A/N: w00t! Haha!
StormHornet – You do love cursing, it's true.
Sonia/Sunny – SUNNY! YAYZ!
Rurouni-maxi – Sleeping water LOL! Hyper-ness yay! And… and… poor Hotaru LOL!
royal blue Kitsune – They will meet soon nyeheheh…
Recap –
Placing the 'cup' next to Hotaru, he went back to the stream and filled his hands again, but this time he brought it back and the stallion drank its fill. The stallion immediately fell asleep, as did Kenshin.
The Color Black-Red – Chapter 8
The next morning, Kenshin woke up to find Hotaru drinking from the 'cup'. When she saw that he was awake she grinned and pointed to the cup of water and mouthed, "Water. Arigato."
He just smiled and waited for her to finish. She handed it back to him and disappeared through the trees, saying she was going to bathe. He was about to call that they did not have time for such luxuries, but she was already gone through the trees. He sighed angrily, but he knew he could not venture after her now unless he wanted a severe bump on his head. He was about to toss the 'cup' into the trees when he noticed there was still some left. He quickly drank that and went over and petted the stallion, which was eating his fill of grass. He did not see the mare anywhere, as he had not tied her up. Kenshin smiled and then prayed that the mare was making its way home and that the bartender would not be too angry, after all, one horse had hopefully returned.
A while later Hotaru returned, hair wet and fully clothed. Kenshin sighed in relief and got on the stallion. Hotaru came up after him. Kenshin urged the now happy stallion into a gallop and they set off, unknowing of what would await them at Daemon's castle.
A couple days later, Hotaru woke to bumps and bruises, but she thought they were slowing down. "Kenshin-san?" she murmured sleepily.
"Hai, Hotaru-dono?" Kenshin called back. He was very pleased. He was here. Who knew what awaited him, but still, he was finally here. To save her.
"Are we… near to our destination?"
"Yes…" Kenshin pulled on the reins, and the horse stopped abruptly. He turned around and looked at Hotaru, tears of joy in his amber eyes. "Yes, yes we are near and, in fact, we have finally arrived."
Hotaru looked up. In front of them was a rundown town. A black castle loomed in the distance. "This is our destination?" Hotaru wrinkled her nose. "Is this your home, Kenshin-san? Or is the castle in the distance your home?" she asked hopefully, as dark and dreary as it was, she was in need of food and water. She would like some sleep on a comfortable bed, too.
"Our destination is the castle."
"Oh!" she said excitedly.
"Come." Kenshin led the way through the run-down town. People peeked through their doors and windows. They all had fright etched upon their faces. Little children ran indoors into their mother's arms.
One old crone stepped up when they turned onto the road that led to the castle. "No!" she croaked. "Don't go there! No! You will never come back! What business could a handsome young man and a young woman have in there?"
He shook her off and continued.
"No! King Daemon and his young wife rule fiercely!" Called the crone again.
Kenshin stopped and whirled on the crone. "His young wife? What is she called?"
"Oh…" the crone stepped backward. "If it pleases you, sire, her name is White Crow."
"Oh, it pleases me well enough," Kenshin said. He then muttered under his breath, "Kaoru…"
"Kaoru?" the crone asked.
Kenshin covered her mouth with his hand. "Never, ever breathe that name to anyone! Never, do you hear me?" He sounded angry and upset.
"Kenshin-san!" Hotaru cried in protest.
The crone staggered back in fear. "Y-yes, s-sir! N-never will I utter that name!" she stammered.
Hotaru had not heard and wondered whose name it was that was so secret.
"Let us continue, Hotaru." Kenshin said and strode on ahead.
"Yes, Kenshin-san!" she raced to catch up with him.
They reached the castle doors and Kenshin, seeming angrier by the second, rapped on the big, black doors.
A little window in the door opened and a stout little man peered through. "Whom am I announcing to his highness?" he asked tonelessly.
"His mortal enemy," a livid Kenshin answered.
Hotaru started in surprise. She was getting frightened and was wondering what was going on.
The little man shrugged his shoulders. Then the window shut and Hotaru and Kenshin vaguely heard, "Announcing… his highness's mortal enemy."
Before the doors could open, Kenshin threw them wide, and strode in, Hotaru hiding in his shadow.
A great man sat at the throne. There was another empty throne next to him. He sat, shouting loud orders at the cook that stood, quaking, before him. Then the king finished his rant and the cook bowed clumsily and practically ran out of the room.
Daemon turned his attention to the figures that stood before him, one, a handsome male with fiery red hair, standing tall. The other, a beautiful female with black hair and dark, purple eyes, shaking and hiding in the male's shadow.
"Daemon! Where is Kaoru?" Kenshin boomed.
Hotaru looked to Kenshin. Who was this Kaoru he spoke of? This wasn't … the person he had spoken of that he was sent to save, was it!
"WHAT? Himura Kenshin?" Daemon stood up. "How did you survive? And you brought a guest!" He peered at Hotaru. "Guards! Guards!" he cried. A dozen guards came running.
Kenshin laughed cruelly. "Don't you know who I am?" he asked. Yelling out, "Ryu Kan Sen!" he charged and slew each one with just one stroke.
Hotaru cowered in the corner. She had never seen Kenshin like this.
Daemon had sat down again, but he stood as Kenshin ran up the stairs leading to the west wing.
Hotaru dared not look Daemon in the face, and so she tried to catch up with Kenshin.
He arrived up there within a second, and he found with annoyance that this was not the place he wanted to be. He charged up another flight of stairs and found a guard. He immediately came to the conclusion that it would take too long to search the entire castle, so he walked up to the guard and demanded that the guard take him to the wing where the queen was. The guard agreed after he saw Kenshin's eyes – Kenshin demonic, amber eyes – and led him to the bottom of the east wing, and directed Kenshin up there.
Kenshin thanked him, and raced up the stairs. He noticed that this whole wing belonged to one person alone. There was a painting of her on the wall. "Kaoru…" Kenshin murmured, and traced the outline of her heart-shaped face. The he kissed his finger and pressed it to the painting Kaoru's lips.
Hotaru had been following as fast as she could, and now she reached the top of the stair as Kenshin was tracing the picture. When he left to duck his head in several rooms, she inspected the painting. 'Who is this girl?' she wondered. 'What does this mean…?' The lady was beautiful, Hotaru had to admit. She was so busy she did not notice Kenshin run into one of the rooms and not immediately come out again.
Hesitantly, Kenshin walked into the bedroom. He observed the lone figure sitting on the bed, curled up into a ball, recognizing it immediately. "Kaoru…" he breathed.
The figure gave no response.
Kenshin went over to the girl and put his arms around her.
I had been crying for hours. Sobbing 'Kenshin! Kenshin!' Then I felt arms placed around me and I looked up. I looked up into amber eyes I was so familiar with. "Kenshin…?"
The man, Kenshin, my Kenshin, smiled and nodded.
"Oh, Kenshin!" I cried, throwing my arms around his neck. I was crying tears of joy.
Kenshin took both of my hands in his and lifted me off the bed. Then he tipped my chin up and lowered his face to mine.
We were too busy kissing to notice a figure appearing in the doorway. The figure, a girl, cried "Kenshin-san?" and burst into tears.
We broke apart and Kenshin cried, "Hotaru-san? What's wrong?"
"I thought we were in l-love, K-Kenshin-san!" Hotaru blubbered.
"What? Kenshin, who is this girl?" I turned on him, growing angry.
TBC…
A/N: Ooh, Kaoru and Hotaru have finally met!
Tell me what you all think in a review, please!