Author's note: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. And I wish to say any cliché's in this fic I deeply apologize for because well I've been watching Rurouni Kenshin for sometime now and I have recently taken a liking to reading these fics and I have yet to see a plot anywhere near the same as this one so if it's the same then I guess it's true Great Minds think alike!
A/n: I have no idea what 'Taming the Shrew' is… someone care to explain to me? Cuz I'm kinda confused when you guys tell me that.
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She sat in the small dojo her father had originally built for his training and meditated. She was trying to clear her mind since she was still rather angry over the fact she was completely helpless to a street bandit who merely wanted a quick romp. Even worse off was when that really good, but stupid, looking red head showed up. 'Grr…' She thought angrily. She didn't really dislike the guy but the fact that she had to be helped by a man… she had been forced to play a role she never wanted to play…The helpless heroine.
"Father…" Misao spoke up softly breaking the silence that filled the room. "I was talking to Aoshi. He told me he had a friend who has a royal background and is looking for a bride…"
"Yeah, right I'm sure Kaoru would like a guy who is as tough and mean looking as Aoshi." Megumi protested.
"He's not like Aoshi..."
"You are who you socialize with…"
"Listen as I was saying father, this man Saitou Hajime is looking for a bride and I'm sure Kaoru would like him. He's not a spoiled prince like more than half of her international suitors, He works hard as if to earn his birthrights, he cares about people, he has the old fashioned manners, and even better, he's a fighter as well!"
"Yes, but did he fight in the recent war that created the Meiji era?" Megumi asked getting her sneaky fox look.
"I-I'm not sure." Misao said before one of her delicately tweezed eyebrows curved upwards. "Why?" She watched her oldest sister pour tea into her cup followed by father's cup.
"Well you see I was sharing a conversation with my beloved Sanosuke and we all know he had eventually left me to fight in the war to prove he's more than a lecherous man to father. Well, during that time he met a man with extraordinary skills as a fighter."
"I already doubt Kaoru wouldn't like him. Sanosuke might be a wonderful fighter but I think that comes from him being too stupid to know when to retreat." Misao said before sipping her tea.
"Anyway, from what Sanosuke told me. This man has a tendency to fight for those close to him. On Several occasions when Sano had ruthlessly run into a fight that would endanger his life this man would come to his aid proving his friendship with the man. He does have some sort of Noble life to him so he isn't a poor man, but he would not hesitate to live such a life should things fall apart." Megumi continued with her plan.
"As does Saitou… Even as we speak he does not stay within his palace walls and has taken a great deal of damage from those who challenge him to a fight as well as returned that damage without killing his foes."
"Well, from what I have heard Kenshin had a great part within this war and has his moments when he believes his hands are much too stained for another, but we all know how well Kaoru remedies such thoughts."
"It is true that Kaoru is a gentle soul. Much like her mother she can read the soul and knows just the way to remedy it." Lord Kamiya said looking at his own hands remembering how he had felt when he had returned home to his daughters because of the leg injury he had received in the middle of the war. "But I have sent a letter to an old friend of mine to send his son Shishio to meet Kaoru."
"Shishio…?" Both Misao and Megumi looked lost as if they had heard that name before.
"Well, it would not hurt to invite Kenshin…"
"Or Saitou..." Misao added.
"No, I guess it wouldn't." The king said as one of the servants removed the tray full of tea cups and the delicate Teapot.
"Lord Kakunoshin…" One of the messengers of Kyoto bowed before entering the chambers of Niitsu Kakunoshin, who was once rumored to have gone by the name Seijiro. The tall dark haired male tore his gaze away from the window he was staring out of. He glanced at the messenger who then in turn gave him two letters. Seijiro nodded at the servant who left the room. The first letter her received was from Yahiko. "Finally, some news on that moronic son of mine..." The man shook his head. "I'm getting too worried to care about where he is anymore." He said opening the seal on the letter.
Your Highness,
There has been little progress in Kenshin's behavior. He still refuses to look at himself as some man who did what he had to do. Quite frankly he's becoming a royal pain in the rear end. Slowly he has started warming up to people, like the other day some ugly girl and her friend were here and he tried to be polite to her. I'm beginning to think his problem must still lie within the fact that he had lost Tomoe. He fails to realize that by brooding on her is making him fall to pieces. I'll never fall to pieces over a girl especially if she lied to me likes he had. Anyway right now we're in the city of Tokyo and I think because of that ugly girl we'll probably be here for some time more.
-The Great Yahiko.
"Moron…" Seijiro muttered Setting that letter down to go to the map he has and set a red pushpin into to Tokyo. (Meanwhile in another dimension a giant pin form the sky crushes the street making all it's civilians run about screaming… *Ahem*) He looked at the other letter finding the Seal of the Sagara family on the outside of it. "That damned moron." He muttered looking over the letter Sanosuke had sent him. He read it over once… twice... three times. He then out of nowhere produced a pen and paper of his own and called in the messenger who had brought the letters to him. "Take this letter to the brat." He said simply and the messenger nodded before taking off back to the long trip to Tokyo.
"I think you are working too hard." Tsubame said to Kaoru watching her attack the hanging dummy.
"I never work too hard." Kaoru muttered thrusting her wooden sword at the dummy not really noticing that the rope to it was beginning to unravel. She then spun around to whack it in the side ripping the rope hanging it and the dummy went flying into a wall.
"We just got that rope this morning Kaoru." Tsubame said making Kaoru sigh.
"Let's go for a walk, Tsubame." Kaoru said leaving the palace ground not caring how unattractive she looked at the moment. Their walk took them on the same route they had taken weeks ago.
"Did what that fire headed man do that day upset you that much…Your highness?"
"No…" Kaoru said. "Call me Kaoru when it's just us Tsubame."
"Then what's the matter, Kaoru?" She said hesitant with calling her name as a familiar on the same lineage would.
"Like leftovers…" She reached up to her ponytail to yank the ribbon out of her hair allowing her black hair to fall about her face. "Misao is already taken and Megumi was blessed with the looks in our family. I was just the middle child who went ignored whenever a party had been hosted here. You see I wasn't a cute girl… I was awkward so people neglected me much and the boys that did pay attention to me only did it because their parent's put them up to it. It was Megumi everyone wanted. Even now more than half of my suitors would compare me to Megumi. Despite the façade I put up I really am lonely."
"So why fight all of your suitors? It seems to me either way you're unhappy." The statement had been so innocent Tsubame hadn't realized what it sounded like.
"That's not just it Tsubame, no one really does." She sighed. "Ever since Misao turned old enough to bear children father had been very quick to get a wedding started and finished. He was weary of Sanosuke Sagara when he first met the rooster, but he eventually started to like him after the war finished and the man had been part of the group that brought down… whatever that guy's name was. He was ecstatic when Misao brought home Aoshi. Then there was me, the fighter, the one who rarely gave males the time of day since most I have encountered were lechers." She said.
"But not all men are, are they?"
"No that's far from it, Tsubame. I'll admit there were a few who had great manners and almost had me, but they always seemed to think females were inferior. It's like he treats me as an equal... as long as I do my womanly tasks which would consist of stop my training and act like a prissy female who pops out children like a rabbit. Or making sure things are running smoothly around the place so it looks warm and pleasant. It's like I'd have an opinion but no real say."
"I see, you want someone to accept you for who you are. Someone who won't stifle your fighting spirit, someone who could understand your feelings without having to really ask… someone who will be willing to put his life on the line to protect you and the family you will make, right?"
"That's all I want…" Kaoru said. "That and someone who will treat me as an equal like how Aoshi treats Misao… I even envy Megumi and Sanosuke's relationship. Megumi has dreams of bettering herself so she can become a doctor… a rare dream in a princess and many of her suitors called her foolish for it, Sano on the other hand encourages it." Kaoru's voice broke making it seem like she would be ready to cry again. With a sigh they turned around to head back to the palace.
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I'm beginning to think I shouldn't expect my chapter to come out like anything because they shock the heck out of me when I finish them. Oh well, I guess I can say everyone will meet up together soon and the meeting between Shishio and Kenshin will be fun! Bye for now!