REVISED: 05 February 2019
2. The Ride
-;-
After everything that happened in the Northern Kyoto, Aoshi only wishes to find peace this day.
His father was mocking at him again with his mother discussing about the immediate marriage, which he was, unfortunately lack the interest. His thoughts always went to his four dead friends, how the gun bullets took away their lives in front of his sight, protecting him.
Aoshi only wanted to mourn this week; stroll in a place where unobtrusive things can help shut his mind from loneliness. He did not regret the choice of walking in the maze-like forest, where he expertly knew that it led to an old temple. The peace is such tranquillity, he gently closed his eyes.
Not until he heard a scream.
As he was walking deeper into the forest and following the trace of sounds, he was surprised to see a group of samurais tolerating a young girl that made him sheath his twin swords and decided to kill them all in one swift motion.
For a few seconds, the boys looked with disbelief at the dark-haired prince, "Shi… Shinomori Aoshi!" one of the samurais said as he prepared his sword to kill the prince.
"Now... now… it seems like we have two birds in one stone here, eh?" Said Cho as he shoved the two samurais aside – he, the leader comes into view.
As Aoshi was looking at the gang ahead, he saw a girl with a long braided hair. The girl went beside him and clutched his arm, signifies that she was so afraid. Her face reflected in his kodachi showing her wide eyes that are gorgeous shades of indigo and beneath the smudged face, pale skin can be seen. For several seconds, she looked up at him until recognition shines in her eyes and her hand comes to her mouth as she gasps.
The prince do not actually mind the girl's hold on his arm; he held his kodachi in place to protect her when a voice interrupted the tension between the prince and the gang.
"Aoshi-sama, you're running alone again!" A voice of a young man said from the distance. He was wearing a blue samurai outfit with a sword attached to his waist. Seta Soujiro paused when he confusedly saw the gang and the girl hiding behind Aoshi. "What do we have here?"
"Soujiro, please take care of these boys. Finish them off." Aoshi ordered as he sheathed his sword back to its place.
When the killing disappears from their view, Aoshi turned to the girl. She looks at him for a moment before realising that she was holding his arm. Quickly removing her hand, she gave him a small curtsy and stepped away. Her face is very easy to read like an open book, her expression tells that she had never witnessed a murder scene before.
"Don't be afraid." He murmured. "I won't harm you." Aoshi said and noticed that the sun was beginning to set.
With a start, she looked at the sky as well and turned to leave. A small smile coming to her lips before she swallowed, "Thank you, Aoshi-sama… for saving my life." She nodded in respect. Again, she turned to leave.
"What's your name?" He asked, surprised to find the words leave before he realised they were already said. He did wish to know her name, as odd as it seemed, he was certain that she reminds her of someone.
Misao was surprised to ask her name – a name of a servant girl like her. The wind blows and all cherry blossoms were falling into place. The surroundings were already reddish dark from the sunset and pink petals were scattered everywhere. At that moment, it seems that the time suddenly stopped when their eyes met...
She was certain that he has the most beautiful blue eyes. If she will give it a name, it will be icy blue.
"Mi… Misao, Makimachi Misao." She answered but her voice is shaking because of mixed feelings. Looking the way back, her eyebrows furrowed, worried that her household was finding her now, "I'm sorry but I must hurry back, Aoshi-sama."
Before he could answer she was gone. Was that it? A glare crossed his face as he follows her with his mind in a mile state of shock that she wished to flee from him so quickly.
She was easy to follow as the light started to fade, he saw the meadow. A few steps out into the open and there she stands and retrieves the bundle of plants from the ground before walking further. With a small effort, he made a noise by stepping on fallen dry leaves. She jumps slightly and looks back at him over her shoulder. "Oh, Aoshi-sama, do you need something else?" she asked.
Stepping closer, he sighs since he can tell she is still nervous, "It would be dishonourable of me to leave you alone. I will escort you home."
Misao blushed. "But, Aoshi-sama, I am just a servant and can…"
"Aa." He said. Misao realised that Aoshi is not the man to take no as an answer.
She reluctantly nods and lifts her gatherings.
"Allow me." He said, taking them from her. She looked up at him and Aoshi wondered if his actions are a bit surprising to her.
"Aoshi-sama!" a familiar voice yelled across the meadow. He rolls his eyes and looks at Soujiro huffing his way towards them with horses in tow. Aoshi could not really trust the boy and his smiles. He does not even know where his father hired this kid.
Soujiro panted and paused as he looks at Misao. "Don't worry, lady, I've killed all of them completely. And Aoshi-sama, I've already buried their bodies!" He laughed.
If the word 'killed' was not mentioned, Misao will blush at the first time someone called her 'lady'. The ragged yukata she wore made her conscious that the end of the fabric reached below her knees.
Aoshi simply turns and deposits the bundle in his white horse carriage. "Good work, now I am honour bound to see this young lady home." He added.
Soujiro just covered his face with a smile and looks at the girl who was obviously a servant. He wondered why Aoshi would feel any sympathy towards the dirty little girl. "Okay, then Aoshi-sama. I'll be in the palace when you came back."
"Now, where do you live?" he asked.
"I… um… don't live that far. It is the edge of the town, close to the forest's edge." She answered.
"Very well then, you may ride on my horse." He said. Aoshi simply wanted to ride as soon as possible or she would be home by the dark.
To his surprised, she stepped back, "Aoshi-sama this is really unnecessary. I can return on my own", his brow cresses at her words.
How very bothersome…
With a quick step, he suddenly lifts her and gently placed her in the horse's saddle. Her face is clearly shocked as she quickly clutches the mane of horse for balance.
Aoshi did not speak anymore as he turned to Soujiro making his cue to leave.
Swallowing hard, she shook her head, "This is my first time to ride a horse, Aoshi-sama."
With a small inward sigh, he reaches for the reins of the horse and they continued to cross the meadow, leaving the beautiful Sakura trees who witnessed their run in.
-;-
"Where is she?" Megumi sighs at the long pile of dishes as she wiped the sweat dripping off her forehead. She tucked a strand of black hair in her ears then settled the water and soap in the sink. "Shishio will kill her if she doesn't come back in 30 minutes. I'm worried."
"She was gone by the noon to gather some plants in the forest." Yahiko said and helped his older friend to scrub the plates. "Are you so worried about Misao or delaying your date, I mean your appointment with the rooster head?" he joked out.
"You… kid, SANOSUKE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" she answered and hit playfully Yahiko's head. "He was badly hurt since yesterday."
"Aww, Megumi-sensei, is that so? We all know that this punk has these hots for you… aww." Yahiko answered.
"Is anyone here?"
The conversation broke out when a man's voice yelled from the front door. Immediately, Megumi fixed her hair and slid the shoji door open. One of the samurai guards from the castle stood in front of her holding a scroll. He gently bows and gave it to her.
"This is a message from the royalty. Please give it to Makoto-san. Are you a servant here?" the samurai asked the beautiful woman in front of him.
"No, sir. I was a doctor in the nearby street and just working part-time here." She answered and gave him a bow in return. The samurai turned his back and left, leaving a curious Megumi behind.
The scroll says, "Invitation".
-;-
Misao's mind was working faster than ever due to the events of the day. Such a simple normal day and now she was riding in a horse with the prince protectively sitting beside her. She was locked in his arms - and it was his horse too! She was not sure if she was thrilled or completely embarrassed. Looking down at her dirty yukata, she wishes that the ground had swallowed her and disappeared!
If the man at his back could read the depths of her mind, he would know that she was squealing inside.
But Misao's thought stops in the harsh state of life she was in. A prince for a princess, a servant for a servant - only happy ending exists in a fairy tale, it's not like Aoshi has some interest in her - he was only helping her, every gentleman must do – maybe a pity.
The sun was already settled as the stars slowly popped out of the bluish dark sky. She felt that she needs to fill the quiet conversation but what she must say to a prince?
'I have a miserable life and wanted to escape from my master's house, can you employed me as a new maid in there?' Her thoughts made her giggled.
Aoshi looked at Misao, wondering what was anything amusing. She noticed the look of the prince; his face is hard to read even in the dark.
"I'm sorry for my actions, Aoshi-sama." She apologised and tried to fill the silence. "How do you do?"
"Aa." He answered and that made her brain hit by a cold ice-cube. Aoshi is a silent type guy.
She sighs. With one brow raised, Aoshi regarded her for a moment. At first, his face had worried her, every move made her wonder what he thought of her. Just an ill-dressed girl and so she was not worth his while anyhow. After this evening, she would never encounter him again, or talk with him again. With her chin a little higher, she said to herself that it does not matter anyway.
"Are you happy to return home? I heard from the town that you protect the Northern Kyoto." She asked, breaking again the silence.
"Aa." He answered. Misao decided not to push the topic any further. That made her hum a little song she knew from childhood.
The melody wakes the birds and danced around the sky. To Aoshi, he don't really mind. The girl continuously sung and talked about how she loves paper cranes and flowers. Surprisingly, he was not annoyed on a woman's chatter as he used to. He did not actually listened to her stories; he just clung to her lovely voice that made his spirit soften somehow.
As the forest becomes familiar and she could see the house in the distance, she was surprised to find herself happy for once at the thought of going home.
"Thank you, Aoshi-sama, I can see my house now, this is fine." She said, wishing that he would stop the horse soon.
"Then, we'll stop by at the front of your door." He answered, not stopping.
"No, Aoshi-sama, this is really fine." She demands almost thinking to jump, if it wasn't very high…
This time he did pause but only for a moment. "I will see you at the door."
Panic settled in Misao. What would happen if Shishio and his whore saw her with Aoshi? And Kamatari? How would they react? She was sure they would be very polite to him and nice to her but when he was gone from the view…
"Aoshi-sama, this is really too much." Misao said a bit louder than she meant to. This time, he stopped.
"Aa." He answered as the horse howled and he stood his feet on the ground.
For a moment, Misao wondered how she would get off without breaking her ankle by jumping. Unexpectedly, Aoshi held her waist and gently lifted her down from the horse saddle.
"I was really glad with you today, Aoshi-sama. Thanks again for saving my life." She smiled and turned back.
-;-
Aoshi looks at the servant he escorted one last time before he heads back to the castle. If she had been a noblewoman, the first thought he would have at her chattering and smiles would be an annoyance but she was almost cute and innocent! And that's it; she is too young to be a servant. He shook his head at the mistaken thoughts; she mentioned that she was almost seventeen. Well, her figure resembles that she was a 13-year-old girl.
Her chatter and voice as they travelled together while in many ways silly had been a huge change from the normal conversation he had with other women. He recalled her face dirty, but he could tell that with clean clothes and with her hair better in repair, she would be beautiful.
He knew that he had never met her before, something he was quite certain of, but she looked like someone he used to know. And that frustrates him a little.
It was dark as he entered into the gates of the palace. The samurai guards bowed to him with respect and he nods back. His mood has somehow been a good one. The trip from the forest has at least calm his mind. And the chance of encountering a group rebels had made him somehow proud. He was glad that Cho, one of the most wanted criminals has been wiped out.
He heard his father coming his way.
"Aoshi, where have you been?" Hiko asked.
Turning to him, Aoshi noticed that his mother, Okon stood at Hiko's side while holding his arm. She looks so worried, obviously.
"I'm sorry for my late arrival. I was unavoidably detained in the forest." He answered.
"The forest?" Hiko said - a look of disbelief in his face. "Did you go to the Zen temple to meditate again?"
"Don't mind that Hiko dear! We all know that meditating is one of Aoshi-kun's hobby!" Okon said to Hiko with annoyance and turned to Aoshi, "Kenshin-kun has been already in the dining room and I cooked some of your favourites, tempura and sushi!"
"Thanks Mother. A lady was lost and I couldn't leave her alone in the forest so I escorted her home."
His father's eyebrows rose in surprise and that made both his parents stared at each other in disbelief. At first, they looked shocked and then they giggled lightly. Aoshi suddenly wonders if there's anything amusing.
"That was really good, Aoshi-kun. When we shall meet this lady?" Okon asked.
"Most likely never, she was just a servant girl." He answered.
"Oh, is that so?" Hiko said in disappointment. "Oh well, anyway, let's go to the dining area."
After eating his supper, his parents told him to wake up early so they would discuss some important things with Kenshin's fiancée. His feet on the wooden floor leads him to his chamber then he prepared his bed and lit the fire. Soujiro bid good night to Aoshi and asked if there's anything else he requires. He waves him away as the young man slid the shoji door closed.
He was alone now and Aoshi could not sleep. The hours ticked by and he found himself staring at the cherry blossoms through the window. The trees reminded him the events in the forest and his mind kept returning to the face of a young lady with a long braided hair and pretty smile too.
He sighs and almost smiles. No girl has almost made an impression in his mind.
End of Chapter