A/N Hello lovely readers! I've been receiving some real thought provoking reviews and I'm loving it. You guys make me think and strive to be a better writer. Keep it up! Also seeing lost of Misao/Aoshi fans coming out of the woodwork. Never fear, you shall be rewarded, soon...soon.
On to the story!

Chapter 14

Misao hated her life right about now.

She never really liked eating at the high table. She always would rather eat in the kitchens or at the least, down with the Water guards where she could hear stories and laugh and be herself. But not only did she have to eat at the high table she had to sit in the Lady of the Keep's chair. It was ridiculous for one of her stature. She felt like a five year old child in her father's chair. She had a feeling all her friends down there were laughing at her, saying how cute and adorable she looked in the big girl's chair. She didn't want to have to punch anyone, but it was only the second day, and she could already see the grins of her Guard friends down there.

The worst part…and the best part was sitting beside her. On her right Aoshi sat and ate silently. People of the Keep had been confused that first day as to why the large Metal fae was following her around and not down in the foundries where he so obviously belonged. Thankfully though, enough people had seen Aoshi's pledge to her, and they spread the word that the Metal man was, in fact, a knight and was now attached to Misao as a personal guard. She had been confused why he would do such a thing publicly and now she was thankful for it. Most of the day he was down in the foundries, but somehow, he had memorized her schedule because he was always there the moment she left her rooms. Going to the kitchens,...he was there. Church, he was there, sneaking down for a late night sweet, he was there and scared the life out of her.

"So...I didn't know you were a knight." She turned to the man.

"Relatively new." He said simply. "I'm not from any high born family so I am not used to being a knight."

Misao nodded. She wanted to ask when he was knighted? Was it Kenshin who knighted him? Was it a King? What did he do to get Knighted? But instead, she just took a sip of her wine. But her urge to know things would not be held at bay.

"How are you going to work if you are always watching me?"

This time his piercing blue eyes turned to her. "You are more important than beating out a strip of metal."

She tried to not to feel excited by his words, the smoothness of his voice. "But your work is important, you make some of the best weapons."

Aoshi finally turned and looked at her. "That was my job, now my job is helping you run this Keep and making sure you are safe."

Misao fought the urge to pout. She really enjoyed watching him work. It seemed like such a waste for him to be watching over her. "Couldn't one of the Guards have been placed to watch me." She dropped her fork, it clattered loudly on her plate. "Not that I don't appreciate you," She rushed to say. "It...just seems like a waste of skill."

"That would be something you would have to ask Lord Himura when he returns. But I assure you that all the workers are skilled. They will not be lacking just because I am not there."

"Would you rather be there?" Misao asked softly, turning back to her plate.

"No," Aoshi said simply.

Again Misao fought to keep her heart steady. He didn't mean anything by it. He was an honorable person and was doing as he was told. More than likely he didn't want to hurt her feelings. She wished Kaoru hadn't told her that Aoshi was attracted to her. It made thinking around him difficult."Um...If I stayed in the foundries with you...would you go back to making weapons. I promise I'll stay out of the way and I won't ask questions."

"It's not a place for the Lady of the Keep," Aoshi said hesitantly.

At this she turned her large eyes to him again. "Oh, Please?"

Aoshi instantly looked trapped and confused before his eyes narrowed. "Your simpering won't change my mind." He pressed. But Misao wouldn't give up.

"Just you wait, Aoshi Shinomori. I'll get you back to work if it's the last thing I do!" She took up her glass and downed the rest of her wine in one swallow.

"Why do you insist I build swords instead of watching over you?" He sighed heavily and eyed the servant that came to refill Misao's cup.

"Because I know it's your passion." She blushed brightly but there was nothing for it. If she was lucky, he'll think it was the wine. "I've seen you work, you love what you do. It just doesn't feel right having you out of your element so much. If I'm there with you, then you have no reason not to. I love seeing the way glowing metal turns into an amazing weapon."

Aoshi thought for a long moment and Misao figured he was going to drop the subject again. "Alright. But you must stay out of the way. It's not safe there for a Water Fae, too much heat."

"Yay!" Misao pumped one hand in the air and it drew the attention of many of the men. "I promise I'll stay right where you put me and I'll not be a nuisance."

… . . …

Kenshin had protested at first, but it was easy for Kaoru to seduce the Fire. What she did not expect was having her face pressed into her pillow to keep from crying out.

All through dinner Kaoru mulled over what Sano had told her. Kenshin was expected to have a child and to have one soon. It was hard for Fire and Water to conceive a child so the months they would be traveling were too precious to waste. Kaoru would do her best to become with child and for that to happen she needed to ignore the pain from riding all day. It was easy with that water the healer kept feeding to her. She tried very hard not to think of it as a chore and did her best to pretend she wasn't desperate to fulfill her duty as the wife.

Once alone in their tent, Kaoru stripped out of her nightgown much to Kenshin's weak protests. But the red-head soon gave in. Kaoru found it painful to part her thighs too wide and so there she was, with her face down in the pillows and her round bottom in the air. Kaoru felt so exposed this way but once Kenshin mounted her, all thoughts of embarrassment and duty vanished. Their coupling was fast and thankfully, quiet. Kaoru bit down on the pillows to stay silent. With nothing but fabric for walls and at least one guard on watch, it was certain any sound would be heard. Mercifully, Kenshin was silent when he tensed, pushing his hips hard against her for one long moment. Slowly he backed away and collapsed on the cot, dragging Kaoru down against him as he did so.

"My Lady wife has an appetite, that she does," Kenshin whispered in her ear once he caught his breath.

Kaoru said nothing and instead pressed her face against his chest. She realized it was the wrong thing to do because a hand went under her chin and he lifted her face until she was looking him in the eyes.

"Something is bothering you." He stated. "Are you going to tell me what or are you going to keep silent and mysterious like all insufferable Ladies?"

Annoyed, Kaoru opened her mouth but then snapped it shut again. Kenshin's laugh was a deep rumble in his chest.

She wouldn't rat Sano out for spilling something that was supposed to be a secret from her. She needed a different approach to the subject. She already felt bad for misleading her Husband and she hadn't even said a word yet. Kaoru sighed softly. "Is it truly difficult for Fire and Water couples to have children?"

Kenshin's amused gaze softened. "Are you worried about children already? We've only been together a few weeks."

Kaoru traced an old scar on his chest with her fingertip and said nothing.

Kenshin turned to lay on his back and pressed Kaoru closer to him. "It is true. It's like trying to mix oil and water," he explained. "It's not easy...but not impossible." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I will give you a son." Kaoru swore, balling her hand into a fist. She didn't like that they were short on time, and she didn't like the idea of the men talking about them behind their backs and perhaps even plotting to overthrow her husband and breed her to another like some prized mare. She would show them. "I'll give you many sons." She added.

"Whoa." Kenshin hushed her and took her fist in his hand, threading his fingers between hers and held her hand. "In time, my Wife...If you think about it too much, it will never happen, that it won't." There was a stretch of silence and Kenshin heaved a sigh. "And here I thought I was just too much for you to resist for long. I find out you just want a child. You wound me, Wife."

Kaoru laughed, smothering it so others wouldn't hear and she ended up snorting, which caused her and Kenshin to laugh all the more.

… . . …

Kaoru could feel it singing to her...like a mother's lullaby from the very edges of her memory. A soft, soothing sound that both relaxed and excited her. The river. Kaoru and the other Water Fae could feel the pull of so much water. Kaoru hadn't been to Straculst River since she was a very young child. The memory was of more happy times. Before she was married, before she knew about the Drow. Even before her Father became ill. It was the first time since then that Kaoru had ever seen such a large body of water. It felt like an invisible force was pulling her by the heart. Singing to her...a soft tinkling voice at first, then louder and louder until it was a rush of sounds. The sound of the river was nearly drowned out by the roar of the blood in her head. Near the end, when they could hear the rushing water and the song of water nymphs, Kaoru couldn't wait a moment longer and urged her horse to rush ahead. She left Sano behind, blew past the guards and Kenshin and rushed towards the towering green trees that lined the river bank. The call of the water was a pull too strong for Kaoru to ignore it in any way. She climbed down her horse as the Water guards arrived next to her, also called by the river.

Kaoru clambered over large river stones before coming to a stop among the knee-high tall grass. The water was so clear she could see the multicolored stones that lined the bottom. Giant boulders sat within the river and the water rushed up and over, creating happy splashes that the water nymphs played upon. They turned and noticed the Water folk watching them and called with their tinny voices to come play. To anyone else, all they would see would be splashes of water over rocks, but the Water fae could see their little undulating bodies, even their tiny faces.

Around her the guards were already stripping off their armor and kicking off their shoes. Excited, she went to yank on her own clothes but paused and turned around to find her husband and the Fire guards coming up to them. Kenshin leaned over and said something to a guard. Kaoru couldn't hear for the sound of the river masked his voice. The guard dismounted and started to gather all the horses that had been abandoned and started to take them away. Kenshin turned then and locked eyes with her. He had an amused look on his face and gave her a nod and waved her off.

Kaoru burst into a smile as she kicked off her shoes and stripped off her pants. She would have stripped naked like most of the guards had, but she left her tunic on, which covered all the vital areas out of respect for her Fire Husband. She quickly picked her way down the bank and the moment her foot touched the water she felt a jolt of power. It was like being at the streams near the Keep, only vastly more powerful. A lake is a calm and gentle power, as is a stream, but a river...a river was always rushing, always flowing, always cutting into the earth and shaping it. A river had uncontrollable power, a power she had not felt since she was a child.

It pulsed up her body and nearly overwhelmed her. Quickly she took control of that power and only allowed it to flow a little at a time. Feeding her every cell, nourishing her soul. Every ache, every pain vanished. She felt stronger, her skin glowing she could almost feel the very hair on her head start to grow. A comforting warmth grew from her lower belly outward. Her heart swelled with the feeling of love from the Goddess of Water. A prayer bubbled up and her lips moved in a whisper that was swallowed up by the roar of the water.

"Blessed River,
Speak to me of stillness and change
As your path caresses the skin of the Earth,
May I too dance over and around the obstacles of my life.
May I flow calmly and yet leap skyward in joy."

… . . …

"Hey man, that water's moving pretty fast." Sano voiced as he let his horse amble up next to Kenshin's.

Kenshin only spared him a glance before turning back to the group in the river, namely his Wife. "It's no danger to them," Kenshin said. "They can't be harmed by water, you know that." He added in afterthought. His world shrunk down to his little slip of a wife wadding into a rushing river of ice cold snow melt until she was over knee deep. But she and the other guards glowed with ethereal flowing light. He had seen hints of it when she bathed, or set her hands in the water at church but never had he seen the scope of her power. The roaring river water seemed to caress her body with a gentle touch, instead of pounding force. He pushed his horse closer until they reached the large river stones that lined the bank. Blue light ranging from deep navy to powder sky blue rose up from the water and flowed like smoke up from the river and over her legs, higher and higher until it wrapped around her hips and back to wrap around her middle.

Kenshin dismounted and let a guard take his horse as he made his way over the rocks and sat on the bank. He didn't dare step foot in the water. Being a Fire he would be instantly weakened and swept away and most likely downed. So he was happy to sit on the side and watch his wife from there. The light undulated like sunlight reflecting off water. Higher and higher it climbed slowly wrapping around until it swirled around her whole body. Bright white sparkled like thousands of tiny stars within the light and Kaoru's skin glowed as if her skin was drawing in the light and sparkles. Her hair moved as if she were underwater. It floated, drifted up and away from her body. Her tunic drifted up from her body as the light dove under it to caress her skin. Her laughter sounded like drops of water on bells. She reached down to touch a splash of water that Kenshin suspected was a water Nymph that he had heard about. Kenshin was certain that under the water Kaoru's legs were covered in scales. Not just the outline of them as when she was in the tub, but actual scales.

"Damn man. I'll never get tired of seeing that."

Kenshin turned to Sano. The fighter gave Kenshin a grin and then a shove against his shoulder. "I've Water friends of the Female type." Sano joked. "I've worn them down for them to need a bit of a power boost." He turned back as Kaoru slowly made her way over to them. "She looks so much better."

Kenshin had to agree, her eyes were brighter, nearly glowing with power, her hair was shiny and her smile was ear to ear, unrestrained, like a child.

"You're not going to take your true form? I'm looking forward to it, that I am." Kenshin said as she drew near enough to hear them.

Kaoru shook her head. "I've decided that since I'm going to the ocean, that I'll wait." She wasn't breathless, as one would think after trudging against a rushing current of water.

"I didn't think you would be one to wait, Missy." Sano mused. "You seem to be havin' fun." He indicated to the splashes of water that seemed to dance around her legs.

Kaoru bent to touch them like a mother humoring a small child. "Yes but. I know we must get going. And well, If I do turn now, I'll only have a few long moments to enjoy it before we must be on the road again. I would rather wait until I see the ocean for the first time, where I can spend all day if I wanted to swim around. I want it to be special."

"It will be." Kenshin was sure. He stood and offered his hand. "But you are right in that we must return." Kaoru took his hand and carefully stepped out on the pebbled bank. "We'll have our midday meal now before we continue though."

The guards returned and dressed as well. They too seemed change by the power charge the water had given them. They glowed with health and strength, were more carefree and yet sharper as their senses were amplified from the power. It seemed only the Fire guards grumbled. They, like Kenshin, would never go near the river for fear of death. They didn't like the idea that something so simple as a river would bring an end to them. Kenshin had accepted this early in life when in the fields fighting. Drow would often use rivers and barriers between their armies. It will be a great advantage now that they had Water Fae on their side.

… . . …

Kaoru was forever grateful when they arrived at Lord Robbert's house. It was easy following the river, the power of water constantly recharged her. But sleeping in a real bed was most welcomed. It was a large house situated on the high ground near the river. A large wall wrapped around the estate. Yet in this time of peace and from expecting their arrival, the gates were thrown wide open and they were greeted warmly.

They arrived early that day and they spent the day resting. Kenshin and Lord Robbert went around the estate while Kaoru napped. She really wanted to explore the estate and the river rock gardens where the pretty flowers grew, and visit with his wife and near grown children. But Kenshin insisted that she rest and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep, exhausted from the short travel.

The River Lord wanted Kenshin's eye when it came to security and safety. Gates were tested, walls were looked over and windows were discussed. They shared a lovely meal with Lord Robbert's family. And even though she took a nap, Kaoru was thankful for rest on the soft mattress that night.

In the dim light of one lone lantern, Kaoru traced the tattoos on Kenshin's bare back. "Will you tell about these markings." She asked.

Kenshin, still languid from their lovemaking minutes ago glanced over at her as he rolled onto his stomach and propped up on his elbow. "They tell my story." He reached out with his free hand to touch her cheek. A simple caress that he did often, which caused Kaoru to lose her heart to him a little more each time.

"Oh?" Kaoru edged closer to the heat of his body.

"It's an ancient Fire language. It starts at the base of my neck." He reached back subconsciously, touching the starting point at the nape of his neck where his hair ended. "Each line is a milestone in my life. Birth, Blessing, boyhood, training, manhood, battles….my marriage..."

"Our wedding is there?" Kaoru moved to sit up, no longer caring about being naked with him. She reached out and rolled him back on his stomach so that she could get a good look at the black tattoos. There were many lines and slashes of various shapes and colors. "Which one it is?"

"Near the small of my back, the blue and red one."

Kaoru trailed the line down his spine until she hit a wavy blue line with a red swooping line crossing it near the small of his back. "When did you get this?"

"A few weeks after we were married." He stated. "I wasn't happy." He admitted. "But my father insisted." He paused a moment. "I'm glad he made me get it, that I am."

Kaoru smiled to herself. He was glad to remember when he was wed to an unruly brat. But inside, Kaoru was pleased. There were more than a dozen hard slashing lines before the mark, and even more after the mark until the line wrapped around his hip and starting going down his leg. "What do all these markings mean?"

"Mostly battles." He said simply.

"So many," Kaoru said softly. Had he marked each one? Even if he had, there were so many, Kaoru couldn't believe he had seen battle that many times. The many scars that crisscrossed his body proved his encounters in battle but none looked worse than simple flesh wounds. No deep stab marks, only shallow slashes. "How far will the line go?" All the way down his leg?

"I've seen more battles than most, that I have." He turned his head to look at her. "My Lifeline is further along than most men my age. At this rate it will be down my leg and up my other leg and up the center of my chest before I die of old age."

Kaoru smiled as she stretched back out beside him and he wrapped one arm around her to pull her tightly against him. "I've been wanting to know about it since I saw the markings our first time together." She confessed. "Is it something only warriors get?"

Kenshin shook his head. "Most everyone in the Fire lands gets them. It's a personal choice….tradition. "He added with a smile.

It would be nice if she could share in his tradition. "Would I be able to get a tattoo like that?"

Kenshin was genuinely surprised, his lavender eyes flashing with pleasure. "I would love to see your Lifeline." he trailed a soft touch down her spine. "I rather like the look of them on females."

This time it was Kaoru's eyes that flashed in amusement. "Seen many?"

"On the battlefield, Kiga," he explained with a chuckle and a kiss.

… . . …

Misao sat at the long table in the kitchens with a scrap of paper and a charcoal pencil. Melinda was rattling off a list of things she would need and Misao was doing her best to keep up with the woman. She ran out of room and had to flip the paper over to continue. Misao had no idea how Kaoru was able to do this week in and week out. It had only been one for Misao and already she felt frazzled and at her wit's end. Milk, eggs, meat, vegetables, oils, grains, flour, cheeses, fruits and barrels of wine, cakes of yeast. And so on it went until Misao thought she would run out of room again.

Then suddenly all was silent. Misao glanced up finding the middle-aged woman smiling down at her.

"What?" Misao glanced down at her frantic scribbles. "Did I miss something?"

"No. It's just that you remind me of Kaoru so much. That first year when her father became ill and she took over caring for the keep. You have that same overwhelmed look on your face."

Misao didn't know if she should laugh or burst into tears. She decided to laugh. "Well, at least I know being overwhelmed is normal."

"It is quite a lot to take on if you've never done it before." Melinda agreed. "Did My Lady show you how to write up the orders?"

Misao nodded. Kaoru pulled out all the books and explained everything Misao needed to do and left little notes on paper inside each book. It was rather easy work, but there was much to keep track of. If she worked on one thing at a time, things will go smooth. Misao was never that type of person though. She wanted to tackle it all at once. But she fought that urge as hard as she could right now. Now she needed to be sure she did everything right.

Kaoru was counting on her.

A/n I promise we will see more of Misao and Aoshi, the build-up just makes it all the more delicious.
I'd be terrified if I were Misao, taking care of such a huge facility and worrying about strangers there that dislike you to varying degrees. Although it would be worth it to have Aoshi...hmmm.

I hear many saying that they feel Kaoru is a bit too happy. Trust me, she's not, she's simply making the best out of the situation her life has taken. She refuses to wallow in self-pity or anger. First and foremost she wants to protect the Keep and all who live there or go there for healing. If that means working to give Kenshin children or putting on a smile, then so be it. We all know how Kaoru is. Besides...she's really liking Kenshin.

April is Camp Nanowrimo. I may or may not be taking the month of April off. It depends on how well I'm doing during the camp. I did well enough last year that I was able to keep posting. But it may not work out this year. Just an FYI for my dear readers. If you don't see me in April, that's why.

Work on Alpha is coming along. I'm still struggling with it. I'm just going to have to take a few shots of something hard and bare down and get it on the computer. Once it's out of my head it always seems easier to work on.

Thank you so much for reading. Reviews are loved!