Kenshin hummed softly to himself as he slipped some daikon into the lunch soup he was making and was about to start preparing the fish when Yahiko stepped into the room.
"Hello there Yahiko." Kenshin greeted without turning. "If you're here to help, then-"
"The bean pole is back." Yahiko said his tone dark.
Kenshin stiffened and then turned towards the young swordsman and noticed his eyes were dark the boy's ki flickering dangerously.
"What's wrong Yahiko?" He asked.
"He's here to take her away. You know he is!" The boy snapped his hand balled into a fist. "He brought back up this time too. An ornery looking old man is with him." He frowned. "I don't like this. Something feels wrong."
The boy's instincts were sharp. Something about the old man must have set him off.
"Calm down Yahiko." Kenshin said laying a hand on his shoulder. "I told you before, no one will take Miss Kaoru from us. She is going to become my wife and we will raise or family in this dojo, together."
Yahiko studied him before nodding. "I'll keep Kaoru out of sight. You deal with bean pole and the pompous ass he brought with him."
Kenshin nodded and quickly walked to his room retrieving the reverse blade sword and then calmly approached the gate. Yahiko was right. The old man had a nasty aura around him that bespoke of an intense arrogance as well as a hint of madness.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" Kenshin asked as he approached the gate.
"I believe I told that boy to fetch the master of the house." The old man said studying him warily.
Kenshin nearly smirked at that. Technically being betrothed to Kaoru made him master of the house, but this man didn't need to know that.
"As I informed you before Natsume." He said ignoring the old man. "Miss Kaoru is still recovering. I am also waiting for a response from my friends in Kyoto regarding your intentions towards Miss Kaoru."
"As my son said before, I am an old acquaintance of young Kaoru's father. It was our hope that our children would someday marry." The man explained. "Had I known Kaoru had been reduced to this. Running a third rate dojo alone, I would have come to her aid sooner."
Kenshin's eyes sharpened and narrowed at that. His sharp ears and even sharper intuition had immediately noticed the distain in the man's words. Yahiko was right, this man wanted to take Kaoru away and for all of the wrong reasons.
He plastered his wanderer's smile on his face and tilted his head a little to the side. "That's a little cruel to say about the school of your deal departed friend." He said in a light tone.
The man's eyes widened before he cleared his throat. "Well yes umm… Well it has declined with a woman teaching the art."
Kenshin's eyes narrowed at that though his smile didn't fade. "That isn't true at all sir. The school is taking off. Miss Kaoru's students adore and respect her. Even instructors from other schools sing her praises. She's also earned the respect of many swordsmen and government officials alike both here and throughout Japan. I know of no one who considers Miss Kaoru a poor kendo master or anyone who sees the Kamiya school as third rate."
Almost on cue the police chief walked by and lifted his hat in greeting. "Kenshin, just the man I was looking for." He said walking up to him. "Excuse me gentlemen." The spectacled man said nodding to the two unwelcome visitors.
"How can I help you chief?" Kenshin asked in his typical cheerful tone.
"We've received word of some less than desirable characters loitering around the longhouses where young Yahiko has been staying. It might be best for you to keep him here for the night." He said.
"Ah, I see. Thank you for the warning." Kenshin replied. "Luckily you gave it to me while he wasn't nearby."
The officer chuckled lightly. "Of course. I'm well aware that the boy can hold his own. With Kaoru's teaching and your example, he's already well on his way to becoming a great swordsman. However, one can never be to careful. How is Kaoru doing by the way? I haven't seen much of her since she returned."
Kenshin nodded. "She's still recovering. There's a lot of work to be done as you can plainly see." He said gesturing to the yard. "I'm sure when spring comes she'll be back to her normal self."
"Good. That's excellent news. Well then, I leave her in your capable hands Kenshin." He said with a bow. "And if we should need your help?"
"You know where to find me." Kenshin replied with a nod.
The man smiled and nodded to the two guests before continuing on his way.
He'd noticed during the conversation that the two men had become increasingly agitated. Natsume seemed more nervous than ever his Ki giving off such a distinctive prey vibe that made Kenshin's brow nearly twitch at his obvious cowardas. Even if he wasn't courting Kaoru, he never would have allowed her to be with such a spineless man.
His father was a different story. His aura was almost writhing with anger and disdain. He clearly had negative feelings towards his beloved but as to why, he could not say. Regardless, he was not going to allow her anywhere near a man with hostile feelings towards her, the wounds from their ordeal with Enishi still far too fresh for that.
"I insist that you show me to Kaoru this instant." The older man said slamming his cane down. "We have an important matter to discuss."
"I decline." Kenshin replied. "I'll contact you after I've spoken with her about meeting with you."
The old man's cheeks blazed red his grip on his cane tightening. "How dare you speak to me like that?" He fumed. "Do you have any idea who I am?" he demanded.
"Not really." Kenshin replied easily before his violet eyes hardened and flashed with flecks of gold. "But you don't know who I am either, do you?" He replied his voice a touch darker.
Natsume cringed taking an instinctive step back from the redhead and the older man flinched.
"Kenshin? Why are you out here? Lunch has been served." Kaoru called walking out of the dojo to stand on the veranda spotting the two unfamiliar men at the gate. "Is something wrong?"
"There's nothing for you to worry about, that there isn't Miss Kaoru." He replied lightening his tone significantly. "I was just showing these gentlemen out. Go back inside. I'll be there shortly."
She hesitated for a moment studying him with her sharp indigo eyes before she nodded and slipped back inside.
"She looks perfectly healthy to me." The old man snarled.
"Good day to you." Kenshin replied without missing a beat shifting his arms and body just enough for the light to reflect off the hilt of his katana.
Natsume noticed and grabbed his father's arm. "Let's go father. We can come back tomorrow." He assured him.
The man glared at Kenshin. "Very well. It is of no matter anyway. She will learn her place soon enough."
Kenshin's eyes flashed gold at that. His instincts were screaming at him. Kaoru was in danger but where and how that danger would strike he did not know. He waited until the pair loaded into their carriage before striding quickly across the yard to the kitchen taking a seat next to Yahiko who had already devoured half of his lunch, too impatient to wait for him.
"Who were they?" Kaoru asked.
"I'll explain that later." Kenshin replied. "First of all, does the name Mamiya mean anything to you?"
The dark haired beauty blinked a couple of times and tapped her lip with her chopsticks for a few moments before shaking her head.
"No. I can't say it does." She admitted.
"Did your father ever mention that name? Or of an arranged marriage." Kenshin prompted again.
Kaoru shook her head. "No." she said firmly. "Father told me that he and my mother were one of the lucky ones that had fallen in love and then married. It was so romantic. He even had to beat a rival suitor for her hand." She giggled softly before she sighed. "Father always encouraged me to follow my own path and my heart. He told me to marry someone I love, after all in this new era women can own property so he wasn't worried about a successor or heir. Finding a marriage partner for me never really crossed his mind I think."
"I see." Kenshin replied.
He believed Kaoru but also knew that memory was rarely perfect. He hoped news from Aoshi would arrive quickly so that he could properly deal with the two nussinces that had appeared on the Kamiya dojo door step.
#&#&
"We will strike tonight." The old man said gripping his cane tightly.
"Father!" Natsume exclaimed. "That wasn't the plan! We were going to meet with Kaoru and try to explain things first."
"She's too dependant on that red haired guardian of hers and he doesn't trust us. She won't come with us willingly." He replied. "We'll have to take her by force."
Natsume sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "I still don't understand why you're going through all of this." He muttered.
"She should have been mine!" The man roared.
Natsume took a step back. "What are you saying?" He asked.
"She looks just like her. That silky black hair that shines blue in the sunlight, those striking indigo eyes, long lean limbs and a slightly girlish face." The older man sighed. "She's the spitting image of Shizuka."
Natsume's eyes widened. "The woman mother talked about. The one you could never forget. Kaoru is her daughter?" He said his voice cracking under the strain.
The old man smiled. "Yes. Her daughter is being soiled in the same way her mother was. Learning a man's art instead of spending time in the kitchen. If she'd never met that weak Samurai obsessed bastard everything would have ended up perfectly. She would be safe in my bed instead of dead in the ground. The least I can do is save her daughter from a similar fate."
"Father I-"
"Enough! We strike at midnight. That brat the officer was speaking of should be asleep by then along with her and that red haired nuisance. Even if they do wake up, we brought enough men that subduing a brat and a tough talking servant will be simple. Capturing the girl will be even easier."
Natsume swallowed noisily and looked away. He'd never been comfortable with approaching the woman he'd never met and offering to marry her under false pretenses like his father ordered, but he had done it anyway. Now that he knew the truth about the situation, he was even more conflicted. Even so, the man was his father and he was inclined to obey, even if he didn't like it.
Author's Notes: The plot thickens! Thanks for all of the support!