Okay sorry that this chapter was so late but I have two pretty good reasons as to why. One, I have been very busy at school. And two, I had trouble as to where I would take the story next. But thank you for staying with it!
For those of you that like disclaimers here one. I do not own rurouni Kenshin.(Though I can't imagine who wouldn't want to own it)
Chapter 3: Hidden Secrets.
Kaoru thought about her family often, but dared not look into the water for fear she might see her family had moved on, or possibly worse. Something she knew she didn't want.
Kaoru felt tainted, she felt guilty and everyday she couldn't help but feel angry at Kenshin. But when she looked at him full of hate he just gave his nice warm smile that made her forget what she was thinking about.
She kept track of the days she had been there by making marks in the bark of a tree. So far it had been two and a half weeks. Kenshin cooked for her everyday. She was happy because, sad to say, even she could hardly stand her own cooking. Though she was more immune to it that nearly anyone actually living.
Long ago, she had decided to herself that if she was going to be traveling with him she should learn all that she could about him. Kaoru studied him everyday, but could get almost nothing out of him. All she could see was that he was quiet. But when she looked into his eyes she could tell that there was something hidden, something sad. Could he, would he, ever tell her?
"Kaoru-dono, breakfast is ready." Kenshin called.
"I'm coming." Kaoru said back and got up to walk over to Kenshin.
Colekta and Krakten had given them a small cottage to live in for the time being. Kaoru was grateful for such a small thing. It made her feel secure somehow. Maybe it was because nothing else made sense to her here.
Kenshin laid out the food before her and bowed out of the room. Kaoru felt odd about him always doing that. He acted as if she were a queen. Sure, it was flattering but she just wasn't used to it. It was like taking credit for something she didn't do.
Kaoru ate slowly as she thought. Kenshin sat in the small cubicle that was their kitchen, eating. She called to him, "Kenshin, its okay to eat at the same table as me you know."
At first Kenshin was hesitant but came. Kaoru studied him. He seemed to be deep in thought, though steadily swallowing food. "What are you thinking about?" She said gently.
He sighed as a tired old man would after years of fighting in wars. "Sessha, is only thinking about things long forgotten." When he said this she noticed the lines that creased his face from worries. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and how pain stricken he looked. Kenshin stood up from the table and mumbled, "Only thinking about things that should be left alone, but never forgotten."
Right then Kaoru couldn't imagine why she should be angry with him. She looked at him now and she didn't see an evil person. He looked like a fragile person with everything to lose. He looked like the weight of the world had been on his shoulders and taken off only to come back and bother him once again.
"Kenshin, tell me. Tell me what it is you think about." Kaoru said, she knew of no other way to help him than to share his burden. But she couldn't understand why she wanted to share the burden only that she did. He face seemed to bring out emotions she didn't understand.
He looked at her ruefully and gave her a small smile, "You should not worry about such things."
And with that he was out of the room. There was so much emotion in his words. It pulled at her heartstrings. She sensed there was more than she could have guessed.
Kaoru circled the pond. It was so beautiful here. The trees in their entire splendor seemed happy just to be alive. They took joy in the wind. She envied them. Why should they be so cheerful when she herself could not be?
Kaoru felt a soft, gentle touch on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Colekta with her arm around her shoulders as a friend would do. "What is it my dear?"
"I want to be home. I want to see my family again."
"I have already told you about the Waters." Colekta said.
Kaoru paused. Even though nothing was evil about the Waters, she got a chilling sense in her bones. It seemed to be the connection with that and the despair of her family without her. "I want to see them in the flesh."
"I'm sorry. After the Birth you will have a choice to make. To stay or go. That will be the only time you can go." Colekta didn't say it mean, she chose her words carefully but it still hurt Kaoru.
Kaoru felt the stinging in her eyes as well as her heart. "That might be too late..." She sobbed into Colekta's outstretched arms.
"Shhhh. Its okay. If your family was that important I am sure they will wait for you." Colekta said soothingly.
"Your journey starts soon. You must be ready." Colekta's black hair swayed in the wind.
Kaoru looked at her darkly, "You've been saying that for a while now. I want an exact date." That was the lawyer part of her.
Colekta was not displaced by her anger and only answered, "You must get your rest. Your journey starts tomorrow."
Finally, a straight answer. But tomorrow? Not really what she wanted.
Kaoru wandered around a while longer. Until she found Kenshin kneeling in front of something. Had she been led here? Kaoru couldn't really remember the exact route of how she got here.
What was Kenshin doing? She sneaked around and saw that he was kneeling in front of a small tombstone. He was there with his head bowed and hands together in prayer. He opened his eyes for a while, Kaoru was afraid he might see her but his eyes never left the stone in front of him. He set some beautiful bright yellow flowers down and said, "I'm so sorry Tomoe."
Then it hit her, she shouldn't be here. This was private and she was intruding. But surely this was what his deep set sorrow was from, this Tomoe? She decided to act like she had just barely come. "K-Kenshin?"
He quickly turned around surprised. "Kaoru-dono."
They walked back to their small house together, talking. "Who was that Kenshin?"
Kenshin sighed. "That was Tomoe." He seemed like he didn't want to go any further but she pushed on.
"Who was she to you?"
Kenshin answered her question as if he was obligated to, "She was my fiancé."
Kaoru was surprised. They didn't speak until they had reached the house. "Kenshin, I'm so sorry. If you ever need someone to talk to I'm here."
Kenshin became confused. Why should she be so nice? "I don't expect you to be this nice." Kenshin started to walk away and Kaoru grabbed his arm.
"Kenshin I want to know. I want to help"
He pulled a chair and sat down, Kaoru sat opposite him. "Our families had known each other a long time. We, Tomoe and I, had been friends since we were children. When she was sixteen she was betrothed to someone neither of us knew, his name was Akira. A week before she had to leave I asked her to marry me. Though we had met Akira, we still dearly loved each other. I was so happy when she said yes." Kenshin seemed to be getting sadder with every word.
"Akira didn't seem too hurt, but I could see the longing in his eyes when he looked at her. One night some stranger came into our village, he stayed at Tomoe's family inn. I came in to give her some flowers and I could see him sitting at a table practically drooling over her. I became angry but she stopped me from doing anything. I went home and was about to sleep when I heard screaming. I ran out as fast as I could with my sword. The stranger was dragging Tomoe away." Kenshin paused unable to speak.
"I-I ran at him with my sword. There was a perfect opening, I could get him without hurting Tomoe. I forgot who I was and I attacked. I put all my power into it. But I didn't see the weapon he was holding. I could have gotten seriously hurt or died." He choked on the next words. "She- she got in the way. Why would she do that? Her life was more important than mine! She stopped him from using his weapon but-but I got her and him in the attack. I didn't notice until she was laying in my lap. She gave me this." Kenshin touched his cross-shaped scar affectionately. "She told me I could remember her that way. She always had that kind of humor."
By the end of the sad story Kaoru was crying she looked at Kenshin, he looked defeated and worn. He too was crying in bitter memory. "Oh, Kenshin I'm so sorry. Thank you for telling me."
"Thank you for hearing me. It feels like a small weight has been lifted but, I can never forget. I don't deserve to ever be happy."
Kaoru slapped him. "Don't say that. You deserve to be happy just as much as everyone else" She gave him a hug and said. "I forgive you Kenshin."
As Kenshin had said a weight had been lifted it seemed to Kaoru it had been transferred to her. She felt connected to him now.
Kaoru looked at the rising sun. It was beautiful. The sun was casting pinks and purples into the clouds. This was the day they were to set out on their journey.
Colekta and Krakten brought some horses out for them to ride. Kaoru didn't have any clothes but Colekta had packed something. All of it was on the horse.
Kaoru decided to look into the Water just one more time. She concentrated on what she wanted to see. With the picture set in her mind she touched the water lightly with the tip of her finger.
The ripples set out and formed a picture.
Sano was sitting in a chair in front of their dinner table. He was rubbing his temples.
"What is it?" Someone came up from behind him and set a cup of tea in front of him with one for herself. Kaoru tried hard to see who it was. It was Megumi their family doctor. What was she doing there?
Sano spoke, his voice pain stricken. "Its just so hard without her. Sanoji won't stop crying and he can't sleep, and when he does go to sleep he wets his bed because of stress without his mom. I miss her so much."
"I know I know." Megumi almost purred. She got up and rubbed his shoulders. "Your so tense."
Kaoru couldn't stand to watch anymore. She put a hand up to her face and sure enough there were tears on her cheeks. Megumi was coming on to her man! When he was weakest, and most vulnerable, she was taking advantage of him. And he didn't seem to mind much. She was already too late. Her family was moving on.
Colekta, she could tell, felt sorry for her but urged her to mount the horse. Kaoru knew what she had to do. She had to have this child. But why at such a cost?
Her family...had they really moved on that easily?
There's the chapter! I hope you all liked it. I'm hoping the next one will be on time. Oh and here are the answers or comments on your reviews. But first I wanted to give a warning. For those of you who like slow-paced stories that take forever to get to the end this may not be the story for you. I have trouble turning a two minute idea into like a 100 chapter story. So forgive me in advance.
Dark thorn white rose: Well as you can see I did continue. Lol! I hope you enjoy.
Readit's: I can't really say much to your review except, Thank you!
Gaby: I guess I'll have to go with thanx! For yours too. I hope you continue to read.
Lyphta: Thank you so much for your support. And I am very glad you liked the chapter. And all I ask is that you make any suggestions you can. And if you can't I won't hold it against you.
Corlee: I'm sorry about how late it is. All I can say is I hope your still reading and have not given up on me because of my lateness. You know amazingly I get that a lot. I mean a lot of people say its an original story.
Frail() : I'm glad you got my point. It kinda makes it hard on her. And as I think we all know a good story has some tough points. When I was thinking of the story I though of the same thing. Right now I'm still thinking of how I'm going to end it. I'll decide one thing but then I'll say to myself but that's not right! So I hope you keep on readin' and reviewin'.
Babykaoru-sama: That's one of the thing I have most out of my writing. I don't have to skills to really slow it down for the readers. I'm sorry that its fast paced. I hope you read it anyways. I'll try to work on how fast the story goes.
Clemen: hmmm. I don't really understand what you mean by alternate ending but .... Oh I don't know. I forgot to put alternate universe on the summary though I'll have to fix that. I hope you continue reading.
The squirrel () : What do you mean where did Kenshin come from? If you mean how did he end up behind kaoru , lets just go with the prophecy called him.
Half-breed-demon-fox: sorry about the update. Please forgive my stupidity. To tell you the truth it might be a happy ending and it might not depending on how you look at it. Well I've already said too much. Please stick with my story!
Okay with that done... no jk! um sorry about how it seems like i jump around i'm trying to put in splitters to seperate different parts like that but i haven't figured out how yet. when i download them onto they are taken off and i can't put them back on. SORRY! And remember PLEASE REVIEW. But no pressure or anything. (REVIEW!!!!!)