Glossary of Japanese words:
Kunoichi female ninja (this from the glossary in the manga)
Itachi Weasel (Misao is often referred to a weasel girl)
Isogu Hurry up!
Kirei Beautiful
Tenshi Angel
A BRAZEN ACT OF COWARDICE
Two days later, early in the morning Kaoru lay on her futon, her sapphire orbs fluttering open as the light of the rising sun made its way through the rice paper of the shoji. She yawned as she reached full consciousness, stretching and reaching to wipe the sleep from her eyes and then turned her head to get her bearings. She glanced at the room that was her and Kenshin's bedchamber, her eyes seeking out the screen by the dansu, where his familiar magenta gi hung, vacant and her heart ached with the intense empty feeling of his absence as a tear pricked at her eye. She sighed as she began again to miss her husband.
A ripple went through her abdomen as Kaoru felt her baby kick, and she felt him stir, waking up from his night's sleep as well. She laid a hand gently on her belly and rubbed as she talked to her child.
"Ohayo, little one," she murmured. "I hope you slept well. Are you hungry?"
As if in answer, the child kicked at her hand and Kaoru gasped as she was sure she felt the baby's hand against hers. She smiled as she felt love for her child fill her very being.
"I love you, little one. And soon I'll hold you in my arms and show you how much."
Out in the kitchen, Misao had risen early and taken on the task of making breakfast. Lately, Omasu had been teaching her the fine art of cooking and to her surprise, she found the domestic task quite to her liking, especially when she saw it as an opportunity to please Aoshi. He had complimented her efforts and so with that motivation, she found herself in the kitchen quite a bit, striving to do even better each time. This morning, she was humming as she chopped sugar beets to stir fry and serve with the miso and rice.
A tall figure stood unobtrusively watching as Misao worked and sensing someone's presence, the kunoichi turned and saw Aoshi standing in the doorway. She became flustered as her heart began to pound.
"O-ohayo, Aoshi-sa—Aoshi," Misao stammered as she felt a flush creep up on her cheeks.
The tall former leader of the Oniwabanshu was expressionless as he said, "I did not mean to startle you. I saw that someone was in the kitchen and so I came to check and see."
She turned back to her task. "I-I'm just making breakfast. Kaoru-san is having a bit of difficulty doing things, the baby is keeping her from being able to move."
"Aa." Aoshi nodded as he came into the kitchen. "And you are helping by making breakfast. I am glad to see that, Misao."
His uncustomary approval warmed Misao's heart and she blushed as she said softly, "Arigatou, Aoshi." She then added, "I'll keep some warm for you for when you return from the temple."
Aoshi nodded silently and then turned to leave. Misao stood on tiptoe to watch as he headed through the courtyard and out the rear gate toward the river and the temple located there. She sighed as her heart pounded for him and then realizing she had rice cooking, snapped back to the present and her task.
……………………………………………….
That morning over at the hideout of the Samekuroi, Izumo was watching as the early summer sun rose into the blue expanse, promising a hot day and he smiled as he contemplated the day and its events. He murmured to himself as he gazed out
"Today is the beginning of your time of sorrows, Battousai. I hope you are prepared." He called out, "Souichi! Send Kagesu the signal at the noon hour. . . ."
At the Kamiya dojo the sun was high and the early summer day was getting hot and muggy with all activities being affected by the weather. But the day was progressing as usual, the residents of the kenjutsu school having finished the morning meal and were into usual activities of the morning in the courtyard. Misao was at the washtub doing the wash, Yahiko was deep into kakare-geiko and some hikitate-geiko and Kaoru was giving directives from the porch where she sat, heavy with child. The practice was intense as verbal barbs were tossed back and forth.
"Yahiko, you need to focus your swings more," Kaoru said with authority. "You're swinging too wildly and wasting your motions."
"Huh!" the surly youth snorted. "Easy for you, busu, you're just sittin' there in this heat and relaxing, I'm the one working hard." He wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his gi.
Misao retorted as she looked up from the laundry she was scrubbing, "Yahiko, in case you've forgotten Kaoru is about to have a baby and she should take it easy." Her hands full of soap she reached and brushed her bangs out of her eyes with her arm as she added, "Especially in this heat."
The boy samurai looked sheepish as he glanced at his sensei, her wide girth apparent as she met his eyes and he lowered his head and said contritely, "Gomen, Kaoru it must be hard to carry around all that extra weight on a hot day like today."
She managed a tired smile and said, "It's okay, Yahiko. And you can stop, it's really too hot to practice." She picked up a fan and waved it to bring up a breeze in the stifling air.
Yahiko saw her discomfort and came to her side, solicitous as he asked, "Are you all right, Kaoru? Can I get you a drink or something?"
Kaoru smiled and patted his hand, eliciting a blush from the boy. "Arigatou, Yahiko. Why don't you get all of us a cold drink from the well?"
"Right away." He took off for the kitchen to get a pitcher and some cups.
Misao finished wringing the last garment and hung it on the rod to catch what little breeze there was. She wiped her hands and came over to join the mother-to-be.
"Whew, I had no idea it gets this hot this early in Tokyo," Misao remarked as she took the fan from her friend and began to cool them both.
"It's been known to get hot fast here," Kaoru pointed out. "But to get humid like this is unusual." She sighed as she added, "Usually it gets sticky like this before a big storm, I hope that is not the case now." She looked up into the blue clime, worried although she did not know why. . .
Over at the dock where the Obake was bobbing in the waves, Izumo and Souichi were crouched down at the firework tube, Izumo giving explicit directions to his subordinate.
"Send up the signal to Kagesu at the dojo. Now."
Souichi did as he was bid but before he lit the fuse asked hesitantly, "Are you certain he will see it? It is nearly noon and it may not be visible."
"Just send it up," Izumo barked. "He will see it and will act accordingly." He rose and called out a brusque command to the rest of his crew. "Isogu! We must be ready to leave as soon as Kagesu arrives." He then whirled on his heel and headed inside the warehouse to prepare for the next phase.
Souichi lit a match and held the flame to the fuse at the bottom of the tube. The fuse burned to the tube and a red glowing ball shot up into the sky and burst into an arc of scarlet, not as bright as the sun, but stark against the blue expanse. . . .
At the outside of the dojo, Kagesu looked up into the western sky where fluffy cumulous clouds had gathered and saw the red shower. He rubbed his hands in anticipation, glad the long wait was over and he could at last act. Since being assigned by Izumo to tail and spy on the Battousai and his wife he had gotten increasingly impatient to do his work. Following them from the time of their honeymoon and observing the legendary murderer and his whore in the most intimate of times had just whet his appetite to exercise his own form of cruel torture he had planned. He wanted the ultimate prize, to take down the infamous Battousai, which would be not only a great honor among the Samekuroi but the ultimate aphrodisiac as just thinking about the deed sent him into a near state of arousal. Although it was not his role to administer the pain and although Izumo had ordered him to just seize her, he relished the fact that he was chosen to capture Battousai's pregnant wife. As an extra added bonus, having been a former student of medicine, he was skilled in the creation of substances that could render a victim completely helpless. He grinned as he crept off to get into position. . . .
At the same time, the trio at the dojo was enjoying a cold drink from the well when the soft boom of the fireworks startled them. Kaoru had seen the explosion and she pointed up, exclaiming, "Look at that! Some firework company must be testing their bombs for the Star Festival."
"Aa," Misao said, "Like the other night."
Yahiko and Misao both cast their eyes skyward as the saw the red sparkle dissipate into the azure clime as some white billows rolled by.
"Whoa!" Yahiko cried. "That's really something! I wonder if it's one of the displays planned for after the feast at the marketplace."
Kaoru shrugged as she replied, "Could be." She rose as she stated, "I'm going for a walk to the river, I need some exercise."
Misao protested, "Again by yourself, Kaoru? Are you going to be all right?" It had become a daily ritual for Kaoru, to go and spend about an hour at the river. Misao was wondering what it was at the river that was so captivating but sensing it was intensely personal she held her tongue.
But Kaoru laughed as she replied quite candidly, "I'll be fine, Misao-chan. I go there every afternoon to sit and think. Kenshin set up a little bench for us to sit together on, it's one of our favorite spots to go to be alone." She headed to the rear gate, turned and waved then headed down the path to the riverbank.
As she passed a clump of brush, Kagesu watched intently and noted with satisfaction that the Battousai's wife was alone and headed to the river. He waited until she was a good distance down the path and then began to covertly follow his prey.
Unaware that she was being followed, Kaoru strolled along in a leisurely fashion, enjoying the slight breeze that had come up from the bay, her raven locks dancing on the zephyr and billowing the end of her kimono. She stepped onto the slight decline that led to a spreading sakura tree where a crudely fashioned seat made of a fallen log waited in the shade as the river gurgled by. She made her way carefully down with her advanced state of pregnancy making her appear a tad ungainly. But determined, she completed the journey and with a sigh, sat upon the log, taking deep breaths. Her sapphire orbs stared off in the distance as her mind drifted to thoughts of her husband and when he first brought her to this special sanctuary:
Flashback:
The day before he got his orders from Yamagata to leave with Shura, Kenshin took his bride for a walk by the river that had become a special area for them both, a place that had bittersweet memories for the two of them. He took her hand and assisted her to a sakura tree where a log had been placed.
"Mou, Kenshin why did you bring me here?" Kaoru wanted to know as she took a deep breath.
He smiled sweetly as he took both of her hands in his. "Look around you, tenshi. Don't you know where we are?"
Frowning slightly in thought, she glanced about and then saw the familiar rushes and brush that she remembered from the fateful night over a year ago. Her brilliant sapphire eyes clouded she nodded as she replied, "Hai, I know. It's where you said good-bye to me before you left for Kyoto."
"And," he added as he drew her to him, "it's where you welcomed me home when we returned. Because of that I've considered this spot dear to my heart."
Kaoru's eyes misted as she said softly, "It's dear to mine as well."
"Then come here." He took her hand and guided her to the sakura tree where the log had been fashioned as a crude bench, flush against the tree trunk. Kenshin sat and Kaoru sat beside him as she looked around in rapt delight.
"Oh Kenshin, kirei! I love it here. And I love you for thinking of us when you set this up." She turned to face him as he reached his arm around her to pull her into his arms for a lingering kiss. As they were lost in each other, a bluebird landed on a lower branch and serenaded the couple, the song catching their attention and they drew apart with amused looks.
"It appears that we have company, that it does," Kenshin stated with a chuckle, his arms wrapped about his wife as he held her to him.
Kaoru looked up and with the innocent wonder of a child, she reached up and held her hand to the bird and it gently hopped from the branch to her outstretched member. It resumed its song as the former hitokiri smiled at his wife in tender understanding.
"The bird is drawn to your welcome as was I," Kenshin murmured as he nuzzled his bride. "We both know with you, we're home."
Still holding the bluebird, Kaoru turned her head and met his waiting lips with her own.
End flashback
Kaoru smiled dreamily as she absently caressed the tree trunk, her mind on the lovely memory. . .
Meanwhile, Kagesu crept down to a line of rushes near the sakura tree that concealed him as he prepared the concoction that would net him his prize. He took a sack of pungent herbs and rubbed them into a linen cloth, along with a salve of tiger balm. The combination made for a very potent anesthetic with an odor that ensured unconsciousness. That ready, he now began to make his way over in stealth, making no noise whatsoever to tip his victim off.
Kaoru sighed and stretched as she savored the view of the river glistening in undulating silver waves in the sun and the warm breeze as her gaze fell on a patch of irises at the river's edge, an indigo ripple waving gracefully in the wind. She smiled in reminiscence as she recalled yet another sweet memory, the night back from Kyoto when Kenshin returned from fishing empty-handed except for the iris in the bucket that he had left on the back porch, his gift to her as a shy token of his affection. His sweet gesture, subtle yet with great impact just endeared him to her even more if that was possible as she was already head-over-heels in love with the titian haired rurouni who shared her home. Intending to head over to gather some of the irises, Kaoru made to rise, bracing herself against the trunk of the tree. Suddenly an arm snaked about her waist and as her eyes flew open wide in surprise and fear as another hand pressed a cloth to her nose and mouth, causing her to breathe in the fumes of Kagesu's concoction. Not one to give up, she struggled valiantly and as she did, her pink hair ribbon became undone and fell to the grass. Her frenzied actions to free herself caused her to take deep breaths of exertion and her ultramarine orbs fluttered and closed as Kaoru immediately lost consciousness and fell into the wretched man's arms.
Kagesu cackled gleefully as he scooped up the limp Himura Kaoru and scampered up to the road where Souichi waited with a horse and phaeton.
He grumbled, "It took you long enough," as he took the girl and loaded her in the conveyance.
The attacker grinned a crooked smile with cracked teeth as he rasped, "Patience my young friend. Like all works of art, one must take one's time to do a job perfectly."
Souichi jumped in the seat and seized the reins, urging the horse into motion. "It's not me, Izumo is anxious to leave. He'll want to know why it took so long."
Kagesu shrugged his humped shoulders as he said, "Izumo-sama trusts me and my work. I shan't worry."
"Humph!" Souichi grunted as the rest of the ride proceeded in silence.
Soon they were at the dock where the Obake was waiting, all the crew boarded save Izumo who stood on the dock, arms akimbo and his visage thunderous. He glared at the two henchmen as they unloaded the slack figure of the Battousai's pregnant wife.
"Get on board and be quick about it! We haven't a moment to waste!"
"Hai, Izumo-sama," both said in obsequious unison as they rushed past him and boarded the craft.
Izumo grunted and then with a whirl of his cape, he followed as the hatch closed and then the cry of "Way anchor!" was heard. The foreboding craft pulled away from the dock as the wind filled her unfurled sails and she headed out in the bay.
On deck, Izumo turned to Souichi and Kagesu. "Take her below and make sure she's bound and gagged. Then when we are seven leagues out, send the carrier pigeon toward O'shima. I've prepared a message for the Battousai."
"Hai."
With a look of fiendish satisfaction, Izumo turned to the bow and anticipated his upcoming meeting with Himura Battousai eagerly. . . .
At the dojo, the late afternoon sun was casting shadows as it made its decent toward the western horizon and the three figures sitting on the porch were showing signs of concern as Kaoru had yet to return. Misao and Yahiko with their more volatile temperments were visibly upset with Aoshi silently overseeing as the girl built up worse case scenarios.
"Kaoru should've been back by now," Misao fretted. "Suppose she had a fall? Or the baby came and she can't get back here?" The petite kunoichi fidgeted restlessly.
"Calm down, itachi," Yahiko scoffed. "Kaoru can take care of herself." He frowned as he came to a similar conclusion as he pictured his sensei collapsed and in distress. "Maybe you have a point though. We should go to the river and look for her."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," Misao said as she turned to run off but a hand on her shoulder detained her.
"Stay here, Misao and calm down," Aoshi intoned. "I will go down to the river and search for Kaoru-san. It's part of the debt I owe to the Battousai." He turned and headed out of the courtyard as Misao and Yahiko exchanged worried glances.
Aoshi made his way to the river, shining gold with the light of the setting sun, his eyes squinting as he scanned the parameter for the blue kimono that would signify the sight of Himura's wife. As a matter of fact, the entire riverbank was deserted, save for some birds fluttering about and some fireflies glowing in green dots along the rushes. He continued the search by walking down to the water's edge and then his attention was drawn to a spreading sakura tree with a log beneath it. Aoshi strode over to the tree, his ki picking up something suspicious as he spotted a scrap of pink that had fallen on the grass. He picked it up and immediately recognized it as the ribbon Kaoru had been wearing in her hair at lunch. Then he saw something else, another scrap of cloth this one a discarded white piece of linen, which he also picked up to examine. The odor of the anesthetic herbs wrinkled his nose and his mouth in a grim line, Aoshi headed back to the dojo in a sprint. . . .
In the front hall, Sanosuke and Megumi had arrived and were being filled in about Kaoru's apparent disappearence by Misao and Yahiko.
Megumi hid her concern by tossing her head. "You two are jumping to conclusions. Maybe the tanuki went into town and didn't return yet."
"I doubt it," Misao stated with a shake of her head. "In her condition, she'd never go as far as that. Remember, you told her that she could have the baby at any time and she was being extra careful."
Yahiko nodded his head in agreement. "She left right after practice and has been gone since then. She was heading to the river to her and Kenshin's place."
"Their place?" Sano inquired.
"Aa. Before he left, Kenshin had made a little place for them to sit at the river, near where he first said good-bye to her before he went to Kyoto," Yahiko informed them. "Since he left, Kaoru's been going there every afternoon."
The conversation was interrupted by the long shadow of Aoshi as he entered soundlessly and stood by Misao. He handed her the pink ribbon. "I found this by the river."
The kunoichi's teal eyes widened in horror as she exclaimed, "This is Kaoru-san's! She was wearing this today."
Aoshi handed the linen to Megumi as he said, "I also found this. Smell the aroma, Takani-san."
Megumi did as she was bid and her sherry eyes narrowed as she said sharply, "This is a herbal combination used with a balm as an anesthetic. And you found this near where you found Kaoru's hair ribbon?"
Aoshi nodded as Sanosuke snapped, "Well I'm no genius but it doesn't take one to figure out what happened. Jou-chan's been nabbed."
His words hung in the air like a heavy cloud as everyone stood in stunned silence.
………………………………………………
Meanwhile, during the day over on the island of O'shima, the reconstruction of the village of Kairyu was in full swing as crew members and Kenshin's men all worked together to rebuild domiciles in which for them to reside when they returned to home base. But as they labored, the idea that the huts would remain empty until they returned weighed heavy on their hearts knowing their loved ones were now gone. For many the fire of the blaze that destroyed their home was replaced by the fire of deep anger as they all swore revenge on the Samekuroi.
Kenshin and Danjuro were overseeing and assisting as the men felled trees, mixed mortar and worked hard to restore that which could be, while trying not to think of their irreplaceable losses. The spirit of everyone was stoic as if the task was something they all hated but it was their duty to do. Everyone in the Kairyu crew was busy at work with the reconstruction, save the leader herself who spent the day off to the side, impassive and remote mired in her own prison of self-recrimination.
Kenshin found himself staring at Shura, feeling like he wanted to offer comfort but restrained by the invisible barrier of her fiercely determined will to be strong and his awareness of his own mixed emotions. He had acknowledged the fact that he had always admired the strong lady pirate but now as he saw her in pain, pain she was trying desperately to hide, he found himself filled with a strong desire to take that pain away. It caused an overwhelming ambivalence laced with guilt in him as his eyes were riveted to her and he was unable to turn away.
"Ken-san?" Danjuro's voice shook him from his musings.
"Aa?"
The swordsman and man of God approached Kenshin and focusing on where the violet eyes were resting spoke softly, "She is bearing a heavy burden."
The former hitokiri nodded woodenly as he said, "She blames herself for what happened here."
Danjuro nodded as he said, "Then we need to pray for her. Pray for all of the Kairyu."
He bowed his head and Kenshin joined him, his heart heavy with grief for the ones suffering. But unknown to the two men, their action had drawn the attention of the one they were offering intercession for, Shura. The female buccaneer watched in fascination as the two strong samurai were standing with their heads bowed in supplication to a higher power that she doubted even existed. Yet the thing most amazing to her was the intense sense of peace that was on their faces, a peace that transcended and reached over to her as she found herself yearning for the same.
Toward the late afternoon, Kenshin and his men had completed assisting the Kairyu in rebuilding half a dozen huts and had begun to repair the storehouse. The men had all stood back to observe their handy work, sweaty and exhausted.
Sarujiro, the young mute buccaneer having worked as hard as the rest, wiped his brow and decided to take a walk on the beach to cool off. So he headed down the path that led to the golden seashore. He came to the deserted beach and sighed heavily, the emotional burden of the past day weighing on him as well as the others. Even though his own family had long since perished, he had nobody specifically he was grieving but his heart was heavy for his Shura-sama. Her deep anguish, although she tried to hide it, was plain and his heart, so filled with love for her was in the same way aching for her.
Sarujiro sighed again as he cast his button eyes skyward, watching the gulls as they cawed and swooped down to catch the abundant bluefish that frequented the cove. But like a cannonball, one bird was soaring above and came in for a landing right on a flat rock beside him. He made his way cautiously to the rock and the bird did not take off but stood there as he approached, almost as if it were waiting for him.
As he came forward, Sarujiro was hesitant, not wanting to frighten the bird who upon closer examination was a large carrier pigeon, with a message attached to its foot. Knowing immediately that there was something that needed Shura's attention, Sarujiro gently took the bird in hand and hurried back to the village square. . . .
Back there, Shura had approached Kenshin and Danjuro, her curiosity getting the best of her at the men's prayers and she addressed Danjuro.
"So you, like Himura have a faith in that western God?" Shura asked, one slim brow arched.
Danjuro nodded as he replied, "Hai, I am a believer in Iesu and his promises."
She sniffed as she said, "I find it hard to believe that any god exists to watch over us. I've seen too much sorrow to believe in promises that assure me of a god who loves me."
Danjuro smiled and nodded. "I felt that way myself once. I fought in the Bakumatsu and saw death daily, and took many lives. I felt as filthy and tainted I could, believing that I could never repent for the sins I committed."
"Like I did," Kenshin added, his gaze amethyst serenity that made him even more beautiful.
Shura looked from one man to the other, amazed by the sense of calm assurance that radiated from them. She turned her attention to Kenshin and saw something else that further ensnared her heart and made her envy Kaoru all the more. But she mentally berated herself to keep her passions firmly under control.
"Hontoo desu ka?" she said, feigning interest as her mind and eyes gazed at Kenshin.
Danjuro saw the lady pirate's appraisal of his friend and surmised that her feelings toward the rurouni were quite intense so he continued in a distinct voice, "Hai, like Kenshin and his bride, I found the peace that passes all understanding that comes from knowing Iesu."
Kenshin nodded as he smiled at Danjuro. "Hai, and it's that knowledge that is helping me to remain a swordsman who doesn't kill." His eyes clouded as he sighed and added, "But there are still times that the hitokiri emerges, although not as strongly."
Danjuro patted his shoulder and said in encouragement, "That will come with time. You just keep praying and studying and Iesu will help you to overcome."
The trio was interrupted by the mute Sarujiro as he hurried over, bird in hand. Shura approached the lad and asked curiously, "Sarujiro, what is it?"
He held the bird out to her as Kenshin and Danjuro stepped forward. Kenshin took the bird and stated, "This is a carrier pigeon and there is a note on his foot."
Sarujiro nodded as the rurouni took the missive from the bird and released it, unfolding the parchment with the terse note.
BattousaiWe have your wife and if you wish to ever see her again you and Shura are to meet us 25 leagues out in Osaka Bay to battle. We will expect you presently and if you delay, she will die.
Izumo
Kenshin lowered his head and his hand fisted tightly, crumpling the parchment as he took a deep breath. His reaction caused immediate concern in both Danjuro and Shura.
Shura demanded, "Himura, what is it?" She stifled a gasp as she watched his face transform from the placid rurouni to what was the fiercest visage she had ever seen. The face of a demon, livid and promising death.
He said nothing but raised his head to stare out toward the seashore, reaching for the hilt of his sakabatou and sliding the blade as if to draw it out, his visage a study in fury. But the true indicator of his emotion was his eyes, eyes that went from the color of lilacs in spring to molten gold, with lightning bolts of scarlet skittering across, narrowed to bare slits.
How dare he! How dare that bastard take her, I'll slice him to ribbons if she has even a scratch and I will make the ocean taste his blood Kenshin vowed grimly to himself as he snapped, "Danjuro, Shura, get the men together and get the ship ready. We leave at once!"
Shura asked, alarmed, "What happened, Himura? Tell us!"
"The Samekuroi has abducted my wife," he said tonelessly.
Without a word, both parties left to do as he bade.
NEXT...IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST