Disclaimer: I will never own Rurouni Kenshin.

AN: I am soooooo sorry it's been a while since I've updated, but between going outta town and working I haven't had anytime. I know, excuses, excuses......But anyways, reviews are always appreciated and very encouraging! And now....

Ch. 4

Misao momentarily froze as she surveyed the scene before her, but her grim expression was replaced with a huge grin as she bounded after Aoshi into the room, knocking a candlestick holder over in her hurry.

"Saaannnnooo!!" she all but screamed as she rushed towards the slumped prince.

"You look like hell," Aoshi bluntly stated, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face before it returned to its usual blank appearance. It was enough though, for Sano to see that his friend was very relieved to find him alive.

"You should see the other guys," Sano smiled as he struggled to stand. He was always one to make light of serious situations.

"Don't even be trying to stand Sanosuke," Misao reprimanded him as she moved to examine his wounds. Blood was seeping in between his fingers that he held against his side and he was covered with a fair amount of bruises. As Misao tore off part of her skirt to use for a make-shift bandage, she questioned where Yahiko was.

"What do you mean where he is? Isn't he with.....wait, where's Kaoru? Where's my sister?!?" he demanded.

Misao bowed her head as Aoshi replied softly. "We don't know."

A look of horror crossed Sano's face as he took in this information. His mind was imagining the worst case scenarios, all ending with his sibling's mangled bodies.

"We have to find them! They have to have survived. They have to be alive!" Sano exclaimed as he began to become hysterical.

"We will find them. We won't stop searching until we do." Aoshi's calm voice broke through his frenzy. "But first we have to get out of here alive. We can't very well find them if we're dead."

At this Sano snapped out of his panic and with Aoshi's help, rose to follow Misao through the double doors they had entered from. They paused at the King and Queens' bodies and helped him kneel beside them. Sano said a short prayer for his mother and father, and vowed to find his brother and sister, as a single tear escaped and slid down his cheek.

"Let's go. We're just wasting time here." Sano decidedly said as Misao exchanged a worried glance with Aoshi.

Helping Sano up once again, the trio headed outside into the fading light to embark on a journey to find Kaoru and Yahiko, not once looking back at the crumbling palace they once all called home.

......................................................................

(Not 15 minutes before, in the castle)

"Are they gone?"

"Who were they?"

"Why did they attack?"

Whispered questions filled the small room as the maids and cooks huddled together in the pantry, hiding during the attack.

"Shhh. I'm going to go check. Everyone stay quiet while I go outside." One brave soul, the cook to be exact, ventured outside of the pantry and into the kitchen. She pushed open one of the double doors that led to the dining room and peered into it. Smiling to herself, she rushed back to the other girls.

"I don't see anyone. Now let's get out of here."

Retracing her steps, she led the way across the room and into the next, where she found a sight that made here freeze and the other girls shriek and gasp.

"It is the young masters. Are they......?" One of the maids trailed off, not being able to finish the thought aloud.

While they bowed there heads in sorrow, the brave cook once again dared to move closer to where the young lords lay. Meanwhile the other ladies had already starting heading towards the exit.

"Yahiko-san is still alive!" She joyfully exclaimed as a loud crash was heard in the next room over.

"Hurry up! Someone's coming!"

As the cook struggled to carry the prince, her young daughter slowly stepped towards her.

"Is Yahiko-chan going to be alright Mama?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"He's gonna be just fine Tsubame. We're gonna take good care of him." She answered with a gentle smile. "Now let's go before the bad men come back." And with that, mother and daughter followed the others outside with the newest addition to the small family.

.......................................................

"So you're a wanderer?" Kaoru asked Kenshin as they walked along the path. After he had saved her, and Kenshin had assured Kaoru many times that he was there to help her and to put down her make-shift boken, they had begun heading in the direction of the nearest town, which was quite a long distance as it was in another kingdom.

"Yes Kaoru-dono, and I have been for a long time."

"But I still don't understand. Why would you risk your life to save someone you've never even met, much less someone who's kingdom your not apart of?"

"Because I am a wanderer, my allegiance is with no kingdom. And who wouldn't help a young lady in need of assistance?" Kenshin said with a huge smile and a hand behind his head rubbing his neck. (AN: you know, THE Kenshin pose).

She shyly bowed her head as a slight blush adorned her cheeks at his response. "Well, thank you again for saving me."

"It was the right thing to do. Anyone would have done it."

After a pause Kenshin gathered the courage to ask the question he'd wanted to from the start. "If I may ask Kaoru-dono, how did you come to be a prisoner of that band of criminals?"

Kaoru's eyes dimmed immensely as she recalled the events that had led up to her capture. Seeing this, Kenshin silently reprimanded himself for asking the question. But after a moment Kaoru began to speak.

"I lived in the castle back there. The one that was destroyed. They attacked it and killed everyone. They killed my family and then they took me. And then you saved me." Tears glistened in her eyes as she met his. "That is all I can bear to tell you now; I am sorry if you wanted more. Maybe later, when my wounds have had more time to heal, I'll be able to tell you everything."

"That is fine Kaoru-dono. I am sorry for asking. I am sorry for everything that has happened to you. You don't deserve the pain. One day, someone will come along and heal all of your wounds, but until that day, I will have to do."

Kaoru gave him a small smile. "Thank you Kenshin. Thank you for everything."

Well thats all for now! Please review!! Western