A Wanderer's Sword:

A Sequel to "Broken Hearts"

Ch. 9

A Samurai's Soul

"Kenshin! Help!"

Kenshin woke with a start and looked around, he must have fallen asleep because the room around him was pitch black and his neck was stiff from drooping. He looked about him, something had woken him but he couldn't recollect.

CLANG! BASH!

Kenshin nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of crashing furniture. "Kaoru!" he gasped as he realized the commotion was coming from the master bedroom. He leapt to his feet and dashed weightlessly down the hall. In barely a blink of the eye he had reached the door and holding his breath with concentration he slowly cracked it open.

With one hand gently sliding the door and one hand gripped on his sword Kenshin peaked inside. But he was too late. He slammed the door open his heart beating loudly with anger and fear. On the floor were scattered bits of blankets and in the corner Kaoru's beloved tea set, which she had got as a wedding present, was shattered to pieces. The sliding doors opposite him were wide open and drops of blood stained the small patio just outside.

"KAORU!" he screamed. He dashed outside looking first to the right, then to the left. He scanned the ground with lightning speed. The fresh grass lay flat in a trail to the west, it appeared who ever it was was dragging Kaoru. He raced across the grass and off into the night, leaving the silent dojo behind.

The sun was rising slowly in the horizon before they finally stopped. Sensei, who had since sobered up, was washing in the river breathing heavily. Kaoru watched him hatefully, the ropes around her wrists cutting cruelly into her skin.

"What is the point in kidnapping me anyway?" Kaoru continued to pester him, she wasn't in a very good mood. "Your brother did the exact same thing and only lost his wits the moment Kenshin came for me."

"Liar!" Sensei screamed leaping up his tanto drawn. "Junpei may have been a fool, but he was not a coward…he would have slit even my throat if I got in the way." He laughed softly and looked down at his reflection in the water.

Kaoru was quiet for a long time, she had already pissed him off a bit more than was wise. She adjusted herself uncomfortably on the cold rock and looked out over the water. Her eyes watered with lonely tears as she watched a butterfly flutter over the weeds on the opposite bank. The image sent her back years, to the summertime when Kenshin would giggle along with Suzume and Ayame watching the dragonflies rest on their fishing poles. She sighed sorrowfully and looked away into the forest they had just crossed.

"Come on let's get moving." Sensei said shortly, standing up and stretching.

"You expect a pregnant woman to walk all the way to who-knows-where!" Kaoru said with agitation.

"Well I didn't plan on you being six months pregnant now did I!" he yelled at her with frustration.

"You might have realized it if you weren't dead drunk all the time!"

"Shut-up bitch!"

Kaoru sat quietly for a moment, trying to keep her wits about her. Someone here had to. "Let's just think about this logically now…I'm in no condition to travel, you're in no condition to carry me, and where ever we're going it's far away from here. You're simply lacking planning Mr. Sensei—"

"I need some sake." Sensei whined ignoring her. "Now where is that damn gang of mine? They were supposed to be here hours ago."

"Just what are you planning to do with me? It's Kenshin you want, isn't it?"

"You actually expect me to reveal my scheme?"

"No…not really, I guess." Kaoru said quietly. Perhaps Sensei had more sense than she gave him credit for.

'No note…blood on the floor…ripped blankets and gowns…broken china…trail lost in the rain.' Kenshin's mind raced as he pieced the pieces together. None of it made any sense, except that it made perfect sense. 'No!...she can't be dead…what use would it be…what does he want…I won't believe it! NO!'

"NO!" he yelled aloud looking down at the bloodstained hair ribbon in his hands. "She's not dead!"

"I'm sorry Kenshin but there's nothing proving otherwise." Megumi said gloomily.

Dr. Genzai nodded gravely, "I'm afraid there's no reason for Mr. Sensei to keep her alive, no less return her without harm."

"The drunken bastard, I'd kill him with my bare hands if I had the chance!" Sano said cracking his knuckles.

"No Sano." Kenshin said standing up slowly. "Death would not be enough."

"I hope that Miss Kaoru is okay." Kira said softly as she starred out into the shimmering water. Yahiko said nothing, he simply continued to throw stones angrily into the water.

"Did you care for Miss Kaoru, Yahiko?" she asked timidly.

"I—" he said looking around at her. His face was red with anger and embarrassment but his eyes glistened with silent tears struggling to come out. "She—"

Kira nodded sympathetically. "She was a very nice woman."

"She IS a very nice woman!" Yahiko yelled stomping his foot to the ground.

Kira twitched. "I'm sorry…" she said softly.

Yahiko's face quivered with a struggled smile. "It's okay."

"What took you boys so long!" Sensei said angrily as the group from the other day finally arrived.

"We had to be careful." said the biggest of the lot.

"That Himura fellow's sure to be out looking for her." Yuske said nodding at Kaoru.

"So what are we doing with her boss?" asked a short and rather plump man with little beady eyes. "Use her as bait to get Himura, or maybe just leave her for dead for him to find?"

"I bet she's worth some gold, she's kind of pretty you know!" said a tall gangly man who was eyeing her longingly.

"She's not going to sell with a baby on the way." Sensei said shortly. "And I don't even need her to get Kenshin after me."

"Then what are we going to do with her?" asked the short one.

"I'll do the honors." Yuske said pulling out a ragged blade.

"NO!" Sensei said looking again at Kaoru. "I think we should keep her alive…for now."

"You going soft?" said the big one deeply.

"No…no…" he said thoughtfully looking at her. "Can you cook, woman?"

"Yes but—"

"Yah, real food!" yelled the gang in unison.

"Oh great." Kaoru said with agitation. "More cooking to do." But none of them heard her over the whoops of excitement.

"This is just awful." Megumi said quietly, the group still sitting silently at the table.

There was another long silence and then Kenshin stood up. "I can't sit here any longer, even if there is no hope."

"But Kenshin!" Sano said standing up as well. "Have you not been listening to Dr. Genzai! Sensei's a drunk, there's no way that Kaoru's still alive."

Kenshin looked out into the now mid-morning sky. "I know she's alive."

"But how?" Megumi asked.

Kenshin looked her in the eyes fiercely. "Because I can feel her."

"What are you talking about?" Sano asked.

But Kenshin wasn't listening. He was lost miserably in the whirling clouds above. His heart was beating painfully in his chest, aching for the only thing that made it whole. He could feel her soul still connected to his, still nagging at his already weakened heart. It was more real than the room around him, more real than his own skin and bones.

Just as a samurai is one with his sword, so had Kenshin became one with Kaoru.

K&K Poetry Corner:

By: mer007

Kenshin's Love Song

In your eyes I see the perfect beauty

That took nature so long to create.

For it took a million years

For each of the millions of stars,

Every one completely unique,

And utterly stunning.

With my sword at my hip,

And the wind at my back,

I look to the sky and I dream of you,

The way that even the very tears on your cheek,

Reveal the preciousness of your heart,

And even your very soul,

Reflects your faultlessness.

As I look up into the endless heavens,

My heart is aching, beating ever slower,

Missing your very warmth, and touch,

Your very breath upon my lips.

I beg and plead to the sky,

"Bring her back to me, for without her

There is no life, only death."

I will search for you My Love,

I cannot rest my aching body till I see your face.

My sweetest Kaoru I will not believe,

That your soul has left this earth,

For I feel it nagging onto mine.

My heart is breaks for you,

My soul it yearns for its only match.

It longs to whisper these words into your ear.

To make sweet love, to make you mine again.

If only I could send you

This message of my love.

I shall write it into the very stars,

So all the world can see my devotion.

So that every night you shall see my words lit up

In the endless midnight sky,

Forever proclaiming my undying love.