The Concubine

By Saku-Yume

"His eyes upon your face

His hand upon your hand

His lips caress your skin

IT'S MORE THAN I CAN STAND!

Why does my heart cry?

Feelings I can't fight!

You're free to leave me but

Just don't deceive me!

...And please believe me when I say

I love you..."


Chapter Nine: El Tango de Roxanne - Part Two

A light breeze blew sakura petals from the trees and down upon the two small figures. Kaoru led the way silently through the sakura grove on the way to her mountainside teahouse. Kenshin stayed in step at her side, silent, but internally alert. He wondered what could be on her mind. He knew something must be amiss for she was never this apprehensive with him of late.

Kaoru turned abruptly, "Kenshin, I…" she trailed off, losing her nerve momentarily. He stepped toward her and she involuntarily stepped back. Megumi's words had impacted her and she could not escape them. Before he could question her actions she pushed ahead. "There seems to be a lot of… unspoken tension in and around some of the people within this court. I wondered," she softened her tone, realizing she sounded far more abrasive than she'd intended. As much as Megumi's words shook her she did not want to be harsh with Kenshin. I wondered if you might be able to help me understand…"

Kenshin felt a knot in his stomach. He had a feeling he knew where this conversation was headed. In spite of himself he nodded. "I'll do what I can, Kaoru."

She smiled, trying to ease the tension. She didn't really know where to begin. She sighed. "Tell me about Tomoe…"

She could see the color drain from his face. How had Kaoru found out about Tomoe? Then she realized. It must have been Megumi. He made a mental note to have a word with the fox later.

He opened his mouth and closed it, unsure of what to say.

"Listen, I don't mean to be rude but I feel like I'm being pulled into something that I don't understand. Everyone around me seems to know a bit about what's going on but nobody is really talking about it. I knew from the beginning that you and Enishi were at some sort of odds but I still don't know why. I have come to grips with the fact that Lady Taki hates me, but I'm only now becoming aware of what she may actually be capable of…" she trailed off. She didn't know if Megumi had spoken to Kenshin about her findings concerning Taki and the death of Yuri – and she didn't want to betray her trust. "And I am battling with my own feelings… for you…" she averted her eyes.

Kenshin's heart raced momentarily. He lifted her chin with delicate fingers and smiled, locking his eyes with hers.

Kaoru smiled slightly. "Just help me better understand what I've come so abruptly in the middle of…"

Kenshin nodded after a beat. He offered his arm. "We shall speak where our words will not fall upon idle ears."


He led her to the teahouse and closed the door behind them. He pushed down the memories from the last time he'd been here, finding her in a heap on the duvet that was now rolled neatly in the corner. Servants had come and dressed the average sized room accordingly. Plush rugs covered the floor and shining black lacquered furniture dotted the room. It was simple but elegant. The rush of the waterfall broke the silence and supplied an effective sound barrier. They would not be overheard. "No wonder he brought her here to take her," Kenshin though ruefully.

Kaoru knelt gracefully on an overstuffed pillow and waited for Kenshin to join her at her side. He shook off his thoughts and took his place, folding his knees, next to her.

After a short silence, it was clear that Kaoru only intended to listen from this point on. Kenshin took a deep breath.

"I assume from your most direct inquiry that you must already know that Tomoe was my wife. You must also know that she was Enishi's older sister and Empress before him." Kaoru nodded. "What else do you know, Kaoru?"

"I know that she died just short of a year after you wed. I know that you ruled alongside her. I know that Enishi blames you for her death. I know he was jealous of your love for her and her love for you…" she paused. "What I don't know is why he blames you. Why he was jealous. Why you didn't retain the throne after her death…"

Kenshin mused. "You know quite a bit." He paused. "Tomoe and I… we started seeing each other long before her father died. I was enlisted in the imperial army as a young boy and served her family since I was twelve. Because of my abilities I climbed in rank swiftly and eventually caught the eye of her father – the emperor at the time. He summoned me to head his personal guard with five other men of my choosing. I was just seventeen." Kenshin laughed and shook his head. "I chose the best of the best that I'd fought alongside for so long and one of those men was my best friend Sagara Sanosuke – Megumi's husband."

Kaoru smiled slightly as he went on. "We were given personal quarters in the palace and were charged with guarding, protecting and defending the emperor's children and wives at all times. The emperor was very protective of the family he had since he'd lost the love of his life shortly after she gave birth to Enishi. Needless to say we spent a lot of time around them. While Sanosuke got to know and fall for Megumi – who was, at that time, the physician for all the women of the harem – I got to know Tomoe, the future Empress. We could not let our feelings be known but I pursued her in secret anyway.

Enishi was also very protective of his sister and did not like me from the beginning. He felt he could have protected her on his own. When his father appointed us – me - in spite of his disapproval, the relationship between them was never the same. He acted out and showed disrespect for his father and their relationship deteriorated from there.

Meanwhile Tomoe and I fell deeper and deeper in love. Enishi tried to expose our secret to their father but the emperor brushed it aside, knowing that Tomoe would have to marry the man he chose for her regardless. I started to realize the truth behind that. There seemed no way for her to marry me, no matter how much we both wanted it. So we decided to end our relationship before things got any more serious.

Unfortunately, not long after our decision, her father became very ill and died. Suddenly Tomoe was faced not only with having to rule an empire but she'd not yet formally been assigned a husband. There was a man that was the most obvious choice. A powerful shogun from the south whose father was very much politically involved with the late emperor. His name was Kiyosato Akira.

Tomoe quickly adapted to her new station and organized her formal debut to her peers and her people. In the few weeks between her father's death and her debut, we didn't speak much. I thought she was forgetting about me. On the night of the formalities, we all gathered in the great hall – there must have been a thousand people there – awaiting her appearance. My guards and I were at our station to the left of her throne and between her father's harem. When she finally emerged I remember the look in her eyes. How beautiful she was. She saw me and smiled. There was a glint in her eyes and I knew she was up to something. After the formal passing of the crown and the signing of documents, she took her throne and waited for dead silence in the hall…


Yukishiro Tomoe was now the Empress. The absolute ruler over the land. She respected the position but did not covet it in the way most would. She missed her father despite their recent disagreement on her love life. She would honor him in every way she knew how in her rule, but there was one thing she would do for herself first…

"As Empress, my first duty is to appoint a worthy Emperor to rule alongside me. He shall be my companion and advisor. I have chosen who it will be."

The silence was thick and Kenshin swallowed hard. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Enishi grinning. Enishi was happy that Kenshin would soon be out of the picture and Kiyosato would help Tomoe to forget him.

Tomoe's voice was gentle and clear as a bell. Calm but commanding. "The man I have chosen is wise beyond his years. He is intelligent and worthy of this station. He is strong and kind. He possesses every quality that is required in a successful leader," she turned her gaze toward Kenshin and a hushed murmur filled the room. "He is the man I love."

Silence filled the room again. Kenshin's heart was racing. Tomoe stood and made her way across the grand hall to stand before him. He glanced up to see Kiyosato's face burning red, eyes bulging. He let his gaze fall back on Tomoe and she knelt, looked up at him and smiled. "My Lord." She inclined her delicate neck.

Kenshin's voice caught in his throat. Here he was thinking things were over between them. Thinking that he was bound to live a life of servitude to the woman he loved, tortured daily having to see her with another man, and in an instant everything had changed. He was barely nineteen and being offered not only the hand of the woman he adored but an entire empire.

The deafening stillness reminded him to say something. "I would be honored, your majesty." It was all he could manage to say. She smiled up at him and he helped her to her feet. She guided him to the throne next to her. Enishi stormed out of the hall slamming the door behind him. Tomoe ignored her younger brother's action. She would speak to him later…


"After that Enishi spoke to me even less," Kenshin said. His eyes were looking far off as he remembered. "But for a while all was peaceful. There were those who thought her choice was an ill-fated one…" he trailed off. "They were right."

Kaoru touched his back gently with her hand, urging him to continue.

"It was obvious that Kiyosato and his family felt slighted by her choice. She was unaware that her father had already promised her to Kiyosato formally. So her marriage to me was in direct breech of their contract. They took it as a blatant insult and declared war on her."

Kenshin looked away. "I remember that morning. Something was different about her. She knew something was coming. I woke up to find her looking out over our balcony. When I joined her outside she was smiling, but tears ran down her face. When I asked her what was wrong she turned to me and asked if I'd love her forever. I said, of course I would."

Kaoru noticed a tear had escaped him and her heart broke. "I was away. I heard about the oncoming attack and went to confer with my men. I left her unguarded… The attack came sooner than we expected… they rushed the palace… hundreds of them… by the time I made it back to the main hall I was too late. Kiyosato held her, screaming… enraged… he was shaking her… she was crying… crying for help… crying for me…" Kenshin choked up.

"I didn't think and I charged on him. All I could see were his hands on her… and then… then…"

Kenshin fell silent, eyes wide with the horror of the memory. Kaoru's breath was caught in her throat. "Then..?" she whispered.

"Then she fell. I ran him trough and she fell. I was so busy ending his life I didn't notice hers slipping away… By the time I came back to myself I saw what he'd done. He'd stabbed her in her side. I fell to my knees next to her and held her in my arms. She smiled at me… a weak smile… but so precious… she asked me to kiss her. After I did she pulled the tanto1 from her side and scarred my cheek, mixing our blood… marking me forever… and then… she was gone. Almost a year after she announced me as her husband."

Kaoru was silent. She didn't know what to say.

Kenshin pulled himself together. "Afterward Enishi blamed me for her death. He said if I had declined her hand she would have been better off. I felt guilty and gave into him. Instead of fighting to keep the crown I gave it up. I didn't want it anyway without her beside me. So he became emperor. He kept me close because of my military prowess. Besides that we didn't have much of a relationship for a while. Then it developed into a sick kind of game for him, I think. The entire time I was with Tomoe his jealousy didn't seem to stem from a brotherly place. It was as if he wanted to be in my place… Whenever I tried to approach the subject with Tomoe she's brush it off. She was the only one that didn't see his actions as strange and inappropriate. All of that was forgotten when he elected a wife, Yuri. Since then, nothing was the same. He took his duties seriously and became a good and respectable leader. We grew to respect each other but we've never been friends. And he never hesitates to remind me of my place when he feels threatened. He grew to adore Yuki almost as much as he adored his sister. It was evident that he loved her. And when she became pregnant he was ecstatic. His joy was short lived when she died after struggling with a mysterious sickness. He lost her and the child. It was a tough year or so."

Kenshin sighed. "That was all a while ago now. After Yuri died, Enishi became a different man. He surrounded himself with women and developed an attachment to Lady Taki. An empty relationship but who could speak against it? And when she got pregnant it seemed like things might have taken a turn for the better, but now…"

Kaoru nodded. She took it all in. So, that was what happened. Enishi must really be damaged inside from all of that loss. She felt for him as much as for Kenshin. She wondered if Kenshin knew anything about Megumi's findings concerning Yuri's death and Taki…

"Kenshin," she ventured carefully, "You said Yuri suffered a mysterious sickness before dying. Did they ever discover the origin of her ailment?"

Kenshin gave her a knowing smile and looked her square in her eyes. "I'm sure you are fully aware of the origin of her ailment. Dr. Takani can be very passionate about that topic."

"So you know too?"

Kenshin looked away. "Sometimes knowing is not enough."

Kaoru furrowed her brow. She didn't like how everyone seemed to just give up… she sighed. She did understand how powerless they felt though.

"I'm sorry about Tomoe," she offered quietly.

Kenshin looked at her and smiled after a moment. "Everything happens for a reason… I miss Tomoe but that was obviously not my sole purpose in being here." He touched her cheek and she closed her eyes, leaning into him. "If it weren't for all of that I would never have met you. And that would be most unfortunate."

Kaoru sighed but quickly pulled away.

"What is it? Why do you keep pulling away from me today?" Kenshin asked.

"Megumi said it couldn't work for us. She is right. We both know why I'm here… I… I feel deeply for you… but," she blushed. "I cannot do this. To you. To myself… even to Enishi."

Kenshin remained silent. "I understand."

"Kenshin I… I'm sorry…"

"No," he cut her off quietly. "Don't be. You are right. It wouldn't work." Kenshin closed off. He wasn't the same Kenshin from a moment ago. He stood and dusted himself off. "I will take my leave now, Lady Kaoru."

"Kenshin, wait…" But he was already making his way back to the main houses of the Osaka royal retreat.

Kaoru turned away from his receding figure and cried silently. She really felt alone now…


It was nearly midnight. Kaoru sat at her window reflecting silently on the week. After their long talk Kenshin barely spoke to her. Taki was recovering and she couldn't help feeling bad for her, even a little. Every time she started to feel bad, however, she remembered Megumi's story. She believed what Megumi said. She took into account everything she'd learned and something about the entire situation bugged her. She wanted to fix things somehow. But what could she do? Expose Taki? By what means? And then what? Become first wife? That's not what she wanted. But there were so many wrongs here that should be righted…

A quiet knock on her door brought her back to reality. She moved to the door, the only sound her silk robes brushing the floor.

When she opened the door Enishi stood before her.

Surprised, she said, "Enishi-san… what brings you here?"

Enishi rubbed his temples. "I must get away from that woman." She allowed him into her room and looked around outside to see if anyone had seen him come in. Just as she was closing the door she noticed Kenshin at the end of the corridor, staring - a hurt expression on his face. She wanted to call out to him… but her emperor was waiting. She averted her eyes and slid the door shut.

Enishi has taken a seat on her bed and she swallowed silently. He was still bent over, head in his hands, and elbows on his knees. She knelt before him and waited silently for him to speak.

Enishi felt strange. He didn't know exactly why he'd come to Kaoru… he felt like she was the only one he could comfortable speak to. This was odd since they hadn't spent much time together at all. But there was something about her…

"I hope I didn't wake you," he offered gently.

She was startled by the kindness in his voice. Not that he'd not been kind to her; she just expected his same lascivious demeanor. "Not at all your majesty," she replied.

"I have suffered so much loss and it seems it never ends…" he mused.

Kaoru's heart melted for him. In spite of herself she shifted closer to him and wrapped her arms around him.

Enishi was a bit stunned at the act of tenderness. Up until now, she kept a certain amount of distance from him unless he advanced on her. After a slight hesitation he returned the gesture. He breathed in her scent and felt more relaxed.

"I'm sorry… about everything…" she whispered.

Enishi got the feeling she was talking about more than Taki and her stillborn child, but he said nothing. He couldn't betray any of his emotions to her. Not yet…


A/N:

It has been over a year and all I can say is GOMEN NA SAI, MINNA-SAN! Saku-chan has had so much LIFE to deal with that my simple pleasures haven taken a backseat. But it seems as if things are taking a turn for the better lately. I hope you enjoyed the update and as always R/R! Laterz!