Liar
It was early, before anyone was awake and he made his way out toward the stables. Kenshin could feel the exhaustion creeping up; Sanosuke kept him awake most of the night with his drunken antics and when he finally allowed the redhead to sleep his nightmares did not. Now that he was off the daily concoction of salves and herbs the doctor prescribed to him, they were coming in full force and he refused to endure it any longer. Rubbing his tired eyes, he hoped that if he drained his energy then perhaps he could have a dreamless sleep, and what better way to do that than to train his techniques.
Weeks had gone by since he practiced his style and it was high time he polished up on it.
His sword was not like others, the blade curved opposite and was heavier to reduce his speed and force of impact. Instead of severing it was designed to maim with as little damage as possible. Thus his style was slightly modified from the teachings his master gave; he could almost hear the scolding he'd receive if the man knew.
Drawing his blade he studied the weapon, balancing it out in front of him. He hadn't used the steel since he arrived at the ranch, and briefly he worried the saltwater would've damaged the blade, but the curve remained graceful and there was not a single chip in the glint of the metal.
Relieved, he would make sure he handsomely rewarded his forge master again upon his return to the capital.
The capital, he had nearly forgotten the city and his duties growing accustomed to the quiet life he found in recent days. Counting the days, it had been a month since Kaoru first found him, and there were moments where he wondered if he could walk away from his calling to the King.
'In another life,' he thought.
Assuming his stance, he tested the weight of the blade in his hands first then rotated his wrists before performing his first true swing. His muscles hummed with the movement as he gave a second swing, faster this time. Strike after strike he increased his speed and force, sweat building up on his skin as he continued to push himself.
Careful, each movement was methodical and planned as he progressed through the forms of his style. Simple strikes, then more complicated as muscle memory kicked in and guided him through the motions. His breath remained even and steady as that feeling crept up his skin, bubbling to the surface. He swallowed it down, controlled himself, and pushed through the last of the set; a downward thrust. Suddenly Tomoe's face appeared, the brief moments before his blade pierced her, and he collapsed to his knees, out of breath and sweating profusely. Even after all this time, the memory still had this strong of a hold on him and he panted in frustration.
After a few more deep breaths and willing the images away, Kenshin regained his composure and rose to his feet. Rotating the shoulder, there was stiffness and a twinge of pain but other than that he felt he could wield his blade proficiently, which meant that the promise he made of staying was now over and it was time to make preparations for his return to the capital. First, that would involve solving the mystery of his ship's attack. The question was should he leave the company of Kaoru to do so... if the ambush was the work of pirates then all would be well. If not, then he was putting the farm in more danger than he realized.
In any case, Kenshin was strong enough to move on, and it was time to do just that. A feeling of sadness washed over him as he was going to miss the comfortable and quiet atmosphere of the ranch along with the few short weeks of peace he had, and he was dreading the conversation and goodbyes he would have to give to Kaoru. The thought tugged at his heartstrings in ways that bothered him; the image of her saddened face, it was something he didn't want to see.
As if his thoughts conjured her up, Kaoru's voice called out for him and he forgot that he was shirtless and in no position to greet her. He shrugged on his shirt hurriedly just as she turned the corner of the stable where he was.
She smiled brightly. "There you are, good morning!" She flushed at his rumpled state.
"Good morning Miss Kaoru," he huffed, getting his breathing under control. He had not done up the buttons on his tunic. Quickly his hands fumbled for the fastenings. "Forgive this one I was-"
"It's fine, not like I haven't seen it before. I did dress your wounds," she said. The blush on her cheek betrayed her confidence. "What were you doing anyway?"
"Nothing of importance," he said, shaking his head, the last button finally done. " This one was on his way to get some preparations for dinner, did you need anything before I left?" He asked, fingers crossed that she didn't. He was preparing to wade into dangerous waters, if the attack was deliberately against him, and he would've rather not involve the woman.
Her eyes grew bright and she grinned at him. "Oh! I'll join you!"
"Oro?" He stammered. "That won't be necessary," he said trying to discourage her, and gave a smile. "I'm sure this one can find his way around-"
"So you planned on taking my horse, without me?" She asked, bright eyes blinking at him. "Thinking of sneaking away Sir Himura?"
Kenshin put his hands up in defense. "N-no! Of course not-"
Koaru quirked an eyebrow at him, a slight tilt to her head. "And what coin do you have? Planning on taking mine?"
"Miss Kaoru this one would never-"
"Then I'm going with you. No objections," she smiled. A sigh left him and he hung his head as her mind was not going to be changed; he couldn't exactly say that it was for her own good that she stayed behind without revealing the reasons why and right now was not a good time to mention his background.
Kaoru took his sigh as acceptance and returned to the house to prepare. He liked the way she skirted off, a light bounce to her feet as he studied her retreating form. There were other things he was starting to notice he liked as well; the dark ink color of her hair, the pink her cheeks turned, the way she bit her lip when she was nervous...
A dangerous train of thought he was going down and he took a deep breath to redirect his mind.
Going into town to gather information would prove more difficult with Kaoru around, in hindsight however not having her he would draw attention to himself alone. So he would change his tactics; focus on getting a message out to his comrades. There was a garrison north of here, a few days ride if he studied Kaoru's maps correctly, who would receive a letter quickly.
Preparing was another ordeal. He would want to be inconspicuous during their outing; covering his bright red hair with a cloak he thought of his scar, absent mindlessly rubbing it, and if hiding it was necessary. Deciding he would be fine, many men in this region sported scars due to years of war, he gave his quick goodbyes to Yahiko then he caught up with Kaoru near the gate as she strode her horse, giving him a warm smile.
"Well? Hop to it!" she said, patting the mare and it snorted in delight. The beast eyed him as he approached then began nudging him with her head. He was surprised at the warm welcome and returned the gesture with a pet along her neck. "Me too," Kaoru said so quietly that if it wasn't Kenshin listening it wouldn't have been heard.
He turned to guide the horse, holding the reins lightly when Kaoru spoke up.
"Kenshin, I meant both of us should ride the horse," she laughed. He stopped and didn't face her, not sure she realized the implication of the offer; having her pressed up against him in near intimate ways. He had no intention of offending her, and internally smacked himself as her innocence hadn't even looked at it that way, her tone suggesting her naivety. Kenshin spun around, smiling before hoisting himself up behind her. Setting himself in place with a firm grip on the reins and not Kaoru's waist, her hair brushed his nose, and the smell of jasmine and plum assaulted him before she pulled her hood over her hair. Then they were off at a gallop toward the port town.
The ride was silent, both of them refusing to speak lest they bite their tongues from the bouncing momentum the horse's pace set, and it wasn't long before the port gate came into view and Kaoru slowed the horse to a slow walk. However, what Kenshin had expected to see was not the sight before him. The poor littered the streets, the buildings appeared desolate, and in contrast to the light atmosphere of the farm, here the air was filled with something sad and painful. It was all too familiar; he encountered many towns ravaged and broken by war, but what had done this? As far as he knew the King's War never reached the borders and Kaoru made no mention of any rebellions or civil incidents in the area. What had caused this decline?
Though it was busy and with people bustling about, the heaviness made him uneasy. As the horse trotted along, Kenshin closed his eyes and listened to the hum of the busy port around him; talks of loved ones, politics, affairs, a mix of emotions thrown around but nothing of importance. No talk of the ship that was attacked weeks ago, no talk of a man washed ashore. It was as if it never happened and it was more alarming than he liked to admit. Keeping his composure and not wanting to worry Kaoru, he took note of everything; the ships that were docked carried trade but they were loaded up and hauled off away from market and out the gates of the town. He eyed the pigeon coops. He noticed the men attending to them appeared like the common folk; disheveled and tattered clothing, however their hands held no indication of hard labor. Something was amiss, he needed to get a message to the garrison stationed in the east, however a letter in the coops was not an option. That was too risky and could put Kaoru in more harm than she already was in just with his presence.
At the stables now, Kaoru tied off the horse and made a mention of wanting to stop by the tavern. Kenshin nodded, and waited by the mare while she bounced off to the building across the street. A maid stood outside and greeted her with gusto before they launched into an animated conversation. The maid pointed in the stable's direction, Kaoru swiftly pushed her hand down as they giggled, mumbling quietly to each other. Kenshin turned his attention away, not wanting to be rude and continued listening to the buzz created in the town. In the alley next to the tavern a group of men, none too savory looking, entered the tavern through the back door, surveying if they were being watched. Kenshin leaned against the post of the stable looking disinterested, but took note of this activity.
Kaoru walked back, throwing the small sack she received from the woman onto the back of the mare. The horse shook out its mane in response.
"Who was that?" Kenshin asked.
"Oh, that was just Tae, a family friend," she replied. Kenshin untied the reins and began guiding the horse back the way they came. "She gave us some meats and cheeses for dinner tonight, sound good?" Kenshin nodded and followed after the raven haired woman.
"Seemed like an interesting conversation you two were having," he said. Kaoru's cheeks tinted and she waved her hand in dismissal.
"Not really, just talking about her love stories again. It's nice to hear love exists in the world. I doubt I'll ever marry," she held a somber tone in her voice.
"I see," was all he could respond with. Kaoru was beautiful; a woman with a strong spirit, and that was more attractive that she gave it credit. Her clumsy innocence prevented her from seeing what she was worth. One day she would find someone worthy of her, at least he hoped.
They walked in quiet a moment longer before Kaoru spoke up again. "Kenshin," she began. "Have you... Have you ever been in love?"
The question caught him off guard that he almost didn't answer. Over the years those feelings had grown foreign to him, he drowned himself in his duty to the throne, taking an oath of penance and celibacy. He wanted to forget, move on and quietly live out the rest of his days in service to the kingdom he helped create. He deserved to be alone, and he wanted to leave it at that.
Clearing his throat he spoke up. "Once."
Kaoru paused for a moment before peaking over at him once more. "What happened?"
Tomoe's face came to him again, like déjà vu.
He remembered walking with her, just like this when she had asked him the same thing, who his lovers were and how many. Kenshin didn't have an answer then. She was his first and had been his only. All the emotions he experienced with her were new and it left him vulnerable. The thought of her; the betrayal and the passion, haunted him. In their last moments he could only think that if he harbored any hate for Tomoe, he loved her more.
"She died," He stated finally. Kenshin could tell Kaoru wanted more details, from her unnatural silence and fidgeting but he ignored it and pressed on. It was a closed book, a chapter in his life he never wanted to revisit. To dismiss any further questions, Kenshin swiftly lifted her up atop her horse, but didn't ride with her, instead taking hold of the reins and guided the mare back to the ranch.
The rest of the walk home was in silence but upon reaching the house Kaoru jumped down from her perch and stood in front of him.
"There's one more thing I want to do, if you would like to help," she said. Kenshin tilted his head questioning her. "There's a delicious type of wild berries that grow in the forest behind the house," she began, "and I've been craving them. Care to join me on a little adventure?" There was a sly glint in her eyes as she allowed the horse inside the gate to roam around, then skipped past him toward the forest. She spun around and beckoned him to follow, and follow he did.
Kaoru knew the terrain well as there was a beaten path they took, going up the hills and deeper into the green. They were venturing a little farther than he wanted, but Kenshin felt lost in the moment as Kaoru talked about the walks she would take with her father, how they would try to fish without lines and the berry foraging. She pointed out which ones were safe, and which ones were not, a smile on her face and a twinkle of sorrow in her eyes as she snacked on them. She was so vibrant and raw in the retelling of her stories, it made Kenshin sympathize with her feelings. He had never known his parents, and still felt something when he thought of the man who trained him, being the only father figure he could relate to. What Kaoru felt now would be a thousand times that and his heart was tugged at again.
"I'm sorry," she said suddenly. "For earlier. I didn't mean to bring up painful memories. It seems I keep doing that to you."
"It's quite alright Miss Kaoru." He smiled reassuringly.
They trotted a little further up when she bent down to a shrub and plucked a couple of berries from the branch to offer him. A snap of a twig caught his attention and he turned to the sound; a brown lump, the size of a large dog, shuffled around in a bush nearby, its claws scraping at the base in the dirt. It was a bear cub foraging in the area, and barely noticed them as it gorged itself on the fruit and roots, rolling around in the underbrush. They stared in awe of the small creature, Kaoru commenting on how cute it was before realization settled in. If the cub was here, then so was the mother.
The hairs stood on the back of Kenshin's neck as he beckoned the woman to stand to her feet slowly, his hand going to the hilt of his sword in a slow moment. Another snap from behind and they turned to the hulking form of the parent, rising to stand on its hind legs, her sheer size dwarfing them. A deep roar, like the crashing of waves tore through their ears and he barely had enough time to snatch Kaoru out of the way of a death blow before they took off running back down the path they came. The bear was hot on their heels like a stampede; the noises of heavy stomps, trees toppling at her weight and the beast's panting caused Kenshin's skin to prickle with sweat from the run and fear. Not fear for himself, but for the woman who stumbled and ran for her life. They were more nimble than the animal as they bobbed and weaved through the trees to put a little distance, however the bear continued the chase determined to catch her prey. The beaten path was coming to a steep drop on both sides, and without the trees to weave through the animal was bound to catch up to them as the thunderous roars drummed in his ears. There was no time to think. Kenshin turned and charged at Kaoru, grabbing hold of her and forced them down the steep side of the path, out of reach from a deadly swipe of the bear's paws.
Tumbling, they were a mess of limbs as he held on to her form and tried to cushion as many blows from the underbrush and trees as possible. Direction and equilibrium were thrown off as he lost which was up or down before they slid to a stop at the bottom of the slope. Kenshin titled his head up as the bear turned back to her young, the grunts growing distant and he sighed in relief at the beast's retreating form, his head falling back against the damp forest floor. His breath was cut short from the weight on top of him, the mess of ink hair brushing against his nose; earth and the scent of jasmine hit him swirling together in a blend that sent his mind reeling. Kaoru lifted her head slowly, a small cut on her lip, her breath coming in heavy pants. Her hands went to his face as blue irises scanned him over for injury. He was dazed and lost in the swirling ocean of her eyes for a moment and even in her rumpled state he couldn't help but think she looked beautiful. He must have hit his head in the fall.
"Are you alright, Miss Kaoru?" He asked quietly. She blinked, cheeks turned pink and she quickly sat up and removed her weight from him, choosing to sit at his side.
"I'm fine. What about you? You took the brunt of the fall," she said. He opened his mouth to speak when he was hit with a stinging sensation in his eye. A small gasp from the woman and she moved closer. "You're bleeding," she said, ripping her tunic and pressing it to his temple. Kenshin hadn't noticed the pain until the fabric touched the wound to stop the blood that had gotten into his eye. He really did hit his head on the way down.
"So are you, Miss Kaoru," he said, mentioning the small cut to her lip.
"Never mind me," she said. He opened his mouth to reply when a roar echoed through the trees. The color drained from Kaoru's face and Kenshin quickly pulled the woman to her feet and back to the house they went post haste, forgetting the berries altogether.
When they were in the clearing, Kaoru visibly relaxed, stating the animal wouldn't come this close out of the forest with its cub. Kenshin could only hope. Suddenly she turned to face him. "I want to thank you. For saving my life just now."
"You're welcome. But might we do something less dangerous next time?" Kenshin chuckled. Kaoru breathed in relief, a smile gracing her features.
"Come on, where's your sense of adventure? You sound like an old man."
"Probably older than you think," Kenshin said sitting on the stump next to the well.
"Yeah sure," she laughed, drawing up the bucket while ripping another piece of her clothing and then dipping it into the water. Shuffling his hair out of the way she lightly dabbed at the area, most of the bleeding stopped and was replaced with a light throb. She held his face between her hands; he remembered her fingers being nimble as they caressed his cheek. Their eyes met; the rays of dusk glittered in her hair, picking out the blue hues as her eyes held him in place. He was vaguely aware of her fingers tracing over his scar and wasn't sure why he allowed her to do so.
Yahiko's voice called out, breaking whatever spell had come over them and she backed away, clearing her throat. Quickly she darted for the house, nearly tripping on the way, ignoring Yahiko completely as she disappeared into the house, and for some reason Kenshin felt uneasy.
Yahiko was surprised and didn't believe them about the bear, though he eyed the forest warily. Kenshin didn't blame him, his heart still thumped with the adrenaline from the chase and wished he had paid more attention to his surroundings; he should have seen the cub and knew the mother would be nearby. Sighing, he dumped the bucket on his head to cool himself with the water. He was slipping, growing soft in his contentment of the farm and bottom line he needed to return to the capital.
By the grace of the heavens Megumi, the answer to his problems, was strolling up the path, a smile playing on her full lips as she neared him. Kenshin put on his best grin as well. "Miss Takani, it is a pleasure to see you today. You look radiant as ever." he greeted her, attempting to flatter the woman as much as possible. Hopefully he could stroke her ego enough to agree to his request. "Do you mind if we speak for a moment?" She tilted her head and eyed him thoughtfully.
"What can I do for you Sir Ken? You were all healed up and now I see you've acquired more bruising for me to tend to when you should've been on your way. Are we in need of a salve for your trip? " The bite was there in her words in complete contradiction of the warm expression she gave him. Her flirtatious behavior was an act, this woman was not to be trifled with and now it was best he just asked her with transparency as playing mind games would only add to the tension, and she was probably better at them.
"This one has no right to ask, but I will anyway." He began. His face faltered for a moment. "A message to the garrison in the east, I cannot trust it in the coops and you have access to riders. Can you see that it makes it there?"
"What kind of message is this?" She asked. Kenshin remained quiet, but gave her a knowing look. The less she knew the better she would be. She sighed, picking up on his silence. "If I do this, you will leave within a fortnight." The stern look she gave him before appeared again. She was serious.
Kenshin nodded his head in agreement. "Within a fortnight."
xxx
Kenshin shuffled the coals under the tub, checking for steam coming off the water. Kaoru should've been finishing up with Yahiko and he wanted to make sure the bath would be ready for her. However as he exited the house Kaoru came charging past him, slamming the door closed behind her. Yahiko sat on the wooden stump next to the firewood pile looking proper pissed as well, and Kenshin sighed before making his way over to the boy.
"And what might today's skirmish be about young Yahiko?"
"Don't call me that! I'm a man ya know!"
"Aye, that you are. Forgive this one for mistaking it."
"She's always yelling at me, do this, do that, your footwork is wrong blah blah!" Yahiko looked down. "She treats me like a child. I'm a man ya know," he said with less confidence.
"Miss Kaoru cares for you Yahiko. All she wants is your safety and happiness."
"Well all her nagging is stupid and annoying!" Kenshin patted the boy's head.
"Miss Kaoru just needs some time to-"
"She needs a man of her own!" He eyed the wanderer carefully. "You want the job?"
Kenshin gave a small chuckle, though his palms began to sweat. "Where did you hear that?"
Yahiko shrugged. "Sanosuke and Megumi always say that kind of stuff." The boy stretched, cat-like down to his toes before jumping up with renewed energy. "I gotta finish up before ugly comes back, don't work too hard Kenshin!" He said running back to the clearing. Kenshin sighed willing himself not to dwell on the boy's words; it was none of his business what Megumi and Sanosuke said about Kaoru, none of his business if Kaoru even needed a man, and definitely none of his business to even ponder on the subject as he was now.
Abruptly standing up, it was a good idea now to venture into town without the woman following him. A few days ago he had given the letter to Megumi, and it was only a matter of time before the garrison arrived and Kenshin wanted more information and to discover what happened to his ship before they did. The tavern inn was where he could get answers, or at least some sort of lead. Scribbling a note to Kaoru and he would be going into town for a bit, he donned a cloak and walked into town instead.
The sun hid behind gray clouds and the air smelled of salt as he approached the port town. it wasn't bustling as much since his last visit, but he ventured into the tavern anyway. Bowing in greeting to the maid there, he made his way to the back and sat at the table in the corner, hoping to be as inconspicuous as he could be. A cup of ale was placed in front of him, and he looked up to see a woman smiling down at him. It was the other maid, the one he had seen Kaoru speaking with days before. Up close she was young though her features held a sense of maturity from the way she tied her hair in a bun and the pressed apron she wore.
A protest was on the tip of his tongue, he had no coin for it, but the woman insisted, stating he looked like he could use a drink. She must have recognized him, a good and a bad thing, yet he graciously accepted the ale anyway. Kenshin sat quietly, the occasional sip of his drink though he was starting to feel it was a lost cause; no one would be dumb enough to discuss things in public if they had something to hide.
A group of men, five of them, entered and briskly walked to the other table in the back, sitting across the room and were hidden by a thin attempted to speak in hushed tones- one was particularly paranoid and constantly surveyed the room through the spaces in the folds.
"We got the new shipment in, you better pay good.'
'Yeah, especially after the other guys sacked that boat-'
'Ya idiot! The hell ya speakin so loud fer?'
Kenshin stood corrected, and his ears perked up to tune into the conversation as their voices filtered in over the ambiance in the tavern. His attention was immediately drawn to the one sitting in the center, a smoke in one hand and drink in the other. The man was dressed well compared to the others, like he regularly bathed and was out of place among the common folk that appeared here. No doubt this one was their employer, the others serving as bodyguards.
Kenshin made sure to avoid eye contact, less they stir up trouble and inclining his head, the whispers continued; they were expecting another shipment of imported metals, mentions of women- a doctor and farm girl, then of the ship sunk not too far off the coast. Those bits sank in his stomach; it was akin to the sinking of his own vessel which held them directly responsible. They were confident that the ship was no longer a concern and spoke of a doctor, Megumi possibly, and a farm girl... he was dreading the mention of Kaoru. They could be talking about any farm, there had to be plenty in the area. Then they looked toward the well dressed man and spoke a name, Kanryuu Takeda.
Suddenly the doors burst open and in stormed Sanosuke. Kenshin pulled the hood of the cloak down over his face; of all things to happen this was unlucky and he hoped Kaoru didn't come in behind him to make matters worse. At the sound of the commotion, the men stood up from the table, staring Sanosuke down who seemed oblivious to their animosity and tried to charm a free ale out of the tavern maid. Kenshin sat still and slowly reached for his blade, tension rising in the room. The brawler seemed the only one not to notice as other patrons cleared out, absent minded in his drinking and flattery of the maid. Out of his peripheral, the well dressed man smiled before leaving his table and making his way to the back door. Kenshin had a mind to follow, but more men entered and secured all exits, surrounding the room.
"Hey! You that ass from before, ain't ya?" One spoke to Sanosuke. The brawler down the last of his drink and rose from his chair to stand face to face with the thug.
"Who's askin?"
A grungy thug spat at the brawler's feet. "You got a lot of nerve messin with Takeda's woman!"
"Sanosuke, gentlemen, please! Not again! Take it outside," the maid begged. Kenshin stood up.
"I agree with the miss. It would be wise to avoid such conflicts inside this establishment that it would," the redhead said. He was going for a peaceful resolution as they all turned to face him, and hopefully he could get his friend out of what was bound to be a bruising situation.
Sanosuke seemed genuinely surprised to see the wanderer and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Kenshin? What the hell are you doing here?" However, he didn't have a chance to answer that question as one of the men grew impatient and smashed his fist in Sanosuke's face.
Now there was no stopping it; the brawl exploded out like a wildfire and they were caught dead in the middle of it. Kenshin's arm was stiff and sore, he could feel the tension slowing him down as he dodged a blow then disarmed a man. He left his sword sheathed, it wasn't necessary as these weren't fighters, being easily subdued and fleeing the scene as quickly as they could. The last one wasn't as lucky as Sanosuke picked up a chair and hurled it into the man's back, sending him crashing to the floor before he could escape. The tavern lady complained about the cost of the broken piece of furniture as the brawler made his way to the man, cocking his fist back for a finishing punch. Kenshin stopped him.
"I have questions for this one that I do," he gave him a reassuring smile. Sanosuke shrugged and released the man's collar allowing Kenshin to kneel down to his eye level. "You're going to tell me everything you know about Kanryuu and his dealings."
"If not..." Sanosuke added, cracking his knuckles to finish his statement.
The thug was more talkative than Kenshin could have hoped for spewing all sorts of information that came to his tongue. There wasn't even a need for Sanosuke's extreme measures and before they left, Kenshin promised the tavern woman he would pay for the damages.
They walked along the path back to the farm; Kenshin, lost in thought as he guided the mare along and Sanosuke, congratulating himself and the wanderer on their victory in the scuffle. Kenshin had a face and a name to the crimes against him, good, however the downside was that he knew nothing more about the weapon of thunder and light, couldn't even describe what it looked like. However there was no question about it, the men of the port sunk his ship. Why, he couldn't answer but he staked his life on that Kanryuu Takeda could.
These thoughts swirled around his head as the brawler rambled on. "Sanosuke, you've had dealings with those men before?" Kenshin interrupted.
"Eh?" Sanosuke thought it over. "Ah, maybe when Missy and Fox were down there. Some were giving them trouble." Kenshin remembered the mention of a doctor and farm girl, his stomach in knots. He picked up his pace eager to get back to the farm.
At the ranch gate Kaoru greeted them kindly before taking note of the bruise under Sanosuke's eye. "Fighting again? I hope you didn't get Kenshin involved!"
"He jumped in on his own. Held his ground too," a hand slapped Kenshin in the back harder than he expected as the brawler grinned down at him. "We should go one on one some time!" Kenshin shook his head, but couldn't keep the smile off his face as they walked up the pathway to the house.
"And to think I was beginning to believe you'd given up those ways," Megumi sauntered out of the house. "Once a thug, always a thug."
"Piss off, Fox. If it wasn't for your prancin round Takeda, I woulda had a peaceful drink!"
She scoffed. "And what of the damages? It's not like you got money to pay them!"
"I told Tae she's got a new worker that'll cover it." He pointed at Yahiko, who was peeking out the window to eavesdrop.
"What the hell are you volunteering me for?" The boy cried leaning further out.
"Watch your mouth!" Kaoru shouted to him.
"How long has it been going on Megumi? Huh?" Sanosuke asked, taking on a tone of seriousness. Gone was his usual carefree demeanor. "You gonna let Takeda make a honest woman out of ya?"
"Oh please," she waved a hand at him. "Men chase me all the time. Kanryuu is no different from you or the others." She spat. A growl left the brawler as he kicked over a crate next to the endwalk and stormed back down the path to the gate. Kaoru called after him and made a move to follow before Kenshin stopped her, shaking his head. Megumi turned and stomped back into the house.
"Miss Kaoru, I think it's best if we let him be for now," he said. "He'll be back, this one is sure of it."
With Sanosuke storming off into the night Kenshin was left to escort the doctor home. A part of him was reluctant to leave the farm unprotected, especially after the incident at the tavern, but Kaoru insisted he see Megumi home as Sanosuke had probably cooled off and was on his way back. He agreed and after some mental convincing that she and Yahiko would be fine for an hour or so, Kenshin was on the dusk road with a lantern, a horse and a woman in tow. Megumi sat atop Kaoru's mare in silence and it was left up to him to break the quiet.
"Miss Takani, is there something that is wrong? This wonders if you are being truthful that he does."
"Me being truthful? I'm not like you, don't presume to know my position in anything," she said. "Let's not forget who the real liar is here." Her facade dropped again. He continued to guide the horse, walking alongside it and holding the reins, but didn't say anything. She was right, he wasn't necessarily in a position to question her motives however he was concerned for the safety of Kaoru- after what the thug revealed and what he overheard, Kenshin was on edge.
"Kanryuu Takeda is a dangerous man," he murmured.
Silence loomed over them a moment, the horse's heavy clops filling the space between them before they arrived at her manor. Kenshin assisted her down from the horse, one of her chambermaids was there to greet her, and was turning to leave when she spoke up.
"If I don't marry him, he's threatening to do something to the people I love." He looked at her; her face was distraught with a tear gracing her cheek. The chambermaid attempted to hush her lady, yet Megumi waved her away, continuing her confession. "He plans to use my name to gain favor with the King, and carve out this region as his own. It will give him the power he needs to continue the slave trade." That explained the massive amounts of cargo that never graced the townsfolk house and tables. "The ports have been overlooked, and without a warlord for so long the people will listen to anything Takeda says!"
The pained expression she held pulled at his heart; he felt for her and the people of the area, bringing back memories of his defiant attitude during the rebellion. The new regime was to protect the people, so he would. "Then let this one help you," he said. " Would you testify to his crimes?"
Megumi gave him a look, sighed then wiped her tears away with the graceful fingers. "I will need protection."
Kenshin nodded. "The royal militia will be here in a few days, they will see to your escort that they will," he said.
"I am fully aware of their march. Did you think I would not know what the message said and send one of my riders along with it?" She sneered. "How dare you use me for such things? You don't know what damage you could have done with that note." Kenshin had suspected that she would at least know full well the contents of the letter, thus implicating herself in his plan.
"Well with your stature in the region, I highly doubt anyone would have distrusted words from your own court."
"How do you know that rider wasn't one of Kanryuu's court?"
"Forgive me Lady Megumi, but you did not strike this one as someone who would purposely send an untrustworthy rider with words as important as this. You knew who this one was, and the weight of this one's status…" Megumi huffed at him again, he could see the fair skin of her cheeks flush with anger. Kenshin felt no remorse for using the woman's court, he had no choice.
Megumi sighed and rubbed her brow. "You mean to send the royal military here yet those people are the reason for the ports being in such disarray." There was merit in the woman's accusation. Kenshin could see full well that the region had not seen the support from the King in a long time, he imagined Kanryuu was the only lord in the area reporting his taxes to the crown without any mention of the people's poverty and taking whatever goods he could for himself. Strange as it was, no one had been sent to survey the border… he himself had been overseas dealing with relations from the west while his country's own lines were failing.
The red haired man shook his head, confused how it had come to this. "Why have you not reached out to the Consul?" He asked "With your namesake you could-"
"You think I haven't?" She retorted with a look. "Those people in their marble towers could care less about a little town at the edge of a crumbling kingdom. And what of Kaoru?" The name of his raven haired landlady filled him with dread as he recalled the men from earlier.
"What do you mean?" He asked, hoping his hunch was wrong.
Megumi shook her head, a saddened smile on her lips. "Well what did you think farm girl meant? They want Kaoru's land, my corporation had been the only thing keeping that man from touching it. When he finds out, and he will find out..."
Kenshin stopped her then, interrupting any further musings on the idea of Kaoru being in danger. "This one swears no harm will come to her. She will be protected, as will you."
Another sigh left the fair woman's lips. "Can I even trust you?"
The question left him silent for a moment. He understood her apprehension as her pleas to the kingdom had gone unanswered before. Again, the thought of Kaoru hit him and his resolve returned. He gave her a firm look, smiling but made sure he was clear. "This one is sorry Miss Megumi, but I'm all that you have." Megumi huffed, and crossed her arms before waving him away and walking up the path to the house. Her maids greeted her before attempting to usher her inside. Another look was thrown to him, a glare he thought, to which Kenshin bowed respectfully before turning back to the horse and hauling himself up onto the mare with ease. The beast huffed in delight, shaking out her mane and together they started back to the farm, eager to get back home.
When he returned, he made his way up the path letting the horse meander about when he noticed Kaoru sitting on the endwalk. She had fallen asleep there; her lip was finally healing from their endeavors before, but she had deep circles under her eyes like she wasn't getting much rest.
"She insisted on waitin up for ya. If I'd moved her, she probably would've beat me senseless," Sanosuke said quietly as he exited the house- so he had come back, but to Kenshin it was no surprise and felt there was some sort of truth to his words.
"Best get her off to bed then," the redhead bent down and lifted Kaoru with relative ease, though he was surprised to find she was heavier than she looked.
"Not...heavy," she whispered, frowning. Kenshin bit back a laugh.
"Kenshin, ya here for good? Or are ya just messin around?" Kenshin had no response, simply gave a somber smile to Sanosuke. " Anyway, just take care of Missy." He said before sauntering down to the gate. Kaoru never stirred as Kenshin carried her to her room.
xxx
"Miss Kaoru, this one needs your bed linens that he does," He asked for the third time in the past hour. "And breakfast is ready, you should eat while it's still warm, that you should." The woman was distracted more so than usual and he ventured to discover what occupied her. "Miss Kaoru?" He asked giving her door a few knocks which earned him no response. Suddenly the door opened to the disheveled young woman.
"Kenshin, help me," she panted. He was confused and hesitated to step across the threshold when she grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. In the corner of the room she had shoved her dresser out of the way, a pry bar jutted out of the floor from where she was trying to pull up the flooring.
"Miss Kaoru, what is going on?"
"Just help me!" She huffed. He quickly made his way across the room and took hold of the bar. A couple of pushes and the floorboards finally gave way to reveal an underground crawl space. Kenshin gave Kaoru a curious look before she descended into the darkness. He couldn't help but follow, curious as to what lay beneath the house and concerned for the woman traversing in the dark. It was a cramped tunnel way and he called out to her, Kaoru's voice filtered from further ahead before light broke in from the young woman pushing the false door covered by a grass patch at the back of the house. Kenshin was surprised he missed it before. They climbed out as she dusted herself off, before she closed it back, kicking at the grass to cover it back up.
"Thanks Kenshin. I had to make sure it was still in good condition," she said, smiling and wiping her brow.
"Miss Kaoru, what does one need with an underground passageway?" He asked, looking over to her.
Kaoru walked around the false patching, making sure it was completely disguised. "My father built it before his passing. I'm a young woman living by herself with her younger charge. Best to have an escape route and with the growing number of unsavory looking men in town I may need it should you," she paused for a moment. "Should you leave."
The silence was brief between them as Kenshin thought over her response before posing another question. "And you would show it to this one?" He asked, watching her movements.
Kaoru smiled brightly, her hands on her hips. "Of course!"
"This one does not qualify as one of the unsavory looking men?" He questioned further.
"No."
"Why?" Kenshin asked. She seemed completely unbothered by the fact she was sharing this information with him, whom she barely knew, and the question appeared to catch her off guard as if she hadn't thought of it before. He smiled somberly, a slight tilt to his head. "You should really be more careful in the future. Even wanderers like me can harbor dark secrets."
Kaoru waved her hand at him. "You always talk down about yourself. From what I've seen you're nothing like the man you describe."
Kenshin's smile faltered a bit, something he hoped she didn't notice. "This one has done some terrible things Miss Kaoru."
"You're not like that Kenshin. So maybe you have something dark in your past, but you're not bad. I know you aren't." Her dismissal of his vague confession left him in a mix of emotions. Agitated at her willingness to accept anyone in her life regardless of their background- she should better protect herself, and another feeling he didn't want to admit. "And stop speaking as if you plan to leave soon," she said with a slight frown.
Kenshin looked away, brushing his hair out of his eyes."Well this one is a wanderer, and you'll never know when it's time for me to be on my way."
"Well if that's the case then as your caretaker I forbid you from leaving without saying a proper goodbye, you hear?" Kaoru stomped around in front of him and he brought his gaze to her face. "I forbid it Kenshin!" Her eyes sparkled, intense in the rising sun.
"Understood, Miss Kaoru."
She closed the distance and took his hand in hers, her eyes searched his face, for what he didn't know but a question hung on her lips. "Promise me," Kaoru spoke quietly. He was under the spell again, frozen where he stood staring at the smooth features on her face that his next statement slipped without a second thought.
"This one will promise." Kenshin regretted it the moment the words left his lips; he knew it was an oath he would break. He would have to leave at some point, no sense in meddling around Kaoru for long. He was interrupting her way of life, and it was high time he moved on. Kaoru smiled brightly, before bouncing off to the house, Kenshin trailing slowly behind.
The following days passed quietly, Kenshin laying low at the farm on account of his previous interactions in town, before Megumi sent a message. Lord Uramura had arrived and was her guest at the villa; eager to hear word from the royal militia, Kenshin wasted no time in taking the first opportunity to make his way to the estate. Kaoru would be in town with Yahiko so the timing was perfect.
Kaoru's mare carried him swiftly, the ride to the manor passed quickly before he was entering the courtyard. Royal horses fully adorned were stabled nearby and fully uniformed men bustled about, getting ready for their march onto Takeda's estate. As he approached the stable to tie off Kaoru's horse, Kenshin was saluted and the mare was taken care of by the stable hand and another soldier before he was escorted inside the large house. Guided through the halls, Kenshin was taken to a study at the far end of the house; it was a grand study with a large wooden desk in the center and bookshelves lining the walls. A single large window let natural light enter the room and looked over the garden behind the house. Uramura, Megumi, and a few other officials sat about the plush room, clearly waiting for Kenshin's arrival.
"Ah Himura. Good to see you again, though I thought you'd be staying here for the safety of Lady Takani?" Uramura spoke.
"I am well protected here, and it would seem that Sir Ken sought to other matters outside of my villa, isn't that right Sir Ken?" She smirked at the redhead. Kenshin changed the subject, less he had to explain where exactly he had been spending his time.
"Are the militia en route?"
Uramura nodded and sipped his tea. "They are not far off now, and will arrive at Kanryuu Takeda's villa by nightfall. The General will arrive with them." This surprised Kenshin but was good news. No doubt Kanryuu would already begin to suspect something and the less time they gave him to counter their plans the better.
"The General? I didn't expect him to be riding out this far…" Kenshin mused, lightly tapping a knuckle to his chin. Megumi blew a puff of smoke from her pipe before speaking.
"They are marching straight there?"
Uramura sipped his tea, the porcelain cup clinking against the decorative plate. "The General did not want to give Takeda any room for foolishness. He can either come quietly or by force."
She scoffed. "It will be the latter I guarantee you. Or he'll find a way to escape your clutches." She took another long drag of her smoking pipe, crossing the room to stare out the large window. From where he stood leaning against one of the bookshelves, Kenshin could see the scowl on her face. "He will spin it as if the royal army is violating its decree."
"With your testimony Lady Takani," Kenshin spoke up, addressing her formally, "the royal Consul will see otherwise that they will."
Megumi raised an eyebrow up at him before turning back to Uramura. "What of the people? Surely you cannot punish them for Takeda's trickery."
The older man nodded and pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose. "As long as they stand down clemency will be granted to them. No one need be hurt so long as everything goes well."
The relaxed nature he held did little to settle the rising tension in the room. Kenshin shared Megumi's unease and looked out the window; the sky was foreboding, the sun was blotted out like a cloth thrown over a lamp and drowned the usually beautiful and lush landscape in a shroud of gray tones. It was getting dark fairly quickly for the time of year as the clouds grew darker and rolled over the sky in waves.
Something wasn't right. The air tasted of malicious intent and the hairs stood up on the back of his neck. Kenshin was anxious to get back to the ranch again.
"Lady Takani!"
Suddenly a maid servant burst in, giving rushed bows. The woman was in hysterics and in between her gasps managed a few words. Fire and Kaoru.
Kenshin felt a cold sweat break out over his skin and he was dashing out of the room to the courtyard looking for the mare before any more words were spoken. Like the horse could sense the urgency, she was whining and pacing about as he approached her to quickly undo the reins. Uramura called out to him; the general would arrive shortly and was expecting him to rendezvous at Kanryuu's manor, yet for Kenshin there were more pressing matters. He ignored the request and commanded the horse into a gallop down the path, its hoofs deafening any further orders.
His hands shook, breathing labored and he tried to calm himself. He would get there in time, nearly there. Just around the bend now, she would be fine, waiting at the gate like always. As he got closer, the smell of smoke filled the air and the sky turned from the deep gray to a dull black tinted red. He could see the embers scattering to the wind before he even rounded the last hill, and the mare whined in protest once it came into sight. The ranch was up in flames; the house and stable, and Yahiko's horse was running rampant along the fence attempting to draw the attention of a would-be passerby. There were figures just near the burning home and as Kenshin jumped down from the mare he could see Sanosuke had arrived before he did. The brawler was currently interrogating one of Takeda's men, demanding answers. Kaoru and Yahiko were nowhere to be found.
"If they're in that house," Sanosuke started, "I swear I'll kill the lot of ya!"
Nearby another one of the perpetrators was crawling away, attempting to escape Sanosuke's wrath. Kenshin's hands shook with rage.
He stalked toward him as the thug begged for mercy, a privilege Kenshin was not willing to offer. He drew his blade and Kaoru's voice graced his ears. The memory of her denying his nature, that he was better than he believed. What he also remembered was the hidden door built into the floorboards of her room. Sheathing his weapon he immediately made his way to the back of the house and sure enough the false patch was pushed aside, smoke billowing out from the opening.
Sanosuke approached him from behind. "Kenshin these assholes-"
"Kaoru is alive," he stated, earning a pained look from the man. Sanosuke was falling apart.
"Are you sure?" Kenshin didn't answer, instead choosing to pray that his hunch was right, for Kanryuu's sake.
Kaoru knew the forest well, and that was going to be difficult for him. She would not be found easily. Sanosuke was trailing close behind, shouting Kaoru and Yahiko's name as he stumbled through the darkness, the smoke from the fire drowning out the moonlight. Kenshin stepped lightly listening for movement, a snap of a twig or something and was on the verge of demanding Sanosuke quiet himself for a moment when rushing footsteps from behind hit his ears. His assailant whipped their weapon which he dodged and a break in the black clouds allowed the silver light to highlight the woman's face.
"Kenshin?"
"Miss Kaoru," he sighed. Kenshin had not noticed the tension in his shoulders until it melted away, and by the grace of the gods she was alive. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she shook. Yahiko's voice could be heard not too far away.
"Let go of me!"
"Yahiko it's me!" Kenshin could hear the sound of a loud thump before Sanosuke barked, "Ow! That hurt you short ass punk!" They were close enough now that Kenshin could make out their forms, Sanosuke dragging Yahiko by his collar. Kenshin turned his attention back to the woman in front of him, her face smeared with smog, dirt and blood.
"Miss Kaoru, are you sure you're not hurt?" She nodded her head. Her eyes betrayed her words and were red with sorrow, anger and tears. She collapsed into him, a sob taking her. She had done more than just injure one man.
The assailants had thrown torches through the windows when she and Yahiko had refused to exit, then retreated when the house caught fire. Sanosuke has arrived to help them but he apparently wasn't needed. Kaoru had finished off the thugs herself before she and Yahiko escaped into the forest to hide.
Kenshin lifted Kaoru into his arms and carried her back toward the house. Her horse sprinted to them, looking for her master, and whined in relief to see Kaoru. She stroked the mare's nose while Kenshin suggested they make way for Megumi's estate. There was no saving the ranch as the fire consumed the stable and house all. The others agreed, taking Kaoru and Yahiko's horse and setting down the path, the fire still blazing behind them.
The ride back to the Takani manor was silent. Kenshin could tell Kaoru was doing everything in her power not to sob aloud, and her shoulders shook with the effort. He held her close, fearing she would fall off the mare. Entering the courtyard Kenshin helped her down from the horse and carried her inside where maids came rushing in to examine her. Megumi would be arriving shortly to apply more medical aid and Kenshin turned to leave when suddenly his hand was grasped. He looked down at Kaoru, her eyes pleading with him to stay though the words never left her lips. Kenshin obliged, taking the chair next to the bed as the attendants left them alone.
"Miss Kaoru," he began. "This one is sorry that-"
"Stop that," she interrupted. "No apologies. I'll be fine. Just a little bruised is all."
Kenshin's mouth set in a hard line, the best he could do to conceal the anger threatening to spill over. "Still, this one should have been with you to make sure you were safe."
"Kenshin," she said sitting up, "Kanryuu Takeda is a horrible man, you didn't know it was going to happen." They were quiet now, Kenshin vaguely aware of her closeness and couldn't find it in himself to make space. Instead, he avoided her gaze. "There's a lot of people in the courtyard, are they going after Kanryuu Takeda?" She spoke softly.
"That they are." Kenshin responded in the same soft tone.
"Are you joining them?" She must have been worried about another attack, worried that without his presence she would be in danger again. There were quite a number of militia here for Megumi's protection that this manor would be the most secure location Kaoru could stay in. Kenshin smiled in reassurance.
"You will be safe here Miss Kaoru. There are many guards here for your protection, and Megumi is-" suddenly Kaoru kissed his cheek lightly, the spot burning when she pulled away.
He was stunned into silence, staring at her face and lost in her gaze. "Just, come back Kenshin," she said, biting her lip.
A nod was all he could muster, not trusting himself to speak as she laid back down and closed her eyes. In moments it seemed sleep took her, the exhaustion too much for the woman to handle, and Kenshin wordlessly stepped out of the room, before heading to the stables.
He was untying a war horse, much to the mare's chagrin as it kept nudging at his head when he could hear the distinct footsteps of the brawler approach from behind.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sanosuke asked. "Without me I mean." In his hands were the reins to another horse.
"Are you sure you want to come? It will be only fighting-"
"Kenshin do ya still not know who ya talkin to?" The brute asked with a wide smile. Kenshin stared at him a moment before shaking his head and smiling.
"I suppose this one did not," he said, swinging himself up onto his horse, and set a gallop pace out of the estate entrance.
Arriving at the manor, the militia were already in place, the officiate reciting the crimes against the Kingdom Kanryuu committed. In his hubris, Kanryuu stood on the balcony of his estate, a pipe in one hand and a drink in the other. There was a relaxed weight in his shoulders, confidence radiating off of him. As the courtyard came into view, Kenshin could see juxtaposed to the militia were rows of Kanryuu's entourage; a mix of the well paid men and the recently employed ones from the port.
"Surrender at once, and leniency will be granted, by the decree of his Royal Majesty!" The officiate finished.
Kanryuu laughed, haughty and almost maniacal. "I have provided this region with life and sustainability! Ask the men standing in front of you who they would rather bow down to? The Kingdom who has all but forgotten their existence? Or me, the one who fills their bellies and pockets now?" He shouted.
There was a chorus of cheers from his gang of men as they waved their weapons around. The royal militia took a stance in response. Kanryuu smacked the balcony railing in percussion to the shouting when Kenshin's arrival caught his attention and the man thrust a finger forward.
"Any of you who brings me the head of that man will be rewarded with triple the riches promised!" That was enough to send the men charging in Kenshin's direction, shouting and bearing their weapons. The militia rushed forward, the clashing of metal against metal scraping Kenshin's ears. If it wasn't clear before, Kenshin understood now. These men had been paid to buy Kanryuu time as he was planning to escape amidst the chaos in the courtyard. Megumi was right, Kanryuu Takeda had no intention of facing his crimes.
"Kanryuu!" Kenshin called out before dashing across the courtyard as the man disappeared into the house. He could hear Sanosuke hot on his heels as they fought through the crowd, avoiding weapons and bodies from both militia and Kanryuu's gang members.
More thugs poured out from the front door blocking the entrance and the quickest way, the only way inside was the balcony. Sanosuke seemed to understand this too as he ran ahead, stopping just below the overhang, and clasped his hands together. It made a spring step for Kenshin to jump off of- more like Sanosuke launched him up to the railing, and Kenshin grabbed the edge before flipping himself up and onto the balcony. Sanosuke could handle himself in the chaos below and would catch up; Kenshin focused on catching the snake that was trying to escape.
Bursting through into the room, Kenshin subdued the men waiting there for him, then rushed into the hall. Thugs still littered the premises, however he was fast enough that he caught Kanryuu disappearing down a staircase and wasted no time in giving chase. Each man in front of him was another on the ground as he pierced his way through the bodyguards Kanryuu set up to slow him down until, finally, he descended another staircase to the floor underneath the house. The stone hall stretched out before him ending in a circular room like a mirror of the study above. Kanryuu was at the end shoving a key into the wooden door in the room, shouting for whoever was near to end Kenshin as the redhead made a dash down the hall. As he drew closer, a blade shot out in front of him from a door on his left side; if he hadn't ducked that would have been his end. Another goon, Kanryuu's last assassin, deftly swung a scimitar leaving Kenshin to go on the defensive, blades clashing in the small space. The sound of metal grinding against metal echoed, then the hallway shook; the door was opening, and Kanryuu was poised to run through. Kenshin disarmed his assailant, delivered a swift kick to his stomach to leave him winded, and picked up the short sword he was carrying. The mechanical door creaked, opening further, the mechanism's rotating gears screeching through the hall, but before the Kanryuu could escape Kenshin threw the short sword, lodging it into the gears and freezing the mechanism in place. The open space was too small to squeeze through, and Kanryuu shoved at wood, giving it his full body weight yet it did not budge. He was cornered, and he knew it as he turned to look at Kenshin who was now striding down the hallway to the room.
The assassin stood up again, ready to engage in another battle when, suddenly, Sanosuke came crashing through the ceiling above him in a flurry of splinters and dust, crushing the dark clad assassin and giving the brute he was in a tussle with another punch to knock him out cold. Kenshin gawked at the brawler; his busted lip and bruised eye marking his face, who turned to give him a toothy grin.
"Hey Kenshin," he croaked, "Where's Takeda?" Kenshin nodded to the safe room and made his way inside. As he entered the space, Kanryuu dove behind the mahogany table, cowering in fear.
"There is nowhere left to run Kanryuu. You will face your crimes now," Kenshin spoke.
Kanryuu peaked around the wood of the desk, trembling when his eyes landed on Sanosuke. "Hey you!" He said to the taller one. "Kill him and I'll pay you whatever you want!"
Sanosuke snorted, rotating his shoulder. "We're on the same side, asshole."
"It doesn't matter! Kill him and I'll pay you!" Sanosuke growled before tossing the desk aside; papers parchment scattered across the room and Kanryuu whimpered at the action. Kenshin stepped closer and held his weapon to the man's throat.
"Is that what you do? Pay a man to kill another?" He asked in a low voice. "Prey on their weakness and leave them to die when they have no more use for you?"
These men he hired were nothing but fodder and used to fan the flames of conflict he was sowing in the region. The people of the town suffered. Kaoru suffered.
"People do what they want!" Kanryuu bit back. "Dangle a little coin in front of them and they'll climb over each to get to it. All I did was give them a push." A dark laugh punctuated his statements.
"A push my ass, they almost killed Kaoru!" Sanosuke shouted.
"I see, this is about the little farm girl," Kanryuu stated, a dangerous grin on his face. " So, you're here for revenge? You can't kill me," he laughed again, a sound Kenshin was growing tired of. "What about your vows? You'd break them? Over some whore?" The back of Kenshin's blade whipped to the man's cheek, a thin line that bubbled with dark red appeared.
"If you don't do it, I will," Sanosuke said from behind him, the sound of his cracking knuckles echoing in the space. What seemed like forever was only seconds before Kenshin drew in a deep breath and sheathed his weapon. Sanosuke snorted and grabbed Kanryuu by the collar, ready to smash his fist into his face when a voice interrupted them.
"That's enough!" Kenshin turned to see General Aritomo Yamagata, clad in royal armaments as he stepped into the room with his men. "Punishment will be determined by the royal Consul." Sanosuke blew air and dropped Kanryuu who fell to the floor with a thud. "Good on you for not letting him get away, Dragon."
Kenshin held in a sigh and closed his eyes at the mention of his rank.
"Dragon?" Sanosuke asked, looking over to the redhead. Kenshin ignored it.
"General," Kenshin said, greeting him with a smile. "It's just Himura if you please." The General hummed in response then turned his gaze to Kanryuu.
"Seems you're finally cornered Takeda…" he eyed the man still cowering on the floor. "Men, see that Takeda is brought to his confinement. He'll confess before the King and royal Consul." The two men nodded, then grabbed Kanryuu, shackling his hands behind him. A slew of expletives flew from his mouth as he was dragged screaming out of his own home. Kenshin turned from the spectacle and took notice of a few blueprints scattered across the floor; one depicted a long barrelled weapon, capable of shooting some sort of projectile.
"General, if you don't mind I will need a horse and preparations for the journey ahead," Kenshin mentioned, helping himself to the prints and ledgers.
The General huffed and nodded before following his men out of the safe room. "Your escort leaves at first light."
"Wait so you're just going to leave? Just like that?" Sanosuke asked. "And what are ya? Some military dog?"
At this, Kenshin finally brought his gaze to look at Sanosuke square on. He knew it was coming, his friend demanded answers, yet he was at a loss for the words. He had hidden his identity for a month, and while he did it for their protection, for her protection, Kenshin could see that trying to convince the brawler of that was a lost cause. "Sanosuke… this one did not mean-"
"Mean to what? Lie to us? To Kaoru?" He shouted. Mentions of Kaoru hit him unexpectedly hard; what would she think of him now? Not only a liar, but a murderer too…
"We all thought ya might have been some mercenary, hired fist or something and come to find out you're a god-damned puppet to the royal family!" Sanosuke threw his hands in the air before turning away from Kenshin, kicking at the litter on the ground. "And now you're just going to leave? Were ya even going to tell Kaoru?" The brawler rounded on him again.
Kenshin sighed and offered a half smile. "It's better this way, I've caused enough trouble that I have-"
"Damn right ya did! She at least deserves to know!"
"Sanosuke…"
Sanosuke shouted, a curse hurled through the air and kicked at the littered furniture again and gave a quick pace back and forth, his hands resting on his hips. "Fine, see ya Himura. And good riddance." Sanosuke stalked out of the room, leaving Kenshin standing there in silence. Drawing in another deep breath, Kenshin swallowed whatever emotion that turned over in his stomach, feeling the brief sadness wash over him.
He was going to miss the clean farm air, the blissful quiet, and the raven haired girl with those indigo eyes.
...