Truth, Lies, Betrayal And Love

Chapter 10

Kenshin immediately recognized the intruder and he just stared at them for a moment before he finally managed to say their name, "S… Sano…"

"Hey Kenshin, I finally found ya, I'm getting tired of having to chase you down you know."

"What're you doing here, Sano?"

"I came to see you what else would I be doing in a castle?"
Kenshin arched an eyebrow at him and smiled, getting Sanosuke to punch him in the arm lightly, "Don't you say it if you do you'll be out for a week."

Naoto cleared his throat and stepped up to the brown haired man, "It's good to see you again Sir Sanosuke, but how did you ever manage to get past all of the guards?"

Sanosuke grinned, "It wasn't that hard… really…"

Kenshin chuckled, "You got caught didn't you?"

"What makes you think I got caught?"

"Because you just wouldn't be Sano if you didn't get caught at least once that you wouldn't."

"Hey!"

Before Kenshin could run Sanosuke grabbed him and began to noogie him, getting the former hitokiri to cry out in pain, "OWW! That hurts Sano!"

"So wha… ouch!"

Sanosuke yelped out when Rika hit him in the head with her broom, getting a glare from the retired fighter-for-hire, "What're you doing kid?"

"Leave Sir Kenshin alone!"

"Stop hitting me you little…"

Kenshin stepped between them and caught the broom, smiling at the half-frightened girl, "Miss Rika it's alright that it is. Sano's a friend of mine that he is."

"Really?" she asked innocently

"Yes."
Rika gave him the once over and crossed her arms over her chest, "He looks like a murderer or something."

"Oh no, Sano's quite harmless Miss Rika I assure you."

"So you're Rika huh?" Sanosuke asked once the broom was safely put away

"Yes and you are?"

"Sanosuke Sagara."

"Well any friend of Sir Kenshin's is welcome here and I'm honored to meet you but I must ask you not to tear up anything."

Sanosuke smiled wickedly, "And what if I do?"

"Then I will be forced to hurt you… severely."

"Oh really, what're you gonna do?"

He tried to pat her on the head but she attempted to bite him, making him promptly pull his hand away, "Hey! Watch it you little…"

"Sano be nice." Kenshin warned

Sanosuke huffed slightly and Kenshin chuckled before asking, "So how is everyone back at the dojo?"

"They're all fine but they miss you, especially Missy."

"How is Kaoru doing?"

"She been kind of depressed since you left but other then that she's ok."

"Oh… I see…"

"We've all been worried about you, Kenshin, you've been gone for almost two weeks now."

"I know, I'm sorry but some things have come up and I… huh?"

Kenshin froze when he sensed someone approaching and he turned to his double, "Who's coming Naoto?"

Naoto peaked out of the door and gasped when he saw the coming visitor, "It's Lady Suki."

"Oh no… um… Sano hide."

"Why?"

"She will think you're an intruder so just hide until she leaves."

"Where do I hide?"

"In the closet."

Sanosuke did as he was told and got into the closet and shut the door just as Suki came in and smiled at Naoto and Kenshin, "How is everything going in here gentlemen?"

"We're just fine Milady, is there a problem?"

"No nothing's wrong I just decided to come and check on you."

Suki looked at Kenshin and noticed the slightly wild look in his normally calm eyes and a frown came across her face, "Are you alright Kiyoshi, you look a little pale."

"I'm fine that I am."

She went up to him and rested her palm on his forehead to check his temperature, "Do you have a fever?"

"No, I'm alright there's no need to worry that there isn't."

"Alright then, lunch should be ready shortly I'll see you both then."

"Yes we will both be there." Naoto said quickly as she left the room.

Once the door was shut everyone let out a sigh of relief and Kenshin tapped on the closet, "You can come out now Sano she's gone that she is."

Sanosuke came out of the closet and smiled, "So who was that?"

"That was my… um… mother that it was."

"Really? Well at least I know where you get your looks from now."

"What's that supposed to mean Sano?"

"Umm… no offense, Kenshin… but you do kind of look like a woman."

"Oro? No I don't."

"Yeah you do and so does Naoto now that I look at him."

Naoto laughed, "Please leave me out of this if you don't mind."

"Too late for that but back on topic, Missy really does miss you, Kenshin."

"I know I miss her as well that I do."

"So what's come up that's so important that you can't tell your friends how you're doing?"

"Well… um… I'm embarrassed to say that I am."

"What've you done now Kenshin?"

"I haven't done anything Sano that I haven't it's what my parents want me to do."

"Which is what?"

"They um… they want me… to get… married…"

Sanosuke's eyes went wide for a moment before he dumbly asked, "To a princess?"

"Yes."

Sanosuke busted up laughing and Kenshin glared at his hysterical friend, "What's so funny Sano?"

"They actually… want you… to marry a… a princess… you… of all people!" he sputtered out between laughs.

"Ha, ha, ha, I'm glad that you're so amused by this."

Sanosuke suddenly stopped laughing and turned serious, "Oh wait, what if Missy finds out about your fiancé?"

"I don't know but that's part of the main reason that I haven't come home. I'm trying to figure out how to get out of this and I don't want Kaoru to know. Sano please don't tell her it will break her heart if she finds out about this."

"I won't tell her. Oh yeah and speaking of Missy she asked me to give you this."

Sanouske handed him a note and Kenshin smiled and took it, "Thank you, Sano."

"Sure thing but I'd better take off before those guards wake up and come after me again."

"Thanks for coming, Sano it was really good to see you again that it was."

"Anytime oh yeah… there's one last thing Kenshin."

"What's that?"

Without warning Sanosuke punched Kenshin in the jaw and sent him crashing to the floor, receiving startled gasps from Naoto and Rika as they watched the scene play out. Kenshin sat up and rubbed his now sore cheek, looking at the rooster head with confused eyes, "What was that for Sano?"

"That was for letting all of us worry about you."

Sanosuke left without another word, missing the smile Kenshin gave him as he made his hasty exit. Rika and Naoto rushed to him and helped him up, their eyes full of concern, "Are you alright sir?"

"Yes I'm alright that I am. Sano always hits me when I do something stupid that he does."

Naoto chuckled slightly, "I've heard of tough love Kiyoshi but is that not pushing it slightly?"

"Yes but I'm fine that I am don't worry about it."

"So what does your note say Kiyoshi?"

"I don't know, I'll read it later that I… hey! Naoto give me that back!"

Naoto snatched the letter from his hand and fended him off as he opened the note and began to read it aloud, "Dear Kenshin, I hope you're doing well, the dojo isn't the same without you. I just wanted to say hello and see how you were doing. I will be here waiting for you when you return. Hope to see you very soon, Kaoru."

"Give me that! Sheesh Naoto…" Kenshin groaned as he took back his now public, once private, letter.
Naoto smiled, "What, I thought I was a sweet letter."

"The letter's fine but you're rude that you are." Kenshin scolded although he couldn't hold back his smile.

"It is Rika's fault she is beginning to rub off on me."

Rika gave him a dry laugh, "Very funny Lord Naoto, you're just jealous that Sir Kenshin has a girlfriend and you don't."

"Oh yes and speaking of romances how are you and Daigoro?"

"Fine why?"

"Has he proposed to you yet?"

"No! I'm never going to get married!"

Kenshin and Naoto looked at one another before they both said, "They're getting married."

Rika huffed and headed for the door, "I have chores to attend to now excuse me."

Kenshin and Naoto chuckled as she slammed the door shut then Kenshin smiled to himself, "She reminds me so much of Tamaiya."

"Who is Tamaiya?"

"Tamaiya is my daughter that she is."

"Oh really? I didn't know you had a child, who is her mother?"

"I… don't know she's not really mine that she isn't, I found her abandoned in the forest."

"Oh… how old is she?"

"She's about Miss Rika's age that she is."

Kenshin looked out the window and could hear Naoto talking to him but he didn't register exactly what he was saying. He looked down at the letter in his hand and sighed, seeing Kaoru's smiling face there instead of a piece of paper then he heard Naoto's voice beside his ear, "You truly do miss Lady Kaoru, don't you, Kiyoshi?"

"Yes… so much but… I don't know what to do about Lady Kiyoko that I don't."

"Give it time I'm certain that everything will work itself out eventually."

"I hope you're right…"

Naoto smiled and rested a hand on his shoulder, "Just follow your heart Kiyoshi."

Naoto turned and left the room to head downstairs, leaving Kenshin to muse over his thoughts in private. He stood there staring out the window for sometime, Naoto's words ringing over and over in his mind, "Follow my heart…"
He once again looked down at the letter in his hands and read the name several times then a smile came to his face as he realized what he had to do, "I'm going home…"