Disclaimer: Neither Rurouni Kenshin nor its characters belong to me. Sigh.

AN:

Um, so there really isn't that much on this section of the Nakasendo, so, as I have been the whole way, I'm fudging travel times. Whatever, the whole thing is fiction.

As always, please forgive typos.

Terms used:

Okashira – head/leader

Ryokan – inns for travelers to stay at. Nowadays there are much more luxurious types, but back in the day they were smaller and meant for the commoners to use

Mediki – smaller/female waterfall

Odaki – larger/male waterfall

Temari – patterned balls

Hinokigasa – wooden conical hat (from this region, made with cedar)

Chapter 15

The morning dawned bright and clear. Aoshi was already up to greet the sun cresting in the east. There was no missive from Misao awaiting Aoshi at the front desk when Aoshi went to check, so he opted for a quick stroll around the waki-honjin before the town awoke with the earliest risers.

On the east side of the building there were benches planted in a small clearing, obviously meant for people to sit and enjoy the natural scenery. He sat down on one bench to watch the sun rise. This close to the horizon, the glowing sphere seemed to ascend quickly, inching into the sky and warming the night-cooled air.

Aoshi briefly wondered what Misao's reaction to his letter would be. He was certain she had received it by now. Would she be furious? Would she feel betrayed, even though Aoshi had made no promises to her? Realizing that such thoughts would do him no good, Aoshi decided he'd spent enough time worrying about things he could not control and returned to the waki-honjin to see if Kaoru was awake. It was still terribly early, but they had turned in early last night and he wanted to get a nice start to their traveling. The road ahead was full of hills, in some places so steep they might have to disembark from their carriage and walk.

Striding purposefully back inside, Aoshi noted that the tiny dining room was already open and prepared to serve breakfast. He headed straight for Kaoru's room and knocked on her door. To his surprise, it slid open almost immediately, and Kaoru stood before him, dressed and ready.

"Good morning, Aoshi!" she smiled. "I haven't quite finished packing, but I'm pretty much ready to go."

Aoshi nodded, a little bemused by the fact that not only was Kaoru was up and aware so early, but she also seemed to be in good spirits.

"You can finish packing after breakfast. The dining room is open, and it is not yet busy."

"All right."

Together, they walked to the dining room and sat at a table near a window. As they ate, Kaoru enjoyed watching the quiet town come to life, the level of activity on the street gradually increasing. She loved watching the merchants open their shops, errand boys running to and fro picking up supplies, like the day's catch of river fish from the local fishmonger, or vegetables form one of the many farmers that had set up produce stalls.

Life was the same everywhere – just people living their lives. Even in a different city, a whole different part of Japan, you could still find a housewife bargaining over the price of a fish. As the waitress brought their food, no doubt purchased from those very vendors Kaoru was watching outside, this perception of familiarity made Kaoru smile. Aoshi noticed.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked.

Kaoru turned away from the window to look at Aoshi. "I was just thinking about how people seem to be the same wherever you go. I mean, they can look differently and act differently, but some things are still the same, like going grocery shopping or sweeping the porch or reading a newspaper."

"Yes. Anywhere in the world you can find people like us going out for breakfast." Aoshi replied.

"Yes, I think you're right about that. Back home, Yahiko's probably trying to figure out how to not burn his fish, or maybe he's given up by now and is having miso. Or maybe he's eating some dish that Tae convinced him to take home? And somewhere out there, Sano must be mooching food from someone." Kaoru smiled. She hadn't thought of Sano in a while, and it made her a little melancholy.

Aoshi thought back to what he knew of the fighter for hire, Zanza. He remembered seeing a report… "He…had to leave, correct? The authorities were looking for him, and he fled so as not to bring trouble to your dojo?"

Kaoru's smile turned a little wistful. "Yes. When I was…not around… he had gotten into some trouble with some local gangsters or something somewhere… Well, he never really explained exactly what happened, at least he never explained it to me. But it was enough that the police were looking for him."

"Ah."

"Sano doesn't seem to be one for settling down, really."

"Maybe he's used to racking up too much debt in one place and must always be ready to take off."

Kaoru burst out laughing, thinking of the huge tab Sano used to run at the Akabeko and how Tae would occasionally remind him to pay it. She wasn't totally sure if Aoshi had made a joke, but she figured he had because his little comment had lifted her spirits considerably. She smiled appreciatively at Aoshi, caught his gaze, and suddenly remembered that this man was interested in her romantically.

However, she was determined not to let her apprehension and insecurity undermine the rest of their trip to Kyoto. They had been getting along brilliantly before Aoshi's declaration, and Kaoru wanted that comfort back. If he wasn't going to make a big deal of it, then neither was she. All she needed was a little time.

# #

# #

As they set out for Nakatsugawa, Aoshi told her a little but about the towns they would be traveling through.

"We will see more post towns, but they will be very small. This section of the Nakasendo rests on many hills, so there are more towns and rest stops along the way. However, because it is a difficult section to travel, the towns are little more than loosely collected rural villages because it is difficult to maintain a livelihood based on merchant prospects. The hills make traveling difficult, so travelers tend to go past quickly. Most of the villages rely on farming."

"But the hills are so beautiful!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"Yes, Kaoru, they are, but they also make farming a little more challenging."

"I suppose so. I guess they can't really grow rice on a hillside, huh?"

"No, wide plains are much better for that." Aoshi agreed. "Fortunately, cedar trees seem to do well here. And of course, vegetables."

"That's good to know."

As they traveled, true to Aoshi's words, they passed through several small towns that seemed to possess nothing more than a single teahouse, a handful of shops, and at most, one small inn. Their carriage rumbled through, causing barely a stir amongst the inhabitants of these little towns.

Though the lush trees and farmlands were beautifully flourishing, the dark greens of the landscape seemed to suck in the light, like murky waves ribboned only by the pale colors of walking paths and roads. But as they went past Agematsu, nearby were the Kiso River Rapids. Kaoru had never seen whitewater before, and was awed by the thunderous rush of water against the rocks. The Tokyo River seemed positively placid in comparison; the only time it was ever raging was just after severe storms flooded it.

"The Kiso River is one of the larger rivers in Japan, crossing through much of Japan at 193 kilometers. If we ever decide to take a boat tour, Minokamo City is one of the best locations to go along and see the various riverfront rock formations."

"Rock formations?" Kaoru chose not to think about the fact that Aoshi was thinking of future trips together.

"Yes. When rivers are formed, it is usually the result of erosion, when some larger element carves out the path that the water flows. For example, if at the base of a mountain, the melting snow would create a path of water falling to the lower regions. Every year, especially in the spring, the melted snow would follow the same path, digging deeper and deeper. Or if there were an earthquake, scarring the earth and creating a valley for rainwater to collect and flow through. Some locals believe the formations were carved by the gods."

"I think I would rather believe that the gods carved the river channels. Local legends hold so much more meaning. It sounds so interesting! Besides, look at how the water flows over those rocks there! I can easy believe that, with time, the water could make its own path in the earth and stone."

Aoshi merely smiled a little in response.

As noon approached, Kaoru only just realized that all along the way, they were traveling on a constant decline, more or less. Only when the incline increased did she really become aware of it. They were nearing Magome, and Aoshi pointed out the foothills of Mount Ema in the distance, just beyond the little valley they were crossing. As far as Kaoru could see, sloping hills rolled across the landscape in jagged green waves. The region was known for their cedar trees, a valuable commodity in these times. The air was subtly fragrant with it.

"We've been going downhill this whole time, haven't we?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes, mostly. Even the small hills lead us further downward. Fortunately, going in this direction there is more downhill than uphill travel, though we still have to be careful in order to not lose control. However, the carriage isn't heavy, so the horses seem to be doing well. We're going to have to go a little more slowly from Tsumago to Magome – the hills there are extremely steep."

# #

# #

As expected, the downhill trip from Tsumago was much slower going in order to make it down safely. To distract Kaoru from the slowly passing scenery, Aoshi told her a little bit about Tsumago.

"Between here and Magome are two falls, the medaki and odaki. We should be able to see them from the path."

"Oh, really? Waterfalls? Neat!"

"Yes, the medaki is the smaller one, and the odaki is the larger one."

"Yeah, yeah, women are smaller than men, I know."

Aoshi didn't rise to that bait.

"Tsumago also features the Kotokuji Temple, which boasts one of the largest, oldest cherry trees and a rumored singing floorboard."

"A singing floorboard?" Kaoru laughed. "What does that mean?"

"I'm sure I have no idea."

"Of course! The great former okashira of the Oniwabanshuu would never investigate such a story." Kaoru teased.

"That's what you think. It looks like we'll just have to check it out together some other time." Kaoru only laughed at the thought of looking for a singing floorboard.

Being cooped up in the carriage all morning made Kaoru want to stretch her legs, so she was more than ready and waiting for their upcoming lunch stop. It was odd sitting in the carriage at an angle as they went downhill. Kaoru felt as if she were going to tip and fall at any given moment.

Still, she was really enjoying herself on this trip, learning so much about so many different towns. And as an unexpected bonus, she was getting to know the former okashira much better, and she had to admit that she liked what she was learning about him. He was patient, surprisingly considerate, and very intelligent. Plus, he was easily one of the most attractive men she had ever met in her whole life. So what was her problem with accepting Aoshi's attentions?

Sleep had come slowly to Kaoru last night. She had spent quite a bit of time thinking about the shift in the relationship between Aoshi and her, and almost as much time trying to stop thinking about it. She should be over the moon to have such a man so interested in her, she knew, but she could not help the trepidation she felt. She had tried to rationalize her own interest in Aoshi so quickly after the heartbreak of Kenshin's departure. Was it because she was feeling lonely? Vulnerable? Was it because she had very little experience with mature men in such situations? All her life, everyone had told her what a tomboy she was. Women told her she lacked all the graces that a young lady should possess, and men would never dream of entertaining such an unrefined female as a potential match for their sons. The men around Kaoru's age never treated her as a potential bride either; she could fight with the best of them, was loud and outspoken, and could not cook to save her life. Just thinking about those times brought a wave of sadness over Kaoru. Discreetly, she reached into one of her sleeves and touched the handkerchief that Aoshi had given her in the carriage on the way to Kiso-Fukushima. It brought her a measure of comfort, even though she wasn't entirely sure why.

"Magome… Magome…" Kaoru mumbled. "Oh! That's right! You said a few days ago that this town is known for its steep streets!"

"Yes. It is often the most common place for travelers from Kyoto to stop, restock supplies, and rest before continuing on to Tokyo."

"Well then, there should be some great options for lunch. Let's go see."

"Of course." Aoshi held his arm out, not entirely sure if Kaoru would take it. To his pleasure, there was no hesitation on her part as she slipped her arm through his.

Together, they ventured the streets looking for a place to eat. Though small, Magome was charming in its own way. Along the way, Kaoru picked up some temari and a pair of cloth dolls for Dr. Genzai's granddaughters as souvenirs, and a small cedar sapling for herself. Cedar was such a valuable commodity that the towns of this area often paid their taxes in wood rather than rice. The region also supplied wood to most of the famous shrines and temples.

"Hopefully I'll be able to care for this little cedar well. I think it could be lovely in the yard. It's not quite flower-arranging, but at least I'll be growing something, right?"

"Right. Cultivating tranquility and structure is admirable."

"Cultivating what? That sounds like more work than watering and pruning." Kaoru wrinkled her nose at him.

Aoshi laughed. "No, no, that's exactly what you'll be doing."

Kaoru just looked at him quizzically before looking around the town as they walked.

Aoshi pointed out the local ryokan, where the common travelers who could not access the honjin or waki-honjin stayed. These ryokan were often situated right on the main streets, their two story structures casting shadows over the pedestrians.

"If I weren't traveling with you, I'd be staying in one of those places for sure." Kaoru commented thoughtfully. "Maybe another time."

Aoshi hummed noncommittally.

They turned to walk down a street lined with trees and food stalls. There were several stalls serving soba, the regional specialty. Coupled with local mountain vegetables and fresh fish caught from the river, lunch proved to be excellent; filling but not too heavy.

As they headed back to their carriage, Kaoru snagged two hinokigasa. Aoshi said nothing, but raised one eyebrow. She smiled brightly before plopping one onto his head. Because he was so much taller than she was, she didn't place the hat perfectly on his head. As he tilted his head to the side to give her a questioning stare, skewing the hat even further, she couldn't help the delighted laugh that spilled from her lips.

"That's just too cute! Let me fix that." Kaoru reached up, trying to adjust the hat.

Aoshi leaned down a little to make it easier for her. Only after she straightened the hat did she realize how close their faces were, and how he was gazing at her. Slowly, she trailed her fingers down the sides of his face, aligning the strings to tie the hat under his chin. She watched as his eyes slid shut and a little smile graced his features. Once Kaoru completed the knot, she fought a blush as she stepped back, smiling self-consciously. Aoshi opened his eyes and straightened up, hinokigasa perched perfectly on his head.

"Well, now that I look like a proper traveler, shall we head back to the carriage? I believe we will make it to Nakatsugawa by nightfall." Aoshi stated, his face completely deadpan.

"Right!" Kaoru agreed, popping her own hat onto her head. Before she could tie the strings under her chin, Aoshi reached out and took them from her.

"Allow me," he said, and swiftly tied the strings in a neat bow beneath her chin. He stepped back and acted as if he were appraising her appearance. Laughing, Kaoru struck various walking poses.

In a very serious voice, Aoshi said, "Yes, yes, very appropriate travel-wear."

Laughing, Kaoru took his arm and they made their way back to the carriage. They wanted to get to Nakatsugawa by nightfall, and they still had a ways to go.

To Be Continued…