Summary: When a captured assassin escapes, he takes a hostage along as insurance. Now she has to lead him to safety or he will kill her. Will she be able to ever return? AU. BKK. "She was the girl he had watched from across the fence, he would know her anywhere."

Disclaimer: Kenshin doesn't belong to me. He and all the characters of Rurouni Kenshin were created by the fabulous Watsuki Nobuhiro.

Rating: M

The Dance of the Firefly

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Chapter 3: The Cage Breaks

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Kyoto. It was a city of noblemen, of factions, political disturbance, revolution and bloodshed since time immemorial. It was an old city, a very old city. As is the case with ancient centres of human civilization and settlement, its history was written with blood. The blood that had been split in its streets seeped into its ground and mixed with its waters. It trickled into the bodies of its people. Ancient blood and feud wound its way back into the flesh and mind of the living.

Upheaval never died in Kyoto. It was alive, even now. The city woke and slept with mayhem. It would rise like the violent waves of the sea and be put to sleep by the blood of its citizens. The city would exorcise the spirit of chaos and turmoil every few decades before it woke again, hungry and thirsty for more.

Despite all that, despite the capricious nature of the city, there were those that loved her, who would rise again and again to kill and to die for her. These hard men roamed the streets by night and day, watching out for the slightest hint of trouble, ready to quell it in one stroke of their katanas. They showed no mercy, because they knew, if the tables were turned, no mercy would be shown to them.

Two of these men stood quietly in an alley near the docks. They were waiting for someone. The younger among them stepped forward and cautiously peered out of the alley. He turned his face first left, then right, carefully observing the silent dock. The dock had an abandoned, unused air about it. The few boats that were tethered to the iron plugs on the gangway seemed desolate. The man would have continued his quiet perusal of the area but he was suddenly pulled back into the alley by the tall man who accompanied him.

"Okita, does the term covert and secret mean anything to you?"

Okita turned to look at his colleague. He seemed a little taken aback at being pulled back into the alley by the scruff of his neck, but he seemed not to mind. He smiled.

"You're talking about our task, aren't you Sensei?"

The tall man nodded in silence. He looked every bit as ruthless as he was. The wolfish mould of his face often appeared in the nightmares of the men he had vanquished.

"Yes, that is precisely what I am talking about."

"In that case, covert and secret means a lot to me, Sensei."

He could hear footsteps on the stone gangway, coming their way. "Then I suggest you begin acting like it." Saitou hissed softly. Okita opened his mouth to protest, but Saitou silenced him by raising a finger to his lips and jerking his head sideways. Their contact had arrived.

He shuffled into the alley and smiled vacantly at the two Shinsengumi captains. He was shabbily dressed in a loose gi that hung open, revealing his scrawny chest. His hakama dragged on the ground, mud was caked on it. Okita felt repulsed by the filthy air surrounding the man. He unconsciously took a step back. Saitou frowned, as though the appearance of the man was a personal slur to him. Both the captains remained silent, each questioning the reliability of the information provided by such a source.

The man smiled widely, showing off a row of yellowed and mossy teeth. Okita curbed the instinct to gag and run. He turned his face away to hide his grimace. Saitou tapped his foot on the ground. He was just as eager to be rid of the fellow.

"What are you smiling about? Get on with it. Information is what we pay you for."

"I am honoured to be in the company of such esteemed and lordly men, Saitou-sama."

"If you have anything to tell us, say so, otherwise I believe I will be doing the city a service by sending you to the afterlife."

The man shivered. "But Saitou-sama, if you kill me, how will you learn the news I have to tell you!" He babbled.

Saitou turned away. "I doubt it will be of any great value. It was a waste of time to come here."

"No wait! It's about the Battousai! Don't you want to hear about the Battousai?" The man asked desperately.

Okita whirled around and stared at the man once more, studying him more carefully this time. Saitou stopped in his tracks. He turned. "The Battousai?"

The man nodded. "Yes Saitou-sama. I have news of the Battousai."

"Alright. Speak." He pulled his sword out of its sheath and rested the blade against the man's neck. "However, I must warn you. I will hold you responsible for whatever you say after this moment. I do not like to be trifled with, especially concerning the Battousai. Speak."

"The B…Battousai is being held captive… at a garrison south of Edo. It's a village called Kanen. But…but he won't be there for long. I have news that Katsura has struck a bargain with Takamori to free him and bring him back to Kyoto."

The man gasped. The blade had dangerously dug deeper into his skin. He looked wildly from Saitou to Okita.

"It's the truth, I swear!"

The two captains exchanged a glance. Saitou relented and removed his sword from the man's neck and sheathed the sword once more. Okita removed a small leather purse from his sleeve and threw it at the man's feet.

The man slid to the ground and greedily picked the purse up. When he looked up again, his interrogators were gone. He ran out to the gangway once more, but they were nowhere to be seen, it was as though they had disappeared into thin air. He pulled a dirty handkerchief from his sleeve and sloppily mopped his face with it. Pushing it back into his sleeve, he shuffled down the gangway, eagerly counting the thirty pieces of silver he had been given to betray his comrades.

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The storm was getting worse. The trees bent under the weight of the torrential wind sweeping through the valley. Kaoru huddled closer to the fire. The wind hammered against the wooden shutters on the windows. She rubbed her hands together and held them over the fire. Every few minutes, she would raise her head and stare at the door. Her father hadn't returned since he'd left earlier that evening, but she wasn't really worried about him. He was not a man who would put himself through any danger whatsoever to reassure anyone. He had probably decided to wait the storm out at the sake shop or the local brothel.

If she was worried about anyone, it was Tae. She had left to tend to a sick neighbour in the village two hours ago and hadn't returned. The storm had picked up soon after she left. Kaoru hoped she had decided to remain there and not try to brave the weather to come home. Tae was exactly the sort of person who would recklessly try to make her way home in a storm rather than let Kaoru stay alone in an empty house, if she thought that she might feel lonely or scared.

The door slammed in its frame. Kaoru jumped. She placed a hand flat on the floor to steady herself. The door shook with the pressure of the wind smashing into it. Kaoru turned her attention to the fire once more. She had to keep it alive till Tae returned. If the fire went out, they were going to be in trouble. The cold would kill them. She laboriously set to work, breaking small twigs from the pile of branches Tae had stored beneath the floor. She carefully placed the twigs one by one on the fire, feeding it, not allowing it to go out.

The flames began shooting up. Kaoru sighed and sat back. She turned towards the door once more.

Tae, come home.

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Kenshin sat silently. Tsujai was held captive in the cell on the other side of the wall he leaned against. They were going to break out of the garrison today. He was concentrating on staying calm and keeping his excitement under wraps. He was finally breaking free of this hellhole. His nerves tingled and his veins felt like they were on fire. He wondered what it would feel like to hold his sword once more, to hear the swish of the blade as it sliced through the air before it met its target.

He opened his eyes. It was time for the guards to switch their watch. He tensed and waited. He didn't dare raise his eyes, lest they give him away. On occasion he had been compelled to lie, it was possible, but not for his eyes. His eyes never lied. The guards conversed in low tones for a while, and then one of them left. Kenshin shut his eyes once more. He heard the turn of the key in the lock. He didn't move a muscle.

The iron bars swung away as the guard entered the cell.

"Prisoner, are you awake?"

Kenshin slowly opened his eyes and looked up. The guard stepped back. The prisoner's eyes seemed to shine so brightly, he was afraid that he might get pulled into the blaze. Kenshin stood in one fluid motion and walked over to the guard.

The guard collected himself, and jerked his head towards the door. Kenshin followed him without a word. When he stepped out of the cell, he looked around and found Tsujai already out. He was standing near a rack that held their swords. He turned to face Kenshin.

"We have to hurry. Which one is yours? We have about five minutes. The others will attack the fort soon."

Kenshin stepped up to the rack. He looked closely. Finally his eyes rested upon his katana. He smiled. Stroking the sword gently, he picked it up. Gripping the hilt tightly, he pulled it out of the sheath. The arc cut across the roughly made table in front of him. The table collapsed into two. Tsujai and the guard both stared at him. They exchanged a glance as he calmly sheathed his sword again and secured it at the hip.

The guard picked up a lantern from the ground and lit it carefully. He beckoned them both to follow him. Silently the three men made their out to the surface. The loud cries of battle and clang of steel could be heard clearly. The guard handed the lantern to Tsujai and disappeared. Tsujai grabbed Kenshin's wrist and pulled him behind the fence. The garrison was up in flames.

Tsujai turned to Kenshin. "I think they've begun the attack. Make your way to the village, and then go north."

Kenshin grasped his elbow. "What about you?"

Tsujai grinned. "I'm merely the messenger. I was sent to show you the way out of this prison. You have to make your way back to Kyoto. Katsura-sama awaits you."

Kenshin nodded slowly. Tsujai quickly explained the way back to Kyoto and the location of the house of the spy at the village who would equip him with supplies to make his way back to Kyoto. Finding the right house would be a challenge so he would have to be careful. He would face no trouble making his way to the village since the garrison soldiers and guards would be busy fighting the rebels. Once he was in the village, he was on his own. Wishing him good fortune, Tsujai drew his sword and joined the fighting.

Kenshin quietly made his exit from the garrison. He ran across the fields, bent low at the waist. His muscles felt a bit stiff but, the stiffness seemed to fall away as he ran. Faster and faster, he raced through the fields, the muddy water splashed on his clothes. It splattered on his face. He grinned. Freedom was cheap at this price. The wind tore at his face; icy needles of air slid against his skin. He shivered. He stopped.

The village was spread out in front of him. All he had to do was descend the hill he stood upon. He crouched low on the ground. The tall grass growing on the hill provided ample camouflage. He slowly surveyed his surroundings. They had no guards posed anywhere. He smirked. This village was so far away from the playing field of the revolution, that he doubted whether the villagers even knew that the country was gripped in the throes of war.

He looked down at the village. All the houses were built on the same design. They all looked the same, and he had to find the right house, or he would very likely be returning to the garrison. He swore softly under his breath. He ran the instructions given to him by Tsujai once more. He took a deep breath and stood up.

The grass rustled softly against the fabric of his hakama. Kenshin glanced down and sighed. He was also going to have to ask for clothes. He began his descent down the hill.

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The clanging of the great bell at the temple woke jerked Kaoru from her slumber. She sat up, startled. It was freezing. She shivered. Running her hands up and down her arms, she tried to gain a little warmth. She looked towards the fire and gasped. It had gone out! She scrambled to the remains of the fire. She picked up the iron pipe she used to blow into the fire and poked about the ashes, trying to find an ember that was still alive and aflame. She sat back dejectedly as she found none. She froze as she heard sounds of people running and fighting outside. She ran to the window and slowly lifted the shutter a fraction. She peeked out.

Her eyes grew wide. People were fighting in the middle of the street, chasing after each other! Some houses were burning. She saw a man running from the soldiers. He stopped in the middle of the street and threw a stone at them. Nervously, he looked around and then rushed into the first house he set eyes on, the house across the street. The soldiers surrounded the house and set fire to it. Screams and cries of pain could be heard as everyone inside the house began to run out one by one.

Kaoru dropped the shutter in panic. It slammed shut. She whirled around. There was fighting going on in the streets and Tae wasn't home yet. She prayed that she was safe and that none of the crazy people outside tried to burn her house down. She suddenly stood and latched the window shut tightly. She ran to the other end of the small house, shutting everything, making sure everything was secure. Finally, she grabbed a large stick from the woodpile and sat down against the door.

She jumped as the sound of low laughter reached her ears. The stick fell down on the floor, but she snatched it back up and stood, holding the stick threateningly in her hands. She peered into the darkness, she could make out a dark figure standing in front of her, leaning against the opposite wall.

"Who's there?" She called out in a voice she hoped sounded calm, unafraid and authoritative. She received no answer. The figure merely straightened and began to move. Towards her.

Kaoru swallowed. She took a deep breath and spoke again. "Who is it?"

The figure suddenly lunged towards her. Kaoru shut her eyes and swung the stick with all her might. The stick sailed through the air. She stumbled and lost her footing. She held her hands out to cushion her fall but before she hit the floor, she was caught by an arm that pulled her towards itself. She fell and landed on something soft…..something unfamiliar, something that smelt of the wet earth, and musty dry leaves. There was also the scent of sweat mingled with ginger and pine. Kaoru blinked a couple of times; trying to piece together what the smells were telling her about the person she was currently lying upon.

She gasped and tried to sit up. The man….it was a man, no mistaking that…wrapped his arms around her, making it very difficult for her to move. She pushed against his chest. He laughed once again. She felt her temper rise at his audacity. She curled her hand into a fist and punched him soundly in the stomach. He jerked and loosened his hold a little. Kaoru squirmed, trying to stand but was pulled down once more.

"What do you think you're doing?" She snarled.

Kenshin stared at her face. He almost trembled. It was the same girl, from the fields. He had never imagined that she would turn out to be the Ishin Shishi spy in the village. He had been so surprised to find her sleeping so soundly when he entered. He was spellbound by the innocent, peaceful look on her face as she slept. He had just sat there; staring at her while she slept. The fire died out but he hadn't cared. The icy wind penetrated into the house through the cracks in the door and windows but he hadn't bothered to shut them. All he wanted to do was look at this angelic figure lost in peaceful dreams.

Kaoru frowned. She punched him once more. He raised an eyebrow. She gaped at his shamelessness. He was giving her the raised eyebrow even though he was the one who broke into her house, he was holding her intimately without her permission and he was probably some prisoner from the garrison who managed to escape in the confusion.

She bristled and hit him a few times more. "I said what do you think you're doing? Answer me!"

"Trying to calm you down. The soldiers are still there, if you keep making such a fuss, they'll find us."

"That is exactly what I want! Let go of me!"

"Just calm down, relax", He rubbed her back gently with his hands. Kaoru cringed at feel of his hands, and pushed at him again. They struggled for a while.

A sharp knock on the door startled them both. They turned to the door and stared at it with apprehension. The door shook a little and then a strong knock slid the blot back in its place and the door opened.

Kaoru froze in fear as the figure in the door stepped forward. It was her father! Koshijuro took in the sight in front of him and stood perfectly still. His eyes glinted dangerously and for the first time in her life, Kaoru saw her father smile. The smile twisted his face. She had never seen a smile reveal so much hate and pleasure; she had never seen such satisfaction on his face. Her heart sank.

Koshijuro stared at the scene in front of him. A strange man lay on the floor. He was holding his daughter cosily in his arms. One hand was rubbing her back, the other held her cheek. In the pale light that was present inside the house, he could see that kimono was pushed low, low enough for him to comfortably see her cleavage and for the stranger to touch her breasts, if he so chose to do so. Nobody had believed him when he told them but, here was proof! Unshakeable and reliable proof that his daughter was the filth he proclaimed her to be.

In the olden days, she would have been dragged to the village square and stoned, then branded a whore with hot irons. It was a pity that custom had been ended centuries ago.

Kenshin looked from the girl to the man in the door. Everything slid into place. He was in the wrong house. He clenched his fists and waited. Kaoru struggled to break free once again, this time he let her go. She stood and ran her hands down her kimono. Stumbling slightly she made her way to her father.

"Father, its….its not what it seems. I…have no idea who this is. I…don't know how he got here and …I had nothing to do with it…Father…I…."

She gasped as his hand struck her. The sound exploded inside the house. Kaoru stumbled and fell. She touched her face in pain. Looking at him, she tried to justify herself once more. Koshijuro slapped her again, and again. He threw her against the floor and kicked her in her gut violently. He pulled her up by the hair and slapped her again.

Kenshin watched in horror as the brute she had called 'father' hit her again and again. His blood boiled in rage. His body seemed to shake as his eyes turned golden. His fists clenched and he shot forward, knocking him over. The girl was lying on the floor, limp and completely shaken. He gently lifted her into his lap and held her against him. He lifted his eyes to the man he had just flung across the room. The simmering fury in his eyes promised pain to him, long, lingering pain.

"How dare you hurt her?" Kenshin's voice was the barest whisper, yet his rage was obvious.

Koshijuro stood shakily. He wiped the mouth from his blood roughly with his hand.

"Hmph. I had no idea even whores had protectors these days."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"It's obvious that my daughter has been whoring for the garrison. Your presence here alone speaks for that."

Kenshin stared at the man in bafflement. He couldn't decide whether he wanted to shout and scream at him to stem his evil thoughts or simply slice through his heart with his sword. Before he could speak, the girl in his arms stirred. She pushed him away and stood before her father once more. She was calm now. She spoke loud and clearly, with her head held high.

"Father, don't think anything so dreadful of me. You're doing me a great injustice."

"Shut your mouth! I don't want to hear it. I always said it, and now I've been proven right. You are a slut, just like your mother!"

She winced but refused to cast her eyes down. Kenshin looked at her in admiration. That's it girl, don't let him break you.

Koshijuro glared at her. "Get out. Leave this instant."

Kaoru looked at him, startled. "Leave?"

"Yes, leave. Get out. I never want to see your face again. At least your mother had the good sense to sleep with a man of standing. You don't even refuse prisoners." He spat.

He turned away. Kaoru went to him, trying to talk and make him change his mind. As she drew near, Kenshin saw him pick up a poker from the floor. He gripped it tightly in his hand. Kenshin quietly picked up a wooden chest from the floor just in case the man decided to turn things ugly by hitting her again. As Koshijuro turned, poker held high above his head, his eyes gleaming in rage and madness, Kenshin brought the chest down hard on his head. Koshijuro froze, he stumbled. He fell to the floor with a crash.

Kaoru screamed. "Father! Father! Oh my god, what have you done to him? You've killed him. You killed my father!"

Kenshin rolled his eyes. He walked over to her, and dragged her to her feet by her arm. She was craning her neck, trying to reach the man lying on the floor, when he grabbed her shoulders and roughly shook her.

"Listen to me! Nothing has happened to him. He'll be fine. He's just unconscious."

She looked at him uncertainly. "He's alright?"

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, he's fine. Although, why you're concerned for an animal like him is beyond my understanding."

Kaoru turned away. "He's my father."

"Well, you certainly make a very happy family." He strode to the door and glanced back at her. He could hear voices and the sound of people running. There was no more time.

"We're leaving now."

"We? Leaving? What are you talking about?"

"In case you've forgotten, your dear father has thrown you out of the house. He won't be feeling too kind towards you when he wakes. Let's go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Yes you are sweetheart."

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her out the door. Kaoru resisted. "Hey! Stop it; I don't want to go with you."

He whirled her around, surprising her. "That's really unfortunate. But you're coming with me anyway Wide Eyes. I need to get out of this village and you're going to show me the way."

"Why don't you get someone else?'

"You're very easy on the eyes."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You don't even know me."

"It's a long road to Kyoto. There will more than one occasion to get to know you."

He pulled her forward, towards the door. Kaoru snatched her hand away. "You can't just tell me what to do! I am not going anywhere with you. This is my home and I'm staying here."

Kenshin coolly regarded her for a few seconds. "Look, I don't where you got the idea that you could talk back to me, but put it out of your mind. You are helping me find my contact in this village and then you will guide me out of this district and into Kyoto. Do we understand each other?"

Kaoru drew herself up. "No, we do not."

Kenshin stared at her. "I am a very patient man but there are limits to my understanding. Don't make me forget that I do not intend to hurt you in order to get out of here."

"You can do what you please, I'm not going anywhere with you."

He smirked. Suddenly, he moved forward and twisted her arm behind her back. Kaoru cried out in pain. He twisted it back further. She arched her back, trying to free herself.

"Did you know, it takes precisely one minute to break an arm? The muscles twitch and then you feel the bones and sinews stretching as you pull them in the other direction. You think the pain will stop after a while, that you'll become numb to it but it doesn't happen, the pain just keeps increasing and increasing…"

"Stop….stop…stop dammit! I'll show you the way!" He let her go. Her knees hit the ground. She held her elbow and rocked back and forth. She looked up at him hatefully.

"I hope you go to hell."

"Already there."

He grabbed her wrist and led her out the door. They raced across the muddy roads. Kaoru fell repeatedly. She kept turning backwards to look at her house, and the prisoner was walking too fast.

As she turned around one last time, she knew in her heart that this was perhaps the last time she ever saw her home again. She was caught between the misguided hatred of her father and the undisguised promise of death by the hands of the red-haired stranger who dragged her further and further away from everything she had ever known.

Author's Notes

Sorry guys too tired to write you a message. Happy reading.