope so, brother- if you don't underestimate them in your youthful innocence then everything should be alright." Teasing his younger brother had been one of Shimajirou's favorite pastimes, and he was just getting back into the habit.

"I hope you make it to the shelter and don't collapse because your bones can't take the weight of my baka deshi in your old age," Seijurou shot back before frowning. The soldiers were on the move, and in order for them to find only a single swordsmaster living as a hermit Shimajirou and Kenshin had to go- now.

"Until we meet again, brother," he said, literally shoving Shimajirou out the door, "and don't forget that." He effortlessly lifted the slight figure of his student into his brother's arms, a slight hint of worry creasing his perfectly composed face when the unconscious young man gave a moan of pain.

"Until we meet again," Shimajirou said back, slowly disappearing into the dense underbrush that marked the beginning of Dunkelwald.

Once more into the mean, dark forest, he thought, adjusting Kenshin's weight in his arms and that of the bag on his back. He would have to travel for a half an hour, after all.

*~*

When he took every factor into account, after careful deliberation and weighing his options, the current situation only left one avenue open to him: he had to act. Calling Shishio to him had merely been the first step on his road to conquest, now he would have to make sure that each and every single part of his well-oiled machinations was in place and would start to turn as smoothly as he wanted it to would he give the signal. His daughter, the distinguished, powerful embodiment of grace also known as the crown princess of the Amazons, was more respected and loved than ever. His son, shrewd, calculating, strong and impressive traveled through Dunkelland, furthering their cause. His minions, useless, powerless, spineless and easily replaced as they were had all taken their position. His allies, quite numerous and not unimportant, were prepared to speak on his behalf. His commanders, few and partly relied upon though not trusted, awaited his commands. And his enemies… the most dangerous of them was out of the picture for the moment, the most influential had forgotten his common sense and had given in to his thirst for revenge, the most powerful of them was severely weakened and would topple and fall if he just gave a little shove and the most incalculable still was an unknown figure in the equation.

Nonetheless, he deemed the time right to implement the first- and hopefully last- stage of his grand operation. He would reclaim what had always been rightfully his, and his family's.

"Are the messengers ready?" He inquired, twirling his glass filled with expensive, alcoholic amber liquid, his one vice he would not give up, in his long, strong fingers.

"They are, my Lord. The castle is bereft of its defenses, as the Wolf is out hunting his favorite prey. The Shadow has not left the premises, but our forces should not find it hard to deal with him and his men. The Maid has not left the King's company and might be used to our advantage. The King has retired early, but has been sought out by the Maid and has been engaged in conversation with her since I left. My guesses are that his attention will remain on her for some time yet. Your son is up north, as per your orders, and will throw the first torch if you send the message." Shishio hated talking in code as his lord demanded, he hated bowing to a man whose name wasn't even known to him. He hated dealing with his sycophant underlings, and he hated the fact that he wasn't powerful enough to overthrow the monarchy on his own.

"The castle is ripe for the taking then. The people are awaiting the signal to be unleashed- Koshijirou has been a fool, following my advice for too long a time, and his son is no better. The country will fall to us with a single strike, and the people will be unaware they substitute one King for the other without any differences between them- except that the new power in Dunkelland will be me." The force with which the final word was delivered sent the tall, pony-tailed man reeling. That was why he had joined the Lord in the first place- this sheer determination, this ruthlessness!

"I shall send the message, then. The birds are ready to fly." He bowed, this time without the galling feeling that he gave himself up. He had simply chosen his allies wisely. He had simply decided to take one step at a time.

"Make sure the agents follow their instructions. I don't want any suspicious glances to fall upon our faction. And… I drink to our victory, Shishio!" He raised the half-drained glass- but at the moment it was not half empty, it was, contrary to his usual view of the world, half full. Auspicious signs had been seen in the birds' flight this morning, Battousai was unable to interfere, and the King was too… passive to even notice what was happening. There would be no time for deliberation, the revolution would be short, swift, bloody, successful. He had, after all, spent more than half his life in preparation for this day.

*~*

Megumi would have preferred anything to dealing with both the King and the Amazon princess at once. She would even have preferred a talk to the Master of the Chains in his cozy apartment down in the dungeons to the downright life-threatening environment dinner with these two women- girls, she reminded herself, reveling in the advantage her slightly older age gave her. Why the King had insisted she join her and Princess Misao dining was no longer a mystery to her- clearly, Kamiya- Her name is Kaoru!- was terrified of the prospect of being alone with the vivacious Amazon and her pursed, pink and rather pretty lips that longed to stray after her gazes, away from her fork and onto equally pretty kingly lips. Any company was preferable to that in Kamiya's mind, and so the medicine woman delivering her tea for the night had been a welcome and easily snatched victim. That she was stern and silent whenever she wasn't snappish as far as etiquette allowed didn't change Kamiya's views in the slightest.

Megumi suffered through what she remembered as the third rendition of how a young kitchen helper named Aoshi had saved the princess's kitten from starving to death in a tree, this time with a few angry soldiers chasing him mixed into the heroic tale when an icy feeling made her heart skip a beat.

What… something happened, was her first thought, which was dismissed as fast as it had come up. There was nothing that could happen- she was safe at Dunkelland Castle, and apart from King Kamiya dying from boredom there was no danger visible anywhere.

"… and then Aoshi… is something the matter?" The sharp, aqua green eyes of the Amazon princess tried to burn a hole through the medicine woman's dark veil.

"Nothing, nothing at all, Your Highness," Megumi answered a little too quickly.

"What is it, medicine woman?" Kamiya demanded sharply. Megumi sighed, then held her breath and quickly reconsidered denying that anything was wrong. This was her chance to escape the hellish setting she had been dragged into.

"I beg your forgiveness, my King, but my heart demands that I rest. May I be excused?" She held her breath now. Had she been anyone else this breach of etiquette would have meant certain and swift death. As the invaluable source of the King's sleeping helpers, however…

"Certainly, medicine woman. I wouldn't want to lose you, after all!" Kamiya chuckled, in a generous mood due to the medium-sized, now empty, carafe of wine next to his- equally empty- glass. His eyes only widened in horror after Megumi had risen and bowed. He had to face the Amazon princess on his own now!

*~*

Dusk had fallen, silently, a shroud upon the world that would soon smother any trace of sunlight. The stars would rule the night but before that came a brilliantly orange, violently red sunset. And with it came strangled cries, the rasp of swords flashing from their sheaths and glimpses of uniformed figures running from the scenes. Doves, more than usual, flew through the serene skies above Dunkelland, harbingers of death, bringers of the night, their message turning anything they should symbolize into its opposite. Clashes of steel followed in their wake, angry shouts and harsh wails of pain and fury.

Witnesses of the scenes agreed upon only one common thing: the Dunkelland Castle uniforms the killers wore. The cries of fury and outrage grew in volume, and this time they had a target. Grief, accumulated in more than a decade, served to add fuel to the fire. Soon, the shouts had become roars, and it wasn't long before the first farming tool was raised in a defiant gesture, turned into an instrument of war. Ploughs to weapons, instead of what it should have been. And the doves continued to streak across the skies, ignorant of the uproar they left in their wake…

… to be continued …

*grins* Little twists in here, ne? I'm sorry this didn't come out earlier, but there has been so much to do for school... I feel a little tired at the moment, and not really as though I'm fifteen- but then, I don't even know how fifteen's supposed to feel like. Anyways, SL should be out in two to three days as well…and to anyone who manages to guess the identity of the Lord and penultimate Master of Evil I will dedicate a short story/one-shot, to be delivered by e-mail and posted only a week later. Happy guessing!

Reviewer's corner

ixchen: Thanks and Cya soon!

CurlsofSerenity: Hoope that all riddles will be solved in time- tell me if I forget anything, please!

Natsuko: Had a hard time at school, so sorry this is late... I don't want to go to Yale or Harvard, from what I've heard they're all about how great and intelligent those who made it there are, and I hate bragging. So I'll look for a quiet, little law school somewhere else ^.^ *grins* the 'do you remember me'- scene is one of my favorites... took me long enough to write. ARGH! Hope your schoolwork doesn't kill you! Thanks for everything!!!

Ari and Kat: Updating, if late... sorry!

flyinangel: Sorry it took so long!

^_^: *grins* The whole dream sequence is the beginning of the romance plot... it has to do with my understanding of love, which I developed through reading and talking to a lot of people (among them my parents... *blush*). IMO the basis for love is trust, acceptance and understanding, and to be able to have these for someone else you have to first know yourself- so basically the dream is telling Kenshin to pull himself together and finally remember his past so that he can move on... ARGH! Now I wrote a major spoiler, hope you don't mind!

missaw*hides in corner* Couldn't update sooner- typed my fingers off to get this out two days after I got my laptop back...

moniqueThanks! Won't keep you waiting for that long again (I hope).

Felina: Thanks! Néli advised me on the humorous parts... thanks again^-^!

the sacred night: Culture shock is something I'm quite familiar with... glad you liked this chapter! Whether Misao is obsessing about Aoshi or not... well, this chapter solves that, right?

taku: Thank you!

THANKS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED AND ONCE AGAIN A BIG SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE!!!

Special thanks to: Clymene, YYHgurl and Starz4122 - made my day by putting me on your favorites list!

Thanks for leaving a review! Next post either in a week's time or when the counter reaches 150. Cya soon!!!

Chi