ALTERING RULES
By: Chiki Yumeshisa

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin….all original ideas/characters are mine to claim.

AN: Sorry I'm late in posting! Just a note, whenever I refer to Valis and anything concerning 'him' it really means Kaoru in disguise. I don't want to have to keep writing 'Kaoru/Valis' or 'he/she' every time. I hope you can all follow. That said, please enjoy this chapter.

PS: Hana-dragon-san is right beside me as I update this fic. It's the first time a reviewer ever watched me post my fanfic. .. Move on!

Warnings: none. Monotonous stuff ahead. Sorry. Writer's riff. Continue at your own discretion.

Chapter 12

- Discovered -

The city started to wake up, the sounds of windows opening and vendors pulling their carts out of their storage areas to set up for the day's work ahead were only some of the sounds that meshed together. It started out faint, but gradually it grew, as every man, woman and child seemed to get out of bed.

It was a grand area beyond the palace walls, with buildings aligned with one another, the tall structures beautiful. There, the nobility resided, and as one got further from the Palace grounds, the houses turned smaller and shabbier.

In a place where class and gender were taken very seriously, a fine line had been drawn between the rich and the poor, the commoner and the peasant. The men and the women; the servants and the slaves.

As the armies continued marching on, they came upon a lot of people who had taken to living in the streets for one reason or another. Many families had lost loved ones or property due to the constant wars.

Kenshin hated it that they had to suffer.

He tried to put it from his mind as he rode, but he found he could not, occasionally stopping and handing out a few gold coins to those he saw were really in need. Sanosuke berated him for it, telling him that it was not wise to shell out entirely: the men could not protect him if a mob suddenly decided to rise up. Thus, reluctantly, the commanding officer had sealed his pouch closed and hidden it beneath his cloak as he passed through.

They had finally reached the Biron Trail after what seemed like an eternity of riding. He had sent scouts up ahead to clear the road for them, but as they exited the city, he could not see them down the distance. That was a normal thing, as they had probably gone too far. They would be waiting for the rest of them to catch up a little before moving on ahead once more. He turned to call for the others to hurry up, when he saw something quite interesting.

Kenshin motioned for Sanosuke to take the lead and fell back a few paces, patting his horse and leading it into a slow walk. Soon, he was beside Consolence and the silent soldier she was with.

"Bouncing in your saddle like that: are you a novice knight, my lord?" An amused smile came to his lips as he addressed the latter. He had caught sight of Valis struggling to keep up and miserably being rocked by the horse in an unsteady pace and manner.

Valis blinked innocently. "I am no knight, good sir," He replied, "just a common guard to his Majesty. I-I was to come with him to experience my first battle." He added.

Kenshin eyed him warily. "I don't trust you." He finally said. "I don't know where you came from, or why you are with her," he nodded toward Consolence, "but keep in mind I have my eye on you. I mean no disrespect for his Majesty, but you must understand."

"I do, sir." Valis answered, quietly. He let out a frustrated sigh, tugging at the reigns with a short, quick flick of his wrists.

Kenshin reached over, positioning his hands briefly on the thin strap. "Don't clutch too hard because the horse will feel uncomfortable. And relax your shoulders. Remember to keep your back straight." Valis concentrated on his words, relaxing his grip slowly and letting out a small breath as he let his shoulders droop some. "That should help you ride better."

And the commanding officer was off again, toward the front of the line before Valis could give him thanks.

"What happened?" Sanosuke wondered aloud, as Kenshin took up his position once more.

"I have the feeling that there is something queer about that soldier." He sighed, finally. "If we hadn't been in such a rush, I was of thought to leave him and that wretched woman."

Sanosuke glanced over his shoulder at the said pair before shrugging. "You know Consolence: her mind is different from ours. And she has aided us before…I don't want to mess with whatever she says, Kenshin." He left unsaid that she had been the one to warn them all that if Kenshin went to the pass, he would die, and in so doing saved his life. She had been right after all.

Kenshin nodded sullenly. As much as he did not like Consolence, she had an odd way about her that allowed no one to question whatever she said and for that, he resented her. How could a woman not learn her place amongst men? "I want you to keep a close eye on them anyway," he told Sanosuke, "Consolence brings trouble wherever she goes and we've plenty of that already." He suddenly looked up. "Did anyone see that new soldier come in through the gates?"

Sanosuke chuckled. "My lord, soldiers come in and out all the time. I'm sure someone welcomed Sir Valis in."

Usually, all reports of every soldier would come in to Kenshin, so as he could keep the records of who were still out in battle and who could be enlisted for one. The protocol was followed strictly and obediently. He was not happy that this incident hadn't been announced to him at all. "Perhaps Sir Cyus was told…..but even then he would have - "

"- Look!" Sanosuke interrupted his musings. Up ahead, two bodies littered the road. Kenshin did not have to wonder who they were: his scouts were dead.

0-0-0-0-0

Aoshi's sudden stop made Kaiden near collide with him. The younger looked up in surprise. "What…?"
Aoshi raised his hand up abruptly, his body tense and his eyes straight ahead. The soldiers with them halted at his signal, and Kaiden's unfinished question died from his lips.

"Did you hear that?" Aoshi hissed after a moment of silence had passed.

Kaiden shook his head, and the others did as well. The commanding officer did not seem to care for the answers, as he moved his horse ahead slowly. "There were screams in the distance."

"The Torrins?" Beshimi asked, moving his horse alongside Aoshi's. The officer did not answer, listening intently. Slowly, he slid one of his short swords out of its scabbard, the metal gliding smoothly out of its holster. "Be on guard, and whatever you do, protect the Prince." His voice was kept to a low whisper, and he went ahead, to scout. The others formed a tight ring around the Prince as ordered, unsheathing their weapons as well: bow and sword at the ready.

Kaiden made to unsheathe his sword too, his fingers trembling. Whether he was excited or scared, he had yet to figure out. He just didn't want to be defenseless when and if the enemies were to attack them.

Waiting breathlessly, he watched as Aoshi disappeared out of sight ahead of them. A bead of sweat trickled down his face and dripped off his chin. His blond hair was plastered to his forehead under the helmet he wore, as it was unbearably hot. He did not voice complaint, though: he refused to look craven in front of his men.

"He's not coming back." The Prince said, when he saw no sign of Aoshi returning. In the distance, a cry was shouted, and he heard the screams Aoshi had spoken of earlier. They were coming closer. His horse whinnied in protest to the sound, backing up a step. His heart quickened and he glanced around him at his men. "What should we do?"

"Quickly, we must turn back." Beshimi said, ready to turn his horse in the opposite direction. "We'll take another trail…"

"But the Biron is just up ahead." One of the other soldiers pointed out. "If we travel back and take another route it will take us another couple of hours to reach the Palace."

"Orders are orders." Beshimi replied. "The Prince is our concern. If Sir Aoshi has died, it is our responsibility - "

Kaiden wished they wouldn't argue. He scanned the path up ahead, and was surprised to see Aoshi galloping back to them. "There he is!" Kaiden cried, excitedly. The men stopped their bickering and looked in the direction he was pointing.

"Bandits!" Aoshi informed them, quite breathlessly. "A group of them just took out two Daikan scouts. There are too many for us to handle, and should they get a hold of the Prince…." He left the rest unsaid. "We must turn back. The Biron Trail is no longer safe." Kaiden did not miss the smug look Beshimi had on his face.

Just as he said that, the sound of a horn was blown, blasting through the shouts of the bandits that seemed to be drawing ever nearer. It made the Prince's hair stand on end, and the group froze.

"That's…."

Without a word, their commanding officer went back the way he had come just moments before. In a few seconds, he waved, indicating that the rest should follow.

The Biron Trail was like a long, winding snake. In the distance, the city could be seen in all its splendor. Just a few feet away, a swarm of men in dark clothes were scattering before the army that was passing through. At the head of the column was a man with flowing red hair. He looked like a demon loosed from hell, with his sword unsheathed and bloody. He was yelling orders to the men around him.

The orders stopped when Aoshi ran toward him.

"Soldiers from Daikan?" Kaiden wondered aloud seeing the blue capes and the banner flapping in the dry wind.

Beshimi flashed him a toothy grin. "We're saved." He said, "That is our Chief Commander, Sir Himura Kenshin."

Already, up ahead, Aoshi and Kenshin were clasping hands. In moments, Kaiden was face to face with him.

"What of Soujiro?" Kenshin was asking, the look of relief evident on his face.

Aoshi paused, trying to think of some way to soften the bluntness of his words. "My lord….I fear…he said to tell you he died doing his duty."

The smile slowly faded from Kenshin's face, his eyes flickering in grief. The news that his best friend had not made it alive made him wish he hadn't hoped. The pain was a burden in his heart. When he blinked, the emotion was gone, well-hidden. "I see…." His voice was heavy and Sanosuke, standing next to him clapped his shoulder twice, in a sign of comfort.

"Sir?" Kaiden ventured. Kenshin looked up to see a young boy, staring at him with big blue eyes.

Aoshi cleared his voice to announce him, "This is Prince – I mean, King Kaiden, of Mintril." He corrected himself, as Kaiden led his horse forward. "It was our mission to return him to the Palace safely."

Kenshin let his eyes roam the boy from head to toe. This was the Prince? He had been expecting someone older and more mature. Surely this boy…. this child… could not lead a country! His mind played over Aoshi's last words and he found he didn't know what to do. His disbelief must have been evident on his face because as if to answer his question, Kaiden announced, "My father died two weeks ago, if you must know…as his only son, I ascend the throne," quietly.

"I-I'm sorry to hear of your father's passing, my lord." Kenshin stammered, clearly confused as he bowed. His soldiers followed his example realizing that this was no ordinary boy as they had thought. "I'm sorry we could not have met in better times – I apologize for our lack of deference."

Kaiden laughed a little, waving his arm, and he blushed. "I would rather not have an army prostrating themselves before me." He seemed surer of himself again now that they had reached safety, and his flow of speech was confident. "We are well met, and that is enough."

Kenshin straightened, glad to have gotten the first courtesies done with. He was also glad that they had found the prince – or rather, the prince found them. He could return back to the palace with good news, and one less problem to worry about. "If you would, sire, we will escort you back to the palace. It is good we found you before the bandits did." He tried to sound at ease, but he wasn't. "Come, my King waits."

Kaiden complied, happily taking his post amongst the small army. His eyes fell on Consolence. "Who is the woman?" He asked Aoshi, who had taken up post behind him. His duty wasn't over yet until they'd reached the Palace gates.

He searched the crowd until he noticed the blue hair also. "That is the Lady Consolence. What she is doing out here, I find I don't want to know."

"Consolence?" Kaiden asked. "You mean Sei Consolence?"

"Yes, your Highness." Aoshi answered. "Do you know her?"

A smile had adorned the young man's face and without answering, he galloped toward her. "Mistress Consolence, it is a pleasure to see you again!" he called.

Kenshin broke from his conversation with Sanosuke upon hearing the words. Someone was happy to see her? He would never have imagined.

"Your Highness, forgive me for not speaking at first." Consolence answered smoothly when he had reached her.

"My word! I never thought I'd see you again!" Kaiden leaned across to give her a tight hug.

Consolence tensed momentarily before hugging him back slightly.

"You haven't changed, have you?" She asked. Her voice had lost its hard edge, and she spoke as though she were conversing with a child. She set him back, gazing at him without her usual scrutiny. "But you have grown!"

Kaiden proudly nodded. "It's been four years, Mistress. You've only grown more beautiful."

Consolence let a hint of a smile cross her features, and she replied, "We have much to discuss, you and I…" She trailed off, tilting her head in Valis' direction and meeting his curious gaze.

Valis seemed to understand because he spoke up. "Sire, it is fortunate you are not injured."

Kaiden frowned, turning his head to see the soldier who was positioned next to Consolence, bow. "Thank you…"

"Sir Valis came here searching for you, your Highness. It seemed he lost you on the way."

"You have returned then?" The Prince asked, facing him.

Kaoru did not know what he was talking about, but she nodded. She was surprised when he clasped her hand saying, "It is an honor, sir, to meet with you at last. I've heard much about you." He shook the hand fondly, and gave Consolence another giddy grin. "It seems the Mistress has brought you back to us." He studied her critically, as he removed his hand from hers.

"The honor is all mine, sire." Kaoru murmured, bowing as low as she could in her saddle. She had to remind herself to play the part so she took care not to shoot Consolence a look of confusion lest Kenshin see. She would just have to go with the flow.

Her throat itched something fierce and she tried to soothe it by clearing it. Unfortunately, that only made it worse and she ended up coughing.

"The Lord Valis has been feeling sick of late. He's recovering from a bad bout of the flu." Consolence said.

Kaiden nodded, the smile never leaving his face. It made Kaoru feel at ease.

When Kenshin met up with them, Kaiden turned the cheerfulness to him. "I hope I will be welcomed into your country as I come with peace." He was thinking of the way he had first been treated back at the mountain's pass, as if he had been a traitor.

Kenshin raised a fist to his heart as was the customary signal of acknowledgment of the Daikan people. "Mintril has always been welcome through our gates, Your Majesty."

For years Daikan had kept the peace with Mintril, the leaders of both countries vast friends. Unlike Daikan, Mintril was a land of wealth and riches and its people thrived happily within its walls. They were of fairer skin and were notorious for their blond heads and blue eyes. Some Mintrilians had mingled with those of the Daikans, only strengthening the bonds between the two countries. The Prince Kaiden was a testament to that, as his mother had been a woman from Daikan's lands. There were the odd few that were upset with the combination, but over all, the friendship was in good stead.

Taking a glance over his shoulder, the prince eyed the two bodies of the scouts and could not help but remember the men who had died on the mountain's pass. "Will you mark stones for your men, Sir Kenshin?" He asked, as the bodies were carefully draped over a horse's back.

Kenshin's voice was flat when he answered. "Of course." He knew every one of his soldiers' names and he dreaded to stamp Soujiro's, as if it would be affirming the death to be true. He didn't want to accept it. A burning feeling behind his eyes made him realize that there was nothing more he could do for his best friend but remember.

Not wanting to get too sentimental, Kenshin urged his horse ahead, wanting to be alone. It seemed that he was always being left behind in one form or another. First his mother, then Venus, and now his best friend…

"Look out!"

The warning came too late, and dazed, Kenshin snapped out of his thoughts, only to find himself clinging onto his horse for dear life as it reared back. Crying out, he fell backward from his saddle as the horse violently pitched him back, and he landed in a painful heap onto the dust road. His horse neighed angrily, tossing its black mane and dancing unsteadily on its feet. One leg had been shot with an arrow, causing the poor animal to react in such a way.

Sanosuke jumped down from his own horse to help Kenshin up. From the ground, the latter groaned, surprise evident in his eyes. His movements were jerky, and unstable. "What happened?" He asked, as Sanosuke gripped his wrist and pulled him to his feet.

"We're under attack!" He cried, as another arrow came down. He pushed Kenshin out of the way just in time as an arrow shot toward him.

Clumsily, Kenshin stumbled, racing to his horse who was still whinnying in pain. He reached out to steady it, speaking quickly in a quiet voice to calm the animal down. It had been with him a good long time, and had been well-trained not to bolt and run during an attack. Even so, he would not risk the chance that it might, and he gripped the reigns tightly.

"Shields up!" He heard Sanosuke yelling. "Shinomori! Protect the Prince! My unit, follow ahead." The tall, lanky soldier was atop his horse once again in no time, his sword drawn and his shield at the ready. Aoshi and his men were falling to do as bid, and Consolence had her bow unslung, the drawstring tight.

Kenshin took the moment to scan around quickly. Where were the arrows coming from? Then he saw it: the bandits had not left, rounding back on the relaxed party. He growled beneath his breath: how could he have let his guard down?

His horse would be useless to him, unable to walk, but he was loath to keep the animal out in crossfire. So he began to lead it away, and luckily as another arrow would have pierced its flanks again had he not.

Sanosuke had fallen on the enemy by that time, the bandits like black flies swarming by the dozen. But as they were untrained men, there was no order in their attack and they were being brought down just as quickly as they came.

The sounds of battle soon filled the early morning skies where there otherwise would have been silence and the rustle of leaves from the trees overhead. Kenshin pulled his sword free also as the bandits came toward him.

The first attack came roughly upon his sword, and he parried it clumsily, still trying to recover from the shock of being thrown off his horse and the sudden attack. He found his footing and calmed his nerves, clearing his mind of nothing but the battle.

Expression blank, he went about his killing methodically, and all around him, people died or lay maimed, crying out in fear and pain. Every hit made its mark, his motions smooth and seamless.

Kaoru had not drawn her sword. She felt paralyzed with fear as she watched the man she admired get swarmed and surrounded on all sides. With wide eyes she saw him take them on single-handedly, but she knew that he would never be able to keep it up. A hollow feeling rose in her chest when she realized she was too cowardly to move. "Kenshin! Behind you!" Without thinking, the scream came from her lips when the man behind him drew a short sword and make to stab him in the back.

He turned, but Consolence was faster. In the blink of an eye, she had let loose her shaft and it had lodged itself nicely in the back of the man's neck so that the arrow's point protruded from the front. He went down grasping at his throat. When Kenshin looked up, she had knocked another arrow into place and let it loose.

Her aim was perfect and precise. She looked calm and composed almost regal with the way she so casually held her bow as if it were a part of her. "Sir Valis," It took a moment for Kaoru to remember that it was her name, "Sir Kenshin will ride with you. The fighting will end soon, and the wounded must be seen to right away."

As if her words were magic, a cry went up amongst the bandits. "Retreat!" The word rang through the field. "Retreat!" They began to fall back, and the soldiers let them, allowing them to scamper away, like dogs with their tails between their legs.

Sanosuke shouted orders that Kaoru could not hear, and she quickly pulled her horse forward to see to Kenshin who was holding one arm and breathing heavily.

"My lord, you're hurt!" She called. She had not seen him get wounded in the fight but she could not be too sure as there had been too much going on at the same time.

"It's naught but a scratch." He replied absently. "My horse is wounded." He turned to the whickering animal that was tossing its mane and dancing on its feet.

"Leave it." The cool cold voice of Consolence said. "It will die, anyway."

Kenshin glared at her, the vein in his jaw twitching as he clenched his teeth. As always, he found there was no reply to her words. She was right, of course: there was no time to tend to the animal as the bandits would be back with more numbers. There were other men who needed to be tended too as well, and on top of that, a Prince that needed to be brought back to the Palace.

Kaoru almost felt sorry for him, as she observed him trying to make a decision. "Will you ride with me, my lord?" She asked, breaking the tension between the two. He seemed frustrated, and Consolence looked away, fingering the wood of her bow in silence.

"I will." He said, tiredly reaching up and grasping her hand. Together, they pulled his weight to sit atop the horse with her behind him. She felt self-conscious as she gripped him around the waist so as not to fall off. He grasped the reins and urged the horse to move forward. The horse, however, was not used to Kenshin's touch and it nervously began to whicker. It took a few moments for the man to calm it down before he called out to his soldiers, asking for a report.

Three more men had died, and many more had been wounded, including Sanosuke, who was bleeding heavily, his blood staining his once untainted armor. Nevertheless, the tall lanky soldier gave Kenshin a firm salute.

"Bandits," Kenshin cursed beneath his breath. "Since when did they infiltrate one of our main trails?"

Consolence looked down the dusty road, her blue eyes scanning the terrain for signs of a threat. "We had better hurry back," She told him, finally. Her voice sounded tired but it had not lost its cold touch.

Shivering involuntarily, Kenshin nodded. He made certain that the Prince was right behind him before he lead the way back to the Palace grounds.

The promise he had made to Amakusa rang in his head. 'I will not engage in any meaningless battle'. Hiko would be furious! He could already hear the lecture and cringed just at the thought.

But his heart sank when he remembered how he had dishonored Sir Cyus. The disappointment made him feel even worse. To top it off, his horse gave a pitiful cry as they left it behind.

0-0-0-0-0-0

By the time they reached the palace, Kaoru was rethinking her idea of becoming a man. Her legs, clad in their breeches, were sore and probably chafed raw by the saddle. Her back and her feet hurt so badly she wondered if she would be able to walk properly ever again.

For the most part, she concentrated on keeping herself on the horse, which, for some reason, liked to stop by the roadside and start eating. Then, when it realized that it was being left behind from the rest of the group, it would start running to catch up. It took Kenshin a lot of rein-tugging and scolding before it learned not to do that.

The back of her throat continually itched, and more often than she would have liked, she ended up in a coughing fit or having to clear her voice. Luckily, no one paid her any mind, and if they did, they did not care to show it.

Even though she had not done much in the battle, she was exhausted. Having stayed awake during the night in her frenzy to get herself disguised and catch the army, left her feeling very tired indeed.

To sum it all in one word, she was miserable.

Sir Kenshin hadn't bothered to talk to her again, much to her relief. At the moment, she didn't feel like playing the part of a soldier and she wanted to take that hated armor off and unbind herself.

At the same time, she wanted to stay just where she was. Kenshin's back, though covered, was big and warm, and more than once her cheek had pressed against it. Never in a million years had she ever thought to be so close to someone of such high ranking. Only two days ago she had been resolute in being sold to some other trader, resigned to work as a slave for the rest of her life.

It all seemed unreal.

When the squires came to take the horses away, she gladly jumped off, eager to be one step closer to retiring for the night. Kenshin followed right behind her, handing the reins to a young man before striding off in the direction of the barracks, no doubt wishing to report back in.

Tiredly, she rubbed at her legs and her bottom, and watched as the rest of the real soldiers gathered around into small groups, all talking amongst themselves excitedly. Kenshin's red head disappeared in the crowd.

Consolence was speaking with the Prince, who was a good three heads shorter than she.

"I would like to meet with the king immediately, if I may." He was saying. "I hope everyone will be put at ease now that I have been found."

She nodded, pulling at her traveling cloak. Despite the earlier run-in, Consolence seemed in perfect condition, everything down from her hair to her riding boots. She didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable, and she smoothed her robes down with her hands. As she let her horse be led away by another young boy, she began to lead the way toward the castle.

To the side of the courtyard a bunch of boys were play fighting with swords. The clash of wood against wood rang through the air, and laughter trailed through the gardens. A few other children swept by, in tunics and dresses chasing each other back and forth. Just beyond that, the palace was starting to wake, as servants began to leave their rooms, and make their way down the halls.

"Are you sure you would not like to eat something first, your highness?" Consolence asked. "I'm sure that you can meet with the King after you're rested." She nodded toward Kaoru. "Sir Valis, would you care to join?"

"A bite to eat would be wonderful." Kaiden admitted, "But I must politely decline. I will dine with you after, mistress." He shot Kaoru a sidelong glance. "Sir Valis, you and I have a lot to catch up on, so you are most welcome to join us." He turned, his traveling cloak billowing about his ankles. "In the meantime, I would not mind your company in finding the King's rooms. That is, unless you would like to rest in the barracks?"

"That's quite all right, Your Highness." Kaoru responded quickly. She put a hand to her throat: something was wrong. A soft throbbing had started at the back of her throat, including a dull ache. Consolence caught sight of her discomfort but quickly fell into step with the Prince.

"We'll accompany you then, if you wish it." She was saying, as they walked side by side.

"I do wish it." Kaiden confirmed. He suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to face Kaoru, who was still standing back, fighting the choking feeling in her throat. "I also wish to know…why you haven't told me that Sir Valis is a woman."

To Be Continued….

AN: (Chiki pulls at her hair in frustration) I couldn't seem to get this chapter right, no matter what I did! I re-wrote that last part four times…and I'm still dissatisfied. Ugh, the writer's block is a nasty gremlin! Anyway, those reviews will help so please tell me what you think and review for me once more. (PS. Hotaru-san thinks that Japanese curry is awesome and yummy in the tummy!)