Thanks again for reviewing.

I really appreciate it.

One person's review caught my attention about riding pregnant horses. To clear that up, let's just say that the horse is just a week into her pregnancy. I'll do more research on that detail.

Another person also brought up how I should do some flashbacks. I'm going to put one in this chapter.

Once again, please tell me what I need to do to improve my story.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

This is not plagiarized.

Another thing:

I. Words that are bold mean the start of a paragraph. Somehow whenever I download it to the Document Manager in my account, it doesn't show any paragraphs.

II. Sections that are bold and italicized are flashbacks.

III. Any sentences, words, phrases, etc. that are italicized are the characters speaking their thoughts unless they are emphasizing something when they're talking.

Chapter 3

Kenshin felt his heart stop.

No, this can't be, he thought. He glared at Megumi. "Why does he want her only a year after? He had many opportunities to acquire her. Why only now?"

Megumi winced and glanced at Sanosuke. "We've heard rumors that he has been trying to gather a large army to challenge your own, my lord."

Kenshin's golden eyes glittered. "What?" he hissed. "Who is in his army?"

"A little more than half of the army is part of the Oniwaban Clan, that we know for sure. The rest must be loyal servants of theirs."

"But why take so long if he has so much access to that much people?"

"We are trying to figure that out as well, my lord." Megumi said.

Kenshin started to pace a little. "Why haven't our spies notified us sooner?" he demanded. "They were personally trained by Sanosuke himself to see and report anything suspicious, even if it were nonsense."

Megumi hesitated. "We have not heard from them this past week." Kenshin stopped to stare at her. "We assume that they have been found out and assassinated or turned from us."

"This is not good." Kenshin muttered as he resumed pacing. "The Oniwaban Clan is an exceptionally strong people. There are hardly any other fighting styles that are equivalent to theirs."

"Sanosuke's men are getting nervous by the hour, my lord. We must act now." Megumi said.

"You're right. I'll ask Sanosuke to take half of his first and second regiment and-"

"That's not what I meant, my lord."

Curious yet wary amber eyes stared at her. "Then what do you mean?"

"You might object to it, but it is the only way we'll avoid any casualties on both your people and your army."

Realization dawned on him. "No," he snapped. "I'll not allow it, Megumi."

"But, my lord, Liere will surely fall if we fight the Oniwaban. If we declare a battle with them and the casualties leave Liere drained, then other countries will take advantage of us. You know how precious Liere is with its rich soil and its abundance of rare gems. Liere has prospered for many years under your family's reign and it cannot fall just because of one woman."

Amber eyes glared brightly at her. "Kaoru is not just 'a woman', she is my other half, my perfect half. I will not lose her to another."

The physician shook her head. "She has already given her heart to Lord Aoshi. She was promised to him. She-"

"I'll have none of your words right now, Megumi." Kenshin interrupted with a scowl. "Kaoru will not know about Aoshi's advancements or his whereabouts. When you are alone with Sanosuke, tell him I want Aoshi found and caught. Throw him into the sea, cast him into the lions' den, send him away with money, I don't care. I want Aoshi off my land and away from Kaoru."

Just as Kenshin started to walk away, Megumi said softly, "She'll find out sooner or later, Kenshin." She had deliberately used his given name instead of his title to emphasize her point. "Kaoru is a smart woman and is as strong as they come. Her heart is pure with love and devotion. She will know when Aoshi is near."

Slender hands clenched into white fists. Kenshin whirled around. "I tell you this once again, Megumi, Kaoru is mine and mine alone. She is my soul mate, my other half. I'll not lose her."

"Do you think she would give the man who has taken her from her family, forced her to marry him, took her virtue without permission, and murdered her first child who had not even reach two months any chances at all?" Megumi hissed.

Kenshin winced. "She can hate me until the day we both die, but I'll never let her go."

Megumi shook her head, frustrated. "You do not understand, Kenshin."

"Oh I understand," he snapped vehemently. "He wants to take away the only happiness I've ever had in my entire life. He wants to take away the person I dearly love."

Again, she shook her head. "No, Kenshin. He's taking back who he loves."

Kenshin's lips pursed. He looked away. "Either way, I won't give her back."

"Not even for…?"

"No. Even if I did have it, I would never give her back," he answered. "The only treasure I have is her, belly-full with my child."

"Oh Kenshin. You do not know what you are doing. You must let Kaoru convince Lord Aoshi to retreat."

"Why? So she could run away from me to return to him?"

Megumi shook her head and took a few steps toward him. "She knows you are capable of destroying her kingdom and killing her family. There is no way she would risk the chance of angering you. Believe me. She will not go back to him. Instead, I assume she will meet with him only to send him away."

"And if he tries to take her with him?"

"Lord Aoshi is a man of honor, a gentleman. He will not force a woman to do his bidding. If he truly loves her, he will succumb to her request and evacuate the country."

Kenshin looked back at Kaoru, who smiled beautifully at Fleur's playful antics. He gave a small smile in her direction when she glanced at him. Her stunning smile suddenly disappeared like the sun covered by the approach of a storm and she looked away. His heart dropped and his smile faltered. She had never shown him her smiles, never shared her laughter with him, and never went to him willingly unless he had gotten her something she liked like the Fahsars.

I don't want to lose her. She is everything good in this world. So pure. So innocent. Yet…she was tainted by me. A king who took her away from her family. A man who took her virginity. A military authority who blinds her from her love's presence.

What will she really do if I told her? Will she do as Megumi says and reject Aoshi's heroic attempts at saving her? Or will she do as I thought and go back to her country with Aoshi…and our baby?

She probably will be tempted to return, but…

"I despise you!" she yelled from the other side of the room. "Never will you make me yours completely!"

"I will and you will succumb to me by your own free will," he replied calmly as he poured himself a drink.

"Never! Aoshi is the only man I will give myself to, body and soul. He has my heart and I his. And no man, not even you, can break our bond."

Amber eyes glittered slyly at her over the rim of the glass cup as he took a sip of wine. "Oh? Women have never rejected me or my advancements; you are no different."

"Perhaps those women have not found their true love just like you. You feed off of their longing for their soul mate and twist it into something that they regret in the morning."

Kenshin walked toward her slowly. "I have scarcely left a woman unsatisfied, Kaoru." He reached out and curled long fingers around her neck. "When I'm done with you, you will beg me to take you again and again. You will be me to be yours and you will beg me to marry you."

"I'll beg only for my freedom." Kaoru said. "You can take me all you want, try to make me yours, but you will never have me completely. If there was a chance I could run back to Aoshi, I will take it, no matter how dangerous it would be. He is my light in the day and my warmth in the cold night. I'll see to it that I'll return to him."

Kenshin's lips pursed. "Let's see you run to him after you've had a good beating."

"I dare you to." Kaoru said, her elegant raven head held high.

Kenshin hesitated at the glittering sapphire orbs that glared at him. He mentally shook himself and said, "I will act upon your previous invitation instead."

"Excuse me?"

"You said I can take you all I want." Kenshin said. "And take you is what I'll do."

Kaoru grimaced as she tried to back away.

"Ah, my lovely darling, do not be afraid. I'll not hurt you. You'll only feel a moment's pain and then the pleasure will come to you."

"The only pleasure I will feel is when I run away from this wretched place you call a palace and return to Aoshi and my family," she replied.

Kenshin growled as he grabbed her roughly and shoved her up against the wall, roughly taking her lips with his. He pulled back only slightly. "Then I will take pleasure in taking something that you have so valiantly tried to save for Aoshi on your wedding night." He was amused when he saw her blue eyes tremble with fear and despair, but there was an odd feeling deep inside his heart as he looked deeper into her eyes.

"Kenshin?"

Kenshin sighed. "I'll think on it, Megumi. In the meantime, hold off Aoshi and his army as much as you can."

Megumi bowed. "Yes, my lord."

Kenshin turned back to look at Kaoru. Oh my love, if only…if only…

Your presence is enough.

Your glance is enough.

You being here is enough.

But none of that would matter.

Why?

Because I'm lying.

D