Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, or any of its characters. I've gathered Vampire facts around the web so therefore I take no credit on that part, but I do own the plot.

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Chapter Eight

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Kaoru groggily opened her eyes, groaning when the burning light of a candle came into her line of blurred vision.

Covering her sensitive eyes with her arm, Kaoru frowned and whined when she felt someone sit beside her, "Just a few more minutes, Grandpa. I feel so tired right now."

She smiled when she heard her grandfather chuckle, but refused to budge her arm when he tried to pry it away from her face like he had down countless times before.

"I had the most draining of dreams, Grandpa Genzai," said Kaoru, not noticing how her grandfather's hold on her forearm tightened as she recalled all that had happened to her. "I dreamt that I had been called away by the Crimson Guards and taken to the Castle. There, I was chosen to be Lord Battousai's queen! Can you believe that I actually dreamt of meeting and marrying Lord Battousai all in the same evening?" Kaoru giggled at her unrealistic thoughts, but stopped when she didn't hear a laughing response from her guardian. Her grandfather always laughed with her, if only to reassure her that he was there and understood.

She gasped as the hand around her arm squeezed hard enough to leave a temporary bruise, and try as she might, she couldn't free her arm from either her face or the person she had thought was her grandfather.

Kaoru's blood froze in her veins as something dangerously sharp caressed the tip of her left ear.

"I believe you, Kaoru-chan," whispered a voice of thick and endless honey. The way he spoke her name was mind numbing, yet at the same time she felt her body awakening to warm electrical bolts.

"Battousai," breathed Kaoru once her brain decided to properly reboot.

The Vampire released her arm and allowed her the honor of seeing him.

Immediately sitting up, Kaoru vainly tried to move as far as possible from the male seated beside her on the crimson chaise, pulling the blanket that had been draped on her over her shoulders out of instinct.

She flinched as his fingers neared her face, recoiling when he threatened to touch her.

With a scowl, Battousai stood and turned his back to her, walking up the three steps that led to his office area, where the worktable covered in folders and scrolls awaited him.

"Save me the trouble of carrying you and keep up your own health," said Battousai as he sat down, not even sparing her a glance as he unrolled the scroll closest to his hand and began to scan it over.

Frowning at Battousai's words, Kaoru looked around the lower half of the room and blushed when her stomach grumbled at the sight of food on the table across from her.

'So that's why I fainted,' thought Kaoru as she recalled what had happened earlier. She sent a glare up at the arrogant Vampire as the implied meaning of his words sunk in. 'I wouldn't have to worry about my health if a certain someone didn't see me as a walking snack!'

At the mention of a "snack," her stomach decided to once again remind her of its emptiness. She had gone an entire day or so without so much as a drop of water--it was amazing that she still had the strength to think properly.

Knowing better than to argue with either her stomach, or her husband, Kaoru stood up after folding the black blanket into a perfect square. Her grandfather would kill her if he knew she wasn't being appreciative of others hospitality, even if she is the Queen of the World. He had always emphasized that one must always leave places or things behind better than one found it, otherwise karma would come back with a vengeance. After all that had happened to her in the last 24 hours, Kaoru wasn't about to take any chances with Fate.

Walking over to the low-table, which was filled with tray-covered plates, Kaoru knelt down on the cushion placed before it.

Kaoru tiredly lifted the silver covering from the plate closest to her, her eyes widening and lungs constricting as the aroma and sight of the meal engulfed her. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought she had died and gone to Heaven. For someone who was use to eating one bowl of stale rice--and if lucky, with a strip of meat or dried vegetables--each day, this steaming plate full of fish and rice, splashed in a sparkling red sauce, was a dream come true. She couldn't even remember the last time she had been fortunate enough to have fish for dinner, let alone a time when she had any type of sauce to eat it with.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, Kaoru unconsciously clasped her trembling hands over the blue pendant around her neck. She closed her eyes and sent a quick prayer of thanks to Amaterasu.

Opening her eyes, the young queen glanced down at the item between her palms and stared wonderingly at its soft glow.

"If you had planned on rejuvenating without the use of food, then you should have done so sooner," said the annoyed voice of her king.

Kaoru glanced up toward the Vampire's work area and noticed that he too was staring at his own crystal, which was also glowing softly.

She tilted her head to the side as a thought occurred to her, her previous hunger ignored for the time being.

"Why do you still drink blood when Akuma's Pendant--" A glare darker than night silenced her within a heartbeat.

"That's none of your concern, Kaoru-koishii," growled Battousai with guarded eyes before he went back to his scrolls.

Suppressing the urge to hit the Vampire over the head with something hard, particularly the bokken she had at home, Kaoru turned her attention back to the meal in front of her. Her fingers itched to strangle the redhead, but she occupied them, for the moment, with a pair of chopsticks. It wouldn't do to waste such good food, and others had already gone out of their way to make it, so she might as well indulge herself.

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Sano ran a hand through his spiky hair of chocolate, taking another sip of his beverage as Enishi gently patted the Sakura owner's cheeks.

"I can't believe she's still out cold," muttered Sano, knowing full well that the Captain of the Crimson Guards could hear him, "even I didn't take the news that badly."

Enishi sighed as he went back to fanning Yumi back to consciousness with his left hand, his right supporting her against him.

"I don't blame her though," said Enishi sympathetically, "after all, this entire situation goes against everything that she–-the entire world to be exact–-has been taught about Lord Battousai."

Sanosuke sighed too, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "Maybe we shouldn't have told her."

"If Yumi can't handle this now, what makes you think she can handle it later when Prime Minister Makoto tells her?" asked Enishi as he sent his superior a reprimanding glance.

"I guess you're right," said Sano as he stared at his drink absently, "she'd probably kill us for keeping such a secret from her." He shifted uncomfortably as he set down his drink and faced the other Vampire. "Do you think it's possible that Our Lady Queen is Our Lord King's--" Sano gulped at the thought, looking down at the floor when he found it difficult to continue.

"I really don't know," whispered Enishi, his eyes distant as he considered the unspoken words, "maybe she is, maybe she isn't." He looked at his general and smirked. "What I do know is that Lady Kaoru is definitely different from all of those other court ladies, especially since Lord Battousai has entrusted her with Amaterasu's Pendant." The white-haired Vampire smiled. "If she truly is who we think she is, then I won't be surprised."

Sanosuke grinned.

At the faint sound of groaning, the two men focused their attention back on the only female in the room, silently agreeing to continue their conversation when there wasn't a third set of ears to hear them.

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Kaoru was bored out of her mind, in fact, she had absolutely nothing to do except wait for her husband to finish his work in silence. Her seven course meal had only lasted so long, and even then she hadn't really been that hungry when she started. The only interruption between now and when she had regained consciousness was when her new servants came in to clear the table and serve them tea.

All six Vampires had formally introduced themselves to her in the normal attire of the Castle servants. She did, however, notice that their black uniforms were sewn with golden thread instead of the normal white--no doubt to announce their servitude to the King and Queen.

Apparently, during the time in which she had been unconscious, Battousai had already been acquainted with their new servants: Misao, Omasu, Okon, Shiro, Kuro, and Yahiko. She knew, without even having known them for that long, that each one had a certain area of expertise apart from being servants. Even she, a human, could feel their hidden power and secret talents, especially from the Vampires named Misao and Yahiko. The way the two had swept the food away with ease and control told her more than enough of their hand skills. Then again, Battousai wouldn't let just anyone serve him.

Half lying and half sitting on the chaise, Kaoru yawned as she stretched and stared up at the scarlet ceiling. If she were back at home, she'd probably be asleep right now, or at least preparing for tomorrow's herb gathering.

Kaoru smiled at the thought, blinking rapidly when she felt something wet on her cheeks. She hadn't even been aware that she was crying until now.

Wiping away her tears, Kaoru mentally scolded herself. She should be happy that she was no longer fighting to survive one day at a time, yet here she was mourning for the past. However, she couldn't deny that she missed the simplicity of life with her grandfather.

Kaoru fingered the sapphire around her neck and smiled when she felt a warm glow wash through her. It was a comfort to know that she at least had one weapon to protect herself with in the Vampiric world she was now forced to live in. And as long as she had Amaterasu's protection, she didn't have to fear anyone.

She glanced over at the silhouette of her significant other.

'Well, almost anyone.'

In silence, she watched as his eyes and hands constantly skimmed over the piles and piles of paper that littered his desk. Not once did he complain about the workload, or demand someone else do it for him–-he simply remained quiet and got the work done, much like the servants that served him.

This was not how she had pictured things would be, how Battousai would be. All her life, she had been raised with stories of how her King was a merciless, cold-blooded killer that did nothing but slaughter for his own entertainment, but here before her very eyes was the Vampire of those stories, doing paperwork.

Kaoru felt her lips twitch upward. What would people think if they knew that their feared villain was working with ink instead of blood?

Moving her legs over the side of the chaise, Kaoru continued her examination of her husband almost enviously. To be able to do what he was doing so effortlessly required the ability to read and write--skills that she didn't possess.

Kaoru sighed as she stared longingly at the shelves of books surrounding her in the King's Working Room. She couldn't read a single word printed on the bindings that formed an endless pattern of black and silver on the wall, but she knew that within each and every single one of them was a secret. They were all written in a language she could not comprehend on her own, a code that she could never decipher.

She smiled sadly at her lack of knowledge.

Staring down at her hands, Kaoru slowly traced the character of her first name on her left palm over and over again.

The only reason why she knew how to read and write her own name is because she was named after a princess of centuries ago.

From all of the tales her grandfather had recited to her when she was younger, Kaoru knew that Princess Kaoru had been very much loved by her people. The loyalty of her people ran so deep that they preserved and passed down her legacy to their own children, who in turn told their children, and so on. Even to this day, the tales of Princess Kaoru were popular amongst the toddlers, whom were taught by their storytellers how to read and write her name. In order to spite their Vampire conquerors, and the laws forbidding them to learn, almost every single human on Earth knew how to read and write at least one character. This character wasn't just a symbol of rebellion, but also one of hope.

Kaoru smiled bitterly. Ironic how the girl possessing the famed Princess's name was now their Queen.

Once again, Kaoru glanced up at Battousai, who didn't seem like he was going to stop working any time soon.

Tentatively, she stood up and the walked the short distance to the steps that would lead her up to the red-haired Vampire.

Through her bangs, Kaoru kept her eyes on her husband as she walked up the three steps to his work area, where her previously steeled courage promptly melted.

"If you want something, then don't hesitate to ask," said Battousai, his eyes never leaving the scroll he was currently reading.

Blushing, Kaoru glued her eyes to her high heels, wringing her fingers out of habit as she tried to think of a way to word her request without sounding like a complete idiot.

Sighing when nothing came to mind, Kaoru shook her head and took a step backwards, making sure to avoid the small staircase. She was a fool to even think of proposing such a preposterous idea.

"I apologize," said Kaoru with a bow, "I didn't mean to bother you, My Lord."

Battousai finally looked up from his work at her formality, not use to his wife being so obedient and respectful, let alone so thoughtful when it came to him. There was always at least a small hint of sarcasm in her voice when she spoke to him, yet now, she sounded almost sincere. It was rather unnerving.

"What did you want?" demanded Battousai as he set the piece of parchment down and faced her.

Kaoru recoiled almost unnoticeably under his scrutiny, but stubbornly refused to break away from his piercing gaze.

Squaring her shoulders, Kaoru stated firmly, "I do not wish to trouble you with my problems, Your Majesty." She gave another bow. "I apologize for not thinking properly before I came to you, My Lord. I'll leave you be to your--"

"I did not ask for excuses, kitten," cut off Battousai with narrowed eyes, "I asked what you wanted."

Kaoru wanted no more than to race down the three steps and curl back up on the scarlet chaise, under the ebony blanket, but her body refused to move to her will. It was if someone had chained her legs to the ground and forced her eyes open so that she couldn't tear her gaze away from liquid pools of fire.

Swallowing, Kaoru did her best not to blush as she quietly, almost shyly, answered, "I–I wanted to ask you to–to teach me how to read and write."

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