A/n Well, I seemed to have survived the onslaught that rained down upon me from the last cliffhanger. I knew I was putting my life on the line with a doozy like that one, yep. I admit i'm a bit nervous posting this chapter. But...well...here we are, Dear Readers. I won't leave you hanging. On to the story!

Warning for sexual situations and violence.

The rolling bass of thunder was the only sound. Kaoru couldn't even hear her own heartbeat. Perhaps it had stopped altogether. Kenshin stood, legs braced, hands at his side, just feet away from them. Behind Kenshin, Sano stood, arms crossed but his face was twisted. The violent look of his face startled Kaoru, she had never seen such a look on her gentle Earth giant. Relief washed over her, leaving her trembling and weak. Thank the Goddess. Thank you for protecting my baby. She prayed. She hadn't even realized the prayer words had been flowing from her lips until they had been interrupted.

"Kenshin." Mishal didn't move or drop his hands, instead, he pulled her tighter against him. "Have you decided to come join in? We're not young anymore, but I'm up for it." He glanced up at Sano. "I've never taken a highborn with three before but I'm sure she's more than up for it. Being a Water and all."

Kenshin turned those lava-like eyes on Kaoru.

… . . . …

She was as pale as the lightning flashing behind her. Her eyes wide, impossibly large and framed with wet lashes.

Kenshin was proud of himself. His emotions were soundly checked. He felt nothing, no rage, hurt, or arousal. He was numb and that was the safest thing he could be. Unlike his friend behind him who nearly vibrated with fury. The fighter was very likely to crack the stone veranda and they would all tumble to their deaths.

"Kaoru?" he saw her freeze as his eyes turned on her. "Is this something you want?" As much as his inner self rejected the idea, he would not deny her if this was what she needed. It was her nature and she was in a delicate situation, being with child in a climate that only weakened her. Perhaps he was neglectful in seeing to her growing needs. He had been nervous to lay with her knowing she was with child and how his powers seemed to drain her. And she couldn't risk laying with Sano and being found out. But this close to them leaving, if the fighter knew of her condition now, there would be no harm. Perhaps she was trying to mend relationships. She and Mishal had seemed to be getting along quite well after such a rocky start.

But the flash of fear in her eyes halted his thoughts. Her hands fluttered at her bodice, pulling the material up to cover her pale skin. The other hand had been at her skirts in a hopeless attempt to tug them down. She seemed to want to go to him but Mishal didn't relent his hold. The warlord held his hands out and Mishal had no choice but to let her go. She ripped away from him, desperate to compose herself and yet still too afraid to step into his embrace. Instead, once she was decent, she held her head high and slowly stepped over to him.

He set a gentle hand on her shoulder. She was trembling so hard it was a wonder she could even stand. He quickly wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her closer to lean on him.

"If I unheeded your needs, I do not mind." He said softly. She shook her head, lips pressed tightly. "Are you sure? I will join with you, if you are afraid." He offered. Perhaps she still thought he would be angry.

She rocked back and Kenshin felt her weak powers push outward, and then he knew. This wasn't something she wanted. He glanced over at Mishal before leveling his eyes with his wife and lowered his voice, ducking his head to her ear. "Would you like to return to our rooms instead?"

She nodded frantically. Her face twisting as she held back tears. There was little to doubt now. Kenshin had interrupted something alright. He held his emotions, like a hand cupped around a trembling flame.

Kenshin turned and dragged a seething Sano to his side and pressed her to the Earth fae. "Take her to our rooms. You see to her every need." He demanded. The giant gave one single nod, gathered the girl in his arms and rushed her away. He turned his attention back to his friend. A moment before Sano ushered Kaoru through the door, a sob wrenched from her throat before the door shut, cutting off the sound.

The warrior sighed, retrieving his dropped sword belt. "She's afraid of angering you. You must keep her on a very tight lead. Shame. I thought you fed that nature of hers? She tightened right up at the sight of you. I believe she must be shy about taking lovers so openly."

Kenshin walked up, his hands pressed together, the points of his fingertips at his lips, head bowed. Trying with all that was in him to stay calm. But the air around him grew heated, smoke started to curl from under his clothes. His tightly reined-in emotions were leaking free, pushing through like scalding, boiling water bubbling over a pot. When he reached Mishal, he lashed out with both hands, grabbing the man by his frockcoat and yanking him down to his height. The man was so unexpectedly startled that he almost fell to his knees. Kenshin's hands would have blistered and burned his skin if the man had not also been a Fire.

"Your rank can only keep you so safe. You touch my wife again, I'll castrate you and then use the bloody knife to put out your wandering eyes." He said it calmly, gently, before letting him go. How was he holding in his violence? Kenshin felt nearly detached from his body. He wanted to dole out the punishments now. The sight of Kaoru, like a doe frozen in front of a hunter wouldn't leave his mind. It would haunt him forever. But deep down, he knew it would be foolish to harm Mishal when he hadn't actually raped his wife. The King would accept Kenshin killing him if he had. But since Kenshin had stopped it, there had been no harm done in their eyes. Kenshin knew it wouldn't do to anger the King just before they were to leave.

Though, the King had been slowly slipping under the table when Kenshin had been pulled away by Sano. He was sure to be too drunk to do anything until tomorrow afternoon. Kenshin planned to be long gone by then. But it wouldn't be worth the risk. The warlord turned to leave before he would do something he would regret.

Mishal scrambled upright, shock paralyzing him to the spot. "But we used to share our women all the time. You gave permission for us to be alone."

Kenshin froze, his hand on the great glass door. He made sure to only touch the handle or else the glass would have shattered from the thermal shock. He turned his head slightly. His rage was like a bonfire roaring away inside of him and he was sure that ashes would billow from his mouth when he spoke. The smoke from under his clothes was starting to turn black as they started to curl and scorch on his body. To hell with simple castration. He wanted his head. "I'm not sharing her with you. You, who would take her behind my back instead of inquiring plainly. Kaoru is not some tavern whore looking for extra coin, she is sweet and gentle-bred and my wife!" He roared that last part over his shoulder, one acid-yellow eye poking through the curtain of red hair. His words started to slur as dragon fangs elongated in his mouth. "I gave permission for her to come here with you because I trusted you. I see now how that trust was misplaced. I never suspected you would stoop so low as to try and take advantage of my trust. You disrespected me. I never let anyone disrespect me. We are no longer friends and if my wife so much as gets a shiver around you, it'll be your blood that rains."

He shoved through the door and nearly slammed into the wall that was his father. He shot his eyes upward and even in his state of rage, balked at the dark gaze Hiko was giving over his shoulder through the glass. His pupils were long slits in his glowing eyes. Actual flames emanated from his hands to lick up his muscular arms.

"You see to your wife. I'll see to this one." His voice rumbled as he used the flat of his hand to shove the door open. It was a wonder the glass didn't shatter.

Kenshin didn't wait to see what his father would do to the man and frankly, he didn't care. He meant what he said. They were no longer friends. He should have warned Mishal to watch his place with his wife but he didn't think the man would dare. If Sano had not insisted he come, Mishal would have raped Kaoru. And what would that have done to her, to their child?

The thought brought him up short. He nearly stumbled from his abrupt halt. He set his hand on the hilt of his sword, the metal begged to be set free. He had confused Kaoru's compliance, thinking it was something she wanted when really she must have been trying to let her barriers down to protect her baby. It wasn't acceptance he witnessed, it was desperation.

Wanting to see blood, Kenshin marched through the dark, deserted halls. Everyone was still at the ball and to hell with it. He didn't care if he angered the King by retiring early, They would be leaving before dawn.

... . . ...

Sano held the small woman tightly to his bare chest. The girl had sobbed into his shoulder for the past half hour and now she clung to him even in fitful sleep.

Her damned maids didn't know what to make of her hysterics when they rushed her into the room and stripped the jewels and dress and put her in her nightdress. Once they were gone Sano started to strip but Kaoru, still in tears could only shake her head and instead, he found himself trapped between her and the headboard of the bed as her pillow. He pulled on his power, flooding her with a feeling of safety and protection. The girl all but fell to sleep instantly.

The thunder was growing close enough that one could not tell the rumbling of the volcano to the rumbling of thunder.

The door swung open wildly but Kenshin caught it before it could bang on the wall. Seeing Kaoru asleep he turned and gently shut the door and locked it.

"I swear by the Protector if ya didn't open tha' man and spill his fuckin' guts all over tha' balcony." He hissed, worming his way slowly, carefully, gently out from under the female and set her down on the pillows before stomping over to the warlord.

Kenshin's eyes were that of the manslayer as he glanced over at the girl. "I didn't, but my father just might."

"He caught us in the hall, Missy was ballin' her eyes out so much I had to carry her. He didn't say anythin' to me, but I pointed him to th'balcony."

With angry, jerky movements, Kenshin yanked off his fancy Fire clothes and threw them, as if tossing some fabric would calm his anger.

Sano for one, wasn't ready to let go of his anger. Who the fuck was that man anyway to think he could rut on Kaoru like a stray dog through the fence? Every muscle in his body twitched, he had too much violent energy and no place to use it. "She said she was tryin' ta pretend he was one of us so the rape wouldn't hurt her." He hissed. "If she were my wife I wouldn't stop beating him into the ground until he was a pile of stinkin' meat pulp."

She didn't have to be his wife, he'd kill that man for her right now. The veins in his arms began to pop out against his skin.

Anger flared anew in Kenshin's already acid yellow eyes and his pointed teeth gnashed. "I held myself in check only because he is the King's friend and adviser. I warned him that if he causes her discomfort again that his insides would be his outsides. If my father is killing him right now, then that's on him. He can handle his brother."

This was far from enough satisfaction for Sano. He wanted to rage, punch and throw things but he held himself back to not wake the female. "That piece of horse shit!" He hissed. "I knew I should have never left Missy's side. But she dismissed me. I knew she was lookin' out for me but I shouldn't have left her. She didn't know what that asshole meant to do." His long body collapsed in the chair and he clutched at his head with his hands. The pain radiating out from Kaoru was screaming at him to heal her. It was his nature, to soothe, comfort, protect and heal. Only being able to do half his duty was putting him on edge.

Kenshin patted him on the shoulder. "We both failed her. I knew she didn't much like him but she never told me why. And then I thought they were getting along finally. I wonder what he's been doing or saying to her when we weren't paying attention. I'm much more at fault for letting him take her off somewhere out of sight. I should have known better." Kenshin swallowed hard. "I never thought he would dare."

Sano sighed in answer. He felt like he failed the girl he swore to protect. He was just damned glad that all she got was manhandled and nothing worse. "Missy is unwell, I can feel the weakness in her, she needs to get out of this fuckin' place."

Kenshin couldn't agree more. "Come, undress, she'll need us when she wakes, that she will."

Sano nodded. Before he had felt awkward, but this time, he was thankful that he could use his power to help Kaoru.

... . . ...

The crash was enough to wake the dead. Kaoru bolted upright, certain that the castle must be falling down around them. A long, sleep-heavy arm snaked around her middle and Kaoru felt herself being tugged back down.

"Jus' thunder, Missy." Sano's voice came from the darkness next to her. As if to prove him right, the room lit up bright as day and again the thunder cracked like stone under a great hammer, exploding so loudly that the castle trembled from the force. She glanced at the wall of windows, seeing bolts of white-hot lightning crawling across the sky and punching the ground. There was no silence, only the constant rumble and crash of thunder.

Her heart hammering, she lay back down and Sano pressed in close and warm and Kaoru tucked her head against his chest as another crack of thunder rattled the glass windows. A second body pressed up behind her. Burning hot and naked.

Kenshin.

She lifted her head with a jerk as she felt herself being trapped between the two men.

"Shhh." Kenshin hushed as she wigged around and put her back against Sano so she could face her husband.

"I'm sorry." Kaoru started, the fear and emotion suddenly returning. She leaned into Sano, finding comfort in the wall of security he created at her back.

"I don't ever want to hear you apologize for that bastard ever again, understand?" In the dark his eyes appeared, yellow and churning with hate.

She swallowed and nodded, then realizing he might not see her in the dark, said "I understand."

"Rest, we leave in a few hours. The electrical storm will have passed by then and perhaps, if we're lucky, the rain will come."

She relaxed, feeling the comfort of Earth powers behind her. Sano was doing his best to reassure her. With Kenshin's heat at her front and safety at her back, she let her body feel heavy again and even the deafening thunder could no longer frighten her.

But her body was calling out to be healed and replenished. She tried to ignore it like she had in the years before Kenshin came but with a child now, she was worried. And what Mishal had said niggled it's way to the front of her mind and the words were out of her mouth before she could think better of it. "You used to share women with Mishal?"

Sano growled at her back. "Don't be sayin' his name unless you mean to curse him." His breath tickled the nape of her neck. She reached back to give him a pat on the hip to placate him, like one would a grumbling dog.

Kenshin's eyes returned as he opened them and he sighed. "After battles, we celebrated. I didn't have the stomach for rape but more often than not, girls were willing. For a bit of extra coin, or if they were in the mood, she would entertain two or three of us at once."

Kaoru's lashes fluttered. Two or three men at once? "How is that even possible?" The words were out of her mouth again. She really needed to rein in her Nature.

"Easily possible." Kenshin said in the dark.

"Multiples are common in my neck of the woods." Sano rumbled behind her. "And for yer kind as well. Me thinks ya just been sheltered from that."

She had been taught what she needed to please her Fire husband, perhaps the idea of another man didn't suit the curriculum the Fire's had expected a high-born lady to learn?

"Would you like us to show you?" Kenshin's voice was suddenly close as he head dipped to her throat and his hot mouth found her pulse.

"What?!" Kaoru gasped, "Now?" She hissed, even though no one could possibly hear a thing with the storm raging outside. A part of her rebelled at the idea but she would be lying if she said she wasn't in the least bit curious. In fact, if she was honest, she was very curious because Sano had said the same when they spent time in the alcove at the lake, that perhaps if he lay with both of them, perhaps Kenshin's power wouldn't harm her as much. And, while she was being honest with herself…She wanted to have them both. She wasn't sure if it was due to the damage her soul had taken, or just plain lust, but she wanted to try.

"It'll help ya heal from that bastard." Sano's warm arm snaked around her middle again. "I know he hurt ya, I can feel it."

"I um." She was distracted with what Kenshin was doing with his lips with Sano right there to witness it all. She tried to not feel uncomfortable though, she trusted these two men. If Mishal had harmed her with his attempt, she would gladly do anything to keep healthy and keep the child safe. She was a bit more than surprised when she felt her body respond by relaxing, dropping her barriers and letting them in.

"We won't get too crazy with ya, Missy." Sano assured her. "Just let us heal ya."

"K-Kenshin are you alright with this?" She was sure he was, but she would feel better with his permission.

"If you are." He murmured against her skin. "You already know I'm comfortable with Sano." He answered easily.

So far they were doing nothing but light touches, but already her body was responding and she felt her powers reaching out to them. But they seemed reluctant until she said the words.

"Alright. But I don't know what to do."

"Naw, Pet, this is for ya. Ya just soak up all the energy and get better, I don't want to see tears on yer face again." Sano hushed her protests by reaching down and hitching one of her legs over his, effectively opening her up. His strong fingers found her already growing wet from Kenshin's attention and he hummed into her ear. She felt the vibration deep in his chest, it reverberated down her spine and through her whole body. She realized she was in no way immune to Earth powers when Sano wanted to flex them.

She jerked when he touched her and Kenshin pressed even closer, trapping her tightly between them. His hands pulled on her nightdress until her heavy breasts spilled over the top and he latched on to one sensitive nipple. The two different sensations from the two different men effectively snapped her control. She could already see the green and blue Water and Earth energy starting to glow in the dark. Sano was already pushing it away from him to allow Kaoru to absorb it all.

The Water female couldn't understand how this came to happen. It seemed wrong to do this, and yet felt so deliciously, wantonly right. The men did not seem hesitant or inhibited by the presence of the other. Why should she? It was wrong only because she had been told it was by her teachers. But here, her Fire husband encouraged her.

A gasp escaped her when, finally, Sano set her sensitive nub between two fingers. The sound from her seemed to only excite them more. Kenshin returned from her breasts to press his lips to hers. Kaoru gladly opened for him and their tongues tangled in an almost desperate way. Was he trying to make it up to her? Trying to make her forget her fear and pain? Her hand trailed down the ridges of his belly to the hardness that he had pressed against her. His kisses became more forceful as she wrapped her hand around the length of him and stroked the burning velvety flesh. There was a hint of a whine at the back of his throat.

Then, without thinking, she slithered her free hand between her and Sano, it was a difficult reach with him being taller than her, but she felt him hard and wanting against her lower cheeks and she didn't want to neglect him. Earth words were being whispered in her ear. A spell, or prayer to ease her pain, but the chanting cut off with a strangled gasp as she wrapped her hand around him as well.

"Well, Pet, ya seem to know more about this than ya thought." Sano's low voice said in her ear.

In unison, as if their minds were linked, the men slowly thrust their hips, sliding back and forth in her grip. Their heavy breath warmed her skin and she relaxed into the rhythm they were creating. The green energy drifted closer and started to touch her skin and soak into her body. Pleasure racked her and a keening moan escaped her."That's it Love, just relax, let it come." Sano soothed.

"Listen to him Kiga." Kenshin's breath was starting to catch, telling her he was already close. Pulled to the brink quickly by Sano's Earth powers. Earth and Fire Ki pressed together, merging into one, swallowing her water powers, laying her soul out naked for them to soothe. She felt exposed to them, more intimate than simple nakedness. But she felt nothing but love and acceptance flowing around her. Her keening grew louder and louder, higher in tone with each breath and the two men were rocking against her almost desperately.

"Ah, Fuck." She heard Sano hiss behind her as he tensed and pressed his forehead into the back of her head and she felt his hot seed surge against her hand and coat her thighs. A moment later Kenshin gave a roar as he spilled his seed onto her belly.

Green energy gathered up and surged into Kaoru as Sano pulsed with pleasure. It set her body buzzing with such power. She felt she must be glowing as brightly as the lightning outside. That strange sensation of every nerve ending lighting up with warm, soothing, almost loving power. Earth energy really was quite different. She let it sink deep into her. Like the heat from the sun on her skin as she lay in a meadow of flowers.

Kenshin's delicate fingers tangled with Sano's at her lower lips and the fighter slipped free and let Kenshin take over. As Kenshin's touch returned her growing pleasure, Sano's strong fingers angled lower and slid up inside of her. Sano was sitting up to better reach her at a deeper angle and within moments Kaoru couldn't fight back the loud, throaty keening that escaped her. The thunder drowned it out, but even so, between the rolling reverberation, Kaoru's cries grew an octave higher with each breath until she nearly shrieked. Sano's husky words urged her while Kenshin's eyes burned into her soul. What little Water energy there was seeped down into her as her inner wall clamped around Sano's fingers and she held on to Kenshin as she felt the force of her climax would sling her off into space. Something warm and comforting slid into place in her mind. The pain on her soul had vanished and instead buzzed with the energy of the two powerful men.

The three of them collapsed onto the bed, sweaty sheets were kicked away as all three of them sucked in air, exhausted from manipulating their power in such a way. Kaoru rolled and curled up against Kenshin, using his chest as a pillow. Sano pressed up against her back, one powerful arm snaked across her and Kenshin's body and pulled them both closer against him. With a great sigh from all of them, one by one they fell back to sleep.

... . . ...

The three of them left the rooms silently, together. Their things were already packed away in the wagons and their people were waiting for them at the base of the castle. The two men kept Kaoru between them as they hurried from the palace.

What the three of them shared only cemented their friendship to an even stronger level. Kenshin now knew that Sano would have no problem coming to Kaoru's aide. And Kaoru finally felt comfortable enough to let him. He had wanted to group together like this for some time to ease their fears. But it wasn't safe in the Castle. Last night with Mishal was the last straw. He'd be damned if he let his pregnant wife be harmed.

The castle was silent, servants moved on soft footfalls, like ghosts, cleaning up after the ball. One of Kaoru's maids rushed ahead of them from the kitchen with a large hamper filled with leftovers they would eat in the saddle. Kenshin wanted to put as much distance between Kaoru and the Castle as he could.

Outside, it was still dark. Thick clouds blocked the early sun from their view. The air was mercifully cool and heavy with blessed moisture. Most Fire's would call this a bad day, but for Kenshin, it was the best day. The environment would better suit his wife. Even so, he had her tucked away in the wagon with Sano.

The warlord looked up at the castle and the volcano rumbling in the distance. He said his goodbyes to the towering landmarks and to the Fire Lands. He prayed it would be years and years before he returned again.

... . . ...

Kenshin did not relax until they were two days away from the castle. There had been no sight of the King's wrath, if there was any. He was certain if there was, his father helped level the King's head. On that second day, the monsoon rolled in and Kaoru was allowed out of the wagon and into her saddle as the rain fell. While Kenshin and the guards wore leathers treated with oil to repel the rain, Kaoru sat in simple cotton travel garb and let the rain soak her to the skin. Her clothes plastered to her frame and her hair was dripping, but she was utterly at peace.

Kenshin and Sano had watched her closely for any signs that Mishal's unwelcome advances had not harmed her in the long term. She insisted she was fine and the sight of her softly glowing with blue light as the rain drops splattered on her skin proved she was healed and well.

The morning rainstorm rolled by them, leaving a fragrant, yet muddy trail for them to forge. The clouds parted and in an hour, the heat settled back on the land. The wet ground steamed as the moisture was sucked back into the dry atmosphere. Kaoru grumbled as her clothes dried on her body and she was sent back into the wagon until nightfall or the next storm.

"Where are we going?" Kaoru wondered as Sano pulled his long form into the wagon with her and her maids. "We're going due North, not Northwest."

"We'll be outta the Fire lands faster if we head straight North. Shave two weeks off our time here. Kenshin is eager to getcha outta here" He answered. "We'll clip a bit of the Air Empire and then turn Northwest to home. Kenshin has a friend he wants to see in Alizeh, A large town in the Air Empire. An old war friend who's been on the lookout for Drow."

Kaoru nodded but then her brows knitted together. "Won't you be unwell there? Like I am here?"

Sano shrugged his massive shoulders. "I will be more like Kenshin back in the water lands, Missy. As long as I keep my feet on the ground, I'll be fine. No damn cliff climbin' for me." He shuddered.

Kaoru smiled and patted her friend on the knee. Her mood faded as the day wore on. She had forgotten about the Drow. She didn't understand how she could have forgotten half the reason they were on this trip. Kenshin had sworn no great change would come to the Keep itself, nor will they stop healing those that came for help. But Kaoru couldn't help but feel uneasy. She was worried about what those extra troops would mean. Her little Keep was going to change. Her home was not safe. The Drow were pressing in and the Keep would be an easy target, and one the Four Kingdoms would loathe losing.

... . . ...

The scent of rain was strange in the Fire lands. A cross between wet earth, heat and a strange metallic tang. But Kaoru enjoyed the freshness of it. Even in the oppressiveness the heat and humidity it caused, she breathed deeply and turned her face to the heat of a shaft of sunshine that was just able to break through a crack in the thick dark clouds. The small ray was not enough to cause her any sort of harm. The sun was growing weaker as the Neither Expanse grew closer.

The Fire guards grumbled louder with the lack of heat, increase in moisture, and their powers were slowly dwindling back down. She could see it in her husband. The yellow was gone, replaced with glowing warm amber that was already ebbing away to the gentle purple she knew. But she was not fooled, his strength and power was not draining away, rather it was being tucked safely down inside of him, ready to explode outward if needed.

The constant feeling of weakness was also slowly ebbing away. She hadn't really noticed it until neutral strength started to return. Her powers were still weak, but the general ebbing and evaporation of her powers had been so slight, so slow, such a small amount at a time, that she hadn't noticed it. Now that it was returning, she felt a bit shaken at how weak she actually was.

"Is this how you feel in the Water Kingdom?" Kaoru asked as she snuggled down in her cot and watched Kenshin work on maintaining his sword. They had only just reached the Nether Expanse when they made camp, but Kaoru knew he would not sleep much for the next few days. The clink of wood and metal was strangely comforting in the dead silence of the empty land.

"At first." He said, glancing up at her then back down at his work. "If we stayed perhaps a few weeks longer, you would have adjusted. It would've been easy now that the wet season had started. It will be the same for any Fire that will come to stay with us at the Keep. A handful of weeks of general weakness and then as their body acclimates and adjusts, their strength will return. We will never be as strong as we are in our homelands, but more than enough to survive battle. Children, however, I'm unsure how they will take the change."

Kaoru shifted in the cot to face him. "What do you mean?"

"If we develop villages near the Keep for men and their families, then there will be children. I'm sure older children will be fine, if a bit cranky, but infants and babes...I do not know how the power drain will affect them."

Alarmed, Kaoru sat up. "Could they die?" she gasped.

Kenshin shook his head. "I won't let that happen. We'll be careful."

So there was a possibility they could die. Kenshin just didn't want to come right out and say it to her. She chewed on her lip. They would have to find a way to slowly acclimate the infants to the change. Perhaps they would try and keep any small children out of the Water Kingdom until more is known. But that would be cruel, to split up families like that.

"I said I'll take care of it, that I did." Kenshin said gently. "So stop your worrying."

Kaoru couldn't help it. But her husband was right. There was no point in her worrying about it now. It would be a while at least before any sort of village would be ready for the families. For now they simply had to worry about getting home.

... . . ...

"Who are we meeting?" Kaoru turned to Sano as the two of them led their horses away from the rest of the group. One of the mounts threw a shoe, bringing the entire troop to a halt. It would take a while to get the horseshoe situation fixed and Kenshin granted Sano and Kaoru permission to amble out toward a hill where they might see the first signs of the Air Empire. Kaoru was wary now of allowing her mare to cross over rocks that might also cause her to lose a shoe, or twist something, slip or become stuck. Her eyes quickly returned to the terrain in front of them.

"An old military friend. Two actually." Sano sucked on a bit of green grass. The long thin blade danced at his lips as he talked. "Saitou and Jinpu." He glanced over at his charge. "Jinpu is the friend, Saitou though…They tolerate each other and work damn well together when they have a common goal."

They reached the swell of the small hill and found in front of them a shallow valley and yet another, slightly taller hill. "Perhaps we'll catch sight over on that hill." Kaoru offered and urged her mount forward.

There was a feeling that Sano was leaving something unsaid. "But?" Kaoru pressed as their horses picked their way down the hill.

"But, he's a fuckin' bastard and about as dull as a round rock." The Earth man muttered

Kaoru gasped and couldn't hold back her chuckles. "Is he really that bad?"

"He's a Water Air mix, but was raised in the Air Empire and sprouted up with his head so high up in the clouds, you would think his damn brains became full of hot air."

"Why Sano I've never heard of you speak in such a way about someone." Not even the Fire King had pulled as scathing remarks from him as this. She glanced at him from the sides of her eyes.

"Ah, it's personal," Sano muttered sheepishly. "Don't pay me any attention."

"What did that man ever do to you?" Kaoru asked around her grin. She leaned forward as their horses struggled up the surprisingly steep hillside. "That you have such personal feelings about the man?"

But Sano didn't have a chance to answer. As their horses crested over the second hill, the pair of them turned to catch a glimpse, the faintest of outlines of the famous mountains and cliffs of the Air Empire far into the distance. Kaoru marveled in the sight for only a heartbeat when a weight slammed into the side of her horse, sending the animal stumbling. The force and momentum sent Kaoru out of the saddle to land hard on her side.

Kaoru blinked, not aware of the horse hooves dancing near her body. She could only focus on the rocky earth and the spikes of green grass as her lungs screamed for the air that had been forced from them. What happened? Had Sano's horse tripped and stumbled into her mare? She was yanked up by the arm. It hurt and she would have shouted if her lungs were not seizing. She glanced around.

Sano's horse was riderless.

No.

A flurry of grey skin and white hair darted all about.

Oh no, no!

Drow, nearly a dozen of them.

Kaoru was dragged away from her frightened mare as she finally caught sight of her bodyguard. She watched as Sano hit a male with such force that teeth tumbled to the ground and the Drow man now had a useless jaw hanging grotesquely from his face. "Missy!" He shouted, his angry brown eyes finding her.

She tried to call for him, but her lungs still would not do anything other than suck in air until she thought her chest would burst. The large Drow started dragging her further into their camp. There were at least two dozen more men and youths here. How had they not noticed such a large camp? There were no fires burning, no voices, and total silence when Kaoru and Sano crested the hill.

How far away had they wandered from the group? It didn't seem very far, but if Sano's roars of fury were not alerting Kenshin, then they must have wandered off far further than she had thought.

Kaoru felt stupid.

Her side screamed in pain and she worried the fall broke her ribs.

Sano was all fists and fury. Any Drow unfortunate enough to get within arms reach of him suffered the consequences of his fists of rock. Kaoru watched in shock as Sano grabbed a Drow and rendered his face to soft meaty pulp with only three hits. The skull became soggy and caved in as easily as crushing an overripe melon.

Kaoru was terrified, hurt, and worried about how the fall affected her baby, but she refused to not fight back. She threw her head back. The Drow that had her was slightly too tall, but the back of her head connected with his chin and was still effective. He fell back, tripping on a tent line. Kaoru rushed away. It would be foolish to go to Sano, he was surrounded by men and she would only be caught. Most of the men had rushed for the horse lines and were vanishing around the hill with swords, spears and bows. Were they going to circle around and attack the troop from behind?

She had to warn them.

In the chaos, Kaoru found her mare and rushed for her. But strong iron arms wrapped around her and hauled her up off her feet. With her lungs working Kaoru let out a scream of anger and she kicked at the air.

Sano answered her with a beastly roar of his own. The air was filled with flesh hitting flesh, of cracking bones and Sano's constant stream of expletives. Her body kept trying to call her power but in the Neither Expanse, no one had their powers. Not even Sano, but that didn't stop him from using his brute strength. She twisted in the arms of her attacker and pulled the dagger from her belt.

She had never used a weapon on someone like this. The first fight with Kenshin when she threw that dagger was the first time, but this was different. She was looking the Drow in the face. But if she didn't kill him, he would kill her.

She went for the throat.

She dragged the blade under his chin. His strange white irises went wide. But instead of a warm gush of blood, Kaoru felt the knife drag across metal. She cursed, realizing he must be wearing a chain to protect his throat. The dagger was slapped out of her hand and her face exploded in pain as she was backhanded for her attempt. Through the blinding stars in her vision she found herself being thrown on a horse.

"Sano!" She screamed, realizing they were going to take her away. She couldn't let them take her. She needed to warn Kenshin, if they weren't already under attack. She was thrown across the horse down on her belly and at once she sat up, thinking she could take the horse but the male was already up in the saddle and gave her a slap for her attempt. She grit her teeth and was getting real tired of being slapped around. She fought as the horse sprang forward. She went for the Drow's eyes, yanked fist fulls of his snow white ponytail, and even yanked hard on the reins to slow the horse. All the while she was screaming for Sano.

The horse was stumbling around in circles as Kaoru fought the rider. And Kaoru looked up in time to see Sano take a blade in the side. A blade stained black. Was it poisoned? In that moment, Sano twisted around to the offender and stumbled. At once three males were upon him, sharp blades flashed in the sun as they raised them high.

No! Sano!

Distracted, Kaoru's head exploded in pain and her vision grew blurry and she felt her body floating away.

A/n Well, out of the frying pan and into the fire once again it seems. Seems I have a knack for ending chapters at cliffhangers. What's wrong with me!?
Poor Sano, I seem to have such a soft heart for him and he's fun to write but dang, I sure love to put him in bad situations. And poor Kaoru, she's been taking a bit of a beating. Just when we all thought we left our problems behind in the Fire Lands...this has to happen.
Thank you for reading! Reviews are loved.
P.S. I posted a chapter from on of my new RK fics in Blossoms on the Cherry Tree. It would mean a lot if you could take a look at it and let me know. I mean, I'm already 11 chapters into this but...you know...should I continue?