Here it is folks! I want to thank those who heard my request for reviews, it helps to make me a better writer in the end.

PAISITA, demi-godesswriter, LCES, Kiorru-dono, Reignashii, Angel of loneliness, echelon098, Linwe, saskia2

All though I didn't get the number of reviews I had hoped for I thought what the hell, nine is a good number. And hey its my lucky number, so here is another chapter for ya folks! Enjoy and remember to review!

"Speach"
'thought'
Battousai

Chapter Three: Fates Sealed

Everything moved so quickly that morning, she could barely keep track of everything. Akio had insisted that she spar with him before breakfast, then came breakfast. Her uncle Shin was trying to convince her to stay and fight. Kaoru remained firm telling him that she was going to be leaving whether he liked it or not, he kept refusing to hear her.

Ayame dropped between them and interrupted them to tell them she had company. Kaoru looked to the door where Ayame was pointing and she felt like someone had dumped ice water on her. No happiness filled her as it normally would with them near her, instead just dread filled her.

"Kenshin, what are you three doing here?" Kaoru rose and moved to them as Kenshin showed her the travel bag that she had left behind, and her sword. 'Damn it Tae! How could you do this to me?' Tae meant well, but by bringing these things to her, sealed her fate. Kaoru heard what Kenshin said and felt anger heat her blood with Shin's words. She told him off quickly and let her temper get the better of her for a moment.

Kaoru grabbed the bag and sword from Kenshin then dismissed herself, slamming the shoji closed behind her. She needed to get away from her family and now her companions. They would probably worry about her for a while, but she knew she couldn't be near them without lashing out at their questions.

Kenshin watch her leave and despite Battousai's demands to follow her, he remained. The woman who sat at the left side of the table smiled at him and stood. She introduced the people at the table and offered them some food. Yahiko and Sano readily agreed for him. The woman, who had brought them in, Ayame, was Kaoru's oldest cousin and had been raised to take Kaoru's place should she decide not to become the head of the Kamiya clan. She was the only remaining Kamiya youth, most of her brothers had been killed in the war and the others had died from illness over the years.

"Why would Busu become the head of the clan if she's younger than Ayame?" Kenshin sighed at Yahiko's words and rubbed his temples, Kaoru's uncle Akio was glaring at the boy. Ayame looked shocked but laughed softly.

"Because, Kaoru's father was the original head of the family, it was left in my father's care until Kaoru had come of age. Unfortunately we had lost her during the war, and believed her dead. Father took a chance and sent the letters to Tae-san to send her home if she was alive." Yahiko nodded in understanding and continued to eat silently after noticing Akio's glare.

After breakfast Ayame and her mother Saka showed them around the house, Akio grabbed Yahiko and said they would be in the dojo. Sano went with to make sure the boy didn't get beaten to a pulp.

"I'm sorry again for what Yahiko said of Kaoru-dono, that I am." Saka just laughed and Ayame smiled. She was pretty when she wasn't trying to intimidate people.

"Kaoru was always sensitive to her looks, but Akio had been extremely protective of her. Kaoru had come to him after her parents were killed, his wife and he had raised her until his wife and child were killed. After that night he would never let anyone speak a single word of ill toward the girl." Saka nodded and grinned at her daughter which seemed to make her grimace.

"Even family was not immune to his wrath, my dear Ayame here found herself at the receiving end of his temper a few times." Saka laughed at the blush on Ayame's face as she explained what happened. Kenshin felt himself worry for the boy, even with Sano there he feared Yahiko may have trouble remaining alive pass today. Saka must have seen his fear for she tried to reassure him. "Akio wouldn't kill him, Kami no, Akio believes in children being the only hope for tomorrow. But I have a feeling we will be short a person for dinner, Ayame remind me to make sure to have a tray of food sent to the room for the boy."

Once Ayame and Saka had finished showing him around they took him to the room he was to use. Then left him to his own devices, which consisted of finding Kaoru and trying to talk to her at least that was the plan. Only problem was she was hiding from him. Lunch had come to pass and she hadn't shown up, so he had retreated to the dojo to help keep Akio from severely hurting Yahiko.

The water rippled slightly against her skin as she passed the small brown bag from one hand to the other, her sapphire eyes distant and blank. Her pattern faltered and the ball fell to the ground outside of the spring. Looking over she found her cousin Ayame standing in a towel, her long brown hair pulled away from her face loosely in a bun. Ayame smiled at her and picked up the ball as she entered the spring and tossed it back to Kaoru.

"Still playing with that thing after all these years?" the alto tone reached her ears with a faint laugh. Kaoru scrunched her face and looked at the ball then Ayame. A laugh left her before she could stop it as she turned her gaze back to the distant wall.

"Old habits die hard I guess," she whispered and started the rhythm again. Ayame's sigh didn't disturb her this time as the slightly older girl spoke.

"I've heard you all have some little quirk that stuck from childhood. With you it was the bean bag, others have a top or some other little toy. Why is it?" Kaoru shrugged and held the bean ball in one hand when she turned her gaze to her cousin.

"Its soothing I guess, it takes my mind away from everything at hand and lets me breath. I have no clue about the others though; maybe they want to hold on to some piece of the days before they became what they are." Her voice was soft and full of shadows that she knew Ayame wouldn't understand. Kaoru started the pattern again as the two sat in silence, only putting the ball down to cleanse her self and then begin again.

"Do you miss the old days K-chan?"

"No, and don't call me that."

"It's the only name I can call you, I can't see you as you once were and I can't see you as the Kaoru you are now." A sound of disapproval left Kaoru's throat as Ayame turned to her again. "You can't deny what you're feeling, you know you're reverting and it won't take much more till you're here to protect us as you once were K-chan." With that Ayame stood from the waters and left. The unspoken suggestion struck Kaoru odd, did her cousin mean for her to run, or was it a test. Kaoru sighed and actually looked at her hands that were busy passing the ball from one hand to another.

It slammed against one hand and slipped from her grip before her fingers could clinch it. 'Something's not right,' she thought as she hurriedly stood and wiped off as much water as she could before throwing on her yukata and running out the door to the main rooms. Sounds of metal clashing caught her ears and she followed it. A few bodies lay in her path that she jumped over, never once making a sound as she moved. 'A battle within my home? I think not,' was her only thought as she threw open the door to the back garden where the sounds were loudest. She threw the ball against the skull of an offending warrior that was attacking one of her family's soldiers.

A crunch sound followed as it struck his helmet against his temple and he fell to the ground. The solider looked up to see who saved him and gasped. She ignored him and flicked her wrist; a hidden string brought the ball back to her hand with stinging speed. Never once did she flinch as she did this repeatedly to several others and grabbed a sword from one of the bodies. The men she saved retreated from battle and helped the injured men of her home.

She held a defensive ground and kept the enemy from her allies, yet avoided killing one person. She held the last man conscious at the end of a blade from his own troops on the ground.

"Leave and tell your master the Kamiya are through playing his games." With that she withdrew the blade and dropped it on the ground as the solider stood and ran while he had the chance. A solider from her ranks approached her along with her uncle Akio. She refused to look at either of them, but stare at where the man had run to.

"Double the guards; bring any man or woman able to hold a sword to the lines. Bring the children to the shelter under the house and see to it there are guards there as well. I will not loose a single life, am I understood?"

"Yes sir," said the solider as he ran off, Kaoru bowed her head and titled it slightly so she still faced the same direction, but her ear was more focused on Akio.

"So you have joined us," was all he said. She shook her head making him raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Not quite, and I have no intention to if I can help it. I took an oath twelve years ago and I plan to live by it."

"Even if it costs you your life," She chuckled at his question and turned to face him, specks of blood coating her pale face.

"I once asked a dear friend of mine that, his answer shocked me but made me feel better knowing I wasn't alone," with that she walked past him and past everyone that had gathered there to help out in anyway possible. Kenshin stared at her as she passed him, the faint flickers of gold barely registering in her mind as she tried to avoid his gaze and looked at the blood that covered various parts of her body. With a sigh, she dropped the ball with a deep thunk to the wooden panels and retreated to the spring again.

Kenshin moved to follow her, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned; ready to give the fool a piece of his mind when he came face to face with Akio.

"She's dealing with her past, leave her be. By morning she must decide what action this family will take. She is their commander now." With that Akio walked away, leaving the others to clean up the mess and retreat to his room.

Yahiko stooped down to pick up the ball and gasped when he struggle to picked it up. Kenshin turned to see what the problem was. Yahiko handed him the ball and he almost dropped it because he was unready for the weight. He then noticed the thin but strong cable that led to a ring of metal. Faint traces of blood covered the ball as he turned it over in his hand. It wasn't a bean bag like everyone had thought; it was filled with steel pebbles.

He passed it from hand to hand and found the same sound he had heard when she was tossing it about earlier in the day. It sounded like dried out beans, but weighed so much more.

"How was Kaoru able to throw that thing around?" Kenshin cast him a cursory glance and thought deeply on all the things he had begun to notice about his Kaoru. She was hiding something; the tired look she had given him went far beyond the exhaustion of day to day living. Her very soul was tired, but of what?

'So you have joined us,' 'Not quite….an oath twelve years ago…' what had they meant by that? What happened twelve years ago? Go find her, get her to give us answers, his other half prodded yet again since they had arrived earlier that morning. 'No, I can't do that; Akio said she was dealing with her past. Something happened to her twelve years ago that we should not intrude upon.' Yet the more he stood there thinking about everything, the more tempting it became to hunt her down. She might need our company, you never know…. 'I won't let you talk me into this, she obviously needs her space.' He felt Battousai sigh and prowl within his mind as he too left the battle field and retreated to his room that was connected to his beloved's.

A short time later he heard faint movement from her room alerting him to possible danger, he reacted with out thought. He drew his sword and threw the shoji door to the side. There sat Kaoru, her hair once more wet and hanging over her shoulder, her body wrapped in a black yukata and a towel pooled in her lap. She held no fear in her eyes as she looked at him; in fact she looked very bored, and tired.

"Yes Kenshin?" she whispered and ran her comb through her knotted hair, only to reach a particularly bad knot. She didn't wince as she pulled at it, but he did. He carefully grabbed her wrist and pulled the comb from her pliant fingers. She turned her back to him and bowed her head as he slipped his fingers into her long tresses. Ask her, Battousai growled, 'No, something is wrong, that it is.' Battousai's growl became more pronounced as he continued to work the comb gently through the knots. Carefully pulling at the strands when he came to a really bad tangle within the mass of silky darkness. Can't you feel it? Again Kenshin had the impression that his other half was on the prowl for prey.

The distinct aura of a hitoriki colored the air and had since before they arrived. Battousai had immediately begun chattering at the oddest of times about asking Kaoru something about it. She knows, she's the head of the clan it is her duty to know who is here and who is not. Kenshin would admit Battousai had a rather good point, Akio had said she was the commander now.

'I wonder if that is the oath she took twelve years ago,' his thoughts drifted off and he came to realize she would never have left if she had taken an oath to lead the clan. 'She'd have been raised similar to how Misao had been.' That's right you fool, it has to do with Kage. That damned Bastard who always managed to stay out of my reach. Don't you remember how much of a fool he made of us?

He turned his attention back to the woman who had so easily shown him her back. A woman raised in a war like she had been would know enough to never trust a man in her room like this unless he was her husband. A swordsman always knows enough to never bare their backs to another of the sword. It was common sense, she should know this. She trusts us you fool, Battousai said calmly.

"Kenshin?" her voice was meek, and sounded strained. He had hopes that she would tell him what was going on, and she seemed ready to but instead she sighed. "Never mind, it's nothing," and started to braid the hair the now hung over her shoulder. He had finished it at some point in his thoughts and now she was securing it.

The image of her splashed in blood made its way to the forefront of his mind. Her stance after the boy had run was that of a true warrior, his heart and blood had raced at the sight she had made. But when he saw her eyes, everything turned to ice. Her normally bright sapphire eyes that sparkled with life and an inner fire like none he had ever seen before; were dull and blank.

"Thank you Kenshin, you didn't have to help me," she whispered, a silent dismissal in her voice that he normally would abide by. Not tonight, we are going to get answers Baka, now ask her. He sighed and adjusted his body to better hold his weight and stayed where he was. She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Kaoru-dono"

"Sama,"

"Oro?" his voice was filled with shock as his eyes widened.

"If you must use honorifics after everything we've been through, then use the proper term. I am the lady of the Kamiya clan." She said turning back to look out the window he just noticed above her bed. He nodded, that answered one question.

"Kaoru-sama," he grimaced, it didn't feel right but he would say it for he had asked for it in always using dono on her name. "Why is there so much tension in your family?" His words seemed to strike a nerve; her back tensed and became rigged. Yet she sighed and reached up to rub her temples lightly.

"My family is at war with another clan that has despised us for generations. It's more of a blood feud for something that happened between us before my great grandparents were even thought of. It's also something that none have ever given me the knowledge of." He narrowed his eyes; she had answered but avoided what he really meant.

"That is not what sessha meant, that it was not," She glared at him over her shoulder and stood to turn and face him. Her inner fire was still banked under something, but he could see the embers.

"Himura, I have been nothing but kind to you over the years you have lived with me, and asked nothing of you that you had not willing done. This is something that I will not abide to, and ask that you leave my room immediately." With that she turned on the ball of her foot and stare, more likely glare, at the wall in front of her. He sighed as he felt Battousai pushing against the restraints he held on his darker half. Let me deal with her damn it! Let me out! 'No, she's obviously not going to answer us- 'Oh but she will, now let me out. The calmness scared him more than anything, but he knew he was loosing. Kenshin himself was angry over her harsh dismissal himself. 'Harm even one hair on her and I will slit our belly before you can say mitsurugi.' Agreed, now let me out.

Kaoru felt the air change with the presence of a killer being loose. She turned sharply and found herself pushed against the wall she had formally been glaring at. 'How dare he!' her mind shrieked as she turned her gaze up to the golden fire of Battousai. No fear coursed her veins, he wouldn't actually hurt her and she knew it.

"Release me Battousai," she ground out, he held her pinned by her shoulders, his legs pressed against hers to hold them from kicking him. He chuckled and shook his head; she held back a growl in her chest knowing he would only laugh again.

"I want answers my lady. I want to know why I can feel Kage so close and yet everyone tells me they have not seen him in over a decade. I want to know why it is that you are so angry at your kin. And I want to know now." His voice, like stone, left no room for argument. She felt herself caving to his whim when a piece of her old fire returned.

"You are not the protector of this family Battousai," she didn't like his grin; it was too catty for her tastes. He dipped his head next to her ear and throat and whispered.

"But I am yours," she shivered as his breath brushed her sensitive skin and cursed herself for a lack of restraint in his presence. He chuckled and leaned back to look her in the eye with his golden irises. "Or will you deny all the times I saved your life, all the times I could have left you for dead?" she turned her head away and bowed it in shame. 'If only, NO! I won't say it,' she thought and sighed as she relented slightly. "Now tell me what I want to know," he faintly growled and pushed her more firmly against the wall.

"My family desires me to summon Kage," she whispered.

"I am aware of this, but why?"

"I am the only person who knows where the warrior rests." He raised a brow, 'That's odd; last I heard Kage had disappeared off the Earth.' Thought Kenshin from the depths of their mind. Yes it is odd, he did; but there is one possibility.

"How is this possible?" Kaoru's sigh had them both on edge and he leaned closer to her as she whispered. "Kage and I are bonded." He pushed himself away from her and prowled her room as she collapsed to the floor on her knees.

"You—Kage? How could you do that? I thought you were still a maiden of virtue! How could I fall for the same trick twice in my life?" he growled out loud as he paced, her head jerked up at his words, and she instinctively spoke to protect her honor.

"It's a little hard to not be a maiden when the one I'm bonded to is a wo," her words were cut from her throat by a knock on her door.

"Kaoru dear, your uncle wishes to see you immediately." It was her aunt Saka; she glared at Battousai and signaled for him to follow her. He refused and she spoke up to her aunt through the door.

"Tell him I will be slightly delayed, Himura and I are speaking on important matters that need to be dealt with." The rustling of fabric was all either heard as her aunt rushed off to tell her husband. "I will say this only once, and then you will leave me be until I summon you am I understood?" He showed no reaction so she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Kage walks this world as you and Kenshin have for most of your lives." With those crisp words she left him with his eyes glaring at her back.

"You desired to see me uncle?" Her clipped voice echoed slightly in the almost abandoned room. He turned to face her from his sitting position and grinned slightly, if only weakly and nodded. He motioned for her to sit before him at the tea tray that was set up. She obeyed and rested on her knees, her black yukata slipping from her firm thighs. Neither of them noticed this as they stared in each other's eyes.

"You almost summoned her tonight," were his simple words as he sipped his tea and looked at her over the rim of the cup. Kaoru's spine was rigged as she glared at him, suddenly regretting saving her own home.

"This is my home; I will not have it destroyed by lowly soldiers who desire a taste of battle." She carefully lifted her cup and sipped it without looking at him.

"I see, so you will continue to deny that you walk the knife's edge," he stated with a sigh of exhaustion. "Why must you be so stubborn?" Her eyes flashed at him as she opened them to glare at him over her cup.

"I am my mother's daughter, and I swore,"

"To never be anyone's lap dog like Battousai had. It is a story told many times, but I feel that it more of you're mother's heritage then anything else.

"I would watch myself if I were you Shin, I may not have my sword now, but I will not hesitate to remind you why I was feared as I was." He grinned and she knew she had walked into a verbal trap.

"Now there's the Kaoru I remember," he chuckled as she muttered darkly and shook his head. "Youth and vitality, what I wouldn't give to have it once again." He trailed off, his gaze drifted to the open shoji.

"Yes I could see you desiring that, only to sire more children." She paused to know she had his attention, he glared slightly at her. "Come now uncle you had to have seen it coming, I know you are not a fighter by any means of soul. You love family and having children more than any woman I have ever known."

"And you will stop now, for until the day you declare to this entire city that you are its lady, I am still the lord here and the head of this family. You will show respect to me," he actually full on glared at her.

"But I have," she whispered and rose to her feet with a smooth grace of a feline. He eyed her cautiously. "Earlier tonight, I took command of this household and this city. They know who I am and know to obey me. Good night uncle, tomorrow will be a long day for me and I need some rest."

"I understand Battousai was in your room speaking to you just before you came here. What did he desire to know?"

"That is of no concern of yours uncle."

"That is where you are wrong, and you know why."

"He asked me about Kage," Kaoru spoke timidly with her back turned to one of her only remaining blood relatives.

"And?"

"I told him that she walks this earth as he and Kenshin have for decades."

"But you did not tell him,"

"No." she cut Shin off before he could finish.

"I see then, you know you will eventually need to tell him. A man like himself will notice the differences between you and Ayame."

Kaoru opened her eyes to the rising sun and sighed softly. Today she would stand before the city and take her place as the head of her family. In the back of her mind she could feel the bounce of her emotions as her thoughts flew from one subject to another. 'I don't have much of a choice left, if I don't summon Kage we'll loose the battle and my family will die' Kaoru's gaze fell on her father's sword and travel bag, knowing Tae the woman had packed everything including the black bindings.

She unraveled the silk and pulled the blade from its scabbard, the soft hiss of the blade sliding free a soothing sound to her nerves. Kaoru sighed deeply and dressed in her normal hakama and gi before walking out to the dojo and past it. A man was busy chopping wood and didn't hear her approach.

"I'll finish that for you Kan, go see to your family. We will be releasing everyone once the guards are finished with their patrol." The man jumped and turned to find the lady of the city before him with a sword in hand. He bowed and left her to do as she pleased in favor of not facing her wrath.

Her blade sliced cleanly through the log, the impact and removal of the blade forcing it to slide into two pieces. The heavy sound of the pieces impacting against the dirt ground brought the wielder of the blade to her senses. A quick twist and lifting of the arm, and the blade rested against the throat of the to be speaker. Ebony hair hung in loose pieces around his sharp features and wood brown eyes that were just as sharp.

"Your senses are sharpening, I'm proud," the masculine voice was low in timber, almost crooning but strong.

"Leave," her unused voice whispered through full red lips. The man chuckled and grinned slightly at the swordsman.

"No, you need to come to terms with this choice."

"Your presence will not help it Akio."

"But you are wrong young Kage." He said softly as he stared into sapphire eyes with irises of gold that any man could be lost in. They now stared at him filled with anger and contempt, but burning deep within those rare orbs was the pure love of kin and soul.

"You are no longer my master. Now leave,"

"True, but you are my niece." The blade left his neck slowly as the gold darkened into black and a soft sigh passed Kage's lips.

"I sometimes hate that fact, what does Shin want of me now?" Akio grin deepened as she turned and slammed the blade into the ground several inches to reach for the fallen wood. "Do not test my patience Akio, I have little these days." He simply chuckled but his grin fell from his face.

"He says that a message arrived for our guardian and our mistress. A letter of conference," she snorted in an unladylike fashion as she set the wooden pieces on the growing pile.

"Tell him to reply with a negative, I will not place any lives in danger ever again." Akio's silence made her look up at him. His eyes were downcast and he sighed deeply. She reacted quickly and slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground as she grabbed his collar tightly. "What the hell did he do now!" her voice growled in an octave lower than normal. Akio looked in her eyes and trembled, her eyes were pure gold and the irises a deep sapphire. Shin was in deep shit with her now and he knew it.

"He all ready replied saying yes," Akio tensed his body as he felt her use his chest as a spring board and start to run back to the main house. He sat up and stared at where the sword sat only moments ago, now only to find the ground ripped and dirt tossed.

"Shin you ass I told you that you shouldn't have done that." He winced as he stood and put weight on his now sore left leg. The same leg he almost lost in the Bakamatsu and reached for the ax that she hadn't used to chop the wood she'd been venting on. "Now you'll know what it is like to face her temper my friend, for none will save you this time." His voice raised in volume as he lifted and dropped the ax into the wood.

Shin sat with his wife and Kaoru's companions at the dinning table for lunch. Together they ate in silence, but Kenshin wondered where the rest of the family had disappeared to after Shin sent out that letter. He soon received his answer when the shoji was slammed open and there stood a figure baring a sword dressed in white hakama and a yellow gi. Sapphire eyes blazed around the room before landing on Shin who sat calmly at the head of the table.

"You Bastard!" She yelled and threw the sword toward the former head of the Kamiya clan. It missed only just barely and dug itself into the wooden pole next to his head. "I should kill you for what you've done, regardless of our blood ties." She walked over to him and pulled him up to stand face to face with her.

"This is what you desired was it not Kage?" Shin whispered so only she could hear him. Kenshin heard the faint growl from her throat as she shoved him away from herself.

"Do you really desire to relive thirteen years ago you idiot. Thanks to your foolishness we are now sentenced to our death!" all but Shin and his wife gasped. Kenshin rose to his feet and glared at shin.

"Does she speak the truth?" Shin quickly looked at Kenshin and finally the fear set in as he realized no one was going to save him this time. He nodded sharply and backed away from Kaoru further as she ripped her sword from the wood splinters flying with it.

"You should be afraid you fool. Akio is in the woods finishing my work and the others know what you did. No one, not even Saka will stand in your defense." Shin looked to his wife who sat demurely at the table still eating. The blade now rested lightly against his throat, and he stared into bright golden eyes with fear. It was Kage followed him, step for step, the blade never leaving his neck. "If you thought that I was dangerous during the Bakamatsu dear uncle, you are sadly mistaken. I am paying for too many of your mistakes." Quickly and without hesitation the blade slid across his throat, "Consider that a warning," She turned sharply, knowing that her former companion's eyes were following her every move as her uncle checked the cut on his neck that had barely missed the vital vein of his life. She kept walking until she stood before the doors of the hot spring her family had built.

The smell of fear, sweat, and blood was making her nauseous as she stripped off her clothes and bindings. Her body soaked in the hot water as she grabbed her blade and bindings to clean off the blood.

"May I join you cousin?" Ayame soft voice wavered from outside of the doors. Kaoru sighed and fought for her control until she was calm.

"Yes Ayame, I need to speak with you any ways." The sounds of rustling fabric and sloshing of water was short as Ayame joined her in the water. "I guess you know of your father's actions?" she looked at the woman across from her and watched the fear flee from her cousin's eyes as she nodded. "Then you know what we must do?" again Ayame nodded, but this time with anger. "What angers you cousin?"

"He promised that we would never have to do this again after what happened last time." Kaoru sighed at Ayame's careless words that brought back unwanted memories. "You were so badly injured that night and they used that to their advantage to hurt the rest of us. Had uncle Akio not been there you would have died" the despair that lined Ayame's voice made Kaoru look at her curiously.

"You were closer to death than I was Ayame. Had I not screamed your true name they'd have killed you thinking you were me." Ayame nodded and began to bathe herself as Kaoru finished cleaning her blade. "Cousin, I don't want to kill again," Kaoru whispered and sunk lower into the water's warmth. Ayame stared at her with confusion.

"Kaoru, I can't tell you to kill, never could have. You know that the choice is yours, but I will remind you of this," Ayame waited until Kaoru was looking her in the eye. "You are more than this family's guardian and lady. You are a member of this family." Kaoru smiled at her cousin and reached over to hug the woman.

"Did you learn when they will be arriving?" Ayame nodded and stated it would be two weeks. Kaoru sighed and leaned against the edge of the spring, eyes closed in thought. "You and I will spend the next two weeks, day and night, in the dojo."

"Why cousin?"

"I am going to need your help being a lady, and you will need a few basic lessons with the sword." Ayame gave her a questioning glance, "I will play my part, both of them." Ayame opened her mouth to protest and Kaoru raised a hand to silence her, "No cousin, I will never place your life in danger like that again. Beside it is the last thing they will be expecting." Ayame sighed and finished bathing, the two women sat in silence until the sun began to set meaning dinner was about to be served.

They rose from the water and Ayame brought Kaoru to her room and helped her younger cousin dress in a proper kimono of her station. Kaoru refused the face powder saying she'd rather eat then spend the night trying not to sneeze. Ayame laughed and agreed to having done that many times. So she pulled the dampened tresses back in an elaborate bun, using a special pair of sticks that had been given to her by Kaoru's own mother. Once satisfied with Kaoru's appearance she dressed herself quickly and they proceeded to the dinning room.

"Man where are they, I'm starving," whined Yahiko quietly, Akio had drilled him for yet again calling Kaoru busu. Saying that he needed to show respect for the head of the family whose house he was currently residing. Akio once again sent him a sharp glance and the boy covered his mouth. A bell like laugh caught the table's attention; they all looked up to the door and found Kaoru and Ayame. Kaoru was laughing, holding her sleeve covered hand over her mouth. The black kimono was accented by green leaf designs and a blood red dragon rested its head on her left shoulder while its tail seemed to be the red stitched black obi around her waist. Her midnight tresses were pulled back loosely into a bun of loops and turns, with a pair of sticks holding it in place, the jade gems twinkling in the light of the room.

"I see uncle Akio as taught you to mind your place hasn't he Yahiko?" Ayame laughed as well and the two women moved to the head of the table. Shin sat at there staring at his daughter and niece as they approached, Kaoru's face lost all mirth and he realized what she was doing. "Uncle," she whispered menacingly and stared him down, he sighed and looked to Akio of who refused to stand in his defense. He rose from his place that he had coveted for most of the life of the young woman before him. "Arigato," she said icily and sat down, Ayame sat in the open seat at her right. Saka sat where she had rightfully sat for years and began to rise. Only to be stopped by the shake of Kaoru's head, "I wish you to remain aunt Saka."

Saka smiled and shook her head, "It is no longer my place my lady. My place is by my husband, no matter his place in this family." Kaoru sighed and did not stop her again as she rose to move next to her husband, leaving the seat to her left open. She refused to call anyone to the seat and instead called the servants to bring dinner. The silence of the table scratched at her nerves, it was mainly because her companions still didn't understand everything, and one seemed angry with her. She needn't guess for when her gaze lifted her eyes met the gold speckled violet of Kenshin's stare.

When dinner finished the children gladly left the table when excused, even they could feel the tension in the air. The adults remained in silence until Akio spoke up.

"Well I will be retiring to the study, if anyone wishes to speak with me." Shin said he wished to walk in the gardens and asked Saka to join him to which she agreed. Leaving Kaoru, Ayame, Sano, and Kenshin at the table in silence to which Sano could no longer take.

"Okay, Jo-chan I think its time for explanations. You've been avoiding us since we showed up." Kaoru sighed and reached for the cup of sake before her, "Come on imouto, don't we deserve answers?" She dropped the saucer and cursed softly as she stood brushing the spilled alcohol from the kimono. She looked apologetically to Ayame who smiled and shrugged it off.

"Very well, come with me, all of you," she said and turned from the room and exited to the walk way outside. When she finally stopped she was sliding the door to a large room open, they all walked past her and she would not lift her gaze even when Kenshin stopped at her side to stare at her. She slid the door closed and adjusted the obi somewhat difficultly till it fell from her body.

"Feel better cousin?" Ayame laughed and helped her remove the outer layers as Sano and Kenshin turned their backs causing the girls to laugh. "It is okay Kenshin-san, Sano-san; she's wearing other clothing under the kimono." They turned back and sure enough Kaoru wore a light weight red kimono. "Sit please," Ayame motioned the pillows in the corner, a set of tea and sake all ready set for them.

I think that was a decent cut to the chapter, I have a lot of kinks to work out of the conversation that they have in the next chapter. In other words it may be a while before I can get it posted. And I'd just like to mention that this chapter is 14 pages long in my word processor.

Kenshin still hasn't figured out that Kaoru is Kage, he has a feeling but the lack of visual proof has him stumbling. Just what will be said, and how will it affect Kenshin and the gang? What do the next two weeks have in store for the Kaoru and Ayame?