In the afternoon, the wedding guests started showing up at the dojo. Megumi, Yahiko, Tsubame, Aoshi and Misao and the Sekihara twins were the first to arrive. As soon as they laid eyes on Kaoru, Tsubame and the Sekihara twins swept her away to make her up. Kenshin watched with some consternation as his Kaoru was taken from his presence, but raised no objection. After all, what were a few hours separation compared to a lifetime together?
"I just hope the girls'll be able to get that ugly broad halfway decent looking," was Yahiko's congratulatory remark.
"Yahiko..." winced Kenshin. "Hello, Aoshi."
"Himura..."
"So this is where my idiot apprentice holes himself up when he's in Tokyo!" came a familiar booming voice.
Kenshin, Aoshi and Yahiko both looked up into the chiseled features and sharp gaze of Hiko Seijuro XIII.
"Master!" yelped Kenshin, genuinely startled out of his normal composure.
"What? Did you think I'd miss my foolish pupil's wedding?" asked Hiko.
"N-not at all, Master," smiled Kenshin.
"Hey! Don't you have to get dressed for your wedding?" scolded Yahiko.
"Oro?" yelped Kenshin.
In the shock of seeing the Master at the dojo, he had completely forgotten! He didn't get a chance to think anymore before finding himself hoisted up by the collar of his kimono.
"Let's go, stupid. As the kid says, you have a wedding to change for. Hopefully, you won't need my help with that as well," said Hiko.
"No, thank you!" said an indignant Kenshin as Hiko carried him to his room, Aoshi and Yahiko following.
In Kaoru's bedroom, the Sekihara twins went to work on the bride-to-be, pulling her hair up in a bun, whitening her face and painting cherry red lipstick on her, then helping her into her white bridal kimono and veil, while Misao and Tsubame watched and dreamed of their own wedding days someday and Megumi coolly observed.
"Kaoru-chan, you will be the loveliest bride of all," said Tae.
"Kenshin-san is a very lucky man to have you," agreed Sae.
"You actually do look pretty, Kaoru. I never would have thought that possible," joked Megumi.
"Yeah, thanks, Megumi-san," huffed Kaoru with a roll of her eyes, determined not to let Megumi's teasing ruffle her feathers today.
"Oh Kaoru-san, you look so beautiful!" exclaimed Tsubame, her doe-like eyes round and luminous.
"I'm gonna wear my hair just like that when I marry Aoshi-sama," declared a lovesick Misao.
"Thanks you so much, everyone," smiled Kaoru, unable to recognize the beautiful bride that stared back at her from her mirror.
Meanwhile, Kenshin was in his room, changing for the wedding. While Kenshin changed, Hiko, Aoshi and Yahiko sat around talking and drinking sake (Hiko) and tea (Yahiko and Aoshi).
"So my idiot apprentice is getting married. When I laid eyes on you for the first time in 15 years last summer, I never would have pictured this happening," was Hiko's complimentary remark to Kenshin.
"That makes two of us, Master," Kenshin responded quietly as he tucked his black kimono into the hakama.
"I knew he could do it," said Yahiko, always determined to stick up for his hero.
"You always did think well of my student," smirked Hiko. "You might not be entirely wrong in doing so."
"Heh..." went Yahiko.
"Oro..." went Kenshin.
Kenshin and Kaoru came out, looking their finest. Kenshin wore a black hakama and haori. Kaoru's heart fluttered in her chest as she looked sideways at Kenshin. She thought the black haori set off his flaming tresses beautifully. Soon she would be joined mind to mind, heart to heart and soul to soul with this man who was as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside.
Kenshin looked at Kaoru's white bridal gown and veil, which temporarily hid her features from his view. She looked like some beautiful angel descended from the heavens to guard his soul for the rest of his life. In her hands were clutched a small wedding purse called a hakoseko and a dagger called a kaiken.
The couple knelt before a Shinto priest and exchanged their vows to each other, neither looking away from the other's eyes. They were purified and drank three sips of sake afterward. Kenshin read the words of commitment. Finally they made symbolic offerings to the kami. When the vows were finished, they stood up together and were announced to their guests as husband and wife.
'About time these two got together. It's almost like... having parents again,' Yahiko thought as he gazed at these two people who had had such an impact on his life in the short time he had known them.
'I'm so glad the idiot has finally grown a brain and hitched himself to this girl. If it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't have survived the fight with Shishio without breaking his vow,' Hiko thought as he watched his beaming pupil standing at the girl's side.
'I'm so happy for Kaoru-san. I hope someday she and Himura will be sitting on the sidelines at my wedding,' thought Misao as her gaze shifted over to the shinobi who sat silently by her side.
'Himura looks as though he has finally found peace in his life,' Aoshi mused. 'Perhaps there are ways other than meditation to achieve this.'
Aoshi's gaze shifted over to Misao and caught her gaze. The two blinked, then quickly stared straight ahead.
Megumi watched the happy couple and tried to ignore the hollow feeling in her heart.
'They deserve this. If I can't have Ken-san for myself, I can at least be happy knowing that Kaoru will love him and take care of him,' she thought to herself.
Tae was dabbing suspicious moisture from her eyes as she watched her childhood friend marry the redhead she had been so obviously in love with for so long.
'This is what Kaoru-chan needs. She and Kenshin-san have both been alone for so much of their lives. Now if I could just get myself a man...'
After the ceremony, the couple welcomed all the other guests for the reception, including Sanosuke's friend Tsukioka Katsuhiro, Schinichi Kosaburo and the other members of the Oniwabanshuu. The reception party commenced with Kenshin and Kaoru being introduced as a couple. Afterwards, a great feast was held with food provided pro bono by the Akabeko.
As Tae and Sae dished out the meal, Tae made certain to give Katsu an extra large helping of everything, along with a very friendly smile. Katsu's only response was to blush crimson and try to ignore the besotted restaurateur.
Sitting across from each other at the table, Yahiko and Tsubame exchanged smiles and furtive glances at Kenshin and Kaoru. Yahiko had heard that it was Tsubame who had gone into Rakuninmura and shaken Kenshin out of his stupor so Kenshin could save Yahiko from Whale Mouth. It was very satisfying to both youngsters to see these two people that they admired so much finally come together to be happy.
What Yahiko didn't realize was that Tsubame was picturing himself and her sitting at the honored spots at the table in just a few years. If he had known, his face would have been as red as Kenshin's hair.
Hiko sat near the end of the table, pounding back saucer after saucer of sake, stopping occasionally to take a bite of food. Even though all these people and their swirling ki were starting to wear on his nerves, his heart rejoiced at the gladness and contentment on his student's features and in his ki. Hiko knew for certain that Kenshin would be alright from here on out.
Megumi looked at the place opposite her that had been left intentionally empty to honor their absent friend, Sagara Sanosuke. How she wished... Megumi pushed all thoughts of Bird Brain from her mind. He had left without a goodbye, so she simply wouldn't waste a thought on him.
After everyone had left and the dojo stood silent, Kenshin and Kaoru retreated to their room for their first night together as husband and wife.
Kaoru appraised her husband's nude form in the dimly lit room, the lambent flame reflecting on his pale skin. His hair, cascading over his shoulders in a crimson torrent, added to the strange, yet wonderful, ambiance.
A smile on his lips, Kenshin approached the marriage bed. Wordlessly, he folded the blanket back with his toes, then slid between the covers, pulling the blanket up to his and Kaoru's chests. In the next second, Kaoru found herself coiled in his arms, like the treasure of a protective dragon.
So warm. No matter how much time Kaoru spent in Kenshin's embrace, she could never get used to the fact that his body radiated heat like an hibachi. To that end, they wore nothing but their skin and a thin sheet over their bodies, the fusuma open to let the cool evening air in.
Kenshin and Kaoru's eyes met each other as he positioned himself over her. Their first lovemaking as husband and wife would be a full consummation of the vows they had exchanged just a few hours ago, the vows that would bind them together for eternity.
~Owari~