ALTERING RULES
By: Chiki Yumeshisa
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin….all original characters are mine to claim.
AN: I'm so happy people are liking the fact that Kaoru is now dressing like a man! This next chapter will explore everyone's sides a bit more: including that of the enemies'. Please enjoy! Thank you all for your wonderful support and reviews.
>Chiki
Warnings: a hint of lime? Rated PG16 for torture and sexual hints.
CHAPTER 11
- A Name -
"I'm tired, may we rest a bit?"
The complaint made Aoshi's patience peak, and he had to remind himself that this boy was no ordinary one: Princes were known to be self-considerate brats. And this one was on longer a Prince. Kings were worse. He was just glad that the king he served hadn't grown up to be a spoiled idiot.
"We can't. We must deliver you to the palace as soon as possible – the men back there still need reinforcements, if I might remind you, sir." He tried to make the cutting edge of his voice softer, but it only resulted in a clipped, curt response. He could hear his anxiety in that sentence though, and he didn't care: things had gotten more complicated.
The Prince fell silent, swaying in his saddle surrounded by the small group of men. Men that would give up their lives if need be for his sake. His thighs and back hurt from all the riding they had done, and at such a rough speed. His pale blond hair was a tousled mess and his shoulders drooped with the weight of the armor he had donned earlier.
They pressed on hard into the night, picking their way to the Biron trail as planned as fast as they could. Aoshi was glad for the night: the darkness hid them well enough, and they had traveled lightly to allow them more speed. The horses' hooves churned at the grass and a cloud of dust trailed them as they hurried past the fields.
Around them, the trees grew thick and the atmosphere dense. What little light was provided by the stars seemed to wink out, and for a moment, it seemed as if they were lost. Aoshi knew his way, though, having scouted for the Torrin army plenty of times. He knew every trail and side road in the country almost by heart.
They soon reached a clearing, where, thankfully, Aoshi ordered a halt and everyone got down off their horses wearily.
Kaiden let out a moan and a sigh of relief as his feet touched the floor, and he rubbed at his bottom, wincing. Then, he hobbled over to the brook and began to splash himself clean of the dirt and grime which had plastered itself to his face and arms before letting his horse drink its fill.
Aoshi slapped his horse fondly, smoothing out its mane by its powerful neck. The horse whinnied back, a friendly sound, before lowering its head to graze on the grass.
"Horses need to rest too." Kaiden was saying, as he shook the remaining droplets from his hands. "I think we outran them."
The commanding officer did not respond. Instead, he checked to make sure that his sword was clear in its scabbard and mentally sketched their route. It would take them a good amount of time to get back to the palace with the route he'd chosen. He was certain no one would be able to follow them, but there was always a chance and he didn't want to risk it.
A soldier piped up. "Sir…..?"
"What is it, Beshimi?"
"Sir, if I may, why not cut through the Azurean path? It would take us to the Biron trail much faster."
Aoshi had considered that earlier, and he was seriously considering it again. The Prince looked like he couldn't keep up anymore, and their horses were all tired. He was sore all over too, but he knew that the plan was not safe. "The Azurean path is open to all sorts of bandits," he replied, "and not to mention we could be seen. It provides very low protection."
Beshimi nodded, pulling at the string of his bow thoughtfully. The other soldiers were either too tired, or too afraid to argue. The darkness seemed to whisper their arrival and the wind seemed to carry the message. Overhead, a hawk flew by letting out a piercing shriek before disappearing from view.
Kaiden sat back against a tree, folding his legs carefully beneath himself and wincing again. That frenzied escape had been a painful experience and he was not looking forward to continuing it.
He watched as the animals rested and he wondered when his night had gone terribly wrong. To his surprise, Aoshi came to sit next to him, arranging his cape so that he was not sitting on top of it.
"Are you all right?" He asked, finally, when a silence passed.
Kaiden gave him a smile. "I'm alive." He said, chuckling. "All thanks to you." He picked a blade of grass up and began twirling it in his fingers absently. "I-I'm sorry that your friends had to die this night. I wish I had brought more men to help you….."
"All soldiers die, whether in battle or not." Aoshi told him. "At least those men fought with honor – they will all be remembered." His eyes were trained on the grass in Kaiden's fingers as it swirled around. "Besides, I have every intention of going back there and avenging them all."
"My word…." The Prince whispered. "I had not expected this." He took in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. "When I was a boy, my father used to tell me that a kingdom would love its king if he played the two sides of the coin wisely. A king must listen to his people and must lead his people into battle." His fingers stopped twirling the blade of grass. "I wonder if I can live up to his reputation."
Aoshi did not respond. As far as he was concerned this boy needed a lot more guidance before that could happen. The Prince continued, "I plan to help build the walls around the Tower Keeps, so that my people can enjoy a view of the city. Then, I want to construct a bridge between Mintril and Daikan, so that we may be able to transport our goods to one another in an easier fashion." His eyes took on a faraway look as he spoke. Then he blinked and looked down at the dirt at his feet, his slippers dusty and worn from the climb up the mountain earlier. "I don't know anything about building a bridge though….."
"I'm sure the bridge will be magnificent, my lord." Aoshi said, quietly.
"Sire, a drink?" One of the prince's men had come up to offer him a bottle of water, which Kaiden accepted taking a long swig.
"We'd best get going." Beshimi announced, slinging his bow over his back. "The night will not last forever."
Aoshi agreed, and helped the prince to his feet before tending to the horses. Kaiden re-mounted, sighing as his horse whickered beneath him. The journey would begin again.
This time, as they left the woods, the stars were gone, and in the horizon, the sun had started to rise.
The night, which Aoshi had hoped would cover them until they had reached the Biron trail, had faded.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Yumi pulled her clothing on, covering her nakedness as she rose from the king's side. He was sleeping soundly now, and his wounds must not have been hurting as much as he had certainly been active that night. She covered him up as gently as possible, before slipping out of bed.
She looked back over her shoulder at him once more, before exiting the chambers. She was not tired, and was restless, so she headed for the towers, where she could overlook the kingdom of Torr.
The staircase up wound over one hundred steps that by the time she had managed to make it halfway, Yumi found she wished she had stayed in bed. The cold stone wall beneath her fingers gave her the shivers, and with her free hand, she lifted her skirts, before continuing up.
It was dark on the tower steps, like the pits of hell. No lights had been lit, as she had ordered, and thus, the climb was more onerous and dangerous and she picked her way carefully.
Kamatari was waiting at the top as expected and the young man smiled at her when she opened the door, stepping at last into the room. There, a soft glow from the hearth greeted her and she quickly stooped to warm her fingers.
"You're late, my lady." His voice was light, like that of a girl's. His features were soft and defined, smooth and pretty like that of a young maiden's. His dark hair was swept back, looking wind-blown and his brown eyes blinked at her, owlishly.
"Forgive me, I could not leave." Yumi murmured, rubbing her hands together. "What word, Kamatari?"
"The scribes have returned." Kamatari told her. "As have the musaidas. They tell me everything is set: Daikan is asleep and have sent but a handful of men to protect a key city."
Yumi smiled. They were driving the opposing country back as planned, and soon, Daikan would fall: Shishio would finally have the scrolls, and the conquest of the rest of the world would begin. Still, Daikan had put up a worthy fight over the last few years.
"You're leaving something out, Kamatari. I told you, I don't want half-truths. I want everything you know."
Kamatari gave her an innocent look, clasping his hands before him. "Ah, I wasn't finished, of course." He said, shifting his position slightly and leaning on the far wall. "I am told they took a captive."
She turned to look at him. "Captive? The order was to eliminate everyone and leave no one alive. We cannot show mercy."
Her eunich raised his hands, to suppress her outburst. "The others were killed, but not before we found out that this particular man had very valuable information."
"Information," Yumi snarled. "If he does not know where the scrolls are, then I do not need his 'information'. "
"Sir Seta Soujiro is the Prince's closest friend, and could be valuable in trading for something more important." Kamatari said, trailing his nails against the jagged stones on which he rested. "He's rather stubborn though: he put up quite a fight. He took out a large portion of our men with his handful of soldiers." He pushed away from the wall, crossing his arms over his chest which was armored lightly in a dark brown fabric. "Just say the word, my lady, and I'll have him executed right away."
Yumi returned to staring at the flames. Her mind raced with the things she had learned, and she had been searching relentlessly for clues on the whereabouts of those hidden scrolls. If the Prince was willing to hand over one of the scrolls in return for his friend, she should have him alive.
"No." She finally said. "I will keep him. He may prove useful after all." She rose to her feet, smoothing out her dress. It was a velvety fabric, which fell to the floor in small waves. The dark ruby color made her complexion paler, contrasting strongly with her long dark hair which cascaded down her back.
"And the information?" Kamatari prodded.
"Get that out of him too: I don't care how, just keep him alive."
He bowed his head in acknowledgment, and she went to the window. The sun was starting to rise, and in the horizon, she could see their army massing together. Daikan was sleeping – they would not know what hit them.
A wave of fatigue hit her, and she rubbed at her forehead wearily. She could not sleep just yet. "What of our spies?" She asked.
"They're all in place." Kamatari replied, nodding. "We haven't heard from them all, but so far, everything is going according to plan. Apparently, someone has tried to kill the young prince, Shuzo. The traitor will be killed on the morrow."
Yumi felt the breeze on the wind, and it moved her hair slightly. "It has come." She whispered. "The day has come."
The dark skies seemed to be retreating before the sun, pulling away from the light as it invaded their space. The city below the towers was asleep, the market place deserted, the back alleyways crawling with prostitutes and drunken men here and there. Yumi pulled away from the scene.
"And the Hunters?"
"They are planning with Sir Hougo as we speak." Kamatari assured her. "My lady looks tired. Perhaps she would like some rest before the day begins?"
Yumi shook her head, her chest rising and falling as she took in excited breaths. "No." She said. "No…." She could feel her heart pumping and her blood coursing through her veins. She would return to the chambers and wake the king and spend her pent up energy in his arms as she made love to him for the third time that night. "Thank you, that will be all."
Kamatari bowed once more, before exiting the room.
Yumi followed soon after, making her way back to the chambers, where the king still slept, bundled snugly in the blankets she had draped over him.
As she threw her clothing in a jumbled mess on the floor, Shishio stirred, opening one eye. "M'lady…?"
She kissed him gently. "I'm back." She whispered, smoothing back his black hair. He lifted a bandaged hand to her cheek.
"Where did you go?" He asked.
"I found you another scroll, my king." She told him, busying herself with removing the blankets. "Soon, Daikan will be yours."
0-0-0-0-0
The note faded eventually, as the trumpeter finished heralding the departure of the soldiers. Sanosuke was at the front, Kenshin towards the rear, wanting to make sure no one got out of line and wanting to keep an eye on the surroundings up ahead. Most people thought it cowardly, but it had worked too many times to be counted as such. He trusted Sanosuke to be able to lead and defend and at his friend's insistence, he stayed toward the back.
Just as the horses began to move and the outer gate to swing open, a shout echoed across the courtyard.
All the soldiers turned in their saddles, and Kenshin was among them, wondering who could be late for the departure. The signal had already been given. Annoyed, he pulled at the reins of his horse, swaying as he searched for the owner of the voice.
To his dismay, he saw Consolence and Tomoe riding up to them, their cloaks trailing the wind as they sped forward. When they were close enough, he realized that the other rider was not actually Tomoe, but another man, dressed down in armor.
"What is going on?" Kenshin demanded, eyeing the newest company.
"We shall be accompanying you." Consolence declared. Around her back she had strapped a long bow, and the arrows sat in their nestle, the quivers poking out and shivering in the cool night air.
The commanding officer's face reddened slightly. "I beg pardons?" he couldn't believe this: the woman wanted to haunt him every step of the way!
"Tomoe suggested that I go as well," Consolence said, meeting his eyes with hers, "and guide you when you needed it."
"A woman – guide us?" another soldier cried out. He was clearly upset.
"I know how to fight." Consolence continued, ignoring the other man's cry of protest all together. "You were but babes in swaddling clothing when I partook in the battle of Musaidas." She never waited for another outburst and instead, gestured to the man on her right.
The man happened to be Kamiya Kaoru, dressed down as a soldier, with a helmet on her head and the lightest pieces of armor they could find. Sturdy and strong, they still made her look small and vulnerable. Consolence had gilded a sword at her hip, but the use of one was a foreign piece of knowledge.
"This is Sir Valis Varrent, son of Valis Trident of Mintril." She announced. "He came earlier to the palace grounds, seeking his Prince, to whom he has pledged allegiance." She flipped a long blue strand of her hair over her shoulder. "He wishes to come along with us, to find him."
Kenshin glanced to the soldier, who looked much too thin and small to have been granted service to a Prince. "Can't the man speak for himself?"
Kaoru knew her moment had come. Consolence had given her a drink, which would deepen her voice and help her to grow whiskers on her chin and cheeks. So far, no fine hairs had started to grow, but her voice had changed slightly. The lingering substance tickled her throat leaving her with a rasping sound. "My lord, I got separated from my group." She lied. "The Lady Consolence has told me you are searching for him too: I hope we are not too late." The recited lines rolled off her tongue easily, and she felt a pit of anxiety twist in her stomach as she faced him.
For a moment she feared that he would figure out the plan, and for an eternity he stared at her, as if trying to see through her disguise. She was suddenly very aware of her appearance and felt the constricting binds around her breasts uncomfortable. She kept her eyes trained on his face though, to be certain she did not look afraid.
When he opened his mouth, he let out a small grunt, donning his helmet, covering his long red locks. "We don't have time for this. We must depart now. You had best keep up, Sir Valis. We don't have a moment to spare." With that, he moved forward, with the rest of his troop, with Consolence and Valis falling into place behind him.
Kaoru had ridden a horse only once in her life, and she held the reigns in a crushing grip, afraid she would fall. She tried to sway with the horse as Consolence had instructed her, but she found she bounced around like a rag doll on its back. She led a grey welding which seemed to like her the moment she had stepped up to it.
She was really doing it! She had pulled off the first part of the rushed plan, but the hardest part was yet to come. Would Kenshin trust her enough to listen to what she had to say?
When they met with the real Prince, she was afraid that he would give her away. Consolence had told her not to fret: for now, she was to concentrate on staying with the group and not falling behind.
The drawbridge up ahead had been lowered, and the soldiers urged their horses into trots, as they made their way across the platform and out beyond the castle walls. Consolence guided her horse next to Kaoru's, most surely in case something happened.
In the rising sun, the main city was swathed in pale light, and it was a sight to be seen. It quite took Kaoru's breath away, who had never dreamed to see it as anything but a slave. Now, she could be free, and the chains were off even if it was for a little while.
She managed to follow the soldiers down the hill and towards a trail. Their horses began to pick up speed, and she feared that she would fall off the saddle all together. Unable to get used to the sway of the horse, she bounced along in her saddle, wincing at the pain it caused her. It was nothing compared to what she had experienced before, but it still hurt.
They made it to a dusty trail, which parted into a village. By that time, the city was stirring. Soon, the sun would be fully in the sky and the day would turn very hot. She remembered trudging up roads barefoot and thirsty, and she caught sight of a band of slave traders, their possessions in tow. She turned her eyes away.
There was a shout, and Kaoru glanced up to see everyone halting. She mimicked their actions, pulling hard at the reigns clutched in her fist. Her horse whinnied in protest, but stopped as well, though rather abruptly.
"Hyottoko!" Kenshin cried, swinging down off his saddle, and running forward. A man was walking toward them, looking bedraggled and worn out. He wore armor too, but it was so dirty she wondered what he could have possibly done to muck it up that badly. The sigil of Daikan was hidden under the mess, and his cape was soiled beyond the shade of blue. "Hyottoko – are you all right? What happened? Where are the others?"
Hyottoko threw off his helmet, letting it clatter to the floor. His thin, long face made his eyes look too big for his head. He had a rat-like nose and a small mouth. His voice was strained and high when he spoke. "The others are under attack! There are too many of them! Thank the Ancient I found you….they will all be killed…..all…" He seemed close to tears.
Kenshin put a hand on his shoulder, shaking it. "Calm down." He ordered. "Where is your horse?"
"It got crippled and I had to leave it." Hyottoko said, between deep breaths. "I was to return to the Palace and ask for help. The Torrins have sent over three hundred men. We cannot hold them back."
Heart hammering, Kenshin took it all in. He had sent Soujiro and Aoshi out – by that time, both were probably dead. He felt dread in his stomach and fear for the village they had been trying to protect. He struggled to keep his voice steady as he said, "Go back and rest, and tell Sir Cyus of the grave news. My mission tonight is to find the Prince of Mintril who has gone missing."
Hyottoko raised his head. "Prince Kaiden?" He asked, licking his lips. "He is up there as well, most probably dead by now too…."
"What?" Kenshin demanded.
Still catching his breath, Hyottoko went through what had happened on the mountain's pass. At the end, he broke down, as realization that there was nothing he could do overwhelmed him.
The redhead looked stunned: his mission had failed even before it began. A debate was forming in his head. Should he turn back or go towards the pass to try and save who he could?
Sanosuke had made his way from the front wondering what was going on. He exchanged glances with Kenshin, and it was obvious they were at a loss what to do. If the Prince was dead already, there was no need to risk so few soldiers against hundreds. They had no choice but to turn back and seek reinforcements. All of a sudden, their well-formed plan was falling apart.
"The Prince is safe." Consolence's voice was quiet and hollow, but the whispered words were carried as though they had been shouted. All eyes turned to her, as she gazed off into the distance, almost absently. "He lives…"
Kenshin's grip on his reins tightened. "Well, where is he then, woman?" His fatigue and excitement had left him feeling cross. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but with Consolence, his blood boiled.
She blinked and turned her gaze to him, coolly, unruffled by his bark. "I don't know." She said. If she meant to spite him, she was doing a good job of it. By the look on her face, he could not tell if she was lying.
The wheels in Kenshin's head began to spin again, and he straightened in his saddle finally, announcing, "Lady Consolence is right: there is a chance that His Highness is still alive. We will search for him, until we have at least recovered his body. Dead or alive." He added. "We move to the mountain's pass." And with that, the order had been given, the rest falling to obey.
Another soldier went with Hyottoko back to the palace as the small troop followed Kenshin, who was now in the lead. Consolence and Kaoru brought up the rear, with the former brooding: it would be best not to fight in broad daylight.
By the time they reached the River Gazal, the sun was fully in the sky.
Morning had arrived.
0-0-0-0-0
Soujiro cried out, his back arching off the walls and his manacles digging into his wrists as he twisted in pain. The lash left an ugly red welt across his abdomen. It crisscrossed with a few other welts that had been put there just moments before. His arms had been chained up over his head so that he hung helplessly in an uncomfortable position.
The blow stung like a million piercing needles into his flesh and he could taste blood as he bit his lip to try and stop himself from screaming. Sagging, he drew in deep breaths, wishing he could just die. At least his comrades had died quickly and less painfully. He feared these men would let the suffering continue.
Be brave, he told himself, as he watched the Black Cloak circle him. He was just as they called him: a man in black. Bigger than Soujiro in more ways than one, they had allowed the Black Cloak to interrogate the captive. They had started the torture only minutes past and he already feared for what was to come. Whatever it was, he had resolved himself not to fold: he would never betray his country! He would die first before they could get him to speak.
The Black Cloak stepped back, eyeing him as Soujiro lifted his head.
"Answer the questions!" The Black Cloak barked.
"I already told you: I don't know what you're talking about." Was the stubborn answer.
The Black Cloak raised the whip again, threateningly. "What are you hiding?" His beady eyes looked swollen and his greasy fingers waved the device under Soujiro's nose. He could smell the foul stench of sweat and urine mixed together and he turned his face away.
When he pursed his lips together, the whip fell again and Soujiro gasped as red filled his vision. This time, to his surprise, The Black Cloak pulled him off the wall, and all but dragged him outside.
The sun had risen, though not completely in the sky, it bathed everything in its golden glow. And in the morning light, Soujiro could see just how much they really had been outnumbered. There were troops as far as his eyes could see – there seemed to be no end to them. Fear struck him as his eyes fell upon a brown flag. It had the sigil of a beast's head on it, the teeth bared and the red triangle which represented blood sewn in the background.
It was the symbol that the Hunters had chosen for their crests.
He felt sick at heart as he was dragged through a watching crowd, clad only in his small clothes as they had stripped him of everything but. For a moment, he forgot to be embarrassed but as they pushed through the jeering crowd, he felt himself flush with humiliation.
He was dropped almost unceremoniously on his knees in front of a stake. It had a ring through it, used to tether cows or other cattle in place. A pile of dung was to his left, the flies buzzing around it loud in his ears. Disgusted, he made to pull away, but The Black Cloak reached out and pulled the chains around his wrists up, clamping them tightly to the rung.
Helpless once again, and this time to the sound of laughter, The Black Cloak began to whip him once more, only this time, he did not ease up, methodically bringing the whip down again and again, until Soujiro thought that he'd whip the flesh right off his back.
Twisting in futile against his bonds, Soujiro tried not to cry out, but soon, tears of pain ran in rivulets down his youthful face, and he heard himself begging and pleading for mercy while around him, the enemy camp laughed.
The sound was the ugliest one in the world to his ears.
Finally, after an eternity of the flogging, he gave up. Every time he blinked he saw red, and that was the blood that had splattered around him, coming from the wounds on his back and legs. His vision started to blur and he felt himself sag in his shackles, and his body flopped onto the hard wooden stake for support. An animal's piss coated it, but he hardly noticed.
Suddenly The Black Cloak wrenched him away from the post by his hair and flung him back. The chains pulled tight and it felt like his arms would break as he flailed, falling on his side into the pile of dung. The flies scattered and the men laughed.
"There was a sigil!" The Black Cloak screamed, his face red and his powerful muscles quivering. "Whose was it!"
Confused, Soujiro glanced up at him. Sigil? What sigil? Then it dawned on him: the sigil of Mintril. The men that Prince Kaiden had left behind had proudly displayed the crest on their banners and armor. He never answered, choosing to feign ignorance. He earned a hard boot in the face, and Soujiro swore his nose had been broken. "Whose was it? What reinforcements did you manage to obtain?"
Reinforcements – what a laugh! Soujiro would die alone in the midst of the enemies' camps. He had a comforting thought that Aoshi had succeeded in bringing Kaiden to safety and that he had done his part in aiding them to get away. His group had caused quite a ruckus and that itself served as a distraction.
As The Black Cloak raised his hand again, another soldier stopped him, his voice smooth and full of authority. "Stop. You'll kill him. The Lady Yumi has requested he be kept alive for purposes of her own. Interrogate him, but we shall bring him back to the palace. She requests a personal audience with him."
The Black Cloak's gaze was smoldering, and the man marched away, seemingly oblivious. A few of the soldiers spat down on Soujiro before leaving as well.
The smoke and dust from the campsites clogged the unfortunate's nose and burned at his fresh wounds. He struggled to breathe and right himself.
To his dismay, he was brought back to the ledge to which he had been chained before, the curtains that hid the little room from view flapping behind them. Once again, slapped onto the wall like a piece of meat on bread, he was hung helplessly, the jagged stone under his ill-treated back enough of a torture device on its own. He cried out again, trying to put distance between him and the wall, arching his back, but it was no use. It only caused his wrists to bleed some more and once again he felt tears course down his cheeks as he hung helpless.
The whip lashed out, a small lick on the surface on the skin. It was enough of a reminder as to how much pain could really be inflicted. Soujiro choked back a sob as The Black Cloak met his eye. "Answer the question!"
A hint of a smile crossed Soujiro's lips, tugging at his mouth as he gazed back defiantly. "I will not tell you anything, no matter what you do to me."
He would die with honor.
The camp echoed with his screams.
To Be Continued…
AN: I hope everyone enjoyed it. I had fun writing it, and I will enjoy reading people's reviews. (Hint, hint). Please tell me what you thought and also, PLEASE CHECK MY PROFILE FOR ANY UPDATE NOTICES. The emails will come out to all those who are on the mailing list. That said, see you all next update!
Click that button! '