A/N: Props to Cat Foxglove for this idea, I must admit it is way better than what I had intended!
The Best of Intentions: Chapter 16
Kenshin listened dumbfounded as the doctor apologized profusely for the medical mistake regarding the Battousai's health. "I thought you said the symptoms were conclusive," Kenshin interrupted the man's mutterings.
The doctor scratched the back of his neck embarrassed. "It's most likely that you really did just have a case of the chicken pox in the past. I'm afraid I mixed up your test results with another poor man's, but it is quite obvious that he has syphilis." He handed Kenshin the papers verifying his good health. "I hope this little incident didn't affect anything too detrimentally in your personal life."
A pair of violet eyes stared at the paper document in his hand representing a fresh wave of hope. "Nothing that can't be fixed, I hope."
"Good to hear, son. Now go on out and see what your next assignment is now that you've gotten a clean bill of health," the doctor encouraged with an impatient gesture to the door. Kenshin took pity on the man and left, not wanting to upset him, though he felt he had a good right to upset the one whose mistake might have ruined the best thing he had going for him.
"Kenshin!" Sano shouted as he ran down the hallway towards his friend. He had anxiously awaited the results of the meeting with the physician and didn't think he could wait any longer for the verdict. It had been the longest half hour of his life, waiting in the hall.
"It was all a mistake," Kenshin replied quietly, looking up into the concerned eyes of the former fighter-for-hire. "It was all a mistake," he repeated.
Sano wasn't sure if he was referring to the doctor making a mistake, or his letting Kaoru go being a mistake. "That's a good thing, right?" He asked, hoping that he was referring to the former and not the latter.
Kenshin didn't answer. The document in his hand wasn't the death sentence he feared, but now he had to contend with the fact that he made a huge mistake in letting the woman he loved run off with another man. He practically gave them his blessing!
"Himura-san!" Soujiro ran towards Kenshin, skidding to a halt at his side. He held his sides, waiting to catch his breath to forward the message to his role model. His curious blue-grey eyes swung from Sano to Kenshin and then back again. "Is something wrong?"
"Not a thing, kid," Sano answered cheerfully with a gusto he didn't feel. "You got something to say?"
Soujiro nodded, before glancing over his shoulder to make certain a certain female ninja didn't follow after him. He then looked back to Kenshin. "Himura-san, I was to find you and ask you to report to the commanding officer. There is apparently an assignment that needs your particular skills."
Kenshin nodded and thanked Soujiro before heading towards the office of the commanding officer. Sano watched him walk away alongside a bewildered Soujiro.
"Could you explain the odd look in Himura-san's eyes?" Soujiro asked, his ever present smile strangely missing from his boyish countenance. Sano ran his tongue over his teeth in contemplation. Surely Kenshin wouldn't mind if he shared the good news. Besides, the former assassin was giving him the creeps with his intense stare. It might be best for his own health to share the good news!
"There was a little mix up between his test results and another man's, but it's been cleared up now," Sano answered. He realized he made the right decision when the familiar grin split across Soujiro's lips.
"I am glad to hear this." He glanced towards the way that Kenshin had vanished. "Himura-san deserves a break in life once in a while."
Sano cleared his throat, deciding a change in topic was in order. "So, where's the weasel-girl?"
"If you are referring to Misao, I'm afraid that I don't know where she is at the moment," Soujiro answered coldly, the smile slipping a fraction as his eyes darted down the long hallway in both directions.
Companionably, Sano looped his arm around Soujiro's neck and began to head towards the office were Kenshin was requested. "I always thought you two kids would look cute together. Puppy love is so much fun to watch."
Soujiro's face flushed a bright red. "I am not a child and she hardly is either." He lifted up his arm for Sano's inspection. "Do you see this bruise? She is a brutal woman. Few can lay claim to having bruised the flesh of the Tenken."
Kenshin knew that his friends would be following him and most likely would also be eaves dropping on his mission. It didn't take long before reaching his destination. The man calling for him was one of the top-ranking government officials of Japan and was only temporarily visiting the Chinese dignitary. He knocked on the door and was promptly urged to enter.
The man sitting behind the desk, wearing a military uniform with his hair short and grey gave an absent gesture towards a chair for Kenshin to sit. "I was waiting until I had confirmation from the physician on your health status before making this assignment," he began.
Kenshin didn't move and kept his eyes steady on the older man. He did find it interesting that this man seemed to know his health status before he did, however, that seemed to be how things worked in the military.
"You don't seem especially pleased about the mistake," the older man commented curiously.
"Mistakes are best not made," Kenshin answered simply, earning a bellowing laugh from the commander.
"Fair enough. Let me start off by telling you a story. Twenty-eight years ago the King of Bohemia had an affair with a noblewoman of Japan. This affair resulted in his youngest son, who in spite of his bastard status was in line for the throne." He paused, watching Kenshin for any signs of a reaction, seeing none, he continued.
"There have been many disappearances of men of Asian descent in the area of Prague where the young man is rumored to live." He waited a beat before continuing. "I have called for you specifically Mr. Himura to investigate the situation."
Kenshin was allowing the words to filter through his mind. Prague was in the Austria-Hungarian Empire, which was very near Germany, which was Kaoru's destination. Surely, fate would not allow him such an opportunity!
"You may be curious as to why I have chosen you specifically," the commander continued. He noticed that Kenshin's cheek with the "X" marked scar twitched. "It has nothing to do with your past. It is actually because you lack the typical characteristics of an Asian with your red hair and violet eyes."
"I see, sir," Kenshin answered. "Are there any particular characteristics of the young men disappearing that I should be aware of?"
"Perhaps, a description of the prince would be better. He has dark hair and bluish-green eyes. He is rather tall and lean. He is roughly 182 centimeters tall and about 72 kilograms in weight. He has a quiet, broody disposition."
Kenshin remained silent, while inside he felt great turmoil because the description of the prince sounded uncannily familiar to him as they illustrated a man he was having difficulty referring to as 'friend.' He noticed the commander looking at him expectantly. "Sir, he sounds like an acquaintance of mine." He couldn't bring himself to use the word friend, comrade, someone of trust.
"Then you shouldn't have trouble finding him and protecting him. I also want you to discover who is behind the kidnappings. Leave first thing in the morning for Prague. You're dismissed."
It was no surprise to find Sano and Soujiro standing outside of the commanding officer's quarters. Wordlessly they walked back to their dormitory. "Need any company?" Sano offered. "I always wanted to go check out the Austrian empire."
"No, take me, I will be less conspicuous than a large, muscle bound, Japanese fighter-for-hire," Soujiro reasoned.
Before Kenshin could decline their offers another voice shattered the male discussion. "If you're going to take someone, it should be me," Misao stood with arms crossed over her chest and a heated look in her green eyes.
Kenshin took a deep breath and tried to figure out how he was going to diffuse the bomb that just fell into his lap.
oooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOooooo
The city was amazingly large and heavily trafficked by the traveling public. Aoshi glanced towards the train station. The next train to Munich, Germany didn't arrive for another day. As a result he had the ultimate joy of participating in the role of tourist; a role for which he didn't feel quite suited.
"What do you think about this one?" Kaoru asked, fingering a tan trench coat being sold by a street vendor. The man behind the counter was giving them both hopeful looks. Looking closely at the balding man, it was obvious that he could use the business. His cheeks were shallow, and his face looked gaunt.
Aoshi glanced down at his own trench coat, slightly insulted that Kaoru seemed to think he would need a new one. This one was just fine. "It seems fine," he answered with out commitment as he turned his attention back to the streets, watching for Yahiko and Yutaro.
He felt the corner of his lip curl up in amusement when he caught them both ruddy cheeked and flirting with some teenaged girls. "Thank you, sir, we'll take it!" Kaoru's enthusiastic voice broke him out of his distraction. Quickly, he placed his hand over her wrist to stop the exchange of currency with the vendor.
His arctic colored eyes met her sapphire ones. "What are you doing? I do not need a new trench coat."
An ebon eyebrow rose at the statement. "Really? We're about to spend several months in Germany, where it gets pretty cold in the mountains. I would think you would want to have the option of wearing a different colored coat once in a while."
Aoshi considered the truth to the observation. Surely, he didn't come off that shallow. Besides, he felt a sense of loyalty towards his white trench coat. It had been with him through some pretty thick times and he wasn't known to discard something that had proven tried and true.
Kaoru slipped her wrist out of Aoshi's slackened grip and exchanged currency with the vendor for the trench coat. She smiled sweetly as the older man had a relieved twinkle in his eye and thanked her for her business.
Kaoru ignored the annoyed look in Aoshi's eyes that were hidden from most observers. She waited until they had traveled out of earshot of the older man. "It wasn't about the coat."
"No? Then why the pretense?" Kaoru shifted the new trench coat into her left arm and took Aoshi's hand into her free one, linking fingers. He ignored the small thrill of the simple affection and focused on being annoyed.
"He needed the sale. Our business and others like it is what keeps him off these streets." Kaoru answered. She glanced over towards Yahiko and Yutaro as they continued to make their way towards them and the girls they were flirting with. She was grateful for the petty cash Yutaro had provided. She felt guilty about accepting money from one of her students, but she thought that if she spent it on other people it would be easier. The idea of someone paying her for teaching them was beyond her experience.
Aoshi reached across her body and plucked the tan trench coat from her arm. He inspected it with a more critical eye. "It seems to be of a fine quality." He looked over his shoulder towards the vendor and caught the man's smiling face. The vendor waved at him, and Aoshi acknowledged with an inclination of his chin.
Kaoru snuggled against him, satisfied that she won the small contest of wills between them. She grinned when Aoshi looked down at her once more, having figured out another reason for her generosity.
"Exactly what should I do with two trench coats?"
Kaoru shrugged, releasing his hand and starting to hurry towards the teenaged boys. "I just thought you'd like to have a coat of your own while you so generously lend me the use of your white one."
"You could have bought a coat for yourself in that case," Aoshi told her as he took brisk, long-legged strides to catch up with her and catch her around the waist. He twirled her in his arms, dipping his head to touch noses with her.
Kaoru kissed him quickly on the lips. "But if I did that it wouldn't have that comforting Aoshi smell to it," she grinned at him.
"Minx," Aoshi teased, drawing her close again for a tight hug before releasing her to touch the ground once more after discovering he had lifted her a clear six inches off the earth.
"So, you see, the railway between Vienna and Prague opened in 1845. That would make it a thirty-five year old tried-and-true means of travel," Yutaro explained to the young woman. Proud of himself for having read the history of such things, so he could sound scholarly.
"That really is quite fascinating," Janette answered in a thick British accent. "And you study medicine, right?"
Yutaro puffed his chest with pride, "That's correct."
"Oh!" Yahiko noticed Kaoru and waved her and Aoshi over towards their little quartet. "Bridgette, I'd like you meet Kaoru Kamiya, the master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu sword fighting I was telling you about. And this is Aoshi Shinomori, I'm not allowed to talk about what he does," he told her in a stage whisper catching Aoshi's amused look.
Bridgette extended her hand towards Kaoru, red hair tied back in a high ponytail similar to Kaoru's hair, prior to her last walk with Aoshi. "It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Kamiya. Yahiko was telling me about your method of sword fighting. I'm on the fencing team of my school."
"That's another form of sword fighting," Yahiko exclaimed excitedly to Kaoru.
Before Kaoru could make any comments, Bridgette continued. "It's just so exciting to know that there are grown women out there who make a living out of the art of sword play. It is so very encouraging," she enthused.
"It's good to know there are still young women interested in the art of sword fighting," Aoshi broke in, seeing Kaoru's exasperation, though she tried to hide it behind one of her big smiles.
Janette perked up at the sound of Aoshi's deep, cool voice. "So what kind of secret work do you do Mr. Shinomori?"
Aoshi noticed the slight ticking of Yutaro's eye and decided he didn't need another lovesick teen after him. He wrapped his arm possessively around Kaoru's shoulders and drew her close. "Currently, I'm trying the Bohemian art of wandering around the expanse of the Old World with the woman I love."
Both British teenagers sighed and gave Kaoru a wistful look. Yahiko and Yutaro both felt as if their eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets. Kaoru, for her part, felt absolutely numb. Never had she imagined Aoshi expressing his love, much less doing so in front of so many people in such a nonchalant manner. The way he spoke, it was as if it were common knowledge.
The ninja was carefully gauging Kaoru's reaction to his point-blank proclamation. She looked shocked if the complete drainage of blood from her face was any clue. He squeezed his arm tightly around her shoulder to wake her out of her stupor. He was rewarded with a look of confused blue eyes that reflected a mixture of happiness, joy, and sadness.
"We can talk about it later," he bent to whisper in her ear.
"Our father wanted us to meet him for dinner in a few minutes," Janette announced, breaking the awkward silence that seemed to descend over the group. "Would you care to join us? Your train doesn't come until tomorrow," she invited, smiling towards Yutaro once more.
Yutaro snapped out of his bewildered trance and blinked at the girl with the strawberry blond hair and brown eyes. "We would be honored to accept such an invitation," he answered for the group.
"Why don't you go on ahead of me? I'll catch up in about an hour. There is something I must do," Aoshi told Kaoru after the British sisters explained where the restaurant was located.
"You're just going to leave after dropping a bombshell like that?" Kaoru whispered heatedly at a level where only he could hear her.
"I only just figured it out myself. It was out of my lips before I had realized it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must do something." Aoshi placed his hand over her lips, amusement in his eyes as he remembered the last time he tried that and she licked his palm. He didn't think he would mind if she were to do so this time. "Just go. For once, don't question me."
Kaoru bit the inside of his palm gently between her teeth, causing him to reflexively pull his hand away. "Fine, but you better not be gone long, okay?"
"Someone would have to knock me out and kidnap me before I wouldn't return to you, Kaoru," he told her resolutely but in a teasing manner. He reached up to smooth the frown mark between her brows as she scolded at his last statement. "Stop worrying, nothing is going to keep me from continuing this conversation with you once we've both had some time to reflect."
Kaoru laughed softly, confusing Aoshi. "What?"
"It's just, now you seem to talk too much where you used to be this silent mystery."
Aoshi narrowed his eyes at her. "And?"
"I'll see you later," Kaoru lifted her hand to brush her fingertips lightly over his firm jaw-line.
A/N: Thanks for the edit CharmedReality!