This is a disclaimer. It disclaims. I am disclaiming. This is called parsing and is really annoying when you think about it. But I don't think about it that much, so you shouldn't either. Oh, by the way, the object of my disclaiming is Rurouni Kenshin. So there.
This is a space. In a space, no one can hear you scream.
"I would have thought that my testimony at the trial was a part of public record, Sir. What else could I have to tell you?"
"There was a testimony missing, Lady. Of a certain wandering swordsman who assisted you during your flight but who did not remain to be interviewed or thanked by the authorities. Or your husband. "
"That young man was only a passing acquaintance, if an important one. He felt the need to be back on his journey and since I and the Captain of my guard were present to give testimony, his was not necessary. It would have been rude of me to pressure him into staying. More tea?"
"Thank you, yes. I interviewed your Captain and received a description of the young man. The Captain appeared to be most impressed by both the man and your own actions during the incident. He says that he still corresponds with you?"
"Yes, I have heard from him several times since the incident occurred. He was very grateful that his record was not besmirched by my death, and that his second-in-command was punished, as was proper." -You bet your ass he wrote me, Bright Eyes. It's always good to know when wolves are hunting.
I imagine his letter beat me here, but not by much. Anyway, you're just a stupid foreign whore, if a well-spoken one. "The Captain described the young man as having bright red hair and crossed scars on his left cheek."
"That is most correct, Sir."
"Did he give his name? The Captain was unclear."
"Himura Kenshin. A wandering swordsman. Quite a gentle and hapless young man, I thought. A chick pushed too fast from the nest by the troubles your country was suffering."
The troubles your country helped start, bitch. "It would be a great help if you could tell me where he is right now, Lady."
"How would I know? As I said, he was a wanderer. He wandered into my life and wandered out the same way. We knew each other for only a short time." -Here you come, asshole. Don't think you can play games with me and not get hurt. I've faced down your family members before and sent them back under their rocks. Uncle Chou gave me your key twenty-some years ago.
"Well I thought you might want to send some word when his child was born."
"I have a son; his father is Fredrick Boldt, my husband. Please explain your curious reasoning about the child's parentage. Another cookie?"
"No thank you. It just strikes one as odd that you have no children in your marriage for years and then nine months after you meet one of the few red haired men in Japan, you have a red haired child. Don't you think so?"
"I was visiting the springs at Chibimizu for my miserable barrenness, thanks to the excellent advice of one of your countrymen. As to red hair, it may be uncommon in Japan, but not among my people. Maybe it was the persimmons."
That comment threw Saitou. "Pardon me? Persimmons?"
"Yes, I had a terrible craving for persimmons at that time, and lo, I have a red haired child! That makes a much sense as your idea."
"No I think my idea is the correct one. You did disappear for more than twenty-four hours due to the search being delayed by a very bad storm. When you show back up, it's with Himura. Nine months later there is another redhead in Japan. The physician who examined you said you had bruises on your extremities, but due to your modesty he did not examine you further. Did he rape you?"
"A gentle child like that? Besides, I am not a helpless blossom, Sir; I do not allow people to lay hands upon me without a struggle. The bruising came from my captor's rough handling. One of them was badly injured by me when the opportunity arose. Do you think I wouldn't have been able to defend myself against a man much smaller than I?"
"If it wasn't rape, then you whored with him willingly. I wonder what Mr. Fredrick Boldt would think of that news?"
"If you can pronounce my husband's name, then you can pronounce my own, Inspector Goro. Why play the ignorant detective?"
"Very well. Georgina Boldt, you whored with Himura Kenshin while you were on the run from your kidnappers. You were his pillow for a long wet day and you wound up with his child, intentionally or not. Lucky for you he looks as he does. In plain speech, you bedded a murderer."
"Is that so terrible? I mean, your own wife does so as well, Saitou Haijime. At leastthree or four times a year- or is it less?"
"You know my real name."
"I know much more. Attend. You were one of the Shisengumi during the Revolution. You fought with Mr. Himura on at least one occasion, with no victor in the contest. Since it was discovered that you knew him, you were punished by being forbidden to commit honorable seppuku as long as he breathed in this world. And now you want me to tell you were he is so you can try to end your own miserable life. How am I doing?"
"Your conversation is most amusing for a whore. Please continue."
"Speaking of whores, I suppose it takes one to know. You are attempting to accuse me of possibly one misstep in my life; accusing me wrongly, as it turns out. But I can produce testimonials from numerous people as to the excellence of your performance in the sheets. Oddly enough, they are all from men! Does Mrs. Saitou approve?"
"You will keep my wife's name out of your mouth."
"You are worried about me saying her name, when you kiss her with your mouth? After the places it's been? I should think that would be much more insulting. But since it's so rarely, I suppose one could get used to the taste of another man on your husband's tongue."
Saitou was starting to breathe as he would during a duel. The woman across from him sat very still, her eyes bright and hard, meeting his like blades. Their voices were calm and polite though. "I don't know where you would get such disgusting ideas. I thought that male Westerners were bad enough, but it seems that their whores are quite mad."
"You just get stuck on the word "Whore" don't you? How many times a day do you call yourself that? Oh, sorry, did that one hurt? No? Well, I wasn't the one who flinched just now. Yes, I may be older than you, Saitou-san, but your career is quite a lurid one. It made for very interesting reading, especially the descriptions of your "playrooms' and the sort of "play" which occurs in them".
"I don't know what you are talking about."