Forever Love
By: Sissi
Disclaimer: RK is not mine.
Chapter VI
"Where are your friends, my son? I don't see them," his father asked, coughing slightly. Aoshi averted his eyes and looked at the floor, unable to stand his face and his words.
"Aoshi?"
"They are dead, father. The battle was more difficult than I had thought," he answered, trying to supress the anguish and sorrow in his words. His father, though, seemed to notice this and tried to smile, but he felt too drained to even do that. He settled his head more comfortably on the floor and stared at the ceiling.
"How do you feel?"
Aoshi lifted his gaze and watched his father. He felt lost. "I'm fine, I will get over it."
His father furrowed his eyebrows, " don't lie to me."
"I will be fine, father. I have more urgent matters in my hands right now, like you. Is there any gaijin doctor nearby?"
His father laughed, making him cough and spit some more blood out of his mouth. "Do you think I haven't tried?" He asked, somewhat amused that his son hadn't been logical enough. Aoshi had always been very rational.
"No."
"Don't look at me like this, Aoshi. I know I'll die soon, just promise me you'll take care of Misao. She's too young to stay alone in this world."
"I know. I'll make her my daughter when...when this is over." He stuttered slightly when pronoucing the last sentence, afraid that he was settling his father's fate. "Good. I want to sleep now." His father rolled to the side and closed his eyes. Aoshi knew he was not asleep yet, but that meant he did not want to talk any further.
He stood up and opened the shoji screen. Glancing behind him, he tried to memorize the sight of his father, because soon, he would not be able to do it anymore. He just knew this.
* * * * *
The Shinomori house was in a state of distress. Servants ran from one place to the other, their movements frantic and worried. The could not find their master and the older one was dying, having a fit of coughing and tossing.
Aoshi was finally found meditating near the lake, not in the Buddhist shrine he used to, which had delayed precious minutes from finding him. He had run back to his haven and sat by his father's side, each hand on his shoulders, trying his best to calm his father. The wild movements had made him stumble in the beginning, however after strenghtening his mind, he used more force to lie his father down on the floor. He called a servant to hold the legs, whilst another one had the mission of keeping his arms safe from hurting his master.
The female servants had watched the scene rubbing their hands on their clothes, their faces contorted with worry. A young girl of barely ten years old ran to the main house servant and whispered in her ears. The other woman's eyes widened and she stared at Aoshi. She opened her mouth but shut them immediately.
Aoshi dried his forehead from sweat with the back of his hand, sighing and closing his eyes. His father had finally fallen asleep, not tossing anymore. The other two servants stood up and bowed to their master. He nodded in response and they scurried away.
"Aoshi-sama, I need to talk to you."
He nodded and walked to his private room. He sat on the floor and waited for her to continue. She cleared her throat, looked at the room for some minutes and finally settled her gaze on him. "Misao is crying in her room."
Aoshi sighed and ran a hand through his hair, drenched with sweat. He looked at the woman sitting in front of him and replied, "I'll talk to her later. Make sure she does nothing stupid while I am not there." She nodded and stood up, opening the door and leaving him alone with his thoughts.
He walked to a small table and retrived a small package full of letters, some from the Shougun himself and others from his friend who lived in Tokyo. The one from Shougun contained nothing but congratulations and words of pleasure, which lighted very little his mood. The other one, from his friend Kenshin, known in the battlefield as Battousai, contained interesting if not perilous information. From what he has told him, it seemed like someone was plotting against the shougun, the reason still unknown. He wrinkled his forehead, imagining who this new enemy was.
Could it be the gaijins? No, impossible, they were too satisfied with their trade between Japan and China. The silk trade bertween these three nations was too good to be relinquished by them. Who could it be then? The Japanese society was happy with the way things were, why would someone want to destroy this era of peace?
They are crazy, he thought to himself, wrinkling the paper in his hands, forming a small ball with it and tossing it away. Kenshin could be very naïve at times, but when it concerned peace, he was always very alert. He would also stay with his eyes open.
He left his room and stopped in front of Misao's room. He could hear muffled cries and sobs which broke his heart. Straightening his back, he opened the door and entered. Misao was sitting near her futon, her back hunched up. Her small hands clutched a small doll made of cloth he had bought to her when she had been seven.
"Misao?" he tried tentatively, kneeling beside her, stroking her dark hair which was pulled into her usual form, a long trance reaching her waist. She kept sobbing, though, as if she had not sensed his presence or the worry in his voice.
"What's the matter?"
"Grabdpa is going to..." she did not finish her sentence for she sobbed again. She grasped her doll with more force. Aoshi watched her reaction and thought it had been a good idea not informing her of the death of her 'uncles'. She would be in a much worse state.
"Don't act like this, he won't like this," he admonished, his voice and firm as steel. She lifted her gaze and looked at him, her eyes filled with tears which streamed down her cheeks. She wiped them with the back of her hand and nodded, for she knew it was what her grandfather truly wanted her to do. He had always been a strong man.
She inhaled deepely and gazed ar the wall across from her. It had the beige colour, just like wheat only lighter. She cradled her head, closed her eyes and emptied her mind from everything. She settled her hands on her knees and turned her head so she could see Aoshi.
"But I feel so afraid..." she whispered, unable to contain her emotions inside of her. Aoshi nodded and hugged her slightly, embracing her with his strong arms. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart, feeling his warmth invade her own. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her erratic heart. Everything would be fine; her grandfather would survive and Aoshi would be living with them for a long time, maybe even settling down with a pretty woman and they would live happily ever after.
"Thank you, Aoshi, I'm feeling better now." She pushed him away slightly and smiled, a weak smile but one nonetheless. He stroked her hair put his hands on her shoulder. "You're a very strong person, Misao, don't forget that," he reminded her. He stood up and left her, making her wonder his words.
She looked at her lap and touched her cheeks. They were still wet but they would dry soon. Everything would be fine, she promised herself. Nothing bad would occur, she would make sure of that.
She settled her face into a determined one.
* * * * *
"More saké, good man," Sanosuke said whilst drinking the last remnant of his drink. The man watched him warily but did change the empty jar with a full one. Sanosuke patted his back, laughed and drank another cup, not before raising it and saying his cheers.
The small bar where he was was full. The cold wind blowing outside had pushed many men into this establishment, making them order drinks to warm themselves. Sanosuke sipped his saké, his throat warming up as the liquid touched his skin. He gulped the rest of his drink quickly and lay some some coins on his table.
"Keep the exchange," he told the owner of the place, smriking at him. He was in a good mood.
He wandered on the streets, his keen eyes watching the burglars gathered around some dark alleyways. He narrowed his eyes when they had looked at him with not very friendly eyes, but they had retreated when noticing his fiery spirit and his love for fights.
What a pity, he thought. Closing his left hand, he watched as his bones cracked due to the pressure. He smiled. Maybe tomorrow someone would be willing to fight with him and he would have some warm-up before he returned to Tokyo.
He threw away the fishbone he had in his mouth and gazed at the old establishment in front of him. Knocking on the door with his left hand, he waited until a senior men with white hair and long beard opened it and greeted him. He patted the old man's back, almost making him fall and walked to his room.
It was small but good nonetheless for his short stay at Kyoto. He walked to a corner and sat down. Rubbing his right hand, he looked at it which was bloodied due to a fight earlier. It had stopped bleeding but because of this, his joints were stiff, almost not moving to his command. He sighed. He would have to see a doctor in the next morning.
His face lit up when he remembered a certain female who could help him. She did not have the title of doctor, but she certainly knew how to clean a wound and wrap it with gauze, telling him not to fight for at least a week. Yes, he would visit fox-lady the next morning, and hopefully, she would be in a good mood.
Strange things were happening in Kyoto, he wondered. Nothing very unusual like a riot between two ladlords, but something akin to a very dark plot. He could feel evil in this city. He opened a letter from Kenshin and read his words. He smiled when he read the part concerning his life with Kaoru and how she still had not managed to learn how to cook. He laughed heartily at this part, gaining a knock on the wall from his not so friendly neighbour. He shrugged and continued reading.
He finished the letter and opened another one which was from his childhood friend Katsu. The letter was very light in the beginning, however reaching the middle, he had started talking about politics and how quiet everything had been. He nodded as he read his friend's words. Too quiet, he mused. Not a very good sign.
Of course, he could just be imagining things, afraid that the peace that had reigned would end up soon. He put the letter down and rubbed his hands, blowing warm air at them. It would be a cold night. Reaching for a warm blanket, he wrapped it around his body and lay down, listening to the night.
Everything was still. He could hear some voices outside, some mumbles and the sound of a bottle being broken. Another fight between drunk people, he thought. He still had a hard time wondering why Otsuka-san and his wife wanted to stay in such a bad place. They did not have a lot of money, but there were better places which were also very cheap.
He would talk to them the next morning, before he visited Megumi. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
* * * * *
"Aoshi-sama!! Ryu-sama is dead!!" Miaka cried out when she reached his bedroom. Aoshi was still sleeping when his servant ran into his room, her eyes filled with tears. He rubbed his eyes, his mind still in a blur. As the words sank in, his body tensed up and he followed her.
His father was lying on his bed, a serene smile plastered on his face. He could have easily thought he was sleeping but his chest was not moving. He approached the body and knelt down beside him. He put his hands on his father's chest and waited. No movement.
Maybe he was imagining things, he thought to himself. He lifted his father's wrist and pressed on a vein. Minutes passed yet there was no pulse. He gulped and inhaled deeply. This could not be happening. He opened his eyes and averted his gaze whilst dropping the wrist he had been holding. He slowly stood up and left the room, not looking behind. It was all a bad dream.
"Aoshi? It's not true, is it?" Misao asked when she spotted him. She had also been awaken in a hasten, her eyes still red with the lack of sleep. Or maybe with tears, he did not know. He could not look at her.
"Go to sleep, it is still early," he told her and left her behind. She watched his back and walked to her grandfather's room. She needed to know.
"Please, Misao, don't enter," the same servant who had called Aoshi told her. Misao looked at the woman in front of her and gave her a sad smile, "it's okay, I'll be fine. I am strong like him."
She opened the door and entered. The figure lying on the bed, not moving at all, was enough to make her tremble with apprehension. She could feel a lump forming in her throat. Shaking her head, she stepped quietly to his side and knelt down just like Aoshi had done. She caressed his forehead with a trembling hand and whispered, "wake up, grandpa. Tell them you're okay," she pleaded. He did not move.
"Please? Tell them that they are wrong, that you were just kidding, will you? Please?" Her hand stopped moving and fell to her sides. Her chest was moving frentically, inhaling and exhaling air in a quick pace. She closed her eyes, the action making her spill out the tears she had been holding. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Her bottom lip trembled.
"No!" she cried out, throwing herself on her grandfather's body, hugging his chest and sobbing uncontrollably. Her small hands closed in the form of fists and she started punching his chest.
"You can't be dead! What about me?! You can't abandon me!" she screamed, the sound strange to her ears. It was so full of sadness, of rage that she could not recognize it as her own voice. It was from someone who was very bitter inside.
"Misao-sama, please," Miaka asked, unable to tear away her eyes from the sight. So heartbreaking...
"No, I want to stay with him," she said, stopping to punch the body to hug it once again. It was already starting to become cold for blood no more flowed inside it, bringing life and strength.
"He's not dead, did you hear me? He's not dead until we admit it and I'm not admitting it!" she claimed, her eyes glinting in the darkness of the room. The maid nodded quickly, afraid of what she was witnessing. "Y-yes, of c-course," she mumbled.
"Grandpa, you're always with me," she told to the cold body beneath her. She felt terribly sleepy right now, her head spinning and heavy due to some strange weight. She closed her eyes, just to rest a little bit, she told herself. Her heartbeat slowly returned to its normal rate.
Before unconsciousness could completely claim her, she saw her grandfather looking back at her, his face in a happy fashion, smiling at her. His eyes no longer were dull because of the sickness, they were full of life, of a strange glint that made her jump with relief. He opened his arms and she ran to him, hugging him as hard as she could. She welcomed the warmth that invaded her and she sighed happily.
"Misao?" he asked. She turned her head and watched her grandfather. "I need to go."
"To where?" She asked, not understanding his benign although sad smile. "To your grandmother and to your parents." She frowned.
"They are dead." He nodded and embraced her, a single tear escaping his eyes. "How long will you stay there?"
"I don't know. Forever, I believe."
"Can I go with you?" Wide eyes stared expectantly at him.
"No."
"Why not?" Her eyes were glassy now, filled with unshed tears.
"You're not ready, and you've still got many things to do." His hands left her lithe body.
"So do you. Stay with me, grandpa, or don't you love me?" She bowed her head, afraid to look at him.
"Don't say such lies, silly. I love you, but it's not your time." Slowly, he caressed her cheek with his fingers.
"How long will I have to wait so I can be with you?"
"I don't know. Maybe some years, maybe many years, I don't know. Just promise me that you'll live your life to its fullest and will protect Aoshi, who's your new father. You love him, neh?" He stopped touching her cheek to stroke her hair.
"Yes, I do, but I don't want to stay away from you." Her lips trembled and her voice came out a little bit shaky.
"Just for some years, Misao and then we'll be together, forever."
"Do you promise?" Hope. Her question was full of hope. How was it possible to shatter her wish?
"I promise."
She smiled and let him go, who kissed her cheek and walked in the direction of a blinding light. She waved to him and after some moments, let her hand fall to her side.
"Goodbye..."
TBC...
A/N:Well, I guess this was kinda angsty, neh? I'll try to have the next chapter out soon, though I can't promise anything for classes have started again. Anyway, I received a review from Anonymous concerning the real meaning of geisha. I was basing a geisha's work on the book Shougun, but as I read it two or three years ago, I can't recall specifically its meaning, and so, I apology in case a geisha doesn't have to entertain her clients with sex. In this story, she's got to do it, is this ok to all of you?
Well, thank you all for the wonderful reviews. Here was the next chapter, I hope you liked it. I don't know when the next chapter will be out, now that classes have started, but I will try my best. Thanks, people! Oh, and Leila, it's not that hard to write a story in another language, it is even kind of refreshing. ^_^
Sissi