Author's Note:

There has been a great deal to organize in this story as it heads toward the next few key events. Thank you for your patience! I had trouble "letting go of" this chapter, for some reason. On the bright side, I feel as though everything is on track for exciting things to come, and the next chapter is underway!

Thank you as always to all my readers. So-called "real life" has interfered with my ability to write back to all those who have been kind enough to post reviews or send me comments, and for that I am truly sorry. Your support and encouragement are more appreciated than you know-except by those of you who also write, in which case you do know and I don't need to explain further.

I'd like to add a special thank you to PoivronRouge whose story Sabres de démons (French) I recently finished reading and greatly enjoyed. This story focuses on the friendship between the main character and Okita Souji, as well as the historical events of the time between the formation of the Shinsengumi (Roshigumi) and the final part of the Boshin war (or Bakumatsu). PoivronRouge has just completed the story, and everything else aside, it shows that long stories can actually be finished-which is of obvious interest to me and hopefully encouraging to you! \(~u^)/ (my attempt at a winking emoticon-just go with it)

I hope that you enjoy this chapter and can continue to see the various storylines coming together.

~ImpracticalOni

\(^u^)~

Chapter 67 – Assassination, Part I

[I] - Conversations

"So the residence of the Yukishima clan is not far away? It is just a large estate on the borders of the village of Yase?"

Amagiri, his face grave after Saitō's comment about eliminating threats, responded in the affirmative.

"Aa."

"And the most powerful Oni there are Yukishima-sama, her husband Hideo-sama—who is Amagiri's uncle—and Masaru-san—who is Kimigiku-san's uncle." Saitō was speaking to the group as a whole, but his attention was on Kimigiku. When she hesitated, he continued. "Chikame-sama—Kimigiku-san's sister—may or may not be well. Kimigiku-san's brother, Mamoru-kun, is reasonably well-known to Sen-hime; he is only fourteen and has not passed the Trial of Mind."

"Correct," Sen agreed. Kimigiku was studying the floor, it seemed.

Saitō could see that Amagiri knew what he was thinking, but the man's thoughts were hidden from him. Harada knew, of course, and was likely contemplating ways and means. Sen-hime looked visibly uncomfortable at the implied threat.

"In your view, Kimigiku-san, it is likely that Yukishima-sama knows that there is something going on involving the Shinsengumi, but does not know what?"

"Yes." The Oni woman looked up, her face bleak. "It has been such a short time that it is unlikely Yukishima-sama has any detailed information. I know her spies and contacts very well. They learn very little about the Princess' doings that I don't wish them to learn. But Kazama Chikage-sama could send news soon enough, although I'm not sure what his dealings with Yukishima-sama are like. On the whole, I doubt there have been many."

"Amagiri, I will need to think longer about this before taking any action. Now, I will help you return to your bed." Saitō rose, bowed politely, and waited for Amagiri to do likewise.

"Do you need a hand Saitō?" asked Harada.

"Arigatou, Harada, but no. I am aware that you likely need to return to headquarters soon."

"True."

Saitō left with Amagiri, closing the door behind them. Amagiri required no assistance on the way back to his room; however, his face was unnaturally rigid by the time that he was back in his bed. Despite his pain, Amagiri spoke as soon as he was able:

"You contemplate a death, do you not, Saitō?"

Saitō studied Amagiri.

"It is an option," he responded at last.

"She is a demoness, you know, and born to rule a warrior clan. Moreover, murder of an Oni woman is… just wrong."

The indigo-haired man—the Oni lord—said nothing.

"Saitō… you should not do this. Why should you take a risk and weigh your conscience with murder when there are other solutions?"

Once again, Saitō said nothing, and Amagiri tried to frown, but found his face too painful to glower properly.

"What of her husband and son?" Amagiri tried again.

"Rest well, Kyūju-san," Saitō told him, bowing slightly. "We will resolve the problem of protecting Kenshin-kun as soon as possible."

Saitō left the room before Amagiri could formulate a reply. He walked briskly to the front of the house, where he was not surprised to find Harada waiting for him.

"You'll be late," he pointed out to the stall spearman.

"Ah, well, it'll be fine," Harada said. "So… what do you need?"

"I need a solution to the problem of the Yukishima inheritance before anything else."

"Hmm, yes. Any thoughts?"

Saitō nodded.

"Hijikata-san or Shinpachi-san might do better, but yes. I don't know if you remember…"

Saitō looked momentarily uncomfortable for some reason, but then continued:

"When we were first told—Hijikata-san and myself—that Shiranui-sama was our father, I didn't think to ask about other children. But I have had time to inquire further and… ah, apparently there are also two young girls, twins."

Harada's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You're saying that you have younger twin sisters? Are they part-Oni? I thought there weren't any young, pureblood, female Oni apart from the ones we know."

Saitō met the amber eyes squarely. "They are pureblood Oni, full sisters to my half-brother Shiranui Kyō-san. However, they are not expected to live much longer. From what Amagiri told me, nobody expected them to survive infancy, let alone reach ten years old. In any event, they are weakening rapidly now. And… their mother is dying, perhaps even faster. Given all of this, my half-brother, Kyō-san, has some reason to be impatient with his—our—father's failings as a husband."

"Most sons would feel that way," agreed Harada. "But I assume that Shiranui-sama isn't actually causing his wife's illness?"

Saitō gave him an odd, uncertain look.

"I can only tell you what I have been told. Although most of the Oni do not believe in the Trial of Heart—as Sen-hime calls it—there is still an uneasy awareness, it seems, that a marriage bond must be honoured and cherished in order for either of the husband or wife to flourish. A stronger bond not only tends to produce stronger children, but a greater chance of female children."

"That puts a rather different complexion on things, doesn't it?" mused Harada. "I mean, I'd wondered a little why Haru-chan wasn't already married, or why Kimigiku-san and her sister weren't simply told who to marry. It seems as though the Oni must try to allow for some degree of compatibility between husband and wife, even though they also try to marry for alliances and power."

"Yes," agreed Saitō. "It also means that when a marriage bond is stretched too thin, or broken, then both husband and wife suffer and possibly even the children. Chiharu-sama, for example, actually had a twin sister. But both girls were born weak, and although Chiharu-sama eventually flourished, her sister died when she was only a year old. Moreover, their mother has been in ill-health ever since."

"It's a little hard to credit Oni magic, though, when you consider how many young children die from illness or general natural causes," Harada said. Under the circumstances, he decided that it would not be tactful to mention that many women were weakened by childbearing, or died from related causes.

"I know," Saitō responded, whether to the stated or unstated point was unclear.

Harada was still trying to understand why Saitō was explaining all of this to him now. He had the uneasy feeling that it might be related to his developing relationship with Osen-chan. It would be just like Saitō to take a protective interest in the princess, especially now that he owed her some kind of allegiance, in some strange, Oni fashion. Harada decided to stick to the immediate point.

"You're worried that Chizuru-chan will overdo it while trying to put everything right, aren't you? And you don't want to balance the health and safety of your wife—gods, that's still weird—against the lives of two unknown half-sisters and their mother. But, Saitō…"

"I know." The younger man's voice was curt, almost harsh. "Chizuru would want to help and I can't keep it from her. I won't." Saitō felt the sensation that warned him that his Oni form was beginning to surface. "Either way, the Oni need them—Kyoko and Kyomi—to live."

Harada noted the slight softening in Saitō's voice and sensed something like protectiveness for the two unknown half-sisters. He wondered how much the man had changed just by becoming an Oni. With a jolt he remembered—again—that he himself was supposedly the son of a thousand-year-old legend. An Oni so powerful that she had forced the other clans to swear an eternal blood-oath that still seemed to be in effect—to some extent at least—a millennium later.

"Harada?"

"Gomen, Saitō. Please tell me, why are the twins specifically important to the, ah, Yukishima situation?"

"Their mother is the younger twin sister of Kimigiku-san's mother."

"Um… That's a lot of twins to keep track of. Walk with me down a ways, will you?"

"Hai."

They left the house and walked slowly through the lovely front garden, while Harada tried to get his mind around the shape of what Saitō was telling him. He could understand why Saitō had mentioned Shinpachi earlier—this kind of complexity was something that the Second Division Captain seemed to enjoy. Once they'd gone most of the way down to the road, he sensed Saitō getting edgy and somehow he knew that the younger man was actually uncomfortable away from the house. Away from Chizuru-chan? He stopped.

"Okay, I think I have a better picture of it now. In the main line, you have the older set of twins, Yukishima-sama and your father's wife."

Saitō nodded, apparently at ease with considering Shiranui Toshio-sama as his father. Harada continued.

"Both Yukishima-sama and her younger sister have two daughters. If the younger of those sets of twins—your half-sisters—were healthy, then they could represent an alternative for the Yukishima clan. That is, if the usual customs as we know them apply, one of them could probably be adopted by the Yukishima to become the Heir. It provides a secondary option to Kimigiku-san's sister, who may or may not be willing or able to marry Amagiri-san and provide a safe home for Kenshin."

Saitō nodded. Then he said quietly: "We have no way of knowing Chikame-sama's ability or fitness as an heir or anything else at this point. Also, it seems to me that nobody has considered whether Kimigiku-san may still represent the better choice as heir or, more specifically as clan head. If Yukishima-sama can adopt a daughter, then why not Kimigiku-san?" Without waiting for Harada's reaction to this rather unconventional suggestion, Saitō went on: "I think… that I need Sen-hime to introduce me to my father and his wife and daughters. Probably very soon. Would you explain the situation to Hijikata-san?"

Harada regarded him sombrely. "All of it? The threat to Amagiri-san's son from Yukishima-sama and the possible, ah, solution to it?"

"Yes."

"I'll see what I can do. Are you serious about this?"

"There is no other way to guarantee Kenshin-kun's safety that I can think of. And he is my responsibility. Also, Yukishima-sama represents a potential threat to Sen-hime, in my opinion. At the very least, she is not adequately fulfilling her obligation to be Sen-hime's main protector." Saitō's disapproval of the obvious schism between the princess and the clan that should be most loyal to her was patent.

"And if your contemplated course of action is specifically forbidden by the Vice Commander?"

Saitō's expression did not change.

"I will have to plan for that possibility, of course."

The tall spearman continued to study him for a moment or two and then shrugged.

"Alright. If I'm allowed to help then I will."

"The offer is appreciated, Harada."

Nothing else was said, and neither man showed great concern over the fact that they had been not-so-obliquely discussing a murder.

Harada watched Saitō turn and then—well, not exactly walk toward the house. Rather, one minute he was beside the red-head, and the next he was opening the barely-visible front door and disappearing inside. The spearman shook his head and hurried off down the path. His mind was more focussed on Oni relationships than on Oni powers at the moment, and Saitō's explanation of the critical importance of the marriage bond struck him anew as being especially relevant to his supposed connection to Osen-chan's continued well-being. He was beginning to feel certain that Saitō hadn't gone into the matter by chance.

Was that what his mother—if Lady Suzuka was in fact his mother—had implied? Was she suggesting that if he formed a close bond with Osen-chan then it might strengthen both her son and her descendant and even reverse the negative effects of her own presence on the young princess? He really didn't like the idea that he was being manipulated into something so central to his own and another's personal happiness, and it occurred to him to wonder if Saitō had felt similar concerns about his hasty marriage to Chizuru-chan. If he had, then he had either overcome such doubts or decided that they didn't matter. Despite Saitō's normally reticent personality and Chizuru-chan's shyness, there was no doubting how they felt about each other now—in any way. Harada's guess was that Saitō had evaluated the situation in his usual logical fashion and chosen to make the best of it. Alternately, his hormones had finally gotten the better of him. Harada derived some amusement from the latter option.

The red-head felt an unusual flush on his own cheeks as his musings circled back to Osen-chan. Kimigiku-san and Haru-chan had left the room shortly after Saitō and Amagiri-san, leaving him alone again with the young princess. The intimacy of their private time together earlier, when he had unpinned her hair, had been thoroughly disrupted. On the other hand, given the semi-public setting, it had felt like an even greater liberty to sit with his fingers twined through hers throughout the difficult discussions that had taken place afterward. He couldn't deny the sense of warmth he felt from Osen-chan, or the oddly comforting feeling that he was important to her. And of course those things in turn led to other thoughts.

In fact, once it had been just the two of them again, he had immediately pulled her closer to him, although with care for her formal robes. Since she was still wearing make-up, he had ultimately settled her sideways on his lap, so that she could lean against his chest as she had the day before. She was very lovely, in his opinion, but it was the way that her eyes seemed to brighten when she looked at him that disarmed him, despite his wariness. It had seemed perfectly reasonable to kiss her shining chestnut hair and then the graceful curve of her neck. It had been far more difficult to stop there, especially when she had snuggled herself closer. Fortunately or unfortunately, Harada was too careful to allow either affection or desire free rein under such circumstances. Instead, he had permitted himself one more kiss on the crown of the girl's head and had then stood up and set her on her feet.

"You're very strong," Sen had commented, sighing regretfully. Her cheeks had been pink, and for all that her tone had been deliberately light, he had sensed genuine disappointment as well.

"It's harder work swinging a spear than prancing around with those little toys like Saitō and the others," he'd told her. She had laughed, and he had smiled, and neither of them had said or done anything that might cross any significant boundaries. It was rather frustrating, and worse, entirely his own doing.

As he made his way back to the Shinsengumi's headquarters, Harada reminded himself that he was taking by far the wiser course by taking things cautiously, especially given his recent attraction to Chizuru-chan. He'd made mistakes in the past that he didn't want to make again, especially with somebody like Sen-hime. He tried and failed not to envy Saitō, who seemed to have thrown caution to the winds with a vengeance—to the extent that he'd been given a choice.

[II] - Interlude

Saitō was a little surprised to find tea and fresh food waiting for him upon his return. Chizuru looked very happy to see him, and for a moment he considered abandoning the meal. From the slight flush on his wife's cheeks, he thought that perhaps she felt the same way. However, he could tell that this meal was important to Chizuru, so he somehow managed to limit himself to a light kiss before seating himself at the table.

"Since you were busy, Hajime, I decided that I would finally get to prepare a meal for you myself," Chizuru said, kneeling just around the corner of the table from him. "I needed a bit of help finding things, but mostly I was able to do things the way I wanted."

Wisely, Saitō refrained from mentioning the many meals that she had cooked for the Shinsengumi over the last few months. Instead he thanked her politely, gave her a warm smile, and settled down to eat. And eat. He hadn't realized just how hungry he was. That was the difficulty of being distracted by other things. He knew that Chizuru was watching him anxiously in between bites of her own food, but since she was familiar with his strong partiality for tofu, and had clearly chosen the pickled and fresh vegetables that he liked best from what was available, he had no difficulty reassuring her that her efforts were greatly appreciated.

When he was finally full—and apparently somebody had judged the amount of food very well—he found his thoughts turning insistently to his wife rather than to the much more troublesome problem of how to deal with a clan head Oni while still preserving a minimum of discretion about the business. Then again, it was very clear that he needed more information.

He finished a cup of tea, not minding that it had cooled, and was unsurprised to find that he had one hand curled around Chizuru's. Setting down his cup, he gently kissed her fingers and then her wrist. He heard a slight catch of breath and felt his own desire rise even more sharply. Lifting his head to look at his wife, he found himself once again surprised to discover that Chizuru seemed to want him as much as he wanted her. With a restraint born solely of curiosity, he continued to sit where he was and methodically moved his tongue and mouth over each of her small fingers. By the time he had finished the whole hand, they were both breathing rather more heavily and Chizuru was alternating between watching him and glancing away, her cheeks now a deep red. When their eyes met, he saw embarrassment but also a certain hopeful determination.

"Hmm, I seem to have a very demanding wife…" murmured Saitō softly, with the smile that was only for her.

Mutely, Chizuru held her arms out to him, her eyes reflecting back all the laughter and longing that she saw in his. He had no hesitation in scooping her up and carrying her off to their bedroom. After all, he reasoned, a futon was bound to more comfortable than a tatami mat for what they both had in mind. Everything else would have to wait.

[III] - Decisions

When Sen returned to her private sitting room after Harada-san had left with Saitō-san, she discovered both Haru-chan and Kimigiku waiting for her. She realized with a start that she hadn't noticed them before entering; her thoughts had been very much focussed on a pair of near-golden eyes and the feeling of large, gentle hands in her hair and on her neck. She surveyed her guests, drew a firm veil over her mind, and entered her rooms.

Before either of the other women could speak, Sen directed a quick question at Kimigiku.

"Where is Kichirō-kun?"

"He is in the practice room, Sen-hime," replied Kimigiku. "But he is not happy about being kept in the dark, he wants to know what has happened with Amagiri, and—we're not quite sure how—he has come to the conclusion that Saitō-sama has caused some harm to Amagiri."

Chiharu was once again looking a great deal more troubled than usual, and Sen wasn't at all surprised. In fact, she sympathized a great deal with both of her cousins, although not with his most arrogant highness the Lord of the Western Clans. She knew that her mother would counsel kindness and patience; Shizuka-hime had often told her that the Oni would not be in such dire straits without the millennia-old disagreements between the Western and Eastern Oni. The reality was that although the Okikurune had been the ruling power for just over a thousand years, the famous (or infamous) Lady Suzuka had been closely connected to the Eastern Clans, by blood, at least. As a warrior, she was thought to have some sympathy for the more aggressive nature of the Western Clans. However it had really been, the central rule had never been fully accepted by the Kazama, who had been conquered by might and skill and then bound by oath.

The reality was that Kazama Chikage was the best of his clan, and the first Kazama clan head to fully accept—well, mostly accept—the concept of an overarching central power. Of course, a great deal of that had come from Amagiri, who had always been very respectful of rank and responsibility. In many ways, Amagiri was something of an anomaly, being surprisingly strong for a member of the second tier of the Great Clans. Sen had begun to wonder just how many apparent coincidences could be traced back to Suzuka-hime. The Princess of the Oni had begun to suspect at least part of the nature of Suzuka-hime's interference, and it was all rather… disturbing. Fortunately, Sen was not one to let events simply swirl around her.

"I think that what happens next will depend largely on you, Haru-chan," she said to her cousin. "It would be quite understandable for you to return to your brother, and he could probably benefit from your assistance. Moreover, any delay could compromise your position further."

Chiharu nodded, and then sighed.

"I really should go, and take Kichirō with me. But I don't know what to do to help Amagiri and I'm horrified by what Chikage has done to him. How do I face my brother when he has that on his conscience?" She paused, and then continued with more heat than Sen had expected: "And I know that he'll tell me that he has nothing to blame himself for. I mean, Chikage will believe—will need to believe—that he did nothing wrong. That Amagiri was the one in the wrong. And you of course, for putting your strange myths before the needs of the Oni!"

Sen and Kimigiku were both looking in surprise at the blond girl, who had never before sounded so scornful about her brother's prejudices. In fact…

"But, Haru-chan, I didn't think that you approved of Chizuru-sama's marriage either?" Kimigiku said gently. While Sen had the impression that her bodyguard had her own preoccupations—something had passed between her and Amagiri, Sen was certain of it—Kimigiku seemed very much back to normal at the moment.

Chiharu blushed slightly but she answered readily enough:

"I have reservations about the… the background of these part-Oni. But Saitō-sama is clearly a full Oni lord. Every one of my senses tells me so, and frankly he has enough power to be intimidating. Is it true that he hasn't even trained?"

"I'm afraid so," murmured Kimigiku, rather sympathetically.

Sen's more emphatic "Yes" made it clear that she, at least, had no problem with Saitō's potential strength. She was just on edge enough to want to glare at Kimigiku for still having reservations—as Chiharu had put it—about the Shinsengumi captains.

"Do they all have such potential? It's almost beyond belief even with just one, but Harada-san appears to have mastered certain talents without passing a single Trial—although I suppose that could be his very unusual parentage."

Kimigiku had no difficulty in answering both points, and Sen decided not to interrupt her.

"Almost all of the Shinsengumi captains have some measure of potential. Hijikata-san is already one of those rare humans who is formidable even without the conscious use of any Oni abilities. Okita-san, who neither of you have met, has all the grace and brilliance—and recklessness and caprice—of any young male Oni of the Greater Clans. I don't have Sen-hime's Gift, of course, but Okita-san reminds me far more of Kazama-sama than anyone else."

Sen frowned at the shinobi. It was an odd thing to say, and she had to quell a rush of suspicion. Was there even more that Kimigiku knew about the strange background of the Shinsengumi leadership? But Kimigiku had sworn that there was nothing else in Toshio-sama's letters—and that there were no other such letters concerning the other Shinsengumi.

"Why do you say that, Kimigiku?" Chiharu asked politely.

The beautiful dark-haired woman seemed to consider.

"I suppose it is a question of character as well as movement and style... Haru-chan, you know your brother very well. Wouldn't you say that despite all of his speed and strength and intelligence, Kazama-sama is so wary of showing any weakness that it contributes to both his arrogance and also a certain streak of cruelty?"

Chiharu looked away, which seemed to be an answer in itself. However, Sen and Kimigiku waited for her to respond verbally.

"Yes," she said eventually. "I suppose that is true, although I wouldn't call Chikage cruel. Or I wouldn't have up until recently. Something about dealing more regularly with the humans has changed him for the worse. You will say that I am just reacting like a fond sister, and you may be right, but there is a cynicism in him now that I believe has affected him. Or at least reinforced some of the more extreme of my father's beliefs."

There was another silence, and then Sen tried to summarize her thoughts on the part-Oni Shinsengumi:

"Saitō-san is now a full Oni, but has neither the training nor the full cognitive discipline to use all of his abilities. On the other hand, he is learning at a surprising pace and I'm beginning to think that he doesn't sleep. He also seems to have gained all of the best traits of his inheritance—Sakurai, Shiranui and Yukishima. It's ridiculous. Harada-san is very different in overall personality, but underneath it there is a very similar sense of loyalty and responsibility. If Suzuka-hime really is the Suzuka-hime, and she's not lying, then Harada-san is her son. We have no idea what that really means, but we've all noticed that he is just a little different than what we'd expect from a part-Oni."

Chiharu nodded politely, but Kimigiku smiled a little. "I feel certain that you have studied Harada-san quite closely."

"He does seem to admire you a great deal," said Chiharu, a little more diplomatically.

Sen was blushing slightly, but she ignored the commentary and continued.

"My own observations of Hijikata-san suggest that Kimigiku was correct in her appraisal of his potential abilities. Like Saitō-san, he seems to have a wide range of abilities. In his case this includes a tremendous personal ability to either lead or bully most people. He seems to be exceptionally intelligent, but that's hard to gauge on such limited first-hand knowledge. On the other hand, he is a little impatient, probably because he feels that the rest of the world just isn't as competent as he is, except possibly Saitō-san—and Saitō-san probably only rates so highly because he does what Hijikata-san tells him to do."

"That seems a little harsh, Princess," Kimigiku said softly. "I thought that you rather liked Saitō-sama?"

Sen had the grace to look a little embarrassed.

"You're right, Kimigiku. First of all, I'm being unfair to Saitō-san, who is a good and loyal man despite his violent background; also, he has a carefully hidden capacity to be kind that I appreciate. Chizuru-chan is exceptionally happy with her choice, and I admit that I actually like him very much, although to me he seems like just the kind of man you want to have as a close cousin or older brother."

"Ah," nodded Kimigiku wisely, "strong and dependable, but not too exciting. You prefer a more adventurous sort, Princess." The shinobi's purple eyes glimmered.

Sen ignored her studiously.

"Second, I'm being unfair to Hijikata-san, mostly because he somehow manages to irritate me whenever we meet—although mostly by being aggressively rational about things and refusing to concede that I have a lot more experience than he does with Oni matters. Kimigiku reassures me, however, that I could probably annoy him, too." Sen paused, and then turned a pair of innocent magenta eyes on her blond cousin. "What did you think of Hijikata-san, Haru-chan?"

Kimigiku smiled to herself when the older girl only raised her eyebrows slightly at her cousin. Kazama Chiharu had lived a sheltered life, but she had also coped with an oppressive father (to put it no higher), been a companion to a semi-invalid mother and a rather trying—but powerful—older brother, and done her part in raising two younger brothers. Frankly, Haru-chan had been expecting the question.

"I don't think I've known Hijikata-san long enough to have a definite opinion, Osen-chan," she told Sen. "I'm impressed with how he's coped, so far, with a very strange and threatening situation. I'm impressed that he could outmanoeuvre Kichirō with a sword and make it look easy—and leave me uncertain as to whether it was actually easy or not. For that matter, having reflected somewhat on things, I'm impressed that he chose to risk himself and his organization to find a way to let Saitō-sama live. It means that these humans—or part-Oni—have a peculiar capacity for both ruthlessness and personal affection. Although I can't imagine Hijikata-san putting it that way."

Sen stared at Chiharu for a moment and then laughed, partly at herself and partly at the bizarre situation that they all found themselves in.

"Well, Haru-chan, you definitely win this round." For just a moment, all three women seemed to share an appreciation for the opportunity to be together. Three sets of strange, beautiful eyes in colours ranging from deep pink to deep purple sparkled at each other. Then Sen finished her thought: "I interpret your answer to mean that you admire him, but that you rather wish you didn't, because he's a human, the leader of a ruthless group of allegedly unprincipled warriors and the potential enemy of your elder brother."

"And we didn't finish answering your question, did we?" noted Kimigiku. "You asked whether all the Shinsengumi leaders were likely to be as strong as Saitō-sama, in effect. At which point both Sen-hime and I got caught up in our own thoughts and speculations. Let me try again. We believe, and Amagiri and Shiranui Kyō agree, that most of the captains of the Shinsengumi have some Oni blood. We have discussed Hijikata-san. Yamazaki-san—he is the Shinsengumi medic and shinobi—is also related to the Shiranui and the Yukishima through Shiranui Toshio-sama; we still don't have a clear idea how powerful he may eventually be, but I think… he may not be so different from his brothers. Harada-san is likely to be formidable. Okita-san, as I mentioned, reminds me of the Oni of the Western Clans, and Amagiri agrees with me. He has already demonstrated significant strength and speed, and Amagiri and I think that he may also have unusual access to the Gifts of Mind—which also is suggestive of the Western Clans.

"Tōdō-san—the youngest and slightest of the captains—and Nagakura-san are also part-Oni, but of unknown descent and overall strength. If I had to make a blind guess, I'd say more likely Western than Eastern, but for all I know, they could be descendants of the old Northern Clans—I honestly know nothing about those families. I wish that Sen-hime could have met Tōdō-san and Nagakura-san today; that would have helped. Neither of them strike me as being as powerful as the others—as Oni—but I'm reserving judgment, given the other surprises I've had."

Kimigiku paused, sipped delicately at her cup, and then continued.

"I suspect that the Commander, who we met today, has some Oni heritage, but as I told Amagiri some time ago, I think he is more limited than the others. What do you think, Sen-hime?"

Sen nodded. "Commander Kondō is what I would have expected the others to be—a man who is strong, charismatic and able, but not close enough to his Oni ancestry to be truly called a part-Oni. On the other hand, the fact that the others are attracted to him probably means that his ancestry does have some impact."

Chiharu nodded her comprehension, although her widened eyes indicated her continued astonishment at the extent of the Oni heritage and talent among the Shinsengumi. Kimigiku finished the list, just for completeness.

"Sannan Keisuke, the Deputy Commander, does have some Oni heritage, but we are concerned that he is not quite in his right mind; we have no real idea of his personal strength. Only one of the captains, Inoue Genzaborou, appears to be no more than a dedicated and unusually skilled human."

After a full minute of silence, Chiharu voiced the thought of all three women:

"It's likely that Suzuka-hime is behind some or all of this. And no matter what my personal feelings are, she charged me—along with Osen-chan and Chizuru-chan—to resolve Kenshin's situation. I know that Suzuka-hime's actions and motivations are, to say the least, suspicious, but in terms of the actual facts that she has given me she has not lied."

"I wouldn't put it past her to have set up the whole mess," stated Kimigiku bluntly.

"Regardless. Whether she set it up and now wants it resolved, or has simply decided to resolve it while conducting the main part of some greater scheme, I think it needs to be sorted out. Kenshin is already ten. I love my youngest brother very much—" Chiharu swallowed, but continued—"and I want the best for him. He's an unusual boy, you know. And although he loves my mother and Chikage, he also adores Amagiri. I don't know what I can do to help your sister, Kimigiku, but I dearly want to help Amagiri. Especially now."

Kimigiku smiled at Chiharu. "I understand, Haru-chan. You make your points very well."

"What do we think of Saitō-san's suggestion," asked Sen, frowning. She was looking at the shinobi.

"We think that he may be correct. And maybe only a human—former human?—could contemplate the idea. An Oni normally could not."

Chiharu shook her head. "He was implying that... well, he was suggesting that murder was an option, wasn't he? Of a clan head? Of a female Oni?"

"The former is hardly unthinkable, Haru-chan," said Kimigiku dryly. "Your father's death was more than a little—let's say—unexpected."

"I know," the soft-spoken girl said unhappily. "But I never really thought much about it. That kind of thing was always Chikage's business, not mine. I suppose we were both happy to keep it that way. I heard rumours though, eventually."

"Well," said Sen, bracingly, "I don't like the idea either—of assassination, that is—but I think we need to face the possibility squarely instead of secretly hoping it happens while pretending that we know nothing about it. And although I know it makes Saitō-san seem rather barbaric, it's… well, I think it's part of what makes him a good choice to protect Chizuru-chan from herself and maybe the rest of the world. Don't you? She's not powerless by any means, but now that I've got a better sense of what she can do, I'm worried that she's not safe with anybody less single-minded."

The other two women glanced at each other and Chiharu sighed.

"Chizuru-chan is very unusual, isn't she? It's almost as though she's continuously telling the people she's close to that they can be better—in every way, I mean—and somehow, something happens. I've never sensed that kind of an aura before at all..."

"That's partly because you never really knew the Yukimura family," said Kimigiku. "Yukimura Kazuhiko-sama was an outstanding healer, and until we found Chizuru-sama alive it was thought that the Gift of healing others had been lost with the destruction of the Yukimura clan. More than that, from what I heard—which was limited, I admit—he had an understanding of the Oni as a race on a complex level, with a particular emphasis on how belief affected reality. The Okikurune part of Chizuru-sama's heritage is familiar to us; in fact, even her sword was an ancient gift from Suzuka-hime to her Yukimura descendants. But the Yukimura part of her heritage is mostly unknown. The Yukimura as a clan were simultaneously open-handed with their help and secretive about their Gifts. My—my mother used to complain about it."

Kimigiku seemed to gather herself together again and then added: "I think it was that factor, that special potential, which Yukimura Kōdō wanted when he kidnapped the girl. After all, he would have known all about the Yukimura Gifts, and especially the potential in a daughter of two such powerful parents. So although I am not comfortable with Saitō-sama's methods, and although there are aspects of his way of thinking that I find unnecessarily violent, I agree that Chizuru-sama probably needs somebody like him to be her shield. At the moment, she is vulnerable to deception and manipulation, because her mind is wide open, and her physical skills are woefully stunted; it's as if she's been trained against using her speed and strength to the point that right now I'm not sure if she can."

"Plus we don't dare let her try the Trial of Mind," said Sen, dryly.

Chiharu considered what she'd seen and sensed while she had been the anchor of the main protective barrier that had been raised during Saitō-sama's Trial of Mind, and agreed with Sen's point. There was risk either way. Without completing the Trials, the Yukimura Heir was missing a significant amount of her power as an adult Oni. But surviving the Trial of Mind, given her own and her clan's history, was in doubt. Somebody, presumably her uncle Yukimura Kōdō-san, had left her terribly vulnerable in both mind and body.

However, as problematic as Chizuru-chan's situation was, there were more immediate matters to deal with. Chiharu turned her attention back to the dark-haired woman seated across from her.

"Kimigiku… forgive me. The discussion about Yukishima-sama must be personally painful for you. I don't understand how you can bring yourself to speak with us about it. My father was a very difficult man to live with, but I was still grieved by his passing."

The shinobi's face seemed shadowed, but she responded immediately.

"The difference is that you only had a small idea of the scope of your father's injuries to others. Forgive me for speaking ill of him to you, but he caused a great deal of pain to many people. My mother is much like him, and I've come to suspect that she is not really in her right mind—it's just taken me a lot of time to get my own mind around that idea. I'm not sure that Amagiri ever could. I don't think he ever quite believed what my mother did to us—to my sister and me, that is. I don't know why, except that his own background and upbringing was against him."

There was pain in Kimigiku's eyes, but otherwise she kept her thoughts and emotions to herself. The younger women sensed the danger in trying to breach that wall and didn't push. Nevertheless, they felt as though they had seen a portion of the grievance that lay between Kimigiku and Amagiri.

After a few moments, Kimigiku brought all of them back to the main point.

"I don't know why, but I've never had the resolution to do something to rectify my sister's situation. So, when it comes to Saitō-sama's suggestion… Well, I have a feeling that he's going to make a decision for us, and I can't find it in me to be sorry about it."

There was a long silence after that, broken by Sen.

"So we're just going to dump this whole thing on him? That's not right!"

"No," replied Chiharu flatly. "We're not. But we need to decide what part falls to us. What is it that we, specifically, can do?"

Sen took a deep breath. Reluctantly, but firmly, she told her cousin something that she had been revolving in her mind all day:

"It's time for me to pay a visit to Yase. I'll speak with my uncle there, find out whatever information he has, and then pay a formal visit to Yukishima Chiyoko-sama. She is my vassal after all. I can ask after Chikame-sama as well, and Mamoru-kun."

"Then I'll come with you," Chiharu said firmly. "Kimigiku will worry, otherwise."

"Aren't you going to ask my opinion?" asked Kimigiku, who suddenly looked much more dangerous than usual.

"No," said Sen, quietly but clearly. "I know what you'll say. But in the two years that I've avoided this visit, Lady Yukishima has only confirmed her opinion that my family has become weak. Haru-chan—the Lady Chiharu Kazama—will be a very welcome guest even if I'm not." The princess raised her voice over Kimigiku's next comment. "In fact, I think the news that Lady Chizuru Yukimura has entered into an unfortunate marriage will be very welcome to her, don't you?"

"Yes! That's a very good point," Chiharu agreed, supporting her younger cousin. Her dark purple eyes seemed to harden. "I'm very disappointed for Chikage, as you both know. But I can face that what's done is done, and that marriage would have meant the end of the Yukimura clan, most likely. My father and grandfather dreamed of uniting the East and West Oni Clans—but always under Kazama rule, of course. So. I'll play my part in this visit and really, I have very little to say that isn't true. My mother did send me here with the news that Yukimura Chizuru had resurfaced. I was dismayed to learn that she'd already formed an attachment—and with a part-Oni at that. And I can support Osen-chan's information that Saitō-sama has now passed all of the Trials and that the two of them have married."

Kimigiku had risen and was pacing angrily.

"And what in the gods' names do you hope to accomplish with this farce," she demanded.

"It is not a farce," Sen told her icily. "And sit down. You're about to transform, you know."

Both of the other women looked at her in shock. Kimigiku recovered first, gave Sen a deep, if slightly ironic bow, and sat down. She wasn't smiling, however.

"Well, Your Highness?" she asked, pointedly.

Sen continued to look coldly at her shinobi.

"First of all, I really do need to make this visit. You've talked me out of it too many times already. Second, Saitō-san needs information. It's the one thing that we can really give him. And why would I risk having you climb in a window when I have every right to be there? Besides, you gave your oath never to go back to the Yukishima estate, and I won't let you to break your word."

"I will keep Osen-chan safe," Chiharu added. "In fact, I can ask Kichirō to accompany us and return for us at a set time. He's dying to see Kyoto."

"He's dying to see the Shinsengumi," Kimigiku said dryly, ignoring all the rest.

"He's not the only one," murmured Chiharu, glancing provocatively at her cousin.

"Oh, I agree," Sen returned cordially. "After all, you would be bound to find Kichirō-kun with the Vice Commander, wouldn't you?"

With a noise that sounded a little like "gah!", Kimigiku stood up. "I'm going for a walk," she announced. "Don't go out, don't bother Amagiri, and don't talk to Kichirō-kun about this so-called plan—not yet at least. Promise me."

"I promise," said Chiharu meekly.

"As if I'd even mention this to Amagiri," said Sen scornfully. "The poor man has enough to worry about. I promise. Have a nice walk. I think we'll have dinner; Kichirō is probably starving by now."

But when Kimigiku turned to leave, the princess hurried over to give her a tight hug.

"Take care of yourself, Kimigiku. I'm so sorry it's come to this."

"I know… I'm just worried that we're all dancing to that woman's tune again. One day we'll discover that the entire mess is her doing just because she got bored one day… Oh well."

Kimigiku gave Sen a quick kiss on the forehead, which she didn't do often now that Sen was (allegedly) an adult.

"I'll be back soon." The shinobi turned to Chiharu, who was looking thoughtfully at them. "Look after her, Haru-chan. You have better sense than she does—usually."

"Yes, Kimigiku."

Their eyes met for a moment, and Kimigiku felt a gentle, compassionate touch. She returned the mental salute with some surprise, and then left the room. It occurred to her that Kazama Chiharu might understand how she was feeling better than most. It wasn't easy to be hurt and disappointed by your closest kin.

[END]

A/Note: What are the other Shinsengumi up to? Will anyone ever get any sleep? (Will I?) What about the battle at the Hamaguri Gate?! The answers to these questions and more next time! If you have a moment, please leave a review. Thank you for reading!