Author's Note:
Hello and welcome back! This chapter got away from me, and honestly, it could have been even longer.
As I warned in my last A/Note, there is a certain amount of Chizuru and Saito fluff because I felt like writing it. In a couple of places it verged too close to smut, so I will be adding the complete chapter to the M-rated version of the story and the slightly edited version to the regular T-rated version.
This chapter manages to at least mention almost everyone. Some days are just like that.
Also, poor Yama-chan (thank you, Souji!).
Thank you to everyone who is reading and enjoying this story. I truly appreciate seeing people from all over the world stop by to check out what the Shinsengumi and the Oni are up to this time.
In particular, thank you for your reviews to:
Shell1331 (for amazing support here and on tumblr - recently posted her first story!), DancesWithSeatbelts (nalufever on tumblr - an excellent writer for the FT fandom)
14Phantom (who has the best hashtags! glad you like the Oni politics, so important), Scintilla of Myself (thank you for appreciating the need to make the punishment real)
Guest (thank you for mentioning my long author's note, your own discussion about Kazama was excellent), nakigaoyuu (thank you for always appreciating my happy duo :)
Sabina-san (greatly enjoyed your Amagiri/Kazama comments & well, have some fluff!), NyaPowa (great ideas for Saito's new "left-hand man", hehehe)
Anon (for excellent insight as always and for appreciating CCR, heh), Eliz1369 (I know, we need to look after Amagiri, and Souji, and Chikage...)
A special thank you to Blaze1662001 - I'm always so happy when somebody takes the time to give this story a try! Welcome!
~ImpracticalOni
\(^u^)/
Chapter 64 – A Formal Visit
[I] - Time Together
Saitō found his wife hovering just down the hallway from Amagiri's room. He felt heat rise in his cheeks, as natural reserve and years of self-control won by the slimmest margin over duty. He immediately saw the sense in Amagiri's request that he not to attempt to work with Chizuru on the delicate task of cleaning and disinfecting the various lacerations, but it was mortifying. It almost seemed worse right now than before.
"Please fetch Kimigiku-san now," he said curtly.
Chizuru, who had brightened as soon as she had seen him, looked a little startled—and maybe hurt—by his sharp tone, but it was the best he could manage. She hesitated, and then nodded and hurried off to … somewhere. Wherever. Saitō pressed a hand to his head. Now he just had to go back to their rooms without running into Harada. He was a respected comrade, but Saitō was feeling that stretched-thin sensation again, as though maybe he had done too much, too quickly. He needed to rest, but he wasn't thinking about resting. He hoped that Chizuru wouldn't be absent too long.
Idiot, he told himself severely. It will take as long as it takes. He wished that he could just go away until the chaos in his head and body subsided. He suspected that passing all of the Trials within a few days and then immediately getting married—with all that seemed to entail for an Oni—was not really a good idea.
It didn't hit him until he reached the door to their temporary quarters—he hadn't brought the sword. Amagiri Hideaki's sword still lay unsheathed in Amagiri's—Kyūju-san's—room. He stood in the elegantly-appointed reception chamber for some minutes, utterly unable to decide what to do. Fortunately, the solitude helped, and the wind and rain outside seemed quite pleasant as a background to his thoughts. The sword would keep; it was unlikely that anything would happen to it and then he could enjoy inspecting it later. Besides, he needed to clean his katana, and then wipe down both of his swords after being in the rain…
Feeling more himself than he had in hours, Saitō washed, dressed with more care than he had earlier, and sat down to methodically and meticulously look after his weapons. By this time, he was unsurprised to find everything he needed for the task placed where it could be easily found, in the small chest beside the stand for swords.
He had just finished cleaning and oiling his katana, and was inspecting his wakizashi, when he sensed Chizuru outside in the hallway. She entered a moment later, and looked at him a little uncertainly, her eyes first on his face and then on the swords. His conscience reminded him that he had been very abrupt with her earlier—not at all as he should have been the day after their wedding, especially when he had been gone almost all morning. He rose quickly, setting both swords on the stand.
"Chizuru—" he began, taking her hands.
To his surprise, she leaned her head against his chest and he realized as she did that there were tears in her eyes. How could he have missed her distress? Obviously he must have deliberately shut himself away or… or something like that. Or maybe she had been keeping her unhappiness to herself? But what had upset her?
Awkwardly, he put his arms around her, holding her against his chest. He could feel the slight tremors as she cried—no, that wasn't it, she was trying not to cry. He felt ridiculously unprepared for this role. But that was no excuse, especially when he considered what they had already shared the night before. Strangely, the half-expected blush didn't come; instead he pressed a kiss against his wife's soft, dark hair. My wife. For her he could risk being embarrassed.
"Dear one, please tell me what is wrong. Look at me."
Obediently, if a little slowly, Chizuru looked up at him. A few tears had obviously escaped despite her best efforts.
"Amagiri-san… it's terrible, Sai—Hajime. I'm sorry!" Her large brown eyes widened anxiously.
Saitō frowned slightly, which probably didn't help matters, but he persevered. "I do not want you to be afraid of me, Chizuru. Are you?"
"Oh no—no, nothing like that! I just—" she bit her lower lip. "I just want to make you happy, and I still sometimes forget."
"You will do your best, and soon it will not be a problem," Saitō said calmly. It was not Chizuru's fault that he had a… weakness for hearing her say his first name. But it was strange how a conversation could slip away like this. He tried again. "You were shocked when you saw Amagiri's wounds, which is understandable. You are a very kind person. Please tell me, how is his arm?"
Chizuru immediately had to blink away quick tears again and Saitō tentatively touched her cheek. Then he realized that he had no idea what to say, so he used a knuckle to carefully dry what he could and waited. She seemed to somehow lean into his touch, and despite everything, he felt his heart-beat accelerate—although having her so close was already slightly arousing. Since he couldn't seem to help that, it simply had to be accepted for now.
"Amagiri-san's arm is going to be… difficult to heal properly," Chizuru said at last. "The upper part of the arm is fine, but the forearm is, ah, badly cut with—well whatever that terrible sword was. Silver and something else, Kimigiku-san says. A way to use Soul magic as a binding curse. It will take a patient doctor some time to put the bones and bone fragments more or less into place—and it's a problem because the part of the break furthest from the cuts is healing itself faster than the damage nearer the surface."
Saitō felt the icy rage returning. He was revolted that a good man's ability to fight might have been destroyed as though he were a criminal. Of course, that was Kazama's point: a warrior's first and greatest duty was to his lord; Kazama believed sincerely that Amagiri had foresworn that duty. The Code of the Shinsengumi was no different; the penalty for any significant breach of duty was death by seppuku—honourable suicide. It made Saitō wonder why he was so angry: the strategist in him said that Kazama had done nothing wrong—Amagiri had to be killed or severely disabled so that the enemy did not gain a potential ally; the officer in him said that absolute discipline had to be enforced, sometimes harshly. And yet he quelled his outrage only with effort.
"Hajime?" Chizuru inquired, dragging him once again from unprofitable speculation.
"Gomenasai, Chizuru. Tell me if you think we can do anything about the missing hand."
She gave him a doubtful look, since she could easily sense that his mood was strangely volatile—well, volatile for Saitō-san. Despite everything, though, she was immensely relieved that they were together. The three or four hours apart had felt wrong and she had been very uneasy. She had missed him for other reasons too, but those thoughts made her feel slightly ashamed. She focussed on the question in order to distract herself from various unexpected feelings and half-understood anxieties.
"I'm not sure, Hajime. I think that if I can gain greater control over my Gifts, then I may be able to counteract the effects of destructive force preventing natural regeneration. Even now, without passing my Trial of Mind, I believe that I will be able to accomplish some significant repair. It's just that… well, I have nobody to train me. I will have to figure it out."
Oddly, Chizuru was smiling now, and Saitō found himself losing the thread of the conversation, as important as it was. That sweet, shy, determined face was captivating. He realized that Amagiri was right: it didn't matter much whether it was driven in whole or in part by some kind of racial need to choose a mate and produce children, or by some concept of romantic love, he was entirely hers. And according to Amagiri's theory, Saitō and Chizuru's deep bond made them stronger by virtue of having passed a fourth Trial.
At this point he discovered that he was running his hand along the soft curve between chizuru's waist and hips, which was not appropriate for trying to discuss a—a relative's—grievous injuries. He stopped, with a slight effort. Chizuru was blushing, but she also seemed to be snuggling tightly against him.
"I suppose that we should probably eat?" Saitō asked, trying to be practical. He wasn't feeling very practical.
Chizuru couldn't meet his eyes. "Um, well, Osen-chan told me that she was going tell Kondō-san that she had loaned us a suitable retreat for our, um, wedding night celebrations. And she mentioned that she would ensure that nobody came to disturb us any further for the rest of the day—except to leave the occasional tray of food outside the doors to these quarters."
Saitō reddened. "But—the Commander? We should greet him—shouldn't we?"
Chizuru was reduced to murmuring into his kimono: "Sen-hime said that she could manage perfectly well without us and that we weren't of any use right now anyway—um, except for, um..."
Even Oni hearing couldn't make out the rest of it, but the bright red tops of Chizuru's ears more or less said it all. For a moment, Saitō wavered between deeply embarrassed indignation and outraged amusement (an expression that Harada had once applied to Hijikata-san). Then all at once he knew that this was not an opportunity to be squandered. To Chizuru's immense surprise, he picked her up, cradling her against his chest and pausing only to kiss her soft mouth before moving quickly toward their bedroom. The kiss had been intended lightly, but deepened into something intensely passionate almost at once. The blood pounded in his ears and his heart raced. Just for once… to stop thinking…
[Content in M-rated version]
"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh," Chizuru said at some point later on, curled tightly against Saitō's body.
"Hmm."
They were both in human form again and definitely drowsy. The rain still lashed against the shutters. Presumably, somewhere else in the house, the Commander of the Shinsengumi had arrived or would be arriving. None of that seemed to matter very much just then.
[II] - Trouble On The Way
Naturally, Sōji accompanied Kondō-san on his visit to the mysterious Sen-hime, Chizuru-chan's cousin and benefactress. Shinpachi and Heisuke were waiting for them by the gate. The Commander looked at them with a slight grin.
"Who is leading the patrols this afternoon, then? Or are you all looking for a way out of the rain and into the house of the Lady Osen?"
Shinpachi, who was supposed to be out with Inoue-san that afternoon, cleared his throat and glanced at Sōji. As the four men started off toward Sen-hime's home, Souji gave Kondō-san his trade-mark smile.
"Well, Kondō-san, you've been telling me how much Takeda has impressed you, so he will be leading a joint group of my and Shinpachi-san's men this afternoon. We still haven't quite returned to normal shifts, although our men are healing quickly. Inoue-san is leading the other patrol."
"Hmm, yes, Takeda-kun will be fine, I'm sure. Toshi did say that things are still unsettled, though."
The talk turned general for a few minutes, although Heisuke remained unusually silent. Unlike the other three, he seemed more serious and less excited about the visit. Shinpachi, who was not oblivious to his younger friend's preoccupation, let Sōji and the Commander move ahead of them slightly and poked Heisuke's shoulder.
"Oi, what's wrong?"
Heisuke shrugged, looking uncomfortable.
"It just seems wrong somehow. Even though I'm starting to understand a little better. These Oni… I mean, hell, I know I'm not Sōji, but I didn't have any trouble at the Ikedaya until I ran into that one guy. And then he catches my sword—and not like it's a problem for him either. He broke my head without breaking a sweat, you know?"
Shinpachi eyed him thoughtfully.
"You're not planning to attack him in Osen-sama's house, are you? Because I'm pretty sure that wouldn't go down well."
"Especially for me? Yeah, I get it. And… now that I'm feeling better and I've had time to think, I'm not so mad exactly. Just, well, it's hard not to wonder if it's connected somehow. To them."
This time, the bigger man nodded in clear agreement. Them was always the Furies. The damned remnants of the men who drank the ochimizu. They gained strength and speed and incredible healing, but their minds broke quickly, although it seemed to affect some more than others—or at least more quickly. Nobody volunteered anymore. Instead, they tested the so-called Water of Life on captured ronin and those members of the Shinsengumi who broke the Code. In the time of Commander Serizawa, who had co-led the Shinsengumi with Kondō-san, it had been decided that those condemned to commit seppuku would be given the option to take the ochimizui instead. Shinpachi knew that he would cut himself open in a second rather than take that hellish brew. But many people would rather take a chance at life over certain death.
So he nodded understandingly at Heisuke, and even forbore to ruffle his long, rather messy hair, contenting himself with another sympathetic "tap" on the shoulder. Heisuke protested for form's sake, but seemed to relax slightly and regain a little of his usual bounce.
Ahead of them, Kondō-san and Sōji had stopped talking about the military situation in Kyoto. Shinpachi moved a little closer when he heard Kondō-san laugh.
"I never would have thought Saitō-kun would run off and get married, Sōji! Honestly, I thought the girl preferred Toshi, or Harada-kun. But who can understand women, eh? Even young ones! Besides, don't think that I never saw you hovering around her as well, Sōji."
The young, green-eyed warrior looked struck dumb for a moment. Shinpachi would have laughed at seeing such a look on Sōji's face, but he didn't want to interrupt such an interesting conversation. For once, Heisuke didn't go rushing in either. The truth was that Kondō-san noticed things when it came to the First Division Captain, having known him and in many ways raised him since he was nine.
"I—no, Kondō-san! Why would I be interested in such a little thing anyway? But since you wouldn't let me—sorry, sorry…" Sōji grimaced when he found himself the target of three disapproving stares. He'd been told before not to talk so casually about killing people when they were around the citizens of Kyoto. Or anywhere else, in fact. He shot a glare at Shinpachi, but just hunched a shoulder when he turned back to Kondō-san. "Anyway, I just found it interesting how things always happened around her, you know? I mean, Saitō, gardening? Even Hijikata-san wrote to his sister asking whether she might have something special for Chizuru-chan's little garden. Not to mention Sano-san, though he's got a soft spot for girls anyway."
The more he talked, the more Heisuke nodded and the more Shinpachi smirked and thought Kondō-san was right. He was unprepared when Sōji rounded on him with a growl, fists clenched.
"Whoa—Sōji, cool it!"
For a moment it seemed as if Sōji might snap, but a moment later he just shook his head before turning and stalking off a little ways ahead of the other three. Kondō-san glanced at Shinpachi.
"Everyone seems a little on edge, don't you think, Nagakura-kun?" he said mildly to the burly warrior.
Shinpachi agreed. "It has been more than a little weird, Kondō-san. Anyway, I'm surprised not to see Sano with us—he's gotten pretty friendly with these Oni, you know."
Kondō-san, who was almost as romantic as his officers thought him to be smiled.
"Well, pretty young women are bound to be interesting—isn't that why you're coming, Nagakura-kun?"
Shinpachi reddened a little. "More that I'm curious as hell about this marriage of Saitō's, Commander. But, uh, Sen-hime—as she called herself—did have a good-looking woman with her who claimed to be some kind of bodyguard."
"A woman?" asked Kondō, perplexed. "I'd heard there was a second woman but I assumed she was some kind of maid. A girl like that would hardly visit the Shinsengumi compound without one."
Shinpachi thought about it. The details of that whole night were oddly fuzzy, but he was fairly certain that Sen-hime had not been timid and that Kimigiku-san had looked and moved as if she knew her business. However, the Commander would see for himself soon enough.
The Commander of the Shinsengumi was hardly unknown in Kyoto, especially in the part patrolled by his men, in their readily identifiable blue and white coats. Moreover, all four men moved with the purposeful, almost aggressive stride that suggested that they knew how to use the paired swords that they carried. Sōji and Shinpachi, the First and Second Division Captains, were especially impressive—and unnerving—but Kondō-san was known as a fierce warrior despite his usually amiable countenance. Also, after a year-and-a-half in residence in Kyoto, Heisuke was well-known as a bruising fighter with fists, feet and whatever else came handy, despite looking closer to fifteen than his actual nineteen years. His swordsmanship was also impressive, which wasn't surprising after long hours of training with the likes of Sōji, Shinpachi and Saitō. Like Saitō, he was much stronger and tougher than he looked—otherwise he wouldn't have survived Amagiri's strike.
Thus, despite the inclement weather, many people watched and speculated as the Commander of the Shinsengumi and three of his captains moved swiftly through the city. Was there going to be another raid? What did they know and where were they going?
They were still within the busier part of the city when the accident happened. A man stumbled out of a shop, apparently drunk and waving a knife. Without hesitation, Sōji stepped in to disarm him, but he seemed to catch his foot on something and stumbled, which was so unlike him that Shinpachi immediately looked for somebody who might have tripped him (which was also highly unlikely). Heisuke had gone after Sōji, and found himself directly in front of the knife-man, who staggered and somehow managed to shove Sōji away from him, so that the First Division Captain caught the edge of a display table and tipped it onto the street.
Meanwhile, Kondō-san stood with his arms folded, his lips compressed into a narrow line as Heisuke easily blocked the unlikely agent of destruction and tried to take his knife from him. Not surprisingly, the locals were shouting by this point, and a number of the comments were less than complimentary, especially when Heisuke missed his target and his momentum sent him crashing into a gaily painted sign-board. Shinpachi stepped in and landed a smashing blow on their opponent's jaw, and the man dropped instantly, out cold. But the damage had been done, quite literally in the case of the broken wares and ruined sign.
Sōji seemed to be staring around them, eyes narrowed.
"Somebody's playing tricks," he snarled, ignoring the bits and pieces at his feet. No proprietor had yet come out to complain, and Shinpachi couldn't blame them.
Shortly after that, a few things happened at once. For one, Takeda's unit came hurrying down the street toward them, no doubt drawn by the noise. For another, Sōji suddenly took off at a sprint and Heisuke ran after him—though it wasn't clear whether he actually knew where the First Division Captain was going. Shinpachi thought not, but he stood his ground resignedly, unwilling to leave Kondō-san on his own. From his green bandanna to his sleeveless jacket, Shinpachi tended to give the impression of being a rather unintelligent, muscle-bound warrior. Alternately, when he was out for drinks—and sometimes other things—in the red light district of Shimabara, he could appear to be an oafish, if reasonably friendly, young pleasure-seeker. At the moment, there was no mistaking the glare in the cold, sky blue eyes, or the levelled sword that caused the inquisitive to back-away as quickly as they arrived. Both Kondō-san and Shinpachi ignored the rain, which was starting to pick up again.
"Commander! How may I assist you?" It was Takeda of course, thought Shinpachi, eyeing the man with the dislike of the powerful warrior for the toady. "You shouldn't be standing here in the rain, Commander! Allow me to escort you over under the canopy!"
"Take this man into custody," snapped Kondō, for once impervious to Takeda's deference.
The vice-captain blinked, glanced at the prone man, and then back to Kondō. I'll make him regret ignoring me, though Shinpachi irritably. He could at least pretend to work with the rest of us for crying out loud.
"Um, Commander?" For once, the handsome man sounded uncertain. "This man appears to be dead."
Kondō-san and Shinpachi's eyes snapped to their strange attacker. Shinpachi frowned. He could have sworn that he hadn't killed the man, but there was blood still trickling from the man's nose and lips that suggested that he had suffered grievous internal damage—or damage inside his skull. The trickle stopped almost at once, indicating that the heart had most likely stopped pumping.
"Clean up this mess, Takeda," ordered Shinpachi. "Get the body out of the way and covered and go talk to the owner of this shop—assuming this isn't him. Sort things out. The Commander and I must go; we're late for an important appointment."
Takeda gave him a flickering look of dislike, but bowed. "Hai, Nagakura-taichō. Excuse me, Commander." He waited for a moment longer, obviously hoping that Kondō-san would speak to him, but the Shinsengumi's leader just nodded in dismissal and walked off with Shinpachi, who had resheathed his sword.
"I wonder where Sōji and Heisuke-kun went off to?" Kondō commented, evidently a little put out.
"I'm not sure Commander." Shinpachi hesitated. He wasn't sure Kondō-san needed more weirdness right now. Still, it was his job to let his superior officer know what was going on. "The thing is, there have been reports of a spy who may have the ability to tamper with people's thoughts and—I guess—actions. Yamazaki's been after him, and so has Sōji. If Sōji figured that the spy was behind that little comedy act back there, he probably went looking for him."
"That makes sense," Kondō said, much to Shinpachi's surprise. The older man's expression became a little amused. "I had to listen to Sōji a fair bit this morning, you know. He's definitely touchier than usual and he seems to be torn between admiration and disgust with these so-called Oni."
Shinpachi nodded in agreement. "That sounds about right, Kondō-san. The thing is… I never saw them the way Saitō describes them, but I have seen the big one who punched Heisuke in normal, human shape and you could pretty much feel the power coming off of him."
"And you've met Osen-sama?" asked Kondō, interested.
"Yes, briefly. She's not very big—looks a little like Chizuru-chan actually, though her hair's lighter and her eyes are, um pink. But I suspect she's not as soft and young as she appears. Just an impression." Shinpachi had been automatically scanning his surroundings as they walked, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw Harada approaching quickly from a nearby street.
"This way!" Harada called, waving.
"He's lucky he found us!" Kondō exclaimed. "We could have missed each other completely with all these streets and people."
Shinpachi scratched the back of his head. "I don't know, Kondō-san. Harada's gotten awfully good at being able to just kind of feel when somebody's around. Well, I mean we all do it, at least a little, but he's pretty much infallible now. Plus, who knows what kinds of tricks an Oni Princess has up her sleeve."
"Hmm," replied Kondō, his expression less open than usual. "It's just as well, anyway. Let's go."
Obediently, Shinpachi followed Kondō-san over to Sano. His friend seemed in good spirits, presumably because he'd been allowed to spend his time visiting with two pretty women, thought Shinpachi sourly.
"Commander! I was told to come fetch you. Also, to say that Sen-hime is looking forward to your visit and has refreshments and dry clothes waiting for you."
"What, you're her butler now?" demanded Shinpachi in revolted tones.
Kondō-san's mood seemed to improve to match Sano's. He laughed a little.
"I think that Osen-sama—Sen-hime—must be one of those women who are good at making men run their errands, eh Harada-kun?"
"You could be right there, Kondō-san!" responded Harada, grinning.
Rolling his eyes, Shinpachi stamped through the rain after them. It was going to be an interesting, but probably annoying, afternoon.
[III] - Princess and Shinobi
Sen had dressed carefully for the afternoon's meeting and was presently standing by the large window in the reception room, staring out at the rain. She was feeling a little tired, which was very unusual but not surprising after last night's rituals. At the moment, the mantle of the Princess of the Oni seemed very heavy. On the one hand, rescuing one of the Lost Clans from extinction was an incredible achievement, and with the part of her that had inherited the care of the Oni as a race, she was deeply satisfied. On the other hand, the price had been very high. Not just Amagiri but Kazama had been broken, and the outcome was still in jeopardy. Sen might not like Kazama Chikage very much, but he was an immensely powerful Oni and a leader who truly cared about his clan. Others might not see it, but Sen knew that in being forced—in his mind—to cast off and maim his one constant companion, her cousin had been grievously wounded in mind and spirit.
At the moment, Amagiri was asleep, his formidable defences surprisingly relaxed. It was a curious thing—extraordinary, really—but he showed no symptoms of the deep distress she would have expected him to feel over the loss of his hand, and even more over the loss of his honour and clan. She wondered a little if the Trial of Body, undertaken at great personal risk, had perhaps forged a bond between the red-haired Oni and the rather extraordinary Saitō Hajime. Personally, she found the man rather too cold and watchful, but she had found Amagiri equally humourless in the past. Amagiri had not hesitated to come to her aid, however, and she suspected that Saitō-san would be the same. Most likely, it was a question of time and trust, and Saitō-san was not one to trust others easily.
"I believe that we are ready, Sen-hime," said Kimigiku quietly, from behind her. The shinobi was wearing the deep purple kimono that she preferred when acting as the princess' housekeeper and companion at the Kyoto residence. Not only did it give her an aura of respectability, but it was very different from what she wore when serving sake at the establishment that they owned in Shimabara.
"Thank you, Kimigiku. I expect that Harada-san will bring our guests back with him shortly. Are we still in agreement regarding Chizuru-chan?"
The shinobi sighed.
"She should be here, Princess. She may already be with child, and she is very young."
"It must be her choice, Kimigiku. And Saitō-san's. I suspect that he feels as torn on the subject as we do."
"That is not so," Kimigiku said flatly. "Saitō-san will wish her here. He would not hesitate to put her safety over his own pleasure."
Sen frowned. "Not over his own pleasure, no, but she will choose to be with him. And from everything I've been taught, it's actually uncomfortable to be apart from a mate for very long. It will be trying for them. My decision remains the same: we will offer our hospitality, but they make a free choice."
Kimigiku smiled a little. "I will respect your decision, Sen-hime. You asked if we were in agreement, which is different."
"I am not mistaken about Harada-san either."
The shinobi looked down. Then she met her princess' challenging gaze again.
"As long as he is loyal to you, I will not need to kill him."
"I think you show surprisingly low faith in my charms and beauty, Kimigiku," Sen replied with a laugh. "And he is a good man. Tell me: what do you think of Saitō-san?"
Kimigiku frowned. "He is an Oni now. It will change him in some ways. Aside from that, my views haven't changed very much: he is still a ruthless killer, loyal almost to a fault, and in many ways too old for such a young man. However, he is overcoming his own prejudices and repressed emotions extremely quickly and with far less drama than I would have expected. Mostly, he is extremely pragmatic. He has been fortunate, first in finding Hijikata-san, and then in having Amagiri come to his rescue. In both cases, he found powerful allies and mentors who valued him."
Sen was a little surprised. "You've given a great deal of thought to this, it appears."
"I have watched the Shinsengumi since they arrived in Kyoto as the Roshigumi. In Saitō-san's case, he is the chosen mate of the second-most important woman in our family. Moreover, we both like Chizuru-sama very much."
"She is adorable."
The shinobi laughed. "I never disagreed with that! But I refuse to call Saitō-san adorable. He's dangerous. However, he adores Chizuru-sama and that is sufficient."
She had lost her mistress' attention and sighed.
"Princess? I take it that Harada-san has arrived?"
Sen looked blankly at her, and then laughed. "Well… yes. He and the Commander and a man I think is Nagakura-san will be here shortly. You have enough time to fetch Hijikata-san and then open the door."
Kimigiku bowed gracefully and left on her appointed errand.
IV - The Vice Commander
"You work hard, Kichirō-kun," Hijikata told the boy, watching him run through another set of drills.
"Yes, Hijikata-san. Although I prefer to spar," Kichirō added slyly, looking hopefully at the older man.
"I already told you, I'm not going to show up for the Commander's meeting with Sen-hime looking either rumpled or sweaty. Baka!"
Kichirō felt inordinately pleased to be called an idiot by Hijikata-san. His older brother wasn't the sort—well, not in the same way—and Amagiri wouldn't, and wasn't really a swordsman anyway, although Onee-sama had once mentioned that it was a matter of preference, not inability. He hadn't seen Amagiri since the night before, and he knew that something was going on. However, since nobody would tell him anything, he had gone off to the dojo to relieve his stress and mood. Swinging a sword always calmed him.
"Then maybe later, Hijikata-san?" he said hopefully.
"No, I don't have time. But I'll tell you what, since Saitō seems to be otherwise occupied, if I get the chance I'll introduce you to Nagakura-san. If you really want to learn good form—true mastery—then he'll probably oblige you. I must tell you, though, that given your full strength and speed, you'll learn the most, and be the most challenged, with Saitō."
Kichirō looked away and tried not to show his opinion of that idea. Hijikata tried to pretend that he didn't understand the problem, but his natural impatience with that sort of thing quickly won over being polite to a fifteen-year-old boy.
"It's up to you, of course, and it's awkward that Saitō married the girl that your brother wanted, but you're going to have to get your head around the idea that Saitō is not some kind of aggressive bully—or whatever it is that has you so skittish. Look—how would you feel?"
Kichirō looked a little sullen, but he was listening, so Hijikata continued.
"He'd just completed his Trial of Mind—and presumably you've heard more stories about that than I have, but what I saw didn't look like fun. He was about to be married. He wasn't quite himself—that I know for sure, since I was there—and he'd finally gotten two minutes alone with his girl. And then you come waltzing along looking like somebody who hurt one of his closest friends. Honestly, it doesn't take a genius to understand what happened."
The boy was wavering, but Hijikata could tell that he didn't want to give up his grievance yet.
"Fine, you tell me how your older brother would have reacted in a similar situation."
That drew a reluctant smile from Kazama's look-alike sibling. "He'd knock me into next week, or worse. Worse, I guess, if I looked like a possible enemy."
"Well, you'd better think about that. What did Harada say to you?"
"He told me to get over it. Also, that Sa-Saitō-sama is not a violent man, usually."
"Well, he isn't. He tends toward meditation as a pastime, not fighting."
"Like Amagiri-san?"
"If you say so. From my perspective, Amagiri-san put his fist through the forehead of one of my men and nearly killed him."
Kichirō digested this in silence, and then asked:
"Your man, he didn't die?"
"No. The boy's got a thick head—in more ways than one. You would probably get along with Heisuke. Whether Kyoto would be standing by the end of it is a different question."
Kichirō laughed, good mood restored.
"I wish I could meet them: Nagakura-san and Heisuke-san, I mean."
"I'd say that's up to your sister, wouldn't you?"
Both men (to use the term rather loosely) turned to look at the third person in the room. Chiharu-sama had accompanied Hijikata to the room that was used as a dojo, saying that she wanted to talk to her brother once he was done his regular routine. She looked very lovely this afternoon, with her fair hair neatly pinned up and her clothing obviously arranged with more care than the night before. Hijikata knew enough of women's matters—mostly, though not exclusively from his sister—to recognize armour when he saw it. He had a feeling that, unlike her brother, she had been told about the breach between Amagiri-san and her older brother. If so, her outward calm was impressive, but she seemed far more remote than she had the night before.
Chiharu-sama was kneeling quietly near the door, apparently in meditation, but she looked up when she felt Hijikata and Kichirō look at her. Her dark violet eyes were serene, but Hijikata thought that the serenity was either assumed or carefully maintained.
"Are you finished, Kichirō? Osen-chan is expecting guests shortly, and we should discuss our plans."
Kichirō looked confused.
"But I thought we were supposed to help Osen-chan with something? And I want to see Kyoto before we leave. The rain may let up tomorrow."
"Well exactly," Chiharu said calmly. "We need to talk about all that. Osen-chan is a little tired today, but later on I may ask for her help to contact Mother."
Kichirō looked impressed, and definitely relieved that they weren't leaving immediately.
"Sure, I guess I'm done, Onee-san. Shall I go bathe and meet you up in your room? Or are you meeting Osen-chan's guests as well?"
"You go ahead, Kirō. I'm not meeting with Kondō-san and Hijikata-san, so I'll be up shortly."
Kichirō looked at her suspiciously as she rose and straightened the folds of her kimono.
"Kondō-san? The Commander of the Shinsengumi? Is that why Harada-san is still here? And Hijikata-san?"
"I don't know, Kichirō. I expect that they will be discussing the terms of the marriage contract, or something of that sort. Saitō-sama still has duties as a Captain of the Shinsemgumi."
"O-oh. Do you suppose that I could speak with Kondō-san?"
"No, you can't," intervened Hijikata at this point. "Off you go. I told you I'd speak to the Commander if you got permission from your family. This isn't the right time, which is what your sister is trying to tell you."
"But—" The boy suddenly quailed under the impact of two unsmiling purple stares. "Alright! I'm off, then. Fine!" Mindful of his almost-adult dignity, Kichirō did not quite stomp out of the room, but it was a near thing.
There was a moment of silence, and then Chiharu looked at Hijikata.
"He's not really as spoiled as it might seem," she said. "It's more that he knows there's something wrong and he's anxious. He may not be the first-born, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have his fair share of the Oni Gifts. Not quite like Chikage-sama of course, but still…"
Hijikata studied her. He had the impression that she wanted to talk to him, but it wasn't clear about what.
"Is there usually a difference between the first and second-born?" he asked casually.
She hesitated, and then nodded.
"Usually, Hijikata-san. Not much, necessarily, but… well, what comes from any particular mating depends on the expectations going into it. Of course, people hope for a girl-child, because a girl is likely to marry well and bring significant concessions to the family. On the other hand, in many families, like the Kazama, it is so traditional to have a man as the head of the clan that the expectations of the couple tend to mean that the first child is a boy."
"So belief has a lot to do with it," Hijikata said slowly. "And I suppose that could even inform the strength of the abilities of the child, then?"
"That is how I understand it," Chiharu said, a little stiffly. "Ah—this is not a usual conversation, you realize."
"Is it improper?" Hijikata asked, trying to keep amusement out of his voice.
Chiharu-sama looked undecided. "Maybe? Anything to do with children and mating is very personal, is it not?"
"Well, I'm curious, so you'll have to tell me if you don't want to answer."
The young woman gave him a "now what?" kind of look, but she seemed reluctant to head for the door, so he folded his arms and continued on:
"Humans don't generally refer to mating, except in reference to animals. Are all intimate interactions between husband and wife for the purpose of producing children?"
This time she blushed, but he could also sense rising anger. He had offended her, and she correctly assumed that it was at least partly on purpose.
"Why are you deliberately trying to provoke me?" she asked coldly. "You could easily ask Amagiri that question, since you appear to be well-acquainted."
Hijikata ignored the first question completely.
"Why do you think Amagiri-san and I are well-acquainted?" he asked, a faint crease between his brows.
"Because he admitted you to his room, injured as he was, and that is unlike him."
"Fair enough, but how do you know that? I was, let's be honest, quite careful about it."
She gave him a contemptuous look, no doubt goaded by his (moderately successful) attempt to ruffle her earlier.
"We're Oni, not humans. I sensed you as soon as you entered the house, since you have a particularly noticeable presence. You certainly don't have Saitō-sama's ability for concealment."
Hijikata laughed, possibly just to annoy her, but she couldn't tell. It suddenly dawned on her that he was drawing her out quite skillfully. And if she couldn't read his emotions easily now, then it meant that he was capable of shielding his thoughts, he just didn't do so automatically.
"No, but I'm willing to bet that Saitō's unusual even among the Oni for passing undetected. I just think he's been practising for a very long time. The bigger question for him is whether he can make himself noticed. Since I'm inclined to think yes, in light of recent events, he should be okay. And I refuse to be offended by your comment, since at least I know that my presence is noticeable to you."
He waited for her to leave the room in a huff, since his tone was distinctly teasing, and lacked the deference to which she was no doubt used. To his surprise, she just seemed to consider him more closely. When she spoke, her voice was quite level.
"You really are trying to provoke me, or unsettle me, and I don't know why. You have pressed me for answers to questions that you know I find uncomfortable; are you now trying to flirt with me? At least, your last sentence is reminiscent of flirting. Your officer, Harada-san, does it better, but then he has considerable charm and that helps."
"Whereas I have only my good looks to recommend me?" Hijikata's eyebrows were raised in polite inquiry.
Her eyes widened, and he could see that she was still trying to sort out his motivations, although he thought he sensed hesitant amusement as well. It made him realize that as mature as she seemed—and probably was—she hadn't actually met very many people in her life in any normal kind of way. From that point of view, she had been raised as more of a princess than Sen-hime in terms of upbringing and experience. It made him wonder what had made her travel in haste across one hundred and fifty miles of forest and foothills to reach Kyoto.
"Why should I concede the good looks?" Chiharu asked him at that moment, in the same cool, flat tones. Her back was just as straight and uncompromising as before, but she had lowered her eyes a little, so that he couldn't see them clearly through her lashes.
"Well, then what about other advantages? I am more highly ranked and I earn more money. Also, my time is more flexible, since I'm the one who generally sets the patrol schedules."
Finally, she laughed a little. It was a pleasant sound, low and melodic.
"Alright, Hijikata-san. I will credit you with wit as well as beauty. Will that please you?"
"I'm not sure. I think it may take some time to get over the disappointment of being found to be less charming than Harada." Hijikata's tone shifted, becoming more serious. "But if you have a question for me, you will have to hurry."
"I know. I think it will have to wait, however. I did wonder, though… how is Amagiri?"
Hijikata suddenly understood part of her tension. Amagiri had been important to her—she had known him all her life, after all—and he had refused to let her enter.
"What have you been told?" he asked, not wanting to betray any confidences that hadn't been shared.
"I was told, by my cousin Osen-chan, that Chikage had been so angry to hear of Yukimura-sama's marriage that he had badly injured Amagiri and also ordered Amagiri's brother, Hideaki-kun, to attack Saitō-sama. Osen-chan wouldn't give me any details, which makes me think that Chikage has done something terrible. He does, you see, when he's badly hurt himself."
"Men do stupid things out of pride and hurt," Hijikata conceded.
"So I'm right. I will have to decide what to do. There is something that I need to do for Amagiri, but I owe a duty of loyalty to my brother as well."
Hijikata felt unexpected sympathy for the girl.
"You know that Kazama has done something wrong, but you have to support him anyway, because you're his sister and you're loyal."
"Who else is there? Hideaki-kun is Chikage's age and they more or less grew up together. He's no more fit to check Chikage than a dog his master." Chiharu frowned at her hands, which she held clasped at her waist. "But my errand cannot be so easily abandoned, and it can't wait, especially now."
Hijikata hesitated. It wasn't his business—or not obviously so. Finally, he gave in to personal inclination.
"Have you considered not running to your brother's rescue?"
Chiharu-sama gave him a sharp look, and he had to concede that his phrasing hadn't been as tactful as it could have.
"What do you think I'm doing right now, Hijikata-san?" she said pointedly.
"Not running, I do see that."
Just then, they heard Kimigiku call out a polite "shitsurei shimasu", and the door slid open. Neither the Vice Commander nor Chiharu appreciated the momentary glimmer of a smile on the woman's face as she took in how closely they were standing together. Hijikata kicked himself mentally for being even remotely embarrassed. Kimigiku's opinions on what she knew nothing about shouldn't bother him.
"Is Kondō-san here?" he asked.
"He will be very shortly. Okita-san—the First Division Captain—is not with him, however."
Hijikata frowned. It was impossible to imagine that Sōji wouldn't have insisted on accompanying Kondō-san.
"I wonder what happened?" he muttered. "Who's with the Commander, then?"
"Nagakura-san, the Second Division Captain."
"I know what divisions my own officers belong in, for heaven's sake."
"Of course, Vice Commander." Kimigiku turned to Chiharu. "Is there anything that I can send up to you and Kichirō-kun, Haru-chan?"
"No, but thank you, Kimigiku. And I promise that we won't disappear while you're discussing Saitō-sama's marriage and future prospects… although I rather wish I could be there. It wouldn't be proper, of course, but I'd like to see Osen-chan explain her fears for her cousin's virtue to the Commander."
"She'll do it quite well, no doubt," Kimigiku said dryly, with a glance at Hijikata.
Hijikata shrugged. "Done is done. Although what possessed me to actually agree to it is another question."
Chiharu-sama smiled gently at him. "I think you were afraid for Saitō-sama's virtue if they were not wed at once."
"There is that," Hijikata said, with a chuckle.
The three of them parted company at the stairs. Chiharu-sama bowed politely to Hijikata, who returned the courtesy.
"I'll wait with you at the door, Kimigiku-san," Hijikata told the shinobi. "I'm a little concerned about Okita's absence." For just a moment, his eyes followed Kazama Chiharu's graceful form up the stairs, and then he went down the hallway to meet Kondō-san and Nagakura.
[V] - Ambush
Sōji wasn't even remotely surprised when the ambush closed around him, although he was a little surprised that he hadn't noticed them waiting, especially when he'd expected something of the sort. He was more relieved than he'd admit when he realized that Heisuke was with him, and the two Shinsengumi captains took up defensive positions back-to-back without exchanging needless words.
When the rush came—there were eight of them, Sōji noted dispassionately—they were met with unwavering steel and the terrifying expressions of two men who were happier in a fight than out of one. In fact, if the attackers had only been driven by gold, it was likely that they would have turned and run, but their eyes and expressions spoke of drugs or maybe some other form of madness. The alleyway rang with the clash of steel and the cries of injured men.
Sōji was swift death, by turns luring in and striking out. Heisuke, who had been longing for a fight, was a twisting, slashing devil, lashing out with both sword and foot. Just as the attack went from an ambush to a rout, Sōji stumbled, just as he had outside the store. His speed prevented a lethal blow to the neck, but the remaining attackers threw themselves on him with total disregard for their lives, making it impossible for the First Division Captain to regain his feet.
Heisuke whirled to help Sōji, but was met by three more attackers, fresh and uninjured, who came running out of a nearby alley. Apparently they'd been stationed nearby and had only just arrived. Grim-faced, Heisuke, hacked his way through them. Sōji was holding his own, but some of the blood on the street was now his. When two more enemies appeared at the far end of the alley, Heisuke began to feel real concern.
Just then, there was a cry of frustration from up above them. Heisuke spared a glance up, keeping his sword-work steady. Silhouetted against the grey sky was a familiar black-clad shinobi struggling bare-handed against a smaller, heavily muffled figure. With frightening strength, the smaller figure suddenly lifted Yamazaki by the front of his shirt and flung him down into the fight. Desperate not to let the "spy" escape again, Yamazaki wrapped his arms around the smaller man and pulled him over the edge as well. Both men fell with a crunch into the two new attackers, but before Heisuke could disengage and strike at the enemy, the boy—because he looked younger even than the Eighth Division Captain—managed a gravity-defying leap and stood poised for a moment on a nearby roof. He managed an ironic bow and then disappeared.
"Godsdammit!" screamed Sōji, emerging from his knot of enemies just in time to see the bow. "Why didn't you stop the fucker, ninja-boy!"
But Yamazaki wasn't moving. Heisuke checked that he was breathing and turned on Sōji, shouting into his face to bring him out of his fury.
"He saved your sorry ass, Sōji, so get a grip! The Sixth Division and Inoue-san aren't far. I'll bring them; you sit here and stab anyone who moves. If you can manage not to bleed too much, that would be good too. I don't want to have to carry you home, you're heavy."
Then Heisuke was off. In his urgency to get help for Yamazaki, he didn't even wonder how he'd known exactly where to find Inoue-san and his men.
Cursing, at himself and at his nemesis, Sōji glanced around, saw that the dead and dying were staying put, and sank down beside the injured shinobi. Sōji was bleeding from numerous shallow gashes and a couple of deeper ones, but he thought he'd be okay. Yamazaki would have been surprised to see how carefully the First Division Captain tried to find his injuries and shield him from the drizzling rain. But he was out cold, and Sōji could only hope for the best—and for Heisuke's quick return with the Sixth Division.
[VI] - The Princess and the Commander
Kimigiku ushered Kondō-san and Harada-san into the reception room, leaving Hijikata-san quizzing Nagakura-san on the absence of the First Division Captain. The Commander was suitably impressed by the obvious beauty of the house and its furnishings and the proportions of the room drew admiration.
Sen was seated in her usual place at the low table, looking every inch a princess, in glittering gold ornaments and colourful silks. Harada, who hadn't seen her since she had gone to change, smiled involuntarily but felt suddenly shy. She didn't look like the Osen-chan with whom he had flirted and who he had most certainly kissed. On the other hand, the effect on Kondō-san was all that Sen and Kimigiku had hoped for.
After returning the Commander's deep and respectful bow with a slight bow of her own, Sen burst into rapid speech:
"But Commander! I see that you are a well-educated man, not the barbarian that I expected at all! How could you allow my dear little cousin to become involved with one of your men?! Of course, all's well that ends well, but really, only imagine if he not been well-born! The shock when I saw them together! And of course, I thought that dear Chizuru-chan was still in Edo!" Sen paused, her face porcelain-perfect due to immaculate white face-paint and brilliant lips. "Well, actually, I thought she was dead." Sen turned to Kimigiku, who managed to preserve a wooden-faced dignity. "It was Mother's brother-in-law who was living in Edo, wasn't it Kimi-chan?"
Harada had prudently stationed himself behind Kondō-san, assuring his kind-hearted commanding officer that he would rather leave room for Hijikata-san and the others, since he'd had lunch with the ladies earlier. At Osen-chan's outrageous performance, he was forced to clamp a hand across his mouth not to laugh out loud.
"Yes, Princess," confirmed "Kimi-chan". "Chizuru-sama's uncle, Yukimura Kōdō-sensei. A very well-respected doctor, Commander Kondō, but apparently he had Chizuru-sama living with him as his daughter all this time without telling any of the family. The poor girl! Of course, the fire and the death of his brother may have affected his mind."
"Ah," managed Kondō, looking a little bewildered.
"But that doesn't matter now," declared Sen, her face transforming from grief to happiness. "She will have dear Saitō-san now—well, really he's a Sakurai, you know, although not quite, well, you know how it is." Sen retreated prettily behind a fan.
"And you think he will be able to prove his claim to the land?" Kondō asked, curious. "Also, aren't the Sakurai a junior branch of the Matsudaira family?"
"Oh yes, Kondō-san," Sen assured him. "My own mother was the historian of the family you know, and she kept very careful records. But in this case, well… again, one doesn't like to speak of it, but there are certain letters that came into Mother's keeping that are quite, quite conclusive. Oh, and yes, the Sakurai are distantly related to the Matsudaira—isn't that fun? Your Captain Saitō is really quite well-connected, although rather, ah, unknown at this time."
"Well, that's certainly very surprising news," Kondō said, looking up as the door opened, admitting Hijikata. "Toshi, have you already heard this?"
"Yes, I believe I have," said Hijikata. "Princess, Kimigiku-san, allow me to introduce—or rather reintroduce—Nagakura Shinpachi-san."
Suitable bows were exchanged and the Vice Commander continued:
"I'm afraid that Nagakura won't be able to stay, Princess. Two of our other captains were supposed to accompany Kondō-san, and they seem to have run into trouble while searching for a criminal that we've been trying to locate for some time. At least, that is what we think has happened."
Sen clapped her hands over her mouth.
"Oh dear! I do hope your men are alright, Vice Commander!"
"As do I," Hijikata said dryly. He turned and nodded to Nagakura. "Get going then, and bring us word as soon as you can. We'll likely be here for the next hour or so."
"Yes, Vice Commander." Shinpachi bowed and promptly departed, much to Sen's evident disappointment.
"Such a good-looking officer, Commander Kondō," she murmured, with a fleeting, bright-eyed glance at Harada, who rolled his eyes.
But Kondō-san was sharper-eyed than Sen had given him credit for. He chuckled.
"It seems to me that you've already found an officer to your liking, Sen-hime," he said pointedly.
This time, Sen's blush was real, and Hijikata had to repress a sigh. Not another one. Dear gods wasn't Saitō enough?
Fortunately, the talk turned to the hastily-married couple at this point. Kondō-san expressed his disappointment that the young couple hadn't waited for his permission to marry. Sen exclaimed her concern for her innocent young cousin. Harada was almost sick with suppressed laughter by the time that they were done. Hijikata and Kimigiku-san just bore it all stoically, although the occasional look of resignation passed between them. It was difficult to say who had more fun with it all, Sen-hime or Kondō-san.
The sticking point, of course, was the matter of where Saitō and his bride would live. Hijikata suggested that it would be best for him to discuss the matter with Kondō-san and the young pair themselves.
Kondō-san showed no surprise when Sen told him that she'd provided them with a place nearby where they wouldn't be disturbed. On the whole, by the time that Kimigiku-san had escorted them to the door, Kondō-san and Sen were on quite good terms. Hijikata felt exhausted, but that was in part concern over Sōji and Heisuke. Nagakura hadn't returned, which boded ill. They left Harada behind, with express orders to return to the compound for dinner in an hour.
[VII] - Time Together, II
Saitō woke from a light sleep feeling absolutely at peace with the world, but rather hungry. He propped his head up on one hand, and pushed his long, indigo hair back off his face with the other. After a few moments of contemplating his drowsing wife, he ran his hand down her side [...]. Chizuru's eyes opened a little and he heard a low chuckle.
"Mmm. This is the best way to wake up. I thought you'd sleep for longer, though."
"I was hungry. And you smell very good."
"Are those things connected, Hajime?"
[Content in M-rated version]
Dark blue eyes gazed back with the intent look that suggested that the food was going to wait.
"The food can wait," confirmed her husband. He traced his tongue over her lips, and settled more comfortably against her. "I need you more."
[END]
A/Note: Thank you for reading! Next time... Amagiri and Kimigiku - old wounds. Among other things, of course...