The Faerie Chronicles of Kenshin & Kaoru: The Useless Sword and the Enchanted Rose, a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic by Raberba girl
Chapter 8 - Prince & Princess
He stood at the edge of a river he knew well, so close that spray from the flowing liquid stained his feet with specks of crimson.
"For all the blood that's shed on the earth runs through the springs of that country..."
Sickened, he wondered how much of this blood had been spilled by his own hands.
"What are you doing here, Kenshin?"
He raised his eyes to see Tomoe standing on the other side, her head tilted curiously. He answered with a sad smile, "It seems the time has come for this one to walk that path at last." He raised his arm, pointing to the broadest of the three roads that branched out in the distance behind Tomoe.
She did not even look. "You may travel that road if you choose to, Kenshin...but you will upset many people if you do." She smiled wryly. "One of them would be me."
He frowned. "Even the fae cannot hold back a man from his death."
"Fortunately," she replied, "in this case, we don't need to try."
He stared at her, and her smile widened. "Go home, Kenshin."
o.o.o.o.o
Yahiko had volunteered for dungeon-duty again, carrying meals down to the handful of prisoners in the castle cells. The two murderers glowered and said nothing; the pedophile, apparently not having learned his lesson from last time, tried to snake a hand up Yahiko's leg and was rewarded by a resounding smack from the bamboo sword. Only one of the prisoners held any interest for Yahiko, who saved that visit for last.
Inside the cell, Sôjirô looked up at the sound of the door opening, and smiled to see Yahiko stepping in with a tray. The guard who had let Yahiko in pointed out, "There is a reason for that flap down there." He indicated the small opening at the bottom of the thick door where food was supposed to be pushed through.
"Yeah. Thanks," Yahiko said pointedly. The guard grumbled under his breath and went back out, shutting the door on the two young men.
Yahiko shook his head, then walked over to where Sôjirô was sitting in chains. "I brought you a meat-pie and an apple," Yahiko offered. "It's all I had time to filch before the cook turned around. The pie got a bit smashed, but it should still taste all right."
"What would I do without you, Yahiko-kun?" Sôjirô chuckled. He accepted both the food Yahiko handed him from out of his pocket and the less appealing fare on the tray.
"You doing all right?" Yahiko asked.
"Oh, yes. The wounds are almost gone, please thank Takani-san for me. It was she who convinced the doctors to take such good care of me, despite my...situation."
"Good thing, too," Yahiko muttered. "I can't believe they wanted to just let you bleed to death in here."
"I am a traitor, after all," Sôjirô said cheerfully. "It's no surprise that they would not want to waste their time and talents."
"But you're not a traitor!" Yahiko protested. "You said-"
Sôjirô held up a hand to quiet him. "I explained my actions, but there is little reason for anyone to believe or trust me. Unpleasant as it is to be imprisoned here, I have actually been treated much better than would be expected."
"Whatever you say," Yahiko sighed, and leaned against the wall to watch the older boy eat. Neither of them spoke for a while. Finally, Yahiko said in frustration, "He won't wake up. That swordsman's testimony is the only thing that can save you from being executed, and he's been asleep for ages."
"That is understandable," Sôjirô said calmly. "If you had seen the battle, Yahiko-kun, you would know that Battousai and I are lucky to be alive. Shishio Makoto fought like a monster." He shook his head. "I was right to save Sano-kun from him."
"You couldn't have figured out a better way to do it?" Yahiko complained.
"I didn't have a lot of time to think," Sôjirô pointed out. Then he sighed. "Though I suppose it wouldn't have mattered in the end. Shishio knew better than to trust me." He suddenly eyed the younger boy. "Speaking of which, I'm afraid I must apologize, Yahiko-kun."
"Huh?"
"I confess that I dishonored the memory of your parents, using them for a lie..."
When he had explained, Yahiko did not speak for a minute. Then he finally said gruffly, "Well, it did happen. It's not like you changed their stories. Maybe...they would have been proud to have a warrior like you for a son."
Sôjirô smiled. "I think they are more proud to have you as their son, Myôjin Yahiko."
The cell door suddenly clanged open again, admitting a figure dressed in white. He stalked in and stood glaring down at the prisoner for a long time.
Finally, Sôjirô said, ever-smiling, "Hello, Sano-kun. Are you feeling better?"
"No thanks to you," Sanosuke growled, the wound still visible on his torso. After a pause, he finally burst out, "Why did you do it?!"
"You know why," Sôjirô said quietly. "Don't worry, though. I'm not expecting thanks, from you or anyone. Maybe I even did the wrong thing."
"Maybe you did the wrong thing? How about of COURSE you freaking did the wrong thing! I heard what you said about the princess, Sôjirô! If our king wasn't such a soft-heart, you'd have been dangling from a rope the day you dared show your traitorous face in this castle again!"
Sôjirô said nothing.
"Oh, so now you got no tongue? Are you gonna climb onto the execution block like a good little dog? At least sticking a knife in your own guts would be the manly thing to do, but I bet you'll just settle for being hanged, or-"
"Sano-kun," Sôjirô said suddenly, his voice very quiet. "I'm sorry."
Sanosuke stared at him.
The corner of Sôjirô's mouth quirked. "I'm sorry for sticking a blade in your guts instead of my own, if that's what you're wanting me to say."
"What do you mean, 'what I want you to say'? I want you to-! I want..." They stared at each other, and it was Sanosuke who finally looked away.
"What do you want, Sano-kun?" Sôjirô said softly. "For things to be like they were before?" He pushed himself to his feet, his smile faltering for the first time. "Would you rather Shishio had stabbed you instead? He wouldn't have missed any of your vitals, I can assure you of that."
Sanosuke unthinkingly lifted a hand to his bandaged wound. He knew very well that Sôjirô had skill enough, not just to kill him easily, but also to injure him in such a way that he might survive. Even so... "So, what. I'm supposed to believe you were actually saving me? Nice try, you freaking liar. How'd you know I wouldn't have bled to death before someone found-"
He stopped. Sôjirô smiled, but said nothing, and Yahiko finally voiced it for them both. "The princess's supper is sent at the same time every night, whether she eats in her chambers or in the dining room." He grinned, looking relieved. "You knew I'd find him, Sôjirô."
Sôjirô shrugged. "Yet I am a liar, as Sano-kun pointed out. It is up to him whether he believes me or not."
Sanosuke looked away and cursed to vent his feelings, then sighed and mumbled, "Guess it doesn't matter now. I came to tell you you've been sent for."
Sôjirô laughed. "Well, that sounds like good news. So Battousai - or Himura-san, I should say - survived after all."
"Don't look so happy, idiot. For all you know, that swordsman could lie and watch you hang."
"Is that why you're smiling, then?" Sôjirô said knowingly.
"Maybe so, after what you did to me!"
"Oh, dear," Sôjirô sighed theatrically. "Then I suppose I'd better compose my farewell speech..."
"Ah, shut up," Sanosuke finally gave in, stepping aside to let the guard with the keys through. "But see if I ever trust you again, you little weasel!"
o.o.o.o.o
Kenshin opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was sunlight, pouring into the room through full-length windows. Gingerly, he sat up, wincing and putting a hand to his chest when his body screamed pain at him. He was actually somewhat surprised to be alive. He might not have even had a chance against Shishio without Sôjirô's help; as it was, Kenshin was not sure the boy had survived.
He looked around, taking in the elaborate furnishings that marked the room as a guest suite in the Kamiya castle. The sakabatô - he had trouble thinking of it as his sword - had been carefully placed in a polished wooden stand across the room. Kenshin climbed to his feet and took hold of the back of a light chair nearby. He patiently pulled it along with him as he walked, needing to lean on it for support.
His wound still hurt...they all did, but particularly the one that Yumi had died for. His heart was still heavy at the memory. She had been an enemy, always an enemy, yet she had not deserved to be killed at the hand of her own lover. She may have been smiling as she died, but Kenshin could not accept such a thing as right. He could not bear the thought of someone he loved sacrificing herself in such a way, offering her own life for the sake of victory...such a thing would not taste of victory to him.
Kenshin stopped and bowed over, suddenly overcome. Who was he, to be thinking of love? The best he should be hoping for was the reclamation of his kingdom. He should be concentrating on that, on what he had to do to get well and travel back home and gain the people's trust-
"Kenshin!"
He looked up, his heart recoiling in pain at the sound of her voice. "Kaoru-hime." He tried to smile for her. "Thank you for taking care of this one once again, that is."
The princess frowned, shifting her grip on the water pitcher she carried in one hand and the roll of bandages in the other. "Again with that 'sessha' thing. And what's with the 'de-gozaru'? Since when have you-" Then she shook her head hard and broke into a smile. "What am I fussing about? Kenshin, it's so good to finally see you awake!" She dumped her things down on a table and went to him. "Um..." She felt awkward when he did not speak. "I...I'm really glad that things...turned out the way they did."
"It is good to see you safe, that it is," he finally said, his expression a strange mix of pleasure and sadness.
She smiled shyly and pushed a lock of hair back behind her ear. "I was really worried, you know, especially when I first found you. You were barely breathing, and there was so much blood, I would never have been able to get you back home if Yahiko hadn't come back to help me." She shook her head. "Disobeying orders, the little brat, but I guess you'd be dead if he hadn't. Of course, then we found Sôjirô-kun collapsed on the way back, and had to drag him home, too...good thing we still had enough horses, since we-"
Kenshin gently broke through her nervous babbling. "This one asks your forgiveness, Kaoru-hime."
She blinked at the earnest look on his face. "Huh?"
"It was this one's intention to let you choose your own path, but then..." He sighed a little, then dipped his head respectfully. "In any case, the situation has changed, that it has. Shishio Makoto is now dead, and you are no longer bound to marry." He smiled in a way that was meant to be comforting. "This one has become free to return to his country, so your father need not fear war."
She realized that her mouth was hanging open, so she closed it. "What...are you talking about?"
He gave her a puzzled look.
"I mean...you're just leaving? You're-" She cut herself off before she could finish. You're rejecting me, after all that's happened? "Fine," she said loftily, forcing back tears. "Your kingdom is important, after all. You should recover and get back as soon as you can. Of course you wouldn't have time for a fickle, inconvenient princess." Oops- better stop before I give myself away. "I'll send someone else in to tend to you, I just remembered I've got something to do. Good luck."
She started to leave, but was brought up short when he caught her arm. They stood like that for a second, frozen. Then she turned her head to see that he was staring at his hand on her arm like he could not believe it was his own. Finally, he raised his eyes to hers. "Kaoru-hime," he said hesitantly. "You...you weren't there, were you? After the battle?"
There was her mouth, hanging open again. "You don't remember?"
He shook his head. "This one was near death, that he was. Such memories are not very clear."
She swallowed. "So you don't remember when I..." She could feel her face burning red, and looked away to hide it.
"You were there," he whispered. "But you can't have said-"
"Said what?" She glared at him, her tone hot and challenging. "Said that I- said silly things to an ungrateful dying man ten years older than me, you mean? Well...maybe I did. Why?" she demanded, hostility masking her apprehension.
He said nothing, and Kaoru grew more and more angry until she realized that his hand on her arm was trembling. He finally took a deep breath. "Is there any chance that Princess Kaoru would submit to a marriage to this Battousai after all?"
"Why do you say it like that?" she said in exasperation. "You act like I'd hate being married to you! Married to that boy...who gave me wings to fly." Her cheeks were well and truly on fire. Yet she forced herself to look into his face, and was gratified to see comprehension dawning there.
"So it was you," he whispered. "You do remember." Something like light broke over his face, and he told her softly, "There was no strength to tell you before, but...this one has loved you as well, that he has."
Her relief burst from her in a rather un-ladylike stream of laughter, and she flung her arms around his neck. "Oro?!" He went stiff at first, but then his own arms came up to circle hesitantly around her, returning the embrace.
Kaoru laughed again when she heard the low sound of his chuckle. "I never thought I'd be happy to be getting married," she murmured, and pulled back to smile at him. "But I am." Then, as he smiled radiantly back at her, she reached up in wonderment to trace the faint pink cross on his cheek.
On the bedside table, placed in a little vase, the bare rose stem began to bud again, its reborn petals spreading out into the light.
o.o.o
Author's Notes: Both the quote at the beginning of the chapter and the reference to the three roads (one leads to heaven, another to hell, and the third to Faerie) come from the ballad "Thomas the Rhymer."
The Useless Sword and the Enchanted Rose really is based on "Beauty and the Beast," but not as closely as I first intended. Here are the similarities, since a lot of them are not very obvious: Weary traveler seeks shelter from a snowstorm by breaking into a stranger's home, where he is well-treated; a maiden chooses to sacrifice her own happiness in order to preserve her father's life; a beast-prince proposes marriage to her, which she is reluctant to accept at first; an enchantress bestows a magical rose which imposes a deadline; in the Disney version, there is a rival suitor; at one point, after the beauty and beast have developed feelings for one another, they are separated; the maiden eventually rushes to the side of the dying beast, who is transformed when she agrees to marry him at last. The rest was either from RuroKen, British folklore, or my own imagination.