Dragostea Nu Are Ochi
Chapter Four
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For those immensely dense readers who've missed the past three warnings, all translations will be in the A/N
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She swallowed hard and looked around the room before answering.
"Yahiko…"
"Yahiko?" Kenshin questioned. "Who is that?"
Kaoru leaned against the wall. "My brother…. My younger brother…."
"What happen to him? Where is he?" Kenshin walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
She backed away and pulled out a dagger at the same time. "Don't you barge in here, and get into a family matter that has nothing to do with you, and think that you can make everything better! You can't!" She held the knife to his throat. "You can't bring him back, no matter how smart you are…" Kenshin said nothing and starred at her. She wiped her eyes and pulled the dagger out of his face. "Get out of here, Raklo. Next time I catch you in here, I'll kill you."
Kenshin leaned on the cane and walked out. He looked back at Kaoru, who was starring out the window of the room, and walked back to his room.
-
Two days later, Megumi came in to check on his wounds. She told him his leg was healing fast, but his arm and the gash in his abdomen were taking a little bit slower then normal.
As she changed the bandages wrapped around his stomach, he starred into a corner, thinking deeply. "Megumi?" he finally asked.
"Yeah?"
"What happened to your younger brother, Yahiko?" He looked at her, waiting for an answer.
For a moment, Megumi's hands stopped, but then, after her mind registered what Kenshin had said, they started moving again, rhythmically wrapping the wound. "Yahiko… He was so bright… and he was a fighter too… better with a sword then anything, though. He was a curious person from birth… he sent out four copies of a letter to people that people in town knew. He never had met them, but he wanted to find out about other cultures." Megumi smiled, lovingly. "Kaoru was closer with him then I, but now I think I regret that."
"What… happened to him?" Kenshin asked again.
Megumi shook her head in reply.
"Where is he?"
Again, Megumi said nothing.
"Please… tell me."
"A what good would it do?" she said, quietly. "You know nothing of our culture… you know nothing of our past… you hardly know us, so why on earth would you care so much? Your own perverse pleasure? Curiosity? Well, let me remind you that the cat always dies."
"Megumi… please?"
She tied his wrapping tight and stood. "He was kidnapped, okay? Are you happy? You found out. Kidnapped. Taken while hunting. Now stop interfering with our affairs." She turned and walked out of the room. Before she closed the door she stopped. "And before you ask, he was taken by the demons of Germany… or one of their inane followers."
She slammed the door shut and Kenshin ran his hand through his hair. "What kind of world did I crash into?"
-
The next time Megumi came in to check on Kenshin, she was colder then usual. She roughly changed his bandages and didn't speak to him at all.
"Megumi," he tried to butter her up, "I'm sorry, but I thought I could be some help…"
She said nothing, but tugged on his bandages.
"Ouch… okay, fine. What if I tell you something about my past… will that make us even?" Megumi said nothing, so he continued. "Okay, I wasn't born in New York City… I was born in England. Although, I don't know if I'm English or not. My mother and a great grandparent on my father's side were Japanese… but other then that, who knows. I think my father was part Irish or something. It would explain the red hair. Anyway, I grew up all over the world… And I traveled a lot, because my uncle, who raised me, was an archeologist, so he traveled. My parents died when I was young. Disease, I think. So, is that enough information for payback?"
"No…" she muttered while getting up to leave. "But I think if you tell me more when I come next time and the time after that, maybe I'll forgive you." She smiled, devilishly, and left the room.
"Oh joy…" he muttered. "I've made a contract with a vixen… well… it's not the first time."
He smiled, guiltily, and walked towards the bookshelf. "Let's see… What shall I read today? We have: Regions of Romanian: Part I-XI, Gypsy Traditions, Gypsy History, Weapons, Alchemy, and… no name?" Kenshin picked up the book tucked in the middle of the others. The title on the cover was in a language he didn't recognize, so he figured it was Romany. He flipped open the book and scanned a few pages. It looked like a diary, and, by the handwriting, a diary of a young girl.
"Ah-ha…" He smiled. "A page in Romanian." Kenshin softly read the writing aloud, "'I don't want papa to read this, and I know he can't read Romanian. Nanosh told Sanosuke that he wishes to court me when I'm older! That's great news! He is so handsome! I can't wait till I'm old enough! I hope I'm still pretty!'" Kenshin chuckled at the girl's wishful thinking.
"That girl had a lot of hopes," a voice at the door said. Kenshin turned on his heel and saw Kaoru standing there, her wavy black hair framing her face, and her blue eyes were calm. "I'll be taking that."
Kenshin wiped the sweat off his forehead. "You scared the life out of me! And I think I'll be keeping this book. It's interesting."
"You can't read Romany! Now give me the book." She held out her hand for the book.
"There are pictures…"
"A scholar like yourself is interesting in looking at the drawings of a young girl?" She held her hands on her hips. "You're being silly."
"Ah, but you're the one being silly. Why does a book this small mean so much to you? And thank you for noting that I am, indeed, a scholar." He held the book out to tease her.
She reached for it, but he pulled it away. "Because I like to look at the pictures, which reminds me, you still can't read that thing."
"Ah, but Megumi can. I'm sure she'll have fun translating with me." Kenshin smiled and stood. "I'll keep it for now, but maybe you should ask another time… I might be in a good enough mood then." He tucked the book under his pillow and rest on the bed.
"You arrogant divio, dinilo! …… KUSHTI RATTI!" She slammed the door shut as she walked out of the room.
"Good night to you to, princess." Kenshin smiled to himself.
-
"Well?"
Kenshin looked up as Megumi changed his bandages. "Well what?" he asked.
"We had a deal… you were gonna tell me about your past and I'd forgive you. So, start talking." Megumi smiled and put down the bandages.
"Ok… I told you I traveled a lot, so I guess I'll tell you about all the places I went. Actually part of the reason I traveled was because my uncle wanted me to be strong. He wanted me to be able to take care of myself. I learned to fight all over the world. I learned Fencing in France, Kung-Fu in China, and Kenjutsu in Japan." He paused for a moment, reminiscing. "My years in Japan were possibly the wildest ones I've ever lived. I spent most of my early twenties there, but the reason why is a story for another day. I'll start from the beginning then, to keep the story simple. I'm sorry, am I rambling?"
"No," Megumi laughed. "I understand fine."
"Good. Well, I grew up in England till I was seven. I was a pickpocket after my parents died, until one day, while running from the police, I found myself on the stairs of a British museum. I tried to get inside, to give the cops the slip, but a large man grabbed me by the collar and told the police that I was his 'rough-around-the-edges' nephew and that he'd deal out my punishment."
"So the man you call 'uncle', isn't actually your uncle?" Megumi asked, interested in Kenshin's tale.
"No," he laughed, "he's not actually, but in my mind he is. He is a great man… when he's not being egotistical. He's very complex, and, to this day, I never understood why he took me in. But he did, and he taught me many things. I learned history, architecture, science, mathematics, and art, all under his watch. He told me that I was a brilliant student, when I wasn't being stupid… and, God, did that confuse the hell out of me when I was young. Then, one day, I got into a street brawl. I was 13, and no where near strong enough to hold my own. It was then that my uncle thought I should learn the art of fighting. He said that a smart man would change the world, but a man who had strength and a brain, would rule it. So, I decided to take on the world." Kenshin rubbed his chin nostalgically.
From behind the closed door of the room, someone sneezed suddenly. Kenshin smiled and called out, "You can come in, if you'd like."
The door opened, and Kaoru stood there with a sour look. "I wasn't sneaking," she said, while scratching her nose. "I came for my book."
"What book?" Megumi asked.
"Well, Megumi, I think that's enough for today," Kenshin told her, to avoid answering. "Come again tomorrow and I'll tell you some more."
Megumi huffed, "Alright, but don't think you're getting out of telling me. I'll find out, sooner or later." She walked out of the room. Kaoru watched her, to make sure she went down the hall, and then closed the door.
"I want my book," she said, sternly.
"Ah, so you admit the diary is yours?" Kenshin smiled.
"If that's what I must say to get it back, yes, it is mine." Kaoru stepped forward to get the book.
Kenshin leaned his back against the wall. "I never said you could have it back, but thanks for the information."
"I'm warning you, Raklo…" she growled. "Give it back."
"I found another Romanian entry. This one is closer to the end… were you older?" Kenshin took out the book and started to flip through the pages, looking for the entry.
"Raklo…"
"Here it is: 'Soon I will the proper age and Nanosh will ask Father to court me! It's exciting! Yahiko said he is a great hunter. I wonder if he'd show me how to hunt. I always wanted to. Father will only let me follow from a far-…'"
Kaoru clenched her jaw in annoyance. "Stop…"
"'I wonder if Nanosh would allow me to go to far away places. I've always wanted to cross the ocean.'"
"Stop it." She rolled her eyes.
"'He is so handsome. I love his blue eyes and his smile.' Aw, that is really sweet. I didn't know you had a soft spot for blue eyes, princess." Kenshin tried not to laugh.
"How did you know my family was-…?" Kaoru questioned.
"Easy," he answered, snapping the book shut. "There's a painting of your grandfather in the museum. I pass it hundreds of times a day while touring families around the museum. Besides, your house is enormous. How could I not suspect your family to be royalty?" Kenshin tossed the book in his hands a bit.
"You're a bright one, Raklo," she smiled. "My father rules a vast area of Gypsy territory. My brother was to inherit that land, but I'm sure you know what happened to him, by now. Megumi can't keep secrets well. Anyway, we've gotten off topic. I want my book back."
"Hmm… well, I don't know. Maybe tomorrow, maybe not. Depends on if I'm in a good mood." Kenshin teased her again.
"Raklo!" she shouted as she quickly walked up to his bed. She leaned over him, pulled out her dagger and again held it to his throat. "Give me that book."
He just smiled, knowing this was her way and answered simply, "No." He crossed his legs around hers and hit the back of her knees. Her legs buckled and she fell on top of Kenshin's chest. "Now, I didn't have you pegged as a fast type of girl, princess." He smiled and her face turned red.
"You let me go, dinilo!" she shouted, hitting his chest.
"Ouch… Easy there, princess, remember I'm the injured one here." He grabbed her arms. "Now, who's Nanosh? He isn't the one that I saw you with the other day, is he?"
"Let me go!"
"Answer and I will."
"He is! Let go!"
"Why the sudden change of heart towards him?"
"Because I'm a different girl from the one who wrote in that book! That girl knew nothing of hardships. She didn't even know how to wield a sword! Let go!" Kaoru bashed her head into Kenshin's and he instantly released her. She sat up, across from him on the bed.
"Ouch…" he said, holding his forehead. "Nice move though. I'll be sure not to underestimate you."
"You be sure to, or it'll cost you your life one day." She crossed her arms. "Can I have my book now?"
"And loose the reason you come here?" He sat up and grabbed the book. "I think not."
"You are impossible!" she shouted. "And you're a completely different person then I thought you were!"
Kenshin looked at her, confused. "What?"
"I thought you were some little, pessimistic bookworm who had no spine." She crossed her arms. "Obviously you're much different. Why the change?"
"I didn't know what kind of people you were, so I acted innocent. Just a matter of knowing how to get what you want." He smiled and fixed his crooked glasses. "What's the matter, don't like me now?"
She smiled like a fox and headed towards the door. "I think I like you more now then I did before…" she answered without turning around. She closed the door and Kenshin grinned.
-
"Wake up, Raklo!"
These words barely made it through to Kenshin's sleeping brain. He turned over and ignored the annoyance. Someone grabbed his shoulder and shook him.
"Raklo!"
He swatted at the person who shook him and hit said person's face.
"You rude dinilo raklo!" the person shouted in his ear. Kenshin felt himself be flung from the bed and onto the floor. "I can't believe you hit me!"
"Huh?" Kenshin looked up, his eyes barely open. "What'd I do?"
"You hit me!" he heard Kaoru yell at him.
"Oh" he muttered. "Sorry." He stood up and stretched, while adjusted his eyes to the light. He felt for the bedside table and found his glasses. When he put them on, he saw Kaoru and noticed the red mark on her cheek. "Oh my God, how on earth did that happen?"
"You idiot! You did it!"
"Oh…" He made a face and repeated, "Oh…" He lifted his hand up to look at it but she pulled away.
"What kind of gentlemen are you! You pull women on top of you; try to touch their faces, and what's next? Proposing without asking my father!"
"Sorry… didn't know all that was terribly huge here."
She crossed her arms. "Well it is. You shouldn't touch a woman in anyway unless you're courting them."
"Sorry. For that and for hitting you. I really didn't mean to… I just kind of do that when I sleep." Kenshin rubbed the back of his head. "So? Why'd you wake me?"
"My family wants you to join us in the hall for breakfast." She started walking to the door, muttering to herself, "I don't know why, he's just some stupid raklo perdal l paya…"
"Well, I'll be right there," he answered. She left the room and Kenshin pulled his shirt off. Megumi had told him that extra clothes were stored in there, in case of guests. He threw his old shirt on the floor and went to the dresser to look for a shirt that might fit him. Kenshin then heard footsteps coming down the hall and saw Kaoru appear in the door.
"Oh, and before I forget-…" she stopped short and her cheeks gave a twinge of color. "I-I'm sorry, I should have knocked." She turned around immediately.
"Don't worry about it," he laughed. He pulled a white shirt over his head and said, "It's fine now."
Kaoru turned back around. "I was going to say that Nanosh will be joining us, so no funny comments. And if you do-…"
"Yeah, yeah, the dagger bit, I know," Kenshin answered. He walked past her and started down the hall.
"You still have a limp… do you need your cane?" Kaoru asked watching him walk.
"Maybe I should, because your sister will chew me out if I don't." He started to walk back to the room.
"And what about that sling she told you to wear?"
"It itches," he muttered while grabbing his cane. Kaoru shook her head disapprovingly, and Kenshin grabbed it. "I'm telling you, my arm is fine, my leg is fine, and the only thing I'm worried about is the nasty gash in my abdomen."
"Stop being a child and put the sling on before she sentences you to permanent bed rest!" Kaoru hissed at him.
"Why you want to get down there so fast? You want to see someone?" he teased as he put the sling around his arm.
"Oh shut up." Kaoru shoved him through the door and toward the stairs.
When they arrived in the dining room, Kaoru's father rose to greet them. First he strangled Kaoru with a hug, and then he slapped Kenshin hard on the back. Soon Megumi arrived, followed by a hungry looking Sanosuke, and finally the man Kenshin presumed to be Nanosh walked in. He had a cool look to him, like he was ready for anything. His slick black hair was tied back with a black string and his black ensemble complimented his crystal blue eyes. He had a long sword on his left hip and a pistol on his right. He bowed, first to Koshijirou Kamiya, then to the rest of the table, and sat next to Kaoru. Kenshin eyed him from across the table and smiled hypocritically at him.
"Besh!" Koshijirou called out happily. They all sat and Kenshin followed along. The bulibasha began a long, boring, and obviously one sided conversation about something. Kenshin sat there, eating the bread in front of him, occasionally glancing and Kaoru and Nanosh together. When Koshijirou stopped talking, the servants brought out breakfast. There were baskets of strange fruit, plates of fish and chicken, and bowls of hard boiled eggs.
Kenshin's eyes widened at the selection. Koshijirou noticed this, and laughed, "Si tut bocklo?"
The table laughed and Kenshin stared at them. "What?"
"He asked if you were hungry, because, by the way you're eyeing the food, you look as if you haven't seen food in days," Megumi explained.
"How do you say 'yes'?" Kenshin asked.
"Hai," Megumi replied.
"Ah, so," Kenshin turned to Koshijirou, "Hai"
The leader laughed heartily and the meal commenced. While they ate, Kenshin couldn't help but notice the conversation that was going on between Kaoru and Nanosh while the rest of the table had a much louder conversation. He also couldn't stop watching Kaoru's face.
What's wrong with me? he asked himself. I can't believe I'm hooked on the face that loves to torment me…
Kaoru looked up and met his gaze for a moment. She turned away to respond to something Nanosh said to her.
Breakfast was soon over and Nanosh was the first to stand. He whispered something in Kaoru's ear and she turned red. He then said something out loud to Koshijirou and the whole table gasped, including Kaoru.
Kenshin, as clueless as ever, begged Megumi to tell him what was going on, but she sat there unresponsive and staring at Kaoru. Kenshin heard Koshijirou say something, and mixed in his answer was the word 'yes'.
"What's going on?" Kenshin asked, extremely confused.
Nanosh turned to him and, with a cool smile, said in Romanian, "I've asked for Kaoru's hand in marriage."
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A/N:
Spontaneous, I am.
Man, I am so burnt from finishing a project like 5 minutes ago. But I'm glad I finished this chapter. Nanosh is an interesting character. He's kind of one of those last minute deals I whipped up.
The only hard thing about this fiction ('sides when I was making up chapter titles) is the language barriers I have to work with… I mean I know I did this to myself, but damn, sometimes it's so annoying that Kenshin doesn't understand what they're saying, and since this is following Kenshin's point of view, it's hard.
Anyway, the plot thickens, and it's getting good. I have this whole thing in my head that's going to happen and I can't wait… it'll be awesome. A lot of the stuff will be kind of off the top of my head, but then again, that's the way I write. New idea every minute…
I have used the word minute 3 times now… and I just figured out how to spell it. I seriously would be lost without spell check… Haha that's why they have it though, for idiots like me!
Translations:
Divio- crazy (Romany)
Dinilo- idiot (Romany)
Kushti ratti- good night (Romany)
Raklo- non-gypsy boy (Romany)
Perdal l paya- from across the waters (i.e. America, the western world) (Romany)
Bulibasha- gypsy leader (Romany)
Si tut bocklo- are you hungry? (Romany)
Hai- yes (Romany) (Yes, I do realize Hai also means yes in Japanese, but I think it's a coincidence. There might have been mixing of the cultures since Gypsies are originally believed to have been from India, as I have said, but I'm not sure on that.)