::looks around carefully:: Hi everbody... new Chapter up .;; ::retreats quickly before the Shiin-hunt can begin:: Enjoy!

Shiin

"Fine then. I'll tell you everything."

At last!

Kaoru wanted to cheer. At last she would get the answers she so desperately sought. At last she would finally be able to understand what was going on around her and the part she was playing in all of this.

"But not now," Kenshin's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Why not?!"

The look he gave her was level and slightly stern, and she understood. Not out here in the open. Not here where something could hear, where the wind could carry their voices, the secrets, the things she needed to hear.

"I understand," she sighed.

The walk back to the camp was slow, their progress made difficult by Kenshin's injuries. Kaoru didn't know how far they were from the camp. Her feet had seemed to run of their own accord to Kenshin and she could not remember the distance it had taken. Her body had acted before her mind.

"So . . ." Kaoru attempted to start a conversation.

Kenshin cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yes?"

"Nothing . . ." Her words seemed to dry up in her throat.

What was there to talk about? What could she talk about with Kenshin? She knew next to nothing about him and one would think it would then be easy to start a conversation. The exact opposite was true. If she knew something about him then they would have something to say to one another. Something to talk about.

"You wanted to talk about something," Kenshin prodded.

Kaoru shook her head. "Forget it. It's not important, not at the moment at least."

"If you say so," Kenshin replied, sounding not at all convinced. Kaoru felt his shoulder move underneath hers as he shrugged.

Suddenly she heard a soft screech from above. Startled, she snapped her gaze upward and saw Enishi's falcon hovering just a few feet above her head.

"It's Enishi's falcon," Kaoru murmured softly, stating the obvious.

Kenshin nodded. "They'll be here soon. It is never far from Enishi."

"Should we just wait then?" Kaoru asked.

Kenshin nodded again. "It would be best."

And easiest, Kaoru thought but didn't say. She didn't know the true extent of Kenshin's injuries but she didn't want to push him any harder than she had to.

The falcon swooped downward until it was eye level to her; its golden eyes bright and surprisingly intelligent. For a split second its gaze locked with hers and then it swerved away, turning almost on wingtip.

"It's gone to get Enishi now," Kenshin commented, his own golden eyes watching it fly away.

"Let's sit down while we wait," Kaoru suggested.

Kenshin's gaze sharpened, his eyes growing cold and Kaoru fought back a sigh.

"I don't know about you," she grumbled as she slipped out from under his arm and sank down to sit on the still dew-wet grass, "but I'm exhausted. So if you don't mind me, I'm just going to sit here and wait for them to come get us."

Kenshin grunted softly and folded his legs underneath him, settling down beside her.

Kaoru shucked off a boot and massaged her foot, sighing this time in relief. "My feet are no longer plotting my demise."

Kenshin snorted and out of the corner of her eye she caught him rolling his eyes. Childishly she stuck her tongue out at him. He gazed back at her steadily, clearly unbothered by her actions.

"Let me see your ankle." She scooted closer to him and touched her hand to his boot.

Kenshin shook his head. "Leave it on, it'll help keep it supported."

"I want to see how bad it is. It could be broken."

"It's not broken," Kenshin replied.

"How do you know?" Kaoru countered.

"I've suffered enough broken bones to be able to tell if it's broken or not." Kenshin's voice was smooth and distant, his golden eyes dark.

Kaoru took that as an unspoken cue to back down and stop pestering him. Of course he'd know if it was broken and from what little Megumi had told her about his childhood, broken bones would have scarcely been a rare occurrence.

But all she wanted was to help him....

Why wouldn't he allow it? He certainly had to be hurting. Would allowing someone else to help him really be that bad? True, she may not be the best at healing - that was Megumi's strength - but she could do enough to make him comfortable and at least help ease the pain slightly. His reluctance to admit weakness or pain made Kaoru feel like pulling at her hair in frustration.

"Mou!" She huffed. "You're so exasperating!"

Kenshin snorted again, his golden eyes lighter than they had been a moment ago.

"Bleh, Kaoru grumbled, running a hand through her hair. She winced as her fingers snagged in a knot. First thing she was doing after finding out exactly what was going on around her was taking a long, hot bath.

Kenshin stiffened slightly, cocking his head to the side as if listening. "They're here now."

Barely had the words left his mouth when Kaoru heard the familiar thunk of hooves against ground and horses appeared through the trees. She glimpsed Karuna as well as Kenshin's stallion. Tomoe was astride a tall gray mare that Kaoru remembered was named Inkka and Enishi was at her side, horseless but with his falcon perched on his shoulder.

Kaoru clambered to her feet and helped Kenshin get to his as Fiachra broke free of the group of horses to come to Kenshin's side and the tired man, leaned (gratefully) against him. The stallion turned his head toward Kenshin and lipped at the sleeve of his shirt, before letting out a warm breath.

Kaoru smiled and stepped away from Kenshin. Karuna trotted up to her, butting her head against her chest as she came within reach and nickering softly. Kaoru pushed the mare's thick forelock out of her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

"Are you all right?" Tomoe's voice sounded from above her and Kaoru peered over her shoulder. She had never seen Tomoe ride before but she looked perfectly at home on Inkka's back. The gray mare seemed quiet, displaying none of the nervousness that Kaoru usually saw in horses when they were around the breve-saol.

"I'm ok," Kaoru told her. "Kenshin's a bit banged up, but none of us are seriously hurt."

Tomoe nodded. "That's good. I'll treat you both when we get back to the camp."

Kaoru nodded and mounted Karuna. Once astride the palomino mare a wave of exhaustion hit her so hard she swayed and had to grab onto Karuna's mane to keep from toppling off. Karuna whickered softly and set off in a smooth, gentle trot.

Beside her Kenshin was on Fiachra looking just as exhausted as she felt. Kaoru fought to keep her eyes open but soon succumbed to weariness. Her hands twined tightly in Karuna's mane, an anchor to keep her on the palomino's back, and she slept on the way back to the encampment.

A sudden jolt brought Kaoru back from her light, dreamless sleep. Karuna had come to a stop in the middle of the camp and people were beginning to emerge from the tents to see what had happened.

She could see Misao and Yahiko coming out of their own tents. Misao's eyes widened upon seeing her and she made as if to dash toward her, but in the last second restrained herself and walked calmly over to where a crowd had already gathered. Yahiko's eyes were just as wide and Kaoru wondered what it was that they saw when they looked at her. She wasn't hurt, not much at least. Just completely and utterly exhausted.

She looked over to where Kenshin sat on Fiachra and saw that he had not dozed off as she had, but still looked ready to drop off to sleep in an instant. His gaze was on the crowd and he somehow managed to look sharp despite his obvious drowsiness. He gave a curt nod and if that was some kind of signal they dispersed, fading back into the tents.

"Come." Tomoe's touch on her arm brought her back to herself. The breve-saol had already dismounted Inkka and Kaoru could see the gray mare standing off to the side, as if waiting for the other horses to join her, before moving off.

Kaoru gave a weary nod and dismounted slowly, her legs buckling slightly as they touched the ground, and she leaned against Karuna's shoulder in an attempt to steady herself. Once she was certain she had her feet underneath her, she stepped away from the mare and gave her a pat on the shoulder. The mare nickered softly, as if convinced, and then trotted over to where Inkka as well as Fiachra stood and the three horses moved off to the corral.

"Let me tend to you." Tomoe touched her shoulder once more, and Kaoru followed her toward the tent where Tomoe and Enishi resided, a ways from the rest of the camp. Kenshin was following Enishi a few feet away from her, his golden eyes dull with fatigue, and he almost seemed to be dragging his feet. There was a noticeable limp to his injured leg.

Kaoru sidled up to him and wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning against him. Kenshin stiffened at first at her touch, then relaxed and leaned against her as well. They supported one another until they reached Tomoe and Enishi's tent and went inside.

Inside, the tent was different than any of the others that Kaoru had been in. In a way it resembled Megumi's with the bunches of herbs tied to the ceiling poles and the sticks of incense that were burning. Two bundles of hide were pushed off in a corner and a small ring of stones held the remains of a long died-out fire. The floor was an odd beige-colored hide that stretched from end to end. It felt soft and slightly springy underneath Kaoru's feet.

The energy inside the dwelling felt odd . . . not weird, exactly, but definitely different. Almost as if something essential was missing, and Kaoru realized once more the burden of being a breve-saol. A half-soul. Half-alive and half-dead.

"Sit," Tomoe told her in a voice that was as much a suggestion as a command.

Kaoru did what she was told and all but collapsed onto the floor. It felt extremely comfortable and her exhaustion rose up once more, almost overwhelming her. Her eyes started to drift shut and she struggled to stay awake.

A soft thump on the mattress made her open her eyes marginally and she saw Kenshin settle down beside her. Enishi leaned against one of the walls, his falcon still perched upon his shoulder. His white hair stuck up in all directions and his eyes were looking at something above her head, not quite focusing but definitely not blank either. He was ignoring the two of them completely.

Tomoe reappeared in her field of vision, holding a small clay mug. She settled down on her heels in front of Kaoru and pushed the mug toward her, who grasped it without thinking.

"Drink it." Once more Tomoe's voice hovered between command and suggestion, but it left no choice but to obey.

Kaoru raised it to her lips and took a sip. A burning sensation filled her mouth and raced down her throat. Coughing harshly she pushed it toward Tomoe who pushed it firmly back toward her. A bitter taste lingered in her mouth and Kaoru was reminded strongly of the medicines she was forced to take as a child.

"Drink it all." This time Tomoe's voice was definitely a command. "It will help you. You have drained yourself. It will make you sleep."

"I don't want to sleep," Kaoru murmured. "I want to know what's going on. Kenshin promised he would tell me."

"There will be time for that later." Tomoe took the mug from Kaoru's hands and lifted it to her lips. "For now you must sleep. Just sleep."

Kaoru screwed her eyes shut and swallowed the bitter tasting liquid as it flowed into her mouth and down her throat. The burning sensation did not fade and she could feel it spreading through her body, from down through her arms and legs to the very tips of her fingers and toes. With it came a drowsy feeling that she could not fight. Scarcely had the last drop passed her lips than Kaoru found herself asleep.

"Ugh," the world spun around as Kaoru opened her eyes. A cool hand pushed her bangs out of her face and rubbed her temples.

Shulya.

Kaoru was back in the dream world.

"How are you little one?"

"I feel like I've been hit over the head one too many times with a club," Kaoru groaned. Her head pounded and her limbs felt heavy. "What did Tomoe make me drink anyway?" she groused, summoning her strength to sit up.

"She was only doing as she should."

"There goes my theory that she was trying to poison me."

Shulya snorted and held out a hand toward her. Kaoru grasped it and let Shulya help her to her feet. Once upright she swayed and felt Shulya's arm wrap around her shoulder, holding her and helping her stand.

"I just want to sleep," Kaoru yawned.

Shulya chuckled softly. "Silly little one. You are sleeping."

"Sure doesn't feel like it."

Shulya clucked her tongue and helped steer Kaoru over to her loom. There beside the chair that she usually sat on when weaving, was a chair similar to it. It was in that chair that she let Kaoru sit on before sinking gracefully down on her customary seat.

"You did well little one. You saved Kenshin."

"I didn't do anything," Kaoru protested. It felt like she hadn't done much.

"You did as much as you should. Without your interference that demon would have killed Kenshin and then possessed him, and all would have been lost. Yes, indeed you did well little one."

Kaoru reached up and rubbed at her eyes. "I just wish I knew what was going on."

"Soon you will," Shulya said soothingly. "You just have to be patient."

"I have been patient!"

"Just a little while longer," Shulya's voice didn't lose its soothing quality and Kaoru felt herself calm down.

With a sigh, she raked her hand through her bangs, pulling them out of her eyes.

The tapestry that Shulya wove looked for the most part unchanged. There were still the white threads, the intermingling gray threads and then the black threads. She could see her blue thread, intertwined closely with the violet-gold, and felt some comfort looking at it.

Kaoru let her eyes trace the progress of the violet-gold thread. Here and there it was crisscrossed with white and gray and as her gaze moved steadily upward near the top of the tapestry to where the violet-gold thread originated she could see it nearly eclipsed by black thread.

"What does that mean?"

"Hmm . . . ?" Shulya asked distractedly. She followed Kaoru's gaze and her face tightened.

"The violet-gold thread runs the course of Kenshin's history. His destiny."

"But why so much black?" Kaoru felt some panic as she looked at the thread.

"You should know the answer to that." Shulya gazed at her pointedly.

Kenshin's past . . . his brothers . . . how they had treated him....

Kaoru sighed. ìI wish there was some way I could help him."

"You empathize with him. Care for him. Understand him. That is enough."

"No! No it isn't enough! I don't understand him well enough! I don't understand him at all!" Kaoru cried, her hands clenching tightly. Her nails bit into her hands and the pain forced her to unclench them and shake them, as much in annoyance as to ease the pain.

Shulya's eyes looked solemn as they gazed into Kaoru's. "Do you really want to know about Kenshin?"

"Yes," Kaoru answered. She didn't even have to think twice about it. She wanted to understand him. To know who he really was. To help him in any way that she could.

This time it was Shulya who sighed. "Very well then." She took one of Kaoru's hands in her own and lifted it toward the tapestry. Her fingers brushed against the violet-gold thread . . .

"Bastard!" Kaoru felt the blow as if she herself had been struck.

Her vision reeled for a moment and then she caught sight of a small, slender young boy. His thick red hair was tied back in a braid and his violet eyes were blank. A bruise blossomed against the pale skin of his cheek and his lower lip was split, blood flowing down his chin.

Towering over him were two other boys, their hair red as well but darker than his. Auburn . . . russet...

As she watched the taller of the two hit him again, snapping his head to the side with the force of the blow.

"Think you're so great don't you Shinta?" The other boy sneered as the taller hit the child again. "Daddy's little favorite. Daddy's little bastard."

The boy - Shinta - Kenshin - said nothing and just stared back at them, his violet eyes not showing any emotion.

This time it was the younger boy who hit him, managing to knock him down. He kicked Shinta twice in the ribs for good measure, a look of hatred shining in his coal-colored eyes.

"Come on Isao," the taller one touched his shoulder and throwing a hate filled look at Shinta - who was curled up on the ground, clearly expecting to be kicked again. "He isn't worth it."

"No, he isn't," Isao agreed. "He's worth nothing! He's worthless! You hear me, you little piece of shirt? You're worthless!"

He turned on his heel and the taller one followed suit, leaving their brother behind.

Shinta lay on the ground unmoving until he was certain they were gone. As Kaoru watched he pushed himself up by his elbows and climbed stiffly to his feet.

"Shinta!" A girl's voice broke through the air and Kaoru turned her head with his. A small girl a few years younger than Shinta ran toward him. Her black hair was loose and flared out behind her as she ran and her brown eyes were worried and full of tears.

Megumi. A very young Megumi.

"Oh Shinta!" She exclaimed as she neared him. Her hand reached out to touch his bruised and bleeding face and Kaoru saw him flinch slightly before allowing her to touch him.

"Those... those... jerks!." She spat the word, her brown eyes were fierce with hatred. "They have no right to treat you like that! How dare they!"

"It's okay Megumi," Shinta murmured, barely moving his lips as he spoke.

"No it's not!" Megumi snapped, a tear falling from her eye. She roughly brushed it away. "It's not okay at all!"

"It's my atonement, Megumi," Shinta said softly. He closed his eyes slightly and brushed past her. Megumi watched him go, her face full of sorrow and her eyes sad.

The scene changed again . . .

"Stop it!" A voice she recognized as Shinta's - Kenshin's - broke through the early morning air.

"Come on!" Another voice snapped. "Hold still damn you!"

"No!" Shinta's voice rose in pitch. "Stop it please!"

Kaoru found herself standing several feet away. In front of her she could see Shinta held tightly by two of his brothers. A third stood in front of him, a sharp bladed knife clutched in one hand.

"Come on," his third brother laughed. "It won't hurt that much. It'll make you a hell of a lot prettier too!"

"Please stop it!" There was a definite note of panic as his brother approached him, the knife upraised.

The knife snapped forward and Shinta jerked his head to the side just in time. The knife missed its mark; instead of embedding itself in his eye it skittered down his cheek, leaving a trail of red in its wake.

"Damn it!" the brother holding Shinta's left arm cursed. "You missed!" He twisted Shinta's arm savagely, making him cry out.

"I won't this time," the other snapped. He approached Shinta again. Once more the knife darted forward and Shinta twisted his head away. Another line joined the first, crossing it and forming an X.

"Damn you!" The same brother who had cursed before repeated. "Hold still!"

"No! No I won't!" Tears fell from Shinta's eyes, mingling with the blood from the slashes on his face.

A shout from a different voice rang through the air. The three brothers stiffened and snapped their heads in the direction from which it had come. Kaoru followed their gaze to see a soldier dressed in red running toward them.

The brothers holding Shinta's arms dropped them and fled. The one holding the knife followed suit not far behind them, tossing the bloodstained knife to the side.

Shinta watched them go, tears still streaming down his face. Kaoru's heart broke as she looked into his violet eyes. There was a vacant look in those eyes. A broken look. A look of one whose soul was slowing dying inside of him.

Once more the scene changed.

They were in some sort of arena. People filled the stands and their yells were deafening. Looking down, Kaoru saw what held their attention.

It was the succession battle.

Shinta - Kenshin - was covered in blood but none of it seemed to be his. His sword was stained red and Kaoru watched as he launched himself toward one of his opponents so rapidly she could hardly see him move. A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air and the person who had been in front of him fell to the ground in two pieces.

Shinta had just killed one of his brothers.

Again she watched him blur toward his nearest opponent. The man didn't even have the chance to scream, much less raise his sword against him, as he died.

Two more fell to Shinta's sword and at last there was only one left.

Kaoru recognized him as the one who had attempted to take out Shinta's eyes and who had given him his cross-shaped scar.

The man's death was quick. Shinta decapitated him, slashing him from navel to throat before taking off his head in one quick swing. His blood showered the ground, turning the sand underfoot a dark crimson.

Blood-covered Shinta turned toward the crowd. As Kaoru watched his violet eyes seemed to be leeched of their color, turning a light gray before then hardening and the remaining color shifted, darkening to a bright, glittering gold.

He thrust his blood-covered sword in the air and let out a scream that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The crowd roared back in approval.

Kaoru felt the tears run down her face.

This was how Shinta had died.

This was how he had become Kenshin.

Alone and unseen, Kaoru wept for him.