The Faerie Chronicles of Kenshin & Kaoru: The Useless Sword and the Enchanted Rose, a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic by Raberba girl
Chapter 3 - Sword & Rose
The atmosphere in the throne room was tense, as the heated conversation between the king and his guest only just managed to stay within the limits of courtesy. To the relief or annoyance of many, the conversation was cut off when the doors opened unexpectedly.
To everyone's surprise, it was a little old woman who came shuffling in, bent with age and with the weight of a wrapped burden she carried on her back. She leaned heavily on a stick as she made her way forward, and was almost completely shrouded in a dirty, shabby gray cloak. The king looked to his seneschal for explanation, but the man was wearing a confounded, helpless expression.
"My lord king," the woman spoke in a quavering voice when she had approached. "Please honor this poor old woman, and accept these gifts for your daughter and her husband-to-be."
"Grandmother," the king said courteously, "I appreciate your kind gesture, but I am afraid that my daughter is not here."
"She is on her way back even as we speak," the old woman said, unperturbed. "When the princess arrives, please see that she receives this." The woman withdrew a knotted hand from the depths of her cloak and presented a thing of exquisite beauty that appeared remarkably incongruous next to her rags and old age. It was a rose in perfect bloom, and of the deepest red. Its livid color seemed to catch the light and make it sparkle in the dim hall.
The king licked his lips nervously, realizing that this was no ordinary woman. "I thank you, my lady," he said, his voice shaking, and indicated that a servant should take the gift from the old woman's hand. The girl who did so held it reverently, and carried it to the king with slow, careful steps.
The king's guest now spoke up. He was handsome, with long black hair and well-cut features, but his eyes were as cold as death, and there was something not quite sane about the quirk of his mouth. "Now don't tell me the groom gets a sparkly tulip or something."
The woman did not answer as she lifted the pack off her back, and unwrapped it with the slowness of old age. Out spilled a clinking mess of trinkets. They were shiny, but cheap, the sort of thing one would expect to be hoarded by a half-batty old woman.
Amid the baubles, however, was an item that immediately caught the attention of the men in the room. It was a sheathed sword, and if the rose had been anything to judge by, this weapon should prove to be equally extraordinary.
The king's guest rose and strode over to the old woman. "Let's take a look then, shall we?" he suggested, smirking. The woman did not protest when he picked up the sword and drew it with relish.
Then he stared, and a look of anger crossed his face. The sword's blade had been reversed, the cutting edge on the wrong side. "What jest is this, woman?" he said in a soft, dangerous voice. "This sword can kill no one." He dropped it to the ground and spat contemptuously. "Useless."
Before the king and his people could even wince, the woman suddenly seemed to unfold. The scent of hakubaikô filled the air as she rose to twice her previous height, casting aside her rags to reveal a terrible, eldritch beauty. Long dark hair flowed over shining garments, onyx eyes glittered in an elegant face, and there was no doubt in the minds of the king's people that she was indeed the enchantress Tomoe, as they had suspected.
"Shishio Makoto," she said, her voice as cold as the winter snows. "Do not scorn the gifts of the fae."
Recognition flared in his face as her true appearance was revealed, but then he chuckled derisively and shook his head. "Should have figured."
She turned her face to the king. "These treasures are in your safekeeping, my lord. Guard them well. Kamiya Kaoru has my favor, and I do not wish to see her light extinguished." With those words, the enchantress vanished.
o.o.o.o.o
Kaoru had to admit that each of them was right, in his own way. She fully understood Sanosuke's outrage at having to travel with the man he was supposed to kill. Yet Battousai had a point when he said that if they were all heading for the same place, they might as well go together. Sôjirô's opinion was decisive, since he said he would much rather have his enemy within sight rather than stalking them unseen. Inevitably, it was a rather harrying journey.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kaoru burst out when she realized Sanosuke's intentions. "You are not allowed in my room when I'm sleeping, are you crazy?!" The tiny settlement they had found for the night was not big enough to have an inn, so the highest-ranking family (which was not saying much) had offered their home for the princess to stay in.
"I'm not gonna touch you, Princess," Sanosuke said in disgust. "But someone's gotta keep an eye on you, what with that Battousai around."
"Then you can do it outside," she said firmly, gesturing at the open bedroom door.
"He's an assassin! What's to stop him from sneaking in through the window or something? I have to watch you, not your door."
"Sanosuke! I am a virgin princess! There's decorum you have to follow here!"
"Oh, you mean that 'No men allowed without a chaperone' thing?" Sanosuke said impatiently. "Too late, Princess. Or did you not camp out in the woods with just the three of us last night?"
Kaoru's face reddened furiously. "That's not...!"
Battousai himself finally spoke up, addressing Sanosuke. "I will sit here by the fire," he offered coldly, "and you shall watch me. Let Sôjirô sleep in front of Kaoru-hime's room if you fear other intruders. Or if you think you'll fall asleep."
"What was that?!" Sanosuke leaped at the assassin, who calmly side-stepped the lunge and watched as his assailant plowed into a table.
"Sano, I suggest you take better care of our hosts' possessions, since your king will have to reimburse any damage."
"Shut up!" Sanosuke snapped at him, shaking himself free of the smashed wood. "And where do you get off callin' me nicknames, punk?!"
"Excuse me," Sôjirô called cheerily from where he was sitting against the wall. "Trying to sleep here. Please be quiet, if you don't mind."
"Same here," Kaoru huffed. "You two keep it down, I'm going to bed." She firmly shut the door on them and climbed under the blankets. However, it was a long time before she slept, since she found herself straining to listen to Sanosuke's continued muffled arguing and Battousai's indistinct replies.
It was like that the entire journey, with either Sôjirô or Sanosuke standing guard over her at all times, and Battousai seeming to never sleep at all. It was no wonder tempers were short when they finally reached the castle.
"Don't give me that," Sanosuke hissed as they stood in the great hall, waiting to be announced. To Kaoru, it felt like a continuation of the same endless argument. "I know what you were up to, and if the princess hadn't stopped me, I would have punched your nose to the back of your head."
Staring straight ahead, Battousai answered coolly, "I am surprised the king of this land would trust such an impulsive, undiscerning boor to guard his daughter." Sanosuke's heated reply was cut off by the opening of the doors, and the little party entered the throne room.
Kaoru was only a few steps into the room when the sight of her father flooded her with a belated wave of homesickness. The king rose to his feet, beaming, and Kaoru ran to him. They stood embracing for a long minute before finally pulling away, smiling at each other.
"It is good to have you home, daughter," the king murmured.
"I missed you, Papa," Kaoru admitted. "I...I'm sorry." She stared down at her feet, her feelings a mix of rebellion and shame. "For making you worry, I mean."
"Not for running away, though," he acknowledged softly, and she nodded.
They both turned to look at Lord Shishio, who grinned at Kaoru from where he still lounged in his seat. "Welcome back," he drawled knowingly. "Now that your business in the country has been completed, I am looking forward to our impending marriage."
Kaoru's lips tightened. So that's how her disappearance had been explained. She was just opening her mouth for some cutting reply, when she suddenly caught sight of Battousai out of the corner of her eye. Oh, yes, that little problem. She swallowed. "I, too, am eager for...for peace." She could not bring herself to express happiness, no matter how feigned, at the thought of becoming that man's wife.
The king's grip on her suddenly tightened, and Kaoru glanced up to see a look of shock and growing delight on his face. "Himura!" he burst out. Kaoru followed the line of his gaze and realized that he was staring at Battousai. "Himura Kenshin, it is you!" the king exclaimed, and swept down to wrap his arms around the red-haired assassin in a hearty embrace.
Kaoru felt her jaw drop, and was vaguely aware that everyone else in the room was also staring in surprise. However, all were far surpassed by the utter astonishment on the face of Battousai himself.
Laughing, the king pulled back and clapped Battousai's narrow shoulders. "Kenshin, my boy, I haven't seen you since you were a baby, toddling around at your nurse's skirt-hems! Where have you been all these years, eh? Maybe this finicky daughter of mine would prefer being married off to you instead!" He elbowed the young man conspiratorially and winked in Shishio's direction.
Battousai was visibly struggling to regain his composure. "Ah...Your Majesty...forgive me, I'm afraid I-"
"Ah, not to worry," the king said reassuringly, patting his back with such force that the slender young man nearly fell over. "We'll get this sorted out. For now, however, let us retire to the dining hall, since it is time for supper. I would call a feast in your honor, young Himura, but I'm afraid my cooks are no fae, to produce such a repast at short notice; ha ha!"
The king strode away, practically dragging Battousai under one arm. Kaoru noticed the assassin cast a helpless glance in the direction of his master, who returned it with a look of cold fury. Kaoru had no idea what was going on, but now was not the time to investigate; she would have to wait to catch her father alone.
Behind her, Sanosuke and Sôjirô were arguing in whispers. "Sano-kun, there is more to this situation than we guessed. We can't deliver our news right this moment-"
"He's a murderer and an enemy, Sôjirô! He could try to kill the king at any time!"
"He had to relinquish all his weapons in the courtyard, you saw it yourself."
"A guy like that always has his bare hands..."
"He is a man of honor, Sano-kun, and therefore easy to predict. He won't be killing the king under these circumstances, and now we cannot publicly reveal that he works for Shishio."
Kaoru cleared her throat pointedly, and the two young man glanced up at her. "Supper," she reminded them.
Sôjirô smiled. "I believe it is no longer my place to escort you, Kaoru-hime."
Suddenly sensing someone just behind her, Kaoru whirled to find Shishio at her back. His cold eyes burned above a sly smile as he offered her his arm. She took it wordlessly, and the four of them made their way into the dining hall.
To be continued...
A note on terminology: Faerie is another name for Fairyland, and I use "fey" as an adjective for fairy-related stuff. In the actual story, I use the word "fae" for magical creatures in general and "fairy" specifically for tiny winged humanoids, though in my A/Ns I might lapse into using them interchangeably.