A/N: I'm very tempted to fly to Pamplona, and go run with the bulls, but… my life's still precious to me, and I'm not sure I will be able to run fast enough. Anyway here be some review replies, I felt like answering in detail for once.

kawaii meeh: Tomoe's three years older than Kenshin, just like in the original, so a little more than twenty in this fic, I guess.
c-tesshin: Probably no Sano or Yahiko, but who knows.
wyldcat: Yes, probably, there's no Shinsengumi in this fic, no, and probably not.
omasuoniwabanshi and lolopopoki: glad you liked the Hiko/Tomoe thing, maybe I'm going to do a Saitou/Megumi thing now if I feel evil enough.
fallenavalon: How rude… heh. Point away anything you want, and I'll correct the mistakes. I just prefer to avoid rereading myself while still writing the first draft, for various reasons.
chakitattyla2h8: His mother's probably dead, yeah.
ChocolateBanana: That'll grow worse the longer your story gets, up to a point.

And thanks to all the others who took the time to drop a line or ten!

Kaoru was anxious. Uncle Houji had been away since the day before, and she hadn't received any news from him. So she waited. Her uncle was her only hope of breaking the prearranged wedding, and he was working on doing exactly that right now, she was sure. But she was still disquiet with the waiting.

But there was something more terrible than her anxiety. She was bored. Completely, utterly bored. She couldn't go out and luxuriate among perfume merchants stalls, of course, for fear of being found. The house's servants wouldn't converse with her, no matter how hard she tried. They were all intimidated by her presence. She could play a game of shogi with her maid, but there were only so many games she could play before tiring from it. Besides, she really wasn't in the mood for that.

If only Shinta had stayed with her. She could have amused herself with him. Maybe she could have teased him. The memory of how exactly she'd teased him the last time came back to her, warming her cheek. That had been definitely… embarrassing. Yet it had been inexplicably fun. It must have been the state she was in, yes. But even so…. Shinta might be without manners, but there hadn't been a dull moment with him.

"My lady," Megumi said across the table around which they both knelt, recalling her back to reality, "what do you intend to do if your uncle fails?"

Fail? No, no, that wouldn't happen. "Uncle Houji won't fail," she said. "He knows the wheels of the imperial court, and has the ear of general Ashikaga. Didn't he ride with at Ashikaga's sides, when the general seized Kyoto back for the emperor? He will be able to obtain a withdrawal of the emperor's sanctioning for my prearranged marriage."

"If he is so influent, why couldn't he achieve it without calling you here?" Megumi asked, dubious.

"It is to delay the wedding, of course. Uncle Houji's been working on breaking it for weeks now, but those kinds of things take time. And he said I could be needed here, in case I had to present the case to the emperor myself. Besides," she said heartily, "if I catch the eyes of a powerful suitor here, it could be easier to swallow for father."

"It doesn't really makes sense to me," Megumi said with a grimace.

Kaoru frowned at her maid. "Are you distrusting my uncle?" No reply. She went on. "Uncle Houji is as much repulsed by the prospect of me marrying a Himura than I am myself. He will do anything he can. And if he says he can succeed, then he will succeed."

"But he is betraying your father, his own brother," Megumi said.

"And so am I," she said. She softened her tone. "Father chose political gains above honor," she said. "We are not to blame for disagreeing with him. It is even our duty to our name. What will people say of our family, if this wedding really comes to pass? They will laugh behind our back, or even openly at us. 'See,' they will say, 'Himura killed her mother, and now Kamiya Kaoru is wedding his son, just so her father can gain power.' That is what they will say, and our family's name will be soiled for generations to come. I refuse to take part in this grotesque marriage. My ancestors must be trembling in their tombs at this outrage."

"Your tea is ready, my lady," a shy voice interrupted from outside the shoji screen.

"Come in," Kaoru said.

The door slid open, shedding muted light into the dim room, casting pale yellow over the plum-pink walls and the black and maroon chests and table. A young girl came in, carrying a tray. She couldn't have been older than Kaoru herself; probably younger.

The girl set down two usacha bowls on the table. She took a leaf-green tetsubin pot, and poured the tea into them. The lush aroma of gyokuro reached Kaoru's nose.

"Thank you," Kaoru said to the servant, smiling warmly. "You are most helpful."

The girl bowed. "You are most kind, my lady," she said. Her cheeks were red, Kaoru saw. How cute. "Please call me, if there is anything I can do," the girl said again.

"I will," Kaoru assured. She watched the girl walk out. The room plunged into dimness again once the servant slid the door shut.

Kaoru cupped a bowl in her hands and drank in silence, imitated by Megumi. They listened as the servant's steps slowly faded away.

"I understand your determination, my lady, I assure you," Megumi said finally, laying her bowl down. "It is just that your uncle…. I am uneasy about him, my lady, and about the whole point of bringing you here."

Kaoru raised a hand. "Do not denigrate my uncle," she said. "He will never betray my trust. I have faith."

Uncle Houji had always been sweet and kind to her. In fact, he was the family member she was most fond of, now that her mother was gone. Each time he visited in Izushi, he would bring her adorable gifts, like a white pony that had been her favorite mount when she was little, or, when she grew older, a gorgeous yukata that would leave men slack-jawed when she donned it. He would take her on his knees until she was too old for that, and feed her candies in secret, or tell her that she had inherited her mother's beauty and class. One day, he used to say, Kaoru would be lone jewel amongst all Japanese ladies, the most sought-after woman in the whole country. She loved Uncle Houji.

Still, she wasn't without her own reservations about her uncle's queer request that she come to Kyoto. But she wouldn't voice her doubt. A lady had to be strong, and firm.

"Still, my lady, you cannot discount the possibility of this plan failing," Megumi said urgently.

Kaoru disliked arguments, but she had to concede that her maid had a point there. "If it fails," she said, "then I will have no other choice than to flee in a remote province, and hide."

"My lady, you cannot hide forever," Megumi said with alarm

She had already thought about that, as it was. "And why not? No one will find me in some nameless village far from here," she said, determined. "I will break all ties with my father, if need be."

Megumi looked skeptical. "And forsake your comfortable life many envy you?"

"Riches are nothing to me." Not entirely true, if she were honest with herself. She was human after all. Riches accounted for something. She sighed. "I will not say that I wouldn't regret my former life, that I would leave it merry and lighthearted. But I will do so, if need be. Riches are nothing next to honor."

"Then will you dishonor your father, by deserting his household? Will you dishonor your family, by leaving it with no heir?"

"You are toying with words," Kaoru said with impatience. "I prefer to leave my family to rot rather than to inherit a discredited name."

"Surely you don't mean that, my lady," Megumi said, distressed.

"Try me," she said, lifting her chin.

Megumi stared at her, disbelieving. "And how will you sustain yourself, then? Will you do menial work? Or worse, will you end in one of those pleasure house, selling your body—"

The very idea! "Megumi! How dare you—"

"Or will you wed a smelly and flea-infested peasant, or maybe a greasy merchant with no hair left on his head and a belly fatter than cows? That would be some sight to behold, my lady."

What a repulsive idea. But better than be doomed to marry the odious Himura. Kaoru turned her head away. "I shall see when the times come. Now please stop this. I tire of this conversation—"

"My lady," her maid insisted, gripping Kaoru's arm. "This is serious matter. Maybe I should have broached the subject earlier with you, but now that there is time to think, please consider my words. It is not too late yet to go back to your father, but there will come a point where you will not be able to turn back anymore. Please choose carefully, my lady, I plead of you. Better not live with regrets the rest of your life."

Kaoru laid a hand on her maid's arm. She should have been angry, and may have been in another circumstances, but she was touched by her maid's intensity. Megumi truly cared for her, and this was proof of that, if she'd ever doubted it before. "I know you mean well, Megumi," she said as gently as she could, "but do you think I haven't considered those matters already before? For days and weeks I have weighed up the pros and the cons, and have reached my conclusion. My mind is set."

"My lady—"

She cut her maid off. "Megumi, let us not discuss failure further, I pray of you, lest we incur the gods' displeasure, and failure indeed falls to us."

Megumi was about to make another reply, but at that moment the shoji screens slid open again. Uncle Houji walked in, his feet faintly irritated on the tatami.

"Uncle!" Kaoru said. She sprang to her feet, beaming. "How did it go? Do you bring fortunate tidings? Will I be able to see the emperor in person? What…." Her words winded down, as did her smile. Her uncle expression was clearly upset. Oh no, no. She felt fear creep into her chest. Her heart thumped faster against her ribcage

"It will take longer than what I first thought," her uncle said with a nervous smile. "But don't worry, dear Kaoru. We will have what we both want, the cancellation of your ill-fated wedding. I am working day and night on it, you know that."

So why wasn't there any clear result yet, then? But she couldn't voice that thought. She said instead, as graciously as she could: "I know, uncle, and I am grateful. I… I just cannot push my fears out of my mind."

Uncle gave a short dry laugh. Anyone could tell it was very strained. "There's no need to fear, Kaoru. You can be certain that I won't let a Himura lay his filthy hands on you. This I swear before your mother's departed spirit," he said, his voice suddenly so passionate that it made Kaoru uncomfortable.

"Then—"

"Give me some days," her uncle said, seemingly genial again, "and I shall be able to arrange a personal audience with our glorious emperor."

Her uncle seemed very sure of himself, and it lifted her spirits somewhat. She nodded slowly. "Thank you, uncle Houji. I guess I am becoming impatient with all the waiting. The longer I stay here, the longer I risk being found out by father's men." Her father may have been fooled for a time, but her own journey to Kyoto hadn't gone without witness, even if she took great care to be stealthy.

"Ah, I just came back for this reason," uncle Houji said. "I think it would be safer for you if you stayed at another place."

Her heart jolted. "Then father's men—"

"I didn't catch sight of them, at least for the moment. No, the Himuras concern me more."

"The Himuras?"

"Yes. The whole family is here, it seems."

She jerked back a step. She felt her eyes widen. The Himuras, here? The mere thought of being in the same city as them gave her an irrational yearning for vengeance. "How…. What are they doing here? Have they caught wind of my disappearance already? Are they here for me? Are—"

"No, no, dear child, they couldn't have heard about you yet. My brother will wait as long as he can before leaking the news. But the Himuras are here nonetheless, plotting and scheming like they always do. In fact they are the reason our plan is being delayed. They are wheedling the emperor at this very moment."

Was the whole world against her? Why would the Himuras be intriguing in the imperial court, those days of all days? Such a coincidence, but was it a coincidence at all?

"In any case," her uncle continued, "they may come to pay a visit here, since I am your father's brother, and thus a future relative-in-law, or so they believe. We can't run the risk of them finding you here."

"Where will I stay then?" She knew no one else reliable in this city. Kyoto suddenly seemed like a vast and overpopulated trap to her. If only she knew where to find Shinta, he may know a place for her to stay—

"I own a small house in the mountains, outside the city," her uncle said. "It's modest, but I believe it will be sufficient. And it will be for a few days at most."

"Then I shall go there," she said. "Megumi will accompany me, of course."

"Of course, Kaoru. Usui," he called.

A man came into view, stopping at the doorframe. His hand clutched a shortspear, and a strange stripe of cloth hid his eyes. His kimono bore the motif of many eyes on it. He chilled her, for some reason. Her instinct screamed at her that this was a dangerous man, but she remained quiet.

"This is Usui, one of my most trusted warrior," uncle Houji said. "He will escort you to your temporary lodging."

"Enchanted to meet you, Usui," she said, smiling sweetly at him. He gifted her back with a nasty smile of his own. This was definitely not a man she would want to frequent. She would take Shinta's rudeness over his unpleasant grin and his weird mustache any day, thank you very much.

That night, she and Megumi slipped furtively out of her uncle's residence, hidden in a plain-looking wagon, guided by the lone Usui. A warrior, transporting his master's fare, if anyone saw and asked. Now warriors had to be used to convey such basic supply as food. A pity, but a necessity of the harsh times. The emperor was back, but the samurai class was losing influence and status. Tragic.

Through the wagon's slited flanks, Kaoru observed the city's darkened streets, quiet in the late hours. At one angular corner, she thought she saw a man, tall and lean with bamboo-like bangs curtaining his brow, leaning between an inn and a bonsai shop. But when she glanced again, no one was there anymore.

Notes: a tetsubin is the traditional Japanese pot for serving tea, usacha is a tea bowl, and gyokuro is a green tea from Japan.

The romance shall be back soon, but for now it's plot development.