Kaoru on Call
Chapter Three: Meetings
-Summary-
Kaoru is led to Yamanote's mansion by two of his servants. Hesitant, and a little scared, the young girl enters to meet her charge and his family.
-Note-
Thank you, reviewers!
Dark Thorn White Rose: Thanks for you compliment. I'm glad you enjoy the story!
WhiteRabbit5: Yes, cormorants are very interesting birds. Thanks for reviewing and enjoy the story!
Dark-Pyro-Angel-2: Your weird...Just plain weird...But thanks for the review Baka Deshi!
Angel of lonelyness: I'm happy to see you again! Thanks for sticking with me through the story!
HieiLovesBotan: Arigato for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed it! MWAHA!
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Kaoru had been walking around Arashiyama for about an hour, and she still hadn't found a trace of her charge's home. She looked up at the sky, the sun high and bright with it's golden rays dancing across the Hozu River's surface. The dark haired, yukata clad girl stopped and sat on a small bench on the Togetsu-kyo. Kaoru reached into her bag and pulled out a small cloth bag that held some dried meat jerky that Sanosuke had purchased from a foreign merchant, rice crackers from the dojo's plentiful supply, and some dried cucumbers and seaweed. She nibbled on her lunch, eating three crackers, a piece of jerky, and a couple of pieces of cucumber. She was really beginning to miss the dojo and the little arguments between her and Yahiko, Sanosuke's teasing, and Kenshin's cooking. Kaoru sighed and put the food back into the cloth bag. The ex-assassin had been on the young woman's mind ever since she left Tokyo.
She got up to leave when a feminine voice called out to her.
"Excuse me, excuse me! Ms. Kamiya!"
Kaoru turned to see two women running towards her wearing black Western style dresses. They stopped a few feet shy of her, and curtsied.
"My name is Koraku, and this is my sister Kitano. We are servants to Lord Kinoshita and have come to escort you to his home."
Kaoru looked at the women and their strange clothing, and then tried to figure out the strange curtsy the two of them just did.
"Well, that's nice of him to send you. But why are you dressed in Western clothes? And what was that strange thing you just did?"
Koraku and Kitano looked at each other with the same bright brown eyes, then turned and smiled at Kaoru.
"Lord Kinoshita likes the Western influences that have been introduced to Japan. He told us we should learn the traditional Western courtesy instead of bowing. His wife, however, dislikes it and keeps up the traditional Japanese style."
Kaoru looked at them with a confused look, and Kitano gave an understanding smile.
"Lady Aikoku isn't your typical Japanese housewife. Actually, she doesn't act like a housewife at all!"
"How does she not act like a housewife?"
Koraku stepped in and took Kaoru's bag for her and tossed it over her shoulder.
"Lady Aikoku has Lord Kinoshita wrapped around her little finger, but she acts like she's made of stone!"
Kitano stepped in and stood on the other side of Kaoru.
"She used to be a kind and caring woman, but after the loss of her only child, she distanced herself from people. The servants began to call her a statue."
"Kitano, Koraku! The Lord awaits Ms. Kamiya's arrival!"
Kaoru and the two ladies turned and looked at an elderly man coaching a large black carriage. Kaoru gasped at the splendid beauty of the carriage and smiled at the two large horses drawing it. Their large sleek bodies were as black as the carriage they pulled, but the long hair hanging from their large hooves down to the ground was as white as the snow atop Mt. Fuji. The two women approached him with gentle smiles, Kaoru following close behind. The gray haired man smiled at Kaoru and tipped the brim of his hat.
"It's good to finally meet you, Ms. Kamiya."
Kaoru smiled and bowed to him.
"It's good to finally meet you to, Mr....?"
"Gosei, Ms. Kamiya. My name is Gosei."
"It's nice to meet you! And please, call me Kaoru."
Gosei gave the assistant master a gentle smile while Kitano helped Kaoru up into the carriage, which proved to be difficult due to the yukata. Koraku and the other black clad siblings sat beside each other in front of the dark haired girl, and began to ask her questions about Tokyo.
"Is it very busy there?"
"How is the fish there?"
Kaoru looked back and forth between the two child like women as they unleashed a barrage of questions on her. Kaoru blushed, and continued to answer their questions until they reached Lord Kinoshita's house.
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The house was huge.
It was a new Western influenced building, but it's size was bound to be envied by even the most old fashioned person. Many different kinds of flowering plants, trees, and shrubs lined the gardens, adding splashed of color where ever Kaoru looked. She managed her way out of the carriage with the assistance of Kitano and Koraku, and as soon as her feet touched the ground, three large dogs came running towards her.
"Ahhh!"
One knocked her to the ground and began to lick her face while the others licked her feet, arms, and hands.
"Toppi, Iki, Kaze! Down!" Came Gosei's voice.
The largest of the canines got it's claw caught in her yukata, and when Gosei came to drag the beast off, her precious yukata was torn from the knee down. Kitano ran over to the fallen girl and helped her up.
"Kaoru! Are you ok?"
Kaoru looked down at her yukata and almost cried at the torn cotton, the only thing that Kenshin had ever given her was now ruined.
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
"Please forgive the dogs. They just get really excited in the presence of a new face."
Kaoru gave a somewhat forced smile and tried to pull her yukata together. When Gosei had the dogs calmed he led them over to Kaoru.
"Kaoru, I'm pleased to introduce the Lord's German Shepard's."
She knelt down and looked at the strange dogs with their patterns of black, brown, and a gray tinge of color around their necks.
"What are German Shepard's?"
"My Lord had them brought from Germany. They are loyal and fierce protectors." Gosei replied, patting one of them on the head.
Kaoru looked at the creatures with a look of unsure emotion. She reached out to pet one of the large dogs, who in turned licked her hand. She looked at the drool on her hand with a wrinkled nose and Gosei laughed.
"This little one right here is Kaze, the one in the middle is Iki, and the largest one is Toppi. They're gentle, so no need to worry."
Kitano tapped Kaoru on the shoulder.
"We need to get you inside so you can change clothes. Please, this way."
The three women walked underneath a large archway, roses growing thickly over the wooden structure. When they approached the large doors, two men pulled them open, and Kaoru's breath was taken away once again. If Lord Yamanote's wife was still sticking to the Japanese tradition, the home's interior and exterior didn't show it.
The staircase led up to a painting of the ocean, then split off to the left and right. Hunter green velvet curtains hung in the family room. A cream and golden sofa along with the matching loveseat sat up against the walls with a polished mahogany coffee table to accent them. Part of the mahogany set was a china cabinet that held not the typical white and blue china Kaoru had seen before, it was red and white.
In a corner of the room was a marble statue of a goddess Kaoru supposed was, who was her name? Ah, yes, the Greek goddess Aphrodite. She sat her bag down, careful not to damage any part of the armor. Koraku and Kitano came into the room with Kitano carrying a new yukata, one of simple deep amethyst.
"I hope you like this one Kaoru."
Kaoru took the yukata, and Koraku showed her into a small room where she changed into the yukata. She exited the room and had Kitano tie the obi in the back, then a deep but friendly sounding male voice reached Kaoru's ears.
"Ah, Ms. Kamiya! You have arrived at last!"
Kaoru turned to see a man dressed in a suit, a very nice gray suit. His black hair was neat and well groomed, his small beard and mustache were neatly trimmed and the same black as his hair. His eyes were black as onyx, and shimmered like the night sky.
"I am Kinoshita Yamanote, I hired you to be my bodyguard for one week."
Kaoru bowed in his presence and he laughed.
"Please, there is no need for formalities. Come, let me get you some tea."
Slightly confused, Kaoru followed Yamanote into another room.
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This room she took to be a sort of den. The curtains were red velvet instead of green and a long table with numerous chairs lining both sides. Yamanote sat at the head of the table, Kaoru taking her seat to his left.
"I must say, Ms. Kamiya, that yukata you wear really suits you. It looks like one my wife owns."
Kaoru blushed, and moved out of the way for a male servant to set the utensils for tea down on the table.
"Um, actually, your dog Toppi ripped the one I arrived in, so Kitano allowed me to use this one."
"Oh, I see." He took a bag of tea from the porcelian container and dropped it into his cup, then poured steaming water over it.
Kaoru did the same, and while she was adding finishing touches, Yamanote cleared his throat to get her attention.
"I think I should tell you why I have asked you, a woman, to become my bodyguard."
Kaoru sat her tea down and gave a slight nod.
"I was curious as to the matter myself. Most people now want a former samurai to serve them, not a girl who believes killing is wrong."
He laughed and shook his head.
"Females are much more capable then males at some things. Especially when it comes to catching a ninja."
"Ninja?"
"Yes, a ninja assassin. They have been trying to get me for almost a week now. Then I heard of your speed and nimbleness and I sent a telegram to Tokyo to summon you here."
"But, why me? If you have heard of me, I'm sure you heard Himura Kenshin was living in my dojo."
Yamanote nodded and clasped his hands under his chin.
"I didn't want him, I needed someone who could simply cause enough harm so we can find out who it is."
"Who are you talking about, dear?"
Kaoru and Yamanote looked up, and Yamanote smiled.
"Aikoku, there you are."
Kaoru looked at the woman who at entered the room, and immediatly saw what Koraku and Kitano were talking about. Her hair was deep brown, the same shade resided in her almond shaped eyes that were sit in a face that had the complexion to rival a geisha's. Her dark eyebrows arched gracefully above her deep blue painted eyelids. Her kimono was richly elaborate with silver embroidered dragons, cranes, and flowers on a midnight blue silken background. Kaoru couldn't see any signs of the lost child the the two sisters had spoken of in her figure any where. But there was something unsettling about the Lady Aikoku.
END- Whew! Done at last! Thanks to Pyro for the Aprodite statue idea. Your the best!