A/N- Important: Kaoru does not know that Kenshin is the Battousai. If you read previous chapters carefully, he and everyone else have always spoken of Battousai as if he were another person, so she has no reason to believe they are the same. But she definitely knows that Kenshin obviously knows who Battousai is.

Disclaimer: I own a three inch tall Kenshin, sakabatou and all, but I'm afraid that is where my claims end.

Hiko's Lodge

Chapter 11

Kaoru stirred herself awake and for a moment could not remember where she was. All she knew was that she was safe in this warm place. Pushing herself up, she stretched her arms above her and glanced around, comprehension settling in.

Kenshin was gone. It wasn't the empty room that assured her of this but rather the empty feeling within her heart. Her fatigue having faded for the moment, she made up the futon and cautiously set out to explore her new surroundings.

It was a small cabin comprising of only two rooms, the one she had slept in and the main room she stepped into. Shelves lined the walls bearing pottery of numerous shapes and sizes. It didn't take an expert eye to see the pottery had been formed by a skilled hand. So, where was the potter?

A haori hung conveniently beside the door and she shrugged it on to protect her from winter's chill before stepping out into the white world beyond. The cabin was nestled snuggly in the forest near a small hill and Kaoru smiled at the peaceful serenity that surrounded her. Whoever built his home here was seeking nothing less than absolute solitude.

The snow was trampled into a trail curving around to the back of the cabin with fresh tracks and curious as ever, Kaoru followed. The trail led straight to a large kiln. A thick log had been dragged in front of the kiln and a man was perched on the log staring into the fire seemingly oblivious to all else. From her view of his back she guessed he was a big man from the breadth of his shoulders which bore a white cloak with an imperial air. His long black hair was tied at the nape of his neck as Kenshin sometimes wore his and bore a slight emerald shine in the sunlight.

"If you insist on being out here at least stand near the fire so you won't catch cold," he spoke suddenly and she nearly jumped out of her skin. How does he do that? It's uncanny!

He didn't turn to look at her and after a moment she urged herself forward. Even if Kenshin had never told her of this man, assuring her that she would be safe with him, she would have known. There was a strength about him that reminded her so much of Kenshin. This man was most assuredly a swordsman, but she wasn't afraid of him. When she reached the log, he glanced up at her with an unreadable expression. As she expected, his were the narrow eyes of a swordsman, darker than any shade of night she had ever seen. For certain he could see every thought, every inclination within her with those sable eyes. Not to mention handsome. Why did all the handsome men seclude themselves in the forbidden mountain?

"It's about time you woke up," he said finally and then turned back to his kiln. His deep gruff voice carried an undercurrent of arrogance she remembered from his conversation with Kenshin earlier that morning. Maybe social grace isn't his thing.

"I didn't mean to sleep so long," she returned softly, uncertain as to if he was scolding her or not.

"That idiot never should have dragged you down the mountain in your condition," he grumbled as he poked another piece of wood into the kiln.

Kaoru frowned but decided not to argue the point. Instead she stepped around the log and sat down, pleased with the warmth the fire put off.

"Is he going to be okay?" she asked softly.

"He's been through worse."

Kaoru stared down at her hands curled in her lap. Of course, Kenshin fought in the Bakumatsu and survived. He is—was- an assassin, a swordsman of great skill. He will be okay. She clutched her hands over her heart. So why am I still afraid?

Seijuro Hiko glanced sideways at the young girl sitting beside him. For someone untrained, she had remarkable control. Only a master could sense her presence, that and she had never been taught to walk silently. It didn't take an intelligent man to see what Kenshin saw in her. She was a pretty little thing and from what he had heard of her so far, she had a spirit too great for her body.

When the red-haired samurai first showed up at his door with the limp bundle of cloth and blankets, he had thought the crazy idiot had brought him another injured animal. Kenshin always did have a soft heart for helpless creatures. The lovely Kaoru Kamiya was indeed in a helpless state and her delicate features set in slumber softened his own heart. But even then he had not been prepared for what he saw when she turned her face towards him.

Those eyes…so empty, desolate. There ought to be more blue than black in those soulless eyes. They should shine with laughter and smiles, spirit and defiance. They were the eyes of a damaged woman and even as Kenshin Himura and Eiji were captivated by her forlorn spell, the thirteenth master of the Hiten Misturugi Ryu was no less exempt.

"He is my apprentice," he found himself saying to ease the worry he could sense in her questions. There was something about her, perhaps those haunting eyes, that demanded gentle care. "Kenshin will not be defeated."

She wanted to believe him and he gave her credit for the slight smile she permitted herself. This girl still had possibilities. She wasn't completely shattered yet.

"Come along, girl," he said finally as he stood and turned his back to the kiln. Amusement flickered across his face as her eyes widened suddenly. Most were intimidated by his towering stature, but her expression reflected more awe than fear. There was not a mark of hesitation as she obediently stood and followed him back to the cabin. Kenshin had worried incessantly about her inability to trust anyone beyond himself, but she seemed at ease. Maybe this will be easier than I thought, Hiko decided as he listened to her soft steps some distance behind him.

Kaoru sat quietly out of the way as she watched Kenshin's master prepare dinner. He had shed his cloak inside the cabin and she took measure of his stature with her eyes. She would not wish to make an enemy of him. Tall, strong, built, they were such common words to describe such a magnificent man. A sword in his hands must be truly formidable. Most men his size could not move with the inhuman grace of a true samurai but as she watched him work about the cabin, she was simply enthralled with his feline movements. They reminded her so much of Kenshin and she found herself smiling. If Kenshin mirrored his master's gestures, how much more of the man did he reflect? His kindness, gentleness, strength, skill, compassion? Whatever concerns she had before were brushed away as she watched the swordsman prepare her dinner. As Kenshin had promised, she would be safe with this man.

Perhaps Kenshin had drawn his cooking skills from his master as well. It isn't fair that these men can cook better than me, she thought grimly as she ate of the meal put before her. He ate with her, albeit silently, and Kaoru did not feel inclined to break the silence. She was feeling very tired again and she suspected Kenshin's master liked his silence. Why else would he live so far into the woods all alone?

She didn't contemplate the thought very long. After she ate, she retired and fell asleep quickly and never noticed how her blanket was arranged over her shoulders with the same tender care innate to the red-haired samurai of her dreams.

The snow fell often in the mountains and Kaoru amused herself with the delightful powder, watching it sift through her hands, leaving fresh prints in the otherwise unmarred blanket of white. Barely a week had passed since Kenshin had left her with Seijuro Hiko and the silence between her and her host had not warmed beyond a few simple nods and grunts. Hiko did not feel inclined to speak with her about his "idiot apprentice". She would have bristled the first time she heard him call Kenshin that if it were not for the distinct note of fondness that seemed to cling to the words. No doubt Hiko was as amused with Kenshin's impossible silliness as she was when it happened to reveal itself.

Digging a little beneath the snow, Kaoru found what she sought in her morning walk. After only a few days of observation, she had noticed how Hiko preferred to stoke his kiln with the branches of a certain kind of tree. When asked he simply said they burned hotter than other wood.

Kaoru gathered as much as she could carry in her arms and began to tread back to the cabin. She had not gone far, staying within clear sight of the building and the plume of smoke that rose behind it. Hiko pretended to be disinterested in what she did, but she was wise to that samurai awareness of his. He wouldn't have liked her to go any further, she was certain of that.

She was nearly out of breath when she dropped the branches beside the kiln and dropped herself onto the log beside Hiko. A smile quirked his lips as it was prone to do when she did something unexpected. Kaoru suspected he usually refrained from expressing his feelings, but opened himself slightly for her benefit. It was the little things he had done over the past few days that told her that beneath the imperious air and arrogant glare, Seijuro Hiko was a big softy.

"Why did you become a potter?" she asked when her breathing eased.

"I'm good at it," he said as he selected a stick from her pile and poked it into the fire.

"You do not wish for any more students?"

"Swords are forbidden in the Meiji Era," he said evasively.

Kaoru frowned as she dropped her gaze to the fire. "The innocent still need to be protected. A sword does not have to kill."

Hiko glanced at her, folding her hands in her lap as she did when she reflected on something deeply.

"Kenshin said you taught swordsmanship," he said.

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, the sword that protects," she murmured.

He laughed softly and she glanced up in surprise.

"He is such an idiot," Hiko laughed and turned back to feeding his fire.

"I don't understand…"

"You will. Believe me, you will."

Kaoru frowned again and shook her head in frustration. This man was impossible.

"I don't want to meddle in his life," he said suddenly. "He is a grown man, a stupid one, but still one to make his own choices. Had he only listened to me before he became a man things would have worked out differently and he would have less specters haunting him. Don't become one of them."

Kaoru's eyes widened considerably. "Sir Hiko—"

"I like being a potter," he said suddenly and offered her a broad grin. "A genius like me can accomplish anything and no one ever bothers a hermit potter."

Kaoru chuckled and did not miss the softening of his dark eyes.

"It is very peaceful here," she agreed.

"The boy thinks so too, that's why he built that cabin further up. Too many people were looking for him."

Kaoru wanted to laugh at his reference to Kenshin as being but a boy. Hiko hardly looked aged at all himself.

"Have you always lived here?"

"Yes."

"Then you know the stories of Oni," Kaoru said softly and was surprised when he stiffened. Had she not been watching his mesmerizing movements so closely she never would have seen his reaction.

"Hai," he said after a moment.

"Do you believe the legend?" she asked.

"There is some truth in all legends," he replied.

"But you live on this mountain. Have you ever seen anything—."

"I've seen many things in my lifetime, girl," he cut her short. "The villagers are superstitious of what they don't understand."

"Are you saying that Oni is real?"

Hiko glanced into her eerie eyes. "Just don't wander far, girl," he said and then turned back to the fire.

Kaoru fell silent from her questioning at the warning. So there was something on the mountain besides them…something dangerous. Could it be, then, that the two samurai who found her at Kenshin's cabin really had been attacked by Oni after all? She remembered their cries of terror and felt the air crackle with unfathomable power. And when the screams died, she had been swallowed by the suffocating heat of amber fire. Eiji had spoken of two men who claimed to have encountered a golden-eyed monster on the mountain and now Sir Hiko's reaction only confirmed her suspicions. Oni was real, whatever and whoever it was, and what is more, it knew her.

Shaking herself from the unsettling thought, she sighed quietly.

"I like it here," she said as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She still wore the clothes she had found at the cabin, Kenshin's clothes. Kenshin never said anything about it, but she had caught him watching her with amusement in his eyes more than once, a woman in men's clothing. At a distance he had mistaken her for one.

Hiko smiled, oddly pleased that this girl liked the solitude of his humble home. She was the one, he was certain of it now. The boy already loved her and could he have picked a woman out for him, he could not have chosen one with greater potential. Perhaps they would heal each other.

Kaoru felt warmth settle over her shoulders and found herself wrapped in Hiko's imperious cloak without ever noticing him move in the first place. He busied himself with the kiln completely oblivious to her and she smiled. Softy.

But he had given her much to think about in any case. She had always known Kenshin had a dark past from the first moment. Behind those kind eyes and gentle demeanor lurked something fierce and deadly and it fascinated her as much as it frightened her. He had been an assassin in the Bakumatsu. How many died by his blade? Were these the specters Hiko spoke of? Did the shame of what he had done in the past keep Kenshin from having a future? Was that why Hiko hinted that she should stand by him? Could she give Kenshin a future when she failed to see one for herself?

If he will let me, I would like to try. Kaoru sighed softly. I miss him so much.

Despite her melancholy, Kaoru grew to be quite fond of Kenshin's master and was content with the simple life he lived. Under his vigilant care, she steadily put on weight and grew stronger without realizing it was happening. He began to give her chores that included mostly gathering wood for his kiln and the house as well as cleaning his small cabin. And when she thought he wasn't looking, she would secure herself a long straight stick and practice her swings. Her injured shoulder protested loudly against the motion but she forced herself through the practice, determined to regain her strength. So determined was she that she rarely noticed the dark eyes that watched with appreciation and admiration.

Hiko was well traveled for a hermit potter. Having never been more than a few miles from her own village before, Kaoru listened with rapt attention when he spoke of the larger cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, and he seemed to enjoy entertaining her with his stories. On occasion he might mention something his "idiot apprentice" had done in the past, but he would not reveal anything more to her ever-eager ears.

He knew she missed the boy and after a month passed he was concerned he might not be able to keep her there with him much longer for she was becoming restless.

"Here," he finally said one day as he handed her a bucket.

"What is this?" she asked in surprise.

"Go get some water from the river, girl," he said and turned away. Kaoru stared after him wide-eyed for a moment before a slow smile spread across her lips. He was giving her permission to go into the woods alone and the river was by no means close.

"Huh," she said and proceeded to trudge off along the path clearly marked by his own footprints from days before. There was something profoundly liberating about being in the woods alone. The frustration of her weakness was subsiding with each day. Against the odds, she was alive and well, but the time would come when she would have to leave the haven of Hiko's lodge.

Kaoru's steps hesitated as she suddenly realized that she had a future to think about for the first time since she set foot on the forbidden mountain. I escaped to the mountain to find life and now that I've found it, what do I do with it? She shuffled her feet thoughtfully. I guess I could try to rebuild the dojo and restore my father's teachings…

With a weary sigh, she plopped down on a rock to stare at the ripples in the half frozen river. What's the use? Yahiko was my only student and now he's…he's... Kaoru wiped a lonely tear from her cheek. Yahiko. I couldn't protect you, not even with everything I taught you. I'm a failure that's what I am. I teach the sword that protects but I was never strong enough. And now seven children are dead.

Kaoru hugged her legs to her chest and rested her head on her knees. If only Kenshin were here. He always knows what to do. When he's around I feel as if there were no one else in the world he would rather be with. He makes me feel stronger than I really am. Closing her eyes she tried to imagine his arms around her instilling her with warmth and comfort. From the moment he entered into her life, she felt safe as if nothing and no one could ever harm her again. What sort of man possessed that kind of power, to affect her so deeply with his presence alone? And when he kissed her…

She wet her lips in memory. The first kiss had been one of assurance, but the second had been so much more. There had been a few moments when he let his mask slip and she glimpsed the emotions he suppressed. They were fierce and primal, everything a swordsman should be in the heat of battle, everything she admired and feared. If Kenshin was half of what she had been told he was, those emotions overflowed within him. And she had tasted the existence of the deeper, feral part of his personality in the disguise of a chaste kiss.

Who is he really?

With a sigh, Kaoru pushed herself up and cautiously approached the river's edge. Kneeling in the soft snow, she dunked her bucket into the frigid waters and silently wondered where her red-haired samurai was and if he was safe.