Author's Note: A big thank you to everyone who have reviewed. They've all been very encouraging and I hope that I don't disappoint any of you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way. I am merely using its characters for a few chapters.

A Dragon's Love

By BattousaisGrrl

Chapter Four

They were always wonderful feelings to possess: love, compassion, and happiness.

For as long as Kamiya Kaoru could remember, she had always known what it felt like to be under the influence of all three of these aspects of life. And never had she been subjected to their counterparts: hatred, cruelty, and sorrow.

However, their cousins: anger, greed, and death were not uncommon in her life. She had been around them the moment she was born, yet she had lasted seventeen long years without becoming tainted by their negativity. In the end, her refusal to be enslaved by them kept her alive.

It was her sense of security, her ability to have faith in others' integrity that allowed her to so easily trust the Ryuujin with her body as she remained unconscious during the ascent to the Barrier.

After all, if he had truly wanted to he'd have already taken her last reminder of her life on Earth; her innocence.

Mind put fully to rest, Kaoru fell into a comfortable slumber against the one creature who had never known what she had so effortlessly received since birth.

oOxOo

Feeling the young woman in his arms cuddle closer to his chest, Kenshin couldn't help but smile down at her as he followed the path back to his chambers with Kuwairo in stride to his left.

Memorizing her peaceful face, the Ryuujin was painfully reminded of the girl's purity, of the innocence he had long ago lost on a battlefield of greed and revenge.

A tug on his gi brought him back from his musings.

Looking down at the dragon that had gotten his attention, Kenshin shook his head when he was met by concerned ruby orbs.

"I'm fine, Kuwairo," reassured the Dragon King.

Despite his master's words, the Koganeiro dragon eyed the red haired king suspiciously, but nonetheless remained quiet.

Walking down the lantern lit corridors soundlessly, Kenshin and Kuwairo stopped as they felt the marble tiles beneath their feet tremble.

As if to answer their growing confusion, a startled scream sliced through the cold air, followed by the warning roars of the guard dragons.

Turning around, superior and subordinate both narrowed their eyes as they witnessed the source of the scream run towards them.

oOxOo

Misao felt her lungs constricting as she raced down the corridors, making quick left and right turns at random corners to try and lose her pursuers, who just happened to be very large dragons with extremely sharp teeth and claws.

The teenager cringed when she heard their angry roars magnify to warn the other occupants of the Ryuujin's palace of her presence, running even faster as the pounding of their feet on the tile ground became louder.

Cradling her last chance of escape against her chest, the Emerarudo villager ran as quickly as she could.

Nearly dodging slamming into a wall as she made an abrupt meander around another turn, Makimachi Misao forced her feet to move one in front of the other when she realized that she was slowing down.

When the echoes of the dragons' footsteps began to grow softer and softer, Misao finally allowed herself to rest.

Fisting her only means of freedom, the 16-year-old shoved the item into the chest folds of her kimono for safe keeping.

Leaning her back against the wall, she finally allowed herself to fully catch her breath as her lungs sucked in much needed oxygen.

"Damn…is it just me…or is becoming harder…and harder…to breathe?"

Heart beating insanely against her ears, the escaping servant didn't hear the monster that approached her from the shadows until she felt it breathing down her heaving shoulders.

Looking up, Misao let out a shocked scream when her emerald eyes met amused sapphire orbs, which belonged to the most beautiful azure dragon she had ever laid eyes on.

Stopping herself from just standing there and admiring the creature's splendor all day, Misao let her ninja instincts take over as she crouched down.

Getting low enough to the ground so she could skid underneath the dragon's belly, the soon-to-be slave pushed herself forward, uncaring that the hem of her kimono was further getting ripped upward towards her thighs as she sprinted underneath the dragon.

Surprised to find that her maneuver actually worked after finding herself on the other side of the magnificent beast, Misao swiftly got back on her feet and once again began to run.

"At least there's one good thing about being small," mumbled Misao as she moved on, willing her lungs to keep taking in air from the thinning atmosphere.

Finally noticing where she was going, Misao nearly squeaked when she noticed an auburn haired man and a golden dragon staring at her with gazes far more deadly than that of the blue dragon's she had encountered earlier.

Skidding to a halt when she realized a girl around her age was in the man's arms, Misao let out a sigh of relief once she reopened her suddenly closed eyes to find that she had stopped short a few inches from the amber eyed man, who was most likely only a few inches taller than herself.

Head becoming dizzy from the lack of circulating oxygen throughout her entire body, the servant bent over slightly and placed her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath once more, uncaring of what the man before her might think of her.

Misao couldn't help gulping nervously when she heard a deep throated growl.

Taking an uneasy glance through her bangs, Misao almost squeaked again at seeing the dragon crouching down right in front of her, ready to attack should she try and harm the two behind it.

Slowly standing back up to her full height, Misao took a step back when she noticed the very pointy canines that the beast was baring at her; fangs that promised a painful journey to the afterlife should she make any sudden moves.

If it weren't for the fact that her legs were completely worn out, Misao would have run away long ago when she first found herself staring into the face of Death.

Unable to move from her spot, Misao could only watch in horror as the creature took a step toward her, its bone-crushing claws gleaming menacingly in the lantern lit hall, which for some odd reason seemed as if it were slowly becoming darker.

"A young human female such as yourself should not be conscious for the ascent to the Barrier," spoke a hypnotic voice that Misao could only guess belonged to the man with the mysterious aura.

Realizing that it wasn't the corridor that was slowly spinning, but instead her mind, Misao groaned when she felt her legs buckle underneath her. As her world began to grow black, the granddaughter of the leader of the Emerarudo Village still clutched the blood shimmering ruby inside her kimono against her pounding heart, refusing to give up even as she fell forward onto the chilled floor.

oOxOo

Kenshin stared at the lifeless body at his feet and shook his head at the triumphant expression on Kuwairo's face when the girl suddenly collapsed.

"She didn't faint because of her fear for you, Kuwairo, she passed out from the lack of oxygen," reminded Kenshin, ignoring his pet's glare when he uncaringly crushed its ego.

Looking up at the sound of boots lightly clicking on the tiled ground, the Ryuujin nodded upon seeing one of his most trusted warriors walk up to him and give him a bow to the waist.

"Your Majesty," greeted the other dragon after straightening himself again, his smile masking his true emotions as it always did.

Kenshin eyed the young lord for a long time before he once again looked down at the crumpled girl on the ground.

"It's not like you to let captured servants out of your sight, Soujiro," said Kenshin, his gaze once again returning to the other dragon. "Normally they'd be broken by now," stated the Ryuujin as he looked at the blue dragon for an explanation.

"I assure you, Lord Battousai, it shall never happen again," promised Soujiro as he gave an apologetic bow for his lack of control over the disobedient human.

"Then see to it that it doesn't," said Kenshin warningly.

Soujiro nodded before kneeling down to pick the servant off of the ground.

Kenshin watched silently as the dragon lord picked up Misao's limp form, his gaze faltering only when he felt the virgin in his arms begin to stir.

Meeting Kuwairo's excited gaze, Kenshin knew that his guardian felt Kaoru's reawakening aura as well. It was through their silent conversation that Kenshin realized that he had forgotten something.

Lifting his head, the Ryuujin noticed that Soujiro had already begun to walk in the direction from wince the girl had just come from.

"Soujiro," called back Kenshin.

"Yes, milord?" asked Soujiro as he turned back around to face the Dragon King of Ryuuguu.

"Once she has awakened, get her cleaned up, fed, and into a new kimono. After she is deemed decent to be in my presence and understands that escape is futile, escort her to my chambers," ordered Kenshin.

If the lord was at all surprised by his king's request, he didn't show it.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," smiled Soujiro, giving yet another bow before he left to do as asked.

Certain that Soujiro was out of earshot, Kenshin faced Kuwairo again and asked sarcastically, "Happy?"

At hearing his pet growl pleasingly, the Ryuujin turned and once more continued his trek towards his bedchambers.