Disclaimer: I still don't own R.K.

Chapter two: Kenshin.

Miss Kaoru and I turn to see a tall man. He has dark hair, and most of his body is covered in bandages, he has obviously done a lot of fighting. The man also seems old, not very old, but a good ways older than the seventeen years Miss Kaoru and I have.

"You!" He shouts, pointing to me, "What business do you have touching my fiance?" He shouts, making his way to us.

I look down and notice that Miss Kaoru's face is pretty close to my own, and her chin is still in my grasp. I quickly let go and turn to the man. "Macoto Shishio, I assume?" I ask.

"And who the hell are you?" He asks angrily, pointing into my face.

I narrow my eyes, how rude of this man. Miss Kaoru puts her hand against my chest. "Kenshin don't." She says in a worried tone.

I make sure to soften my features. "Good bye Miss Kaoru." I say so only she can here, and run off so no one can catch me.

---

I sit on a nearby rooftop, no one seems to notice me. Miss Kaoru and Shishio-sama are below, at the alter. I watch as they lean in their heads and ... they kiss. I feel a ping through my heart, but why? I push an odd feeling down and continue to watch.

The family members from each side clap and there are smiles every where. Every where, that is, except for the face of Miss Kaoru. Instead, there is sadness. If only I went to the palace earlier, maybe I could have snuck her out, we could have ran away together, we could have been happy together ...

There it is again, that feeling. In the pit of my stomach I feel something odd. I can't explain it, I have never felt it before.

I sit on the roof until the wedding is clear. I jump off my perch on the roof, and sneak into the palace gates. The guards are easier to get by than usual, probably because of all the commotion that is going on thanks to the wedding.

I run through the long halls of the palace. I know where I am going exactly. After all, I have snuck Miss Kaoru out a few times actually, how she loved getting away from this very palace.

Finally, I reach my destination: Kamiya-sama's bedroom. I have to talk to Miss Kaoru's father. How could he make her marry such a man?

I barge through the doors, expecting to be seized upon entry. My expectations must have been wrong, because Miss Kaoru's father is simply laying on his bed. Maybe this was a bad idea, he seems to be getting even more ill.

"Himura-san." Kamiya-sama says quietly, so quietly I almost missed it.

After a startled jump, I answer. "Y-yes?" I ask.

"I was wondering when you would come ..." Came his reply.

I tilt my head to the side. "How did you know I would come?"

The ill man reached out his arm and pointed out the window, to the very roof I was sitting on earlier. He must have seen me watching the wedding. "Still," I say, "how did you know I was going to come?" I ask, still confused.

The man gave a weary smile. "Because, Kenshin, I know you love my daughter."

At that moment froze, and that feeling was bigger than ever. Love? It can't be though, Miss Kaoru is my best friend! I ... can't love her ... can I? Then, I noticed it. All of the times I came to get her and take her away, all of the times she made me smile ... "I do ..." I say out loud, "I do love Kaoru ..."

The ill man chuckled. "As I thought, I would love to see you and my daughter wed."

I snap out of my small daze. "But what can I do? She is married to Macoto Shishio!" I nearly shout, and then look down, "And besides, I am not of royal blood, I cannot carry on your wish to keep your family in royalty ..." I say sadly.

Kamiya-sama then motioned me to come closer. "If you defeat Macoto Shishio, you can take over his land, and therefore be the appropriate man for my baby girl." He said, as if to cry. "I want her to be happy Kenshin, and I think you can make her happy."

I think. I am just seventeen! Shishio-sama must have been at least 30. How can I defeat such a man? I mean, Sure I have trained, and I here I am quite the swordsman ...

"Please do it Kenshin, if not for yourself, than for My Kaoru, I know you don't like seeing her unhappy." Kamiya-sama suddenly begged.

I felt my self nod. "How can I do it though? He is bound to have many warriors guarding his home." I say.

The ill man grins. "The Oniwaban group." He simply said.

I give a confused expression. "Who are they?" I ask dumbly.

"The oniwaban group will help you kill Macoto Shishio. Long ago, they helped me with a murderer who was out to get my family."

"But how can I find them?" I ask.

"They are in Kyoto, you must travel there and find them." He replies. "Kenshin, you are a strong young man, I believe you can do this. Now, I don't know much about Shishio, but if you get the Oniwaban group to help, he will be easily defeated."

I nod. I have decided that I will save Kaoru no matter what, Kami only knows what she is going through right now.