Summary: Drabbles from the Love, Lies n Empire universe. All characters. Situations and events referred to in the main story. Read n Review. This one is written from Misao's point of view.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the creative work of Watsuki Nobuhiro.
Rating: T
Annals of Empire
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Drabble 17: The Street Urchin's Homecoming
Misao licked her lips. A bead of sweat rolled across her forehead and down her nose. The solitary drop of her body's water perched precariously on the edge of her nose. She breathed slowly so she wouldn't disturb it. The faint wisps of steam rising from the steamed bun in her palm held all her attention. Her stomach growled savagely. She hadn't eaten in days. Her bones had begun to stick out.
She held the bun carefully with both hands and raised it to her lips. Her hands shook slightly. She opened her mouth wide and bit deep into the soft, white bun. The delicious paste of spiced beans and lentils burst onto her tongue. She shivered with pleasure. Chewing slowly she stared at the impression her teeth had left on the bun. Gulping down the mish-mash of bean paste, flour, sugar and cinnamon, she took another bite. This time, the delicate taste of cinnamon rode over the paste and she nodded in approval.
When the bun disappeared, she looked at her fingers thoughtfully before plunging each finger into her mouth and slowly, meticulously licked off the remnants of the bun from them.
Misao sighed. She reached up and grabbed a branch. She had been hiding in a sturdy and immensely dense oak. The bark felt rough against her fingers as she struggled to find handholds that she could use to climb down. She wrapped one arm around the truck and stretched her leg out to a lower branch. Her foot was almost there when her hand slipped. She slid down. The bark scraped roughly against her palms. She let go completely and fell.
The landing was better than what she had expected. A wolfberry shrub broke her fall, but the thorns scratched and tore at her flesh. Brushing dirt and leaves off her clothes, she looked around.
It would be dark soon. Misao looked up at the sky. There were no clouds; it was a very clear night. She had been running and hiding ever since that night when she escaped the guards at Thieves Market. She was tired of running, tired of hiding. She wanted to go home, back to Kutou.
She'd watched silently as Kansan was attacked, and invaded. She'd seen the trails of people being led to safety down the river and through the forest. The thought of joining them had occurred to her once but they were going further south, away from Kutou. She didn't want to go anywhere. All she wanted was to return. Now was her chance. The guards at the check posts would be too busy watching for armed men. They wouldn't notice her. She doubted they even remembered her crime by now.
Hanging around the refugees after the battle had served an important purpose. She knew the way back to Kutou now. A way that wouldn't involve guards or the check posts. All she had to do was pass unseen and undetected through the Bandits 'Forest and at the other end of the forest lay the Blue Mountains. A narrow pass cutting through the mountains led to a country road that would take her straight to the imperial city.
She smiled. She'd been away too long. It was now time to return. Misao tightened the laces that bound her shoes and set off into the forest.