Dragostea Nu Are Ochi
Chapter Three
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Once again, most translations can be found in the A/N
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"May I ask you something?"
Megumi turned from her medicine mixing, in surprise, and faced Kenshin, who was lying in the cot. "Yes," she answered, turning back to the mixture.
"Where are we going? I've been on in this wagon for almost 2 weeks, and I still don't know where on earth we are," he said, sitting up.
"We are in Romanian," Megumi teased. Kenshin made a face and she answered his question. "We are heading towards our village. We just came from selling our goods at the town fair. We go every three months. I must go, in the event of an illness or injury."
"Your village?" Kenshin asked in disbelief.
"Yes. What? Did I say it wrong?"
"No, it's just… I thought that "raklos" weren't allowed in the village." He tried to remember if that was the proper saying of that word.
"First of all," Megumi sighed, "never use the word… it sounds pathetic when you say it. Second, you're a special raklo. You're small, so you probably won't hurt anyone. You don't seem muscular, so I don't think you'll be challenging our leader and winning anytime soon."
"Ouch…" he muttered.
"And lastly, and most importantly, you're injured. I can't turn a blind eye, just because you're from over the seas." She laughed and looked towards the door. "We'll be home soon, and you'll meet my father. It's a rather large town. Not as big as New York, but just as noisy. You'll be at home, Raklo."
Kenshin heard two feet drop down from the roof of the wagon and he looked to the door. Kaoru pushed back the curtain. She said something to her sister, which Kenshin did not pick up, and turned towards him. "We are almost home, Raklo."
"Great…"
"Again with the pessimism," Megumi said, as Kaoru started laughing. "Are all Americans like you?"
"No, only the ones who've gone through tragedy."
Kaoru turned to her sister, while pulling a dagger out of its sheath, "Sako peskero charo dikhel…"
Megumi laughed and nodded her head. Kenshin rolled his eyes and turned to look around the room. "Have you seen my book?"
"No," Kaoru answered, while studying the knife.
Megumi took a quick look around the room. "Is it not here?"
"I don't see it…" he muttered.
"It's right here," Kaoru answered. She threw the book at him. "Open your eyes next time."
"Yeah, I'll remember that…" he answered, sarcastically. He picked up his book and flipped through it. "Too bad I can't read it..."
"What a shame…" Kaoru nodded, mockingly.
"Actually, I fixed these for you, for now at least." Megumi rummaged through her pockets, and produced Kenshin's glasses. "It's just tape, so I won't hold long, but I'm sure a man in town could help you long term."
Kenshin snatched the glasses. "Ah, thank you so much." He smiled and put the crooked glasses on. Maybe this won't be so bad… he mused. He opened the book and began to read were he had left off.
A short while after Kenshin began to read, Sanosuke came through the door, covered in mud. Kenshin looked up and watched the scene unfold, not being able to understand their dialect. Megumi asked him something and, upon hearing his answer, smacked him in the head. Kaoru just shook her head, apparently sorry for him. She muttered something and he leaned on her shoulder, with a mischievous smile. He whispered something in her ear and backed away as quick as possible. Kaoru sat in disbelief and then told her sister what he had said. They both began to come after him, as Sano slowly started going backwards.
Sanosuke smiled and turned to Kenshin. "Pen the rani ta wusser mandy a tri-grushi."
Kaoru shouted something, and chased him out of the wagon. He jumped off the side and Kaoru was about to follow him, but stopped and merely shouted, "Dinilo!"
Kenshin heard a few men laughing and Kaoru huffed. She sat down the floor and picked up the dagger.
Kenshin looked between Megumi and Kaoru. "What in the world…?"
Megumi smiled. "You're speaking English again… and what just happened in a long story…"
Kaoru piped up in Romanian, "It's not that long of a story… it's not like we have a history together! I mean, come on, I meet the guy once and he ties to sweep me away... You can't just do that!"
Kenshin made a face. "Sanosuke, you mean?"
"No!" Kaoru shouted. "That's disgusting!"
Megumi raised an eyebrow at Kaoru. Kaoru bite her lip and Megumi spoke, "No, Kaoru is talking about some guy she fell in love with at the market. He wasn't Gypsy, and he knew her for five minutes, but it was love at first sight!"
"Sister!" Kaoru shrieked. "I can't believe you! I didn't like the man and you're telling this to a total stranger!"
"See! She's blushing!" Megumi continued. "That proves it!"
Kenshin shook his head and returned to his book.
Women… I'll never understand them…
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"Wake up, Raklo."
Kenshin stirred in his sleep but did not wake.
"Come on, lazy, get up."
He covered his face with the pillow and blocked out the noise.
"Get up!" the voice shouted, while pulling him out of the bed and onto the hard floor. Kenshin sat up and held his bandaged chest. He looked up to see the person who woke him. He saw Kaoru, standing with her hands on her hips, looking slightly annoyed.
"That hurt…" he grumbled.
"You didn't wake. What was I supposed to do?" She turned and picked up her sheathed dagger. She slipped it into her belt and headed for the door. She called to him, "We're home, by the way."
Oh joy… he thought.
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"Up this way is where we live," Megumi said as she point out their, rather large, castle-like home that was probably built in the medieval era. She began to help him up the pathway. Before Megumi could open the large wooden doors, they swung open. There, standing in the door was a tall, muscular man, with jet black hair and a big bushy beard. His blue eyes seemed overjoyed at the arrival of Megumi and Kaoru, who was trailing behind.
Megumi left Kenshin's sided, and went to the bushy bearded man. He hugged her and started speaking in Romany. He then went to Kaoru and squeezed her tight, lifting her off the ground. She started coughing and he released her. The man turned to Kenshin with a confused look.
"This is my father," Megumi explained. "Bulibasha of the village, Koshijirou Kamiya."
"Happy to meet you sir," Kenshin bowed as far as he could, then winced and held his side in pain. "It's an honor…" he groaned.
Megumi went to his side, "Idiot! What are you bending for! You'll kill yourself!"
"Well, I didn't want to be rude…" Kenshin muttered between pained breaths.
"Come!" Koshijirou shouted, ushering them inside. "Let's feast!"
Megumi brought Kenshin up the stairs and into a quiet room. There was a bed in one corner, a writing desk in the other, and shelves filled with books. The floors were covered with hand-made rugs, and a few paintings of scenery hung on the walls. Kenshin lay down on the bed and Megumi turned to leave.
"I'll bring you up some food," she told him before closing the door.
Kenshin nodded to himself. "Right…" He looked around at the books and read the titles. He pulled out one that interested him and hobbled back to the bed. He flipped it open and began to read through his crooked glasses.
Regions of Romanian, Part I
Chapter I: Carpathian Mountains and Surrounding Areas-
The Carpathian Mountains are the-…
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After a few hours of reading about Romanian geography, Kenshin had dosed off. Soon after, however, he was awoken by the sound of shouting outside his room.
He sat up; his was vision blurred for a moment, so listened to the voices. They were speaking Romany, and seemed to be frustrated. One voice was that of a man and the other was that of a young woman. Kenshin got up and grabbed a cane that rested against the nightstand next to his bed. He made his way to the slightly open door and peeked through the opening.
The young woman was Kaoru, who was arguing with another man Kenshin had never seen. He was tall, and extremely handsome. His jet black hair was tied back, showing off his brilliant blue eyes. He had a confused look at the moment, which made him seem even more handsome. Kenshin made a face and watched the two a little.
Kaoru said something catty and the man grabbed her wrist. His blue eyes burned through hers and they stood there, silently testing each other. She scrunched up her nose and looked away. The man sighed and said something. Kaoru didn't move, so he turned her head by her chin. She said something, but the man didn't seem to hear. Instead, he pulled her lips up to his and kissed her. Kaoru stopped for a second; her whole body shivered. She then registered what was going on, and pushed the man back. The force of her shove made him smack against the adjacent wall. He stepped back form the wall and looked down upon her. She looked at the ground and he began to walk away. When he was gone, she looked up, and her eyes fell upon Kenshin, who was hiding behind the door.
"Raklo?" Kaoru stared at him. "Were you watching that?"
"N-No, I just happened to-…" Kenshin stuttered.
"Huh…" she muttered turning away. Her face was red and she crossed her arms. "Guess you think I'm just some brute of a girl, born under the wrong sign…"
"Born under the wrong sign?" Kenshin asked.
"My father wanted a boy… but all he got was a girl who only acted like a boy…" Kaoru scrunched up her nose, like she was disgusted with her self.
"Well, I don't think you act-…" Kaoru gave him a sharp look and he stopped mid-sentence. "Maybe a little…" he muttered.
"That man was the only one in the village that even considered courting me… and I-…" Kaoru looked at the ground. Her mood suddenly swung and she shouted, "Damn it!" Kenshin looked at her, slightly confused. She shook her head, "This is getting me no where,I'm leaving."
"What? You're just gonna leave like that?" Kenshin said, starting to follow her as she walked down the hall.
"It's my house, I do what I want," she called over her shoulder.
"Wait!" he shouted, trying to keep up.
She turned sharply. "What is it you want, Raklo!"
"Uh…"
"Listen, I don't particularly like you, and I don't think you have a voice or say in my affairs, so keep out of it." She turned to leave again.
"But-…"
"What!" She turned and pulled out her dagger. She held the tip of the blade near his throat. "I don't need you or your help. Next time you stick your nose in my business this blade flies." She sheathed the blade and walked away.
Kenshin rubbed his neck. "Crazy women…" He turned to go back to the room and was startled to find Megumi hovering over him, with a tray of food in her hands. He stopped short, so as not to knock over the tray and starred at her.
"Just what are you doing out of bed!" She shushed him back into the room and set the tray on the writing desk. "I brought you the food I had promised, and I see you found that cane I left you. It's only to walk very short distances… not to roam the castle with."
"Thanks, Mom," he said, sarcastically.
"You Americans," she shook her head, while walking out of the room, "are so weird."
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A week or two passed, and Kenshin's leg was healing up. Megumi agreed to let him wander the floor he was on, but if she caught him on the lower or upper levels of the castle, or even close to the stairs, she'd lock him in his room till he was completely, and without a doubt, healed. He agreed, slightly annoyed that mot people treated him like a child. He hardly ever saw Koshijirou Kamiya, or Kaoru for that matter. Since their 'meeting' in the hall, Kenshin only caught a glimpse of her now and then.
As Kenshin wandered the grand hallways, he starred at the paintings of the previous Gypsy royalty. Men with black beards starred down at him, disapprovingly. Many generations' eyes pierced through him. Kenshin looked at the floor until he came upon a room. The door was closed so he knocked timidly. When no one answered, he gently opened the door.
"Hello?" he called, seeing if anyone was in the room. He stepped in a looked around.
The room was obviously someone's bedroom; there was a plush bed in the corner, and a writing desk. Kenshin limped towards the desk and shuffled through the papers. Some were letters, and some were drawings. They drawings were of things that would be in the area; rabbits, deer, nature. They weren't half-bad drawings, and they all had the same signature. Kenshin looked through the letters, most were friendly letters from around town, or from nearby towns. Some, however, were labeled to Nepal, China, France, and Italy. Kenshin looked through these letters and read a few. They were all in English, surprisingly, and all addressed to the same person. The writers of the letters talked about their country, they're lives, and how they've been affected by the war.
Kenshin then turned to a dresser near the table. On the dresser-top were all sorts of trinkets, handmade, and a few daggers and carving knives. He turned around and on the opposite wall, hanging up, was two bows, a quiver full of arrows, and a revolver. Kenshin starred for a moment then looked around the rest of the room. It was messy; clothes were everywhere and the bed wasn't made.
Suddenly Kenshin heard footsteps at the door. He heard the boots stop at the open door and the owner take a sharp breath inward.
"What!" he heard Kaoru gasp.
"Where is he?" Kenshin said, picking up a note on the dresser.
"Wha-…. Who?" Kaoru stumbled for words.
"The boy, who's room this was… he was young, wasn't he? Probably an adolesant?" Kenshin looked around the room once more, and turned to face Kaoru. "I haven't seen a boy around here, where is he?"
"I-…"
"He left abruptly, didn't he?" Kenshin's eyes searched Kaoru's. "His possessions, are in the exact same place they were, before he left… Everything seems to lived in for his departure to be planned. What happened? Who was he? Kaoru?"
Kaoru's eyes watered up, and for the first time since Kenshin had met her, she seemed as weak and dependant as a child. She swallowed hard and looked around the room before answering.
"Yahiko…"
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A/N:
Hey! Very mysterious, no? I hope so…. I'm not good at cliff hangers… I get too anxious myself, and don't want to wait for the next chapter! Haha…
So, this was an uneventful chapter! I would have liked more, but oh well! And I'm trying to develop Kaoru's character more. I'm so trying to portray her as this tough, cold-hearted, strong, sarcastic girl, who is a little more complex then what everyone thinks.
You also must have noticed Kenshin's character. He seems very OOC in the begining because that's what I want to portray him as; very timid, a bookworm, ect. But as time will go on, he gets a little... rougher I guess would be the word. In the next chapter you'll see it as well.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: This fiction's song is Trip Through Your Wires by U2 off their album, Joshua Tree, 1987. The chapter titles are now the lyrics from the song. They fit and I love that song so that's that. (And I suck at chapter titles!)
For the readers:
Someone asked a good question. In case your still confused, Romany is the language of Gypsies, and Romanian is the language spoken in Romania. Now, I just happened to set this in Romania, but Gypsies are all over the world.
Also, Gypsies are not from Romania orgianally. You might think this because another name for Gypsies is Romany (used on Cowboy Bebop by Faye). It is believed that Romany people are from India originalty, before their kind mirgrated to the west.
Just thought I'd clear that up.
Thanks for all the support! Everyone is commenting on how this is a very original and imaginative story, and I appreciate that.(I got the idea partially from Van Helsing) It makes me want to keep writing. Thanks esspecially to Lillienne! You rock girl!
Anyway!
Translations:
Sako peskero charo dikhel- Everyone only sees their plate (Romany)
Pen the rani ta wusser mandy a tri-grushi- Tell the lady to throw me a shilling (Romany)
Dinilo- Idiot, stupid (Romany)
Bulibasha- leader of a gypsy village (Romany)
Raklo- non-gypsy boy
Ciao!