A Wanderer's Sword:

A Sequel to "Broken Hearts"

Ch. 1

Dreaming of Better Days

Author Alerts:

I don't own anything to do with Rurouni Kenshin, so don't have a cow or sue me or something!

Also, this IS a sequel so to any new readers: Go Back and Read "Broken Hearts!" Any of my old readers, I'm sure, would agree that it's 'tres bon!' (That's French for: Very Good!)

Kenshin looked up into the starry heavens, sighing slightly; his breath swirling in a silver cloud before his pale face. The full moon shined brightly upon the backyard of the silent dojo, casting an ominous light upon the turning leaves. It was oddly cold for this part of the country, especially this early in the autumn, and he shivered a little as a breeze tossed his hair.

He glanced behind him as the last light went out inside. He sighed once more; Kaoru and he had not been getting along too well, recently. He closed his eyes with frustration, it was like a dream that he was struggling to hold onto, begging the sun to wait just a little longer. He felt distant from her, as if there was some sort of wall between them, miles away in fact.

She had been spending most of her time training Yahiko and trying to avoid him. He wished he could just work up the nerve to ask her what was wrong but he was too polite to do so. Yet that didn't change the fact that he felt alone, and it had only been two weeks since they got back from their honeymoon.

Kenshin tried to think back, could there possibly be something that he had done? He clenched his fists weakly, fighting the oh-so-familiar aching in his heart. He would do anything to make Kaoru happy, even if it meant he had to feel lonely for a while…but was that really what she needed?

"Kenshin…I just want to be alone for a while…" he remembered her saying the other day.

"Yes…okay…I'll just…go finish the laundry…" he said retreating like a puppy with its tail between its legs.

Things had been so wonderful in the beginning. He thought back to the weeks before they got married. He had been healing from a battle; she never left his side. He thought back to one night in particular where they were laying together on the sweet summer grass looking up the same starry sky.

"Kenshin?" she asked all of a sudden.

"Yes, Kaoru?" he whispered blissfully in her ear.

"I want to be with you always…"

"Me too…"

She kissed him tenderly and wrapped his long crimson hair around her fingers. "You won't leave me will you?"

He was quiet for a while then answered quietly, "Only if you wished me to."

"But I would never want you to!" she said with surprise looking deep into his eyes. She wrapped her arms around him, "Nothing makes me happier than to be in your arms."

He breathed deep the perfume of her hair, her soft skin against his. "Marry me Kaoru…"

"Really!" she asked looking into his face questioningly.

He said nothing but kissed her passionately, his actions stronger than words. The feel of her skin, and hair, the taste of her kiss and the warmth of her body against his, stayed engraved in his memory even until this moment he stood alone. He could of screamed, for the agony that her rejection put upon his heart. She was so close, yet so far away.

Kaoru sat in the dark room alone, staring out at Kenshin's shadowy figure in the back lawn. Her soft cheeks were tearstained and her eyes were slightly puffy. She could see he was as lonely as she was, standing out in the cold autumn wind. Her heart ached painfully in her chest as she saw him clench his fists angrily. She hated herself for not being able to come out and comfort him, there was just something holding her back.

She had told him to leave her alone, but this was the last thing she wanted. For some reason fear had taken her over. She was so scared that he would leave her that she pushed him away with all her might.

"But that doesn't make any sense!" she yelled at herself suddenly. She became silent as she saw Kenshin look inside. 'It's too late for me to push him away!' she thought angrily to herself. 'I'm breaking his heart.'

She thrust her fists at her blankets with aggravation; it had been going so perfect before. She thought back to the night before the wedding, they had been so in love.

"You're shaking Kaoru." He whispered in her ear as she looked outside into the sunny garden.

She spoke over her shoulder as he placed his hands caringly upon her shoulders. "I guess I'm just nervous."

"I am too, that I am." he said breathlessly.

She turned around and looked lovingly into his gorgeous eyes. "I'm really going to get to spend the rest of my life with you?"

"Do you really have to ask?" he smiled.

"No…I suppose not."

He kissed her tenderly and gently wrapped her up in his arms, his heart to hers. "Every day will be perfect." He promised obliviously.

"Kaoru…I—just wondered whether—No that won't work!" Kenshin said punching the wall angrily. "What am I supposed to say! …What am I supposed to do!"

He looked angrily up at the moon, as if it was to blame for his troubles. "I promised her that every day would be perfect! …I can't even ask her what's wrong!"

He fell to his knees with exhaustion, "I'm just so scared…"

"Me too…" he heard Kaoru's voice come from behind him. He turned abruptly to see Kaoru kneeling beside him. She fell wearily into his arms. "Everyday has been perfect, only I've ruined it all!"

"No you haven't!" Kenshin said comfortingly. "It just hurt to see you so alone."

"I…I was just so scared…so scared that you'd leave me…" she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I promised you Kaoru, that I would not leave you unless you told me to." Kenshin said lifting her head so she was forced to look him in the face.

"I told you to go away…to leave me alone…but what I really wanted—what I really needed was for you to…" she stopped and looked into his eyes.

"It's cold…" he said watching her shiver "Why don't we go inside…"

They slowly made their way inside wrapped up in each other's arms. Kenshin lay down on the blankets looking up into her eyes as she sat looking down into his. Kaoru slowly took off his kimono, revealing the dark scar across his stomach he had gotten only a month ago.

"I'm so sorry Kenshin." she said as she touched his cheek lovingly. "I'm sorry I was so afraid…"

"Shh…" he said as she placed her head down on his chest listening to his heart beating wildly.

"I love you so much…" she said wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you too Kaoru…" he said running his fingers through her silky hair. His hand slowed as his eyes closed sleepily.

"Please don't stop…" she said dreamily. But his warm arms around her and the steady beat of his heart against her ear slowly sung her to sleep.

LOOK FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER IN:

A WANDERER'S SWORD: A SEQUAL TO "BROKEN HEARTS"