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: Sorry about taking forever but my mommy took the monitor cord from me just cuz I happened to stay up late and slept in when I had to do something. But for the most part I've got it back and now I'm up and typing again! And please tell me if I confused you with this chapter….

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"Baka-Denshi…" Hiko muttered on the other side of the rice paper door. A small sound had been made to prove that the young man was awake. "Get up… we have a lot of work to do." The footsteps of Hiko walked off and judging by the direction they were headed he was going to the court yard.

                Ah yes, the courtyard. That was where Hiko had begun teaching him the way of the swordsman. But that had been years ago when they had first started calling him Shinta. Of course Hiko didn't approve of such a name for a boy and renamed him as Kenshin. But then it struck Kenshin… why the courtyard? There was nothing in the courtyard for him… was there?

"Only one way to find out…" He muttered to himself and stood from the kneeling position he had been in. As he walked down the many hallways his mind still continued to work.  He was thinking about Kaoru and how he told her about Tomoe.

"Kenshin would you think it would be so bad if… you and I did get married?"

"No, it would not be a horrible fate if you and I were married…" He stopped.

"But…"

"Oro?" He looked at her.

"The way you said it sounded as if a "but" would follow."

"Well, it's just I am not sure if I would be happy married to you."

"What do you mean if you would no be happy married to me?!?! You just said it wouldn't be a horrible fate!"

"That is not what I mean…" He watched her huff up. "It's just that I…"

"You're in love with someone aren't you?" Her tone completely changed as well as her mood had. "Tell me about her…" She seemed to plead with him.

"Kaorudono…." He whispered softly to himself. He understood why she had asked the question… she didn't enjoy the idea of being forced to get married but if she were to it would have to be with someone she really enjoyed being around and right now that was him. He could tell because her smiles were always big and bright, not like they had been when she had still disliked him. He really wished he could happily accept the marriage for her just to keep her smiling, his rurouni heart would want it to be that way even if only to be a companion but an heir still needed to be produced and battousai would more than gladly accept the terms of… intercourse.

"You took too long, Baka-Denshi." Hiko said.

"Oro?" He looked at Hiko and noticed he was wearing that big ugly cape he used wear when he had been teaching Kenshin the way of the Hiten Mitsurugi style.

"Ouch! Megumi not so hard!" Kaoru whined.

"I'm sorry but your hair is just so tangled Tanuki." Megumi finally put the brush down. "Come on… father wishes to see you." She said and Kaoru got up and headed to see her father. Inside she saw her father but not just her father…. Shishio was there as well.

"Finally, the most beautiful thing in the world has finally entered the room." Shishio said. Kaoru's eyebrows furrowed. That sounded way too cheesy and not very pleasing coming from a man who looked so evil.

"I appreciate the compliment." She told him uneasily. "Has everything at home smoothed over?" She asked unsure of what else to say to him.

"As smooth as losing your father can get… but it is nice to have such a warm heart hidden underneath your tough yet beautiful exterior. It will be even more wonderful to come home from a day of work to such warmth."

"Huh?" Kaoru was lost completely.

"Shishio has told me how quickly he has grown fond of you, Kaoru, even after that short meeting." Her father said.

"Oh I know this isn't going to go over well…" Megumi said sitting on the outside of the door with Misao.

"Oh but father is doing this because of the rumors he had been hearing about someone intent on his death. He's hoping to get us hitched hopefully Shishio would be the fast and have Kaoru impregnated with an heir already and…"

"WE'RE WHAT?!?!?!" The sound of Kaoru's voice made them both freeze. "HOW COULD YOU?!?! YOU TOLD ME I STILL HAD MORE TIME TO DECIDE!!!"

 "Ahem!" A Voice made them jump the looked and saw one of the servants carrying tea. Both girls moved as the door opened. Kaoru had been standing in the middle of the room with her fists at her side trembling and her face red, from trying not to cry or burst out with anger neither Misao or Megumi could answer, but it was how she looked before the door closed.

"Kaoru is going to be even harder to deal with now…" Megumi said walking off in one direction knowing Misao would follow.

"I know, especially since it is obvious she has become fond of that Himura guy."

"And Kaoru's heart is so kind she wouldn't want to put him through marriage after that Tomoe girl." Megumi added opening the door leading to her quarters.

"Unless Himura is just as fond of Kaoru, and I don't think there is a way to figure that out since he is gone…"

 "Hmmm…" Megumi thought to herself before several soldier busted through the bedroom door. "Excuse me, what business do you have coming into here like this."

"Orders of His highness Shishio…" One said grabbing Megumi by the wrist.

"What is going on here?!?!" Misao asked being grabbed by another guard, but unlike Megumi she took the chance and struck out at the guard. When she jumped back she looked at them. "You are not our guards; you do not bear the color of green and blue."  She pointed out but they gave no reply as they closed in on the youngest princess.

"But Kaoru, I have been receiving threats…" The king pleaded with his daughter. "Since Megumi has left everything to you I can only hope that you will be wedded and pregnant before any of which of the threats are followed through."

"But…" She was now beyond angry and had hurtful tears in her eyes. She watched him as the servant had poured him his tea and Shishio had declined any of the tea. "I hardly know this man. I was also told I had more time to decide."

"I will care for you greatly Kaoru. There is no need to worry about what I can bring to this union."

"It's not that!!!!" She screamed at him. "I think it's awfully flattering that you'd want to marry me, but it's just we know so little of each other. I would hate to get caught in a marriage which we hate each other so."

"Nonsense..." Shishio grabbed Kaoru's hands within his bandaged ones. "With a heart as big as yours I do not think you are capable of hate. A Knot on the head here or there maybe but that is something minor." The man's gold eyes seemed to stare right through her. 'Won't be long now…'

"I'm sorry, but I do not have the same feelings about this union you have... ow! Please stop that you're hurting me…" She winced trying to yank her hands back, but he was squeezing them hard."

"You will marry my Kaoru Kamiya…" Shishio's tone turned darker, to one that seemed to fit his look completely.

"I will not!!" She yanked her hands back. "See the mistake in promising me to such a man father!!" She looked at her father who suddenly dropped to the floor grasping his chest. "Father?!?!" She knelt next to Kenji. She dimly was aware when the doors to the room were thrown open, but she soon noticed the soldiers yanking her from her father's side who seemed to be in great pain. "Father!!!" She yelled out before a hand came clear across her face and her right cheek was stinging.

"There will be none of that free spirit going about here…" The voice of Shishio registered in her mind before she found herself in an unwanted kiss. "My lovely bride to, there should be no reason for all of this noise.  Now give my guards no problem and they won't have to tie you up, okay?"

"You… you…" She tried to muster the words to say something but she was too much in shock and her father was in some sort of pain.

"Shall we take him to the prisoner's chambers as well?" One of the guards asked.

"I suppose for right now, let the girls get a final goodbye in; but as soon as he starts smelling burn the body…" Shishio said settling himself into the throne. The servant who had brought in the tea kinda stood there in complete and utter shock.