The Hunter
Chapter Six
Rin regained consciousness to the discovery that she was tied to a rather sizeable bamboo tree. There was no way to tell how far the bandits had travelled, or even how long she'd been unconscious. She could see the ones who had taken her a short distance away, huddled around a small fire. They were talking and laughing, not the least bit concerned about being discovered.
Annoyed to find herself at the mercy of bandits once again, she attempted to wriggle loose from her bindings. A sudden searing pain shot down her leg reminding her that she'd been stabbed not that long ago. Frustrated, she turned all of her attention to freeing her hands. It was no easy task. They had used twine to bind her and someone had had the ingenious idea to wet the rope beforehand, making the knots almost impossible to pry loose.
She was still struggling when the leader got up from the fire and made his way towards her. He carried something in his hand, but it wasn't until he neared that she could see it was a ladle of water.
"Thirsty?" he asked, crouching down in front of her.
She stubbornly turned her head away, but when he pressed the ladle to her lips she took several greedy swallows.
"I am surprised your man has not come for you. If I had a prize like you, I would never let her out of my sight."
He caught her up by the chin and studied her in the dim light. She could see the lust glimmering in his eyes and knew what he wanted. She offered him a cold glare in return, letting him know that she didn't plan to give in without putting up a fight.
His fingers tightened around her jaw and a cruel smirk lifted one corner of his mouth. He looked very much like he wanted to kiss her, but a shout from one of the others around the fire distracted him. He called back over his shoulder to a chorus of chuckles and then, looking mildly disappointed, he released her and got to his feet.
"Sleep well, pet. I won't be long," he promised darkly.
Rin narrowed her eyes at his retreating form and followed it all the way back to the campfire. Once he was out of earshot, she re-doubled her efforts with the rope. She had no intention of sticking around to be anyone's pet.
By the time an hour had passed, her fingernails were bloody and her wrists raw. For all her struggles she hadn't loosened a single knot. In an effort to quell the bubble of panic that was slowly building inside of her, she bowed her head and contemplated what her next move should be.
They would have to untie her at some point. Perhaps she could find some way to cause a distraction and make a run for it? Glancing down at her injured leg she frowned and noted that it would have to be a very big distraction.
For a brief moment she found her thoughts wandering to Kohaku. Had he noticed she was missing? Or was he too busy gambling to care? The bandits seemed to think he would come after her, but she knew better. After all, he could find another whore to keep him company on his journey to Edo easily enough, perhaps even one that would cause him less trouble.
Still, a part of her reluctantly hoped he would come for her. Despite his arrogance and the asinine assumption that she belonged to him, he hadn't treated her poorly. He'd protected her, humoured her and treated her like a lady instead of a whore. If she had to pick between Kohaku and the alternative, she knew without a doubt what her choice would be. Him she could survive, but this…
A sudden, sharp crack of branches underfoot made the breath still in her lungs. She glanced warily at the fire and counted the heads she could see. Some of the men had gone to sleep while a few others stayed awake talking. Was one of them missing?
The footsteps came to an abrupt halt behind her and just as quickly a hand clamped hard over her mouth, stifling her cry.
"Sakura, it's me," a man's voice hissed in her ear.
Her eyes widened in shock and recognition. Was it possible? She turned her head and caught a glimpse of Kohaku's profile illuminated in the dim light cast off by the fire. His expression was grim, but she saw no trace of anger in his eyes.
"Stay quiet," he ordered. "I'm going to cut you free."
When she nodded in understanding, he released her mouth and cut her hands and feet free of the twine.
"How did you find me?" she whispered, hazarding a cautious glance at the bandits.
"Worry about that later. Come on," he ordered, tugging her to her feet.
"Wait! My leg…!" She gasped as a sharp jolt of pain tore across the back of her thigh. Kohaku quickly set her down again and pulled up her bloodied kimono to expose the wound. Her sudden movement had re-opened it and blood was seeping down her leg.
She held her breath at the gentle, probing touch of his hands and studied his features in the dim firelight. Perhaps it was something in the determined set of his jaw or the unwavering focus of his eyes, but she thought he looked older and a bit more mature than he had before.
"It's not too deep," he reassured her.
Kohaku quietly tore a strip of cloth from the hem of his shirt and wrapped it around her leg in a make-shift bandage.
"Do you think you can walk?" he asked, offering his hand.
She allowed him to help her to her feet and tried to walk on her own but promptly stumbled into him. Ignoring her objections, he picked her up into his arms and made off in the direction he'd come.
Even while carrying her, he moved with ease through the darkened forest, stepping over fallen trees and ducking under low hanging branches without a single misstep. For fear of being detected, she didn't dare speak until the village came into view. Only then did she voice the question that had been plaguing her thoughts the entire journey back.
"Why did you come for me?"
"I don't look kindly on people taking what is mine," he answered matter-of-factly.
"I see," she whispered, turning away to disguise her look of disappointment.
For a moment there she'd thought perhaps… She shook her head, realizing what a ridiculous notion it was. Here he was, clear as day, confirming exactly what she'd known all along.
"I don't see why you bothered," she snapped, suddenly annoyed. "You could have found another whore to keep you company easily enough."
"Well, if you so prefer their company to mine, perhaps I should take you back?" he retorted dryly.
By now they had reached the main road of the town and his feet suddenly drew to a halt. When he turned back towards the forest her eyes widened in fear and he chuckled at her expense. Though he had every right to be angry with her, an amused smile lurked at the corners of his mouth.
"How do I know you are not like them?" she challenged, thinking of the ones who had taken her.
"You don't," he replied, continuing down the road to the inn, "but I would like to think that my actions count for something."
His actions did count for something, but so too did his words. What did it matter that he had risked his life for her a second time, or that her relief at seeing him tonight had nearly brought her to tears? What did any of that matter when she was merely a possession in his eyes, something to be bought and sold as he saw fit. There was no escaping that vile truth, no matter how kind his eyes or how warm his smile.
Their room at the inn was cold and dark, but the owner had been kind enough to lay out their futons for the night. Rin considered them while Kohaku lit a small fire inside the heater to warm the room. When he was finished, he followed her gaze to where the futons sat side-by-side and quickly stepped forward to adjust them.
Surprising even herself, she reached out her hand to stop him.
"Leave them," she instructed softly before shuffling forward and collapsing atop the futon closest to the heater. He didn't object and waited until she'd settled in before taking his place beside her.
Despite the heater's warmth and the heavy blanket wrapped around her, she couldn't seem to stop shivering. Kohaku's arm settled heavily around her waist and her body tensed instantly. It went even more rigid once he pulled her flush against him. She laid there unmoving, hardly breathing, waiting expectantly for his next move - but it never came. The warmth of his body heat bled through her clothes, calming the worst of the tremors. It was only then that she realized the lingering shaking of her shoulders had another source entirely.
A silent tear slipped down the side of her nose and disappeared against the pillow, only to be soon followed by another. Tonight she'd re-lived the nightmare that had plagued her dreams for nearly a year. She'd promised herself that she would never allow it to happen again, but it had and she'd been just as powerless to stop it. If Kohaku hadn't come for her when he did…
His arm suddenly tightened around her and she could feel the warmth of his breath against the back of her neck.
"Did they hurt you?" he asked softly, brushing his fingers across the red, angry skin of her naked wrist.
Words failed her, but she managed to shake her head "No." They hadn't been given the chance, thanks to him. From behind her she thought she heard Kohaku breathe a sigh of relief, but then it could have just been her imagination.