Chapter One Hundred Nine
"Himura-san! Kaoru-san! Congratulations!" Beaming and jogging up to meet them on the sidewalk, Yūtarō shook Kenshin's bandaged hand vigorously. Parked on the side of the road behind him, there was a car waiting for them as he had promised over the phone. "I'm happy for the both of you!"
"Thanks!" Slipping her arm through the crook in Kenshin's elbow, Kaoru beamed back at the young koi-fish demon.
"Thank you, Yūtarō-kun. I appreciate you agreeing to help us on such short notice."
"Don't mention it. I still owe you a lot, Himura-san." Waving his gratitude aside, Yūtarō urged them towards the car. "There's a small safe house you can use for the night near the station. It's nothing fancy, but it should be well stocked with supplies." Having gone on ahead, the salamander stood staring intently through the side window into the interior of the car. "I can also arrange transportation back to Neo-Tokyo, if you're interested."
Kenshin frowned but nodded.
"Let me think about it."
"Cool." Opening the back door for them to climb in, Yūtarō next quickly opened the front passenger door with the intent to load up their small amount of luggage. As soon as the door was open, however, the salamander lunged inside and snapped his teeth around something small hiding inside the console between the seats. "Whoa!"
Backing out slowly, the salamander sat on the sidewalk looking very pleased with his catch. In his mouth, a ruckus of epic proportion announced someone quite small was very unhappy.
"Let me the hell out of here!"
"P-princess?!" Recognizing the voice, Yūtarō blinked in shock, and Kaoru repeated the claim with the same amount of surprise and confusion. Kenshin, however, reacted a bit more protectively. Pointing a hand at the salamander, his voice deepened authoritatively.
"Hold." The salamander obliged, and lifted his chin to project an air of attention while maintaining his clenched jawline around the angry sylph.
"No! Don't swallow me!"
Swinging violet eyes over to Yūtarō, Kenshin's brows flattened. "What's this about a princess?"
A touch unsettled by the different feel that now clung to Kenshin's power, Yūtarō almost instinctively bowed deep at the waist in submission.
"I-I'm sorry, Himura-san. I didn't realize she had followed me."
Touching a hand to her husband's arm, Kaoru also hurriedly reassured him. Although surprised to learn she could make herself so small, Kaoru had definitively identified the voice as belonging to Misao.
"She's not with the Emperor." The frown was briefly aimed at her before it returned to Yūtarō when he piped up again.
"She doesn't mean you any harm. I think she just wants to talk."
Kaoru and Yūtarō both silently decided it was best not to tell him that the princess had threatened to kidnap Kaoru just to get his attention. Stowing away in his car was nearly the least damaging thing she could have done. The salamander, however, had no qualms whatsoever about informing Kenshin of said same threat. Intense irises of sparking fire announced without sound the depths of his displeasure over the imparted information. Purposefully taking his time on a decision, Kenshin finally jerked his head to let her free. On command, the salamander opened his mouth, and the pixie princess jumped out in a flurry of singed wings and irritated curses.
"Were you trying to bake me alive in there?! What kind of way is that to treat someone you just met?!" Landing on the roof of the car, Misao slapped her hands over her outfit to put out the small cinders that had stuck to her clothes and hair. "I thought you were supposed to be mellow!" Tiny wings buzzed at her back as they too worked to rid her of the overwhelming heat. There was no answer to her livid demands, and when she finally looked up, her annoyance snapped back on her diaphragm as the atmosphere sizzled with barely contained hostility. Finally, she was face-to-face with the fire demon, and he looked about as welcoming as the heavy sun in a drought. A harsh swallow worked at her throat, and she knew without a doubt that this man was stronger than her father.
Unnoticed behind Kenshin, Kaoru's sapphire eyes stared in delight at Misao's tiny, fairy-like form.
"Princess, what are you doing here? Did you listen in on my phone conversation with Kaoru-san?"
Uncomfortably avoiding Kenshin's flat, steady gaze, Misao waved a hand and pivoted so that she was facing sideways from them. "So what? You know I've been wanting to speak with the fire demon. Were you going to keep it a secret that he had finally come down from the mountain?"
"No. I was going to respectfully ask him if he wanted to talk to you first. No offense, Princess, but I don't really have any allegiance to you."
"My answer is no." The abrupt insertion of Kenshin's serious voice broke into the argument. "I don't talk to anyone that would threaten my wife."
Turning, he placed a bandage-wrapped hand on the still open car door, and with his other on the small of Kaoru's back, he urged her to climb into the back seat. Though delighted by Misao's appearance, and still slightly wistful of the uncanny resemblance her features reflected to that of another Misao Kaoru had known, Kaoru had decided it best to remain silent. After all, she had already known what Kenshin's answer was going to be, and she backed that decision completely. Quietly ducking into the car without a fight, she slid over to the far door so that Kenshin could join her. Snorting at the sylph, the salamander pushed his way into the backseat first, in order to latch himself to Kaoru's hair tie and return to his braided form. The door closed firmly once Kenshin had climbed in after.
Muttering under her breath, Misao pouted and kicked one miniature foot at the roof of the car. "He doesn't even know what he's saying no to. And it's not like I was going to hurt her." She meant to say the words louder, but a part of her had shriveled almost instantly in the frightening face of the power she could feel from this fire demon. A wiser voice in her head cautioned it would be best to come at the situation from a different angle.
Sighing, Yūtarō looked straight up into the sky.
"Get in the car, Princess. I'll drop you off at headquarters. I'm sure your grandfather and that bodyguard are worried."
The luggage was placed in the trunk to allow the front seat to be free, and Misao assumed her human-sized form before buckling herself in and staring out her window. Her shoulders slumped as she sulked, and the ride was quiet for the first few minutes. When Misao finally decided to peek over her shoulder, she was surprised to find Kaoru already looking at her; like she might have been for a while. The human girl smiled instantly, but a sadness clung to her eyes. The same sadness she had seen in her eyes the night of the citywide fires.
"Did… I hear 'wife' earlier?"
The smile on Kaoru's mouth widened, and the sadness briefly dispersed.
"Yes. We were married this afternoon."
Uncomfortably trying to smooth over the awkwardness her presence had created, Misao nodded.
"Oh… congratulations." Curiously, her aquamarine eyes glanced at Kenshin's stiff posture in the seat behind her. "You're fine with her being human?"
His head tilted, and his guarded gaze was intense.
"What she is doesn't matter to me. Who she is, that is what matters."
Something in Misao's expression changed and became slightly melancholy. Kaoru's voice brought the princess's attention back to her.
"Do you not like humans, Misao-dono?"
Sighing dramatically, Misao turned so that she was facing forward, and her head pushed into the back of her seat as she readjusted.
"My grandmother was human. My mother was half. I don't know about any other humans, but… I loved them." Her chin tilted towards her side window. "I guess I kind of like you, too. I don't really have any reason to hate you, at least. I'm not like my stupid father."
"The Emperor? Do you know why he wants Miss Kaoru?"
"Oh? You want to talk to me now?" The car came to a slow stop along a side road. From out of a nearby building, a tall kijin stepped closer and opened Misao's door. The frown on his face was deep and ill-amused. Misao grinned at Aoshi like an imp before speaking around the headrest. "I do know why he wants her. I also know why he wants you." The cold-blue eyes of the kijin drifted to the backseat where Kenshin was silhouetted in the window. When their eyes briefly connected, the kijin bowed respectfully. "We're leaving for Neo-Tokyo tomorrow. If you're interested, we can meet up and talk sometime in the morning. Fish boy can set it up." Turning to wink at Kaoru, Misao grinned. "Even I'm not rude enough to interrupt a wedding night. See ya!"
X
The safe house Yūtarō left them at was small, but comfortable. It was quiet, as well, and for some reason Kaoru could not explain, it was thrilling. Perhaps it was the realization of being somewhere other than the familiar setting of Megumi's lab, Kenshin's apartment, and now Hiko's mountain cottage. The cozy set of rooms felt like they were truly on a brief getaway, like an actual honeymoon, and the knowledge that they were married finally seemed to settle on her mind. Her heart had already accepted the truth hours before, but her mind had been in a daze with the day's progression from proposal, to wedding, their departure from the mountain, and finally to their wedding night. Though the promise of intimacy was not strictly new, it was still anticipated and exciting, but it was the marriage seal that fluttered her stomach with nervousness.
"We walked for quite some time. Would you like to take a bath while I make something to eat?"
"Sure… I-I'm not really very hungry, though."
Kenshin smiled as if aware of the sudden jitters that had taken over her body. "Then I'll make something light."
Between the space of each word, Kaoru could hear him ask that she not skip meals. The promise felt like something she had made a lifetime ago, but he refused to let her forget it. Even though she was far from malnourished. Warmed and calmed by his composure, she wandered off towards the bath to freshen up. Instead of soaking, as that was something she had already done at the hot spring that morning, she washed off only. The process took little time, as she also skipped wetting her hair, and her reentrance into the small kitchen/eating space found Kenshin had made hardly any progress on their meal.
In fact, from his posture, he had made no progress from where she had left him. Pain contorted his expression and spine, and both bandaged hands were fisted upon the counter of the kitchenette. Each breath he managed to inhale struggled into his lungs, and it appeared to take all his strength just to remain on his feet. Following the split-second it took for his condition to register in her mind, Kaoru rushed forward to duck her head under his arm and brace his weight with her shoulder. He winced away from the hand she had curled around his ribs, but slowly relaxed into her side as her assistance took the burden off his legs.
"I'm sorry."
Sapphire eyes frowned, but she kept her voice gentle. "You don't have to be sorry for being in pain." Heavily, his head leaned into the side of hers, and she braced her feet as smoothly as possible to make sure her movements did not jostle him. She could feel each inhale as it unsteadily expanded his back and ribs. "Is this… because of what happened?"
"Yes." The word was pained, and a stifled grunt stiffened his torso. "I can deal with it most of the time…"
Hiko had already warned her that Kenshin would never fully heal from trying to force his transition before he was whole. She hated to see him in such pain, but if there was nothing they could do to change his condition, then she would make sure he knew that she was there to support him through it. They were married, after all, and she was his wife. Squaring her shoulders, she tilted her head slowly to leave a soft kiss on his chin.
"Want me to make supper while you take a break?" The surprise in his violet irises was nearly offensive, and she pouted her lips out with a huff. "I can at least make some instant ramen."
Thoroughly scandalized, Kenshin protested.
"Those things are loaded with sodium, Miss Kaoru."
"It's not going to kill us to eat unhealthy for one night." Shooting him a mock glare, she turned to help him towards a cushion. "And you were banned from calling me that, a-na-ta."
"But…"
"Don't worry. I know a trick to make them fancy." Cutting his protests short, she went on with the excitement of someone sharing what they thought revolutionary. "If you just add an egg and some green onions, they taste even better."
Finally, he laughed, though weakly, and settled onto the floor next to the table.
"Is that what you consider fancy, beloved?"
Kaoru nodded in mock seriousness. "It's practically boujee. My best friend liked to add a slice of cheese to hers. You want cheese?"
"No." Trying to hold back his amusement, mostly as it was starting to hurt his already sore body, Kenshin smiled. "I'll settle for the way you make it, Mis… beloved." Correcting himself hurriedly, he was relieved when she jerked her chin in satisfaction.
Project instant ramen proceeded with only a few minor hiccups, but despite the overcooked noodles, the undercooked egg, and the haphazardly chopped onions, they both enjoyed their first meal as a married couple. Kaoru's joy that she had produced anything edible was enough to appease Kenshin's usual disdain for what he considered junk food. It helped that the time he had been allowed to rest had eventually eased the spike of pain that had nearly debilitated him, and he felt once more functional as Kaoru hummed while washing the dishes.
Standing as she placed the last bowl into the drying rack and wiped off her hands, he disappeared through the sliding doors that led into the bedroom. The futon had already been set neatly out for them, along with two sleeping robes folded and resting on the pillows for their use. Digging into his bag, he withdrew a small bundle wrapped in cloth and an already purified knife. He arranged both at the foot of the bed, and untied the cloth to reveal the stone mold that they would use to finalized their marriage bond. Kaoru walked in as he gathered up the sleeping robes.
A soft blush dusted her cheeks as he handed one to her, and he brushed the hair from her eyes after she had accepted the robe.
"Once you're ready, I will explain what happens next."
Her top lip curled in so she could chew on it nervously, but she nodded without any show of reluctance. Turning away, he donned the other sleeping robe slowly to give her enough time, and then knelt on one side of where he had placed the stone mold. A moment later, Kaoru knelt across from him on the other side. The lighting from the single lamp in the room was soothing, and her already beautiful features were softened by the muted glow. A tight lump formed at the base of his throat, and he closed his eyes briefly to savor the moment.
Leaning forward, he carefully extracted the carved mold from its matching bowl that had been formed from the same stone. Lifting the mold to shoulder level, he held it steady for her to see.
"This is what we will use to place the seal. As I said before, it will need to go on your bare skin. The mark it will leave will be dark and easily visible, and it is permanent. Think carefully about where on your body you want it to be placed."
"O-ok. How… does it make the seal? Are you going to heat it up?"
His eyebrows crinkled inward. "No. A marriage seal is not meant to brand you. It is a contract. In order to create that contract, we will have to use a medium from our combined blood. The same way you would use a stamp with ink."
"Oh. That makes sense."
Briefly he looked down. "…I believe it will still hurt, though."
"I'm not afraid of pain." She was smiling when he looked up, and he remembered that there was very little that frightened her. Ruefully, his mouth tugged to one side. "I do have a question, though. Will… my scars hinder it at all?"
Thinking of the multitude of scars that littered her body, Kenshin's half-grin disappeared. Gently he shook his head, but his mouth was now firm. "No. Nothing will interfere with our marriage seal. Not the past… nor the future."
"That's good." Strong hands tugged at the collar of her sleeping robe, and she pulled it open just enough to show the vertical scar surrounded by the healed burns that blossomed outward from the center of her chest. The tips of her fingers touched that vertical scar lightly as she announced, "I want my seal right here."
The lump in his throat rose higher towards his Adam's apple, and he nodded jerkily. Placing the seal mold next to the stone bowl, he next picked up the knife.
"Are you ready?"
Holding out her left hand, she nodded, again without an ounce of hesitation. Quick and clean, he sliced open the tender pad of her thumb and then his own. In any other circumstance, his burning hot blood would have disintegrated hers, but within the confines of the purified and blessed stone bowl, their blood combined without issue. The resultant fluid glowed a heightened shade of orange, and gave off a strong light that overpowered the single lamp in the room. Searing the wound on his thumb closed without even looking, he next tugged Kaoru's hand to his mouth before she could lose another drop of unnecessary blood. A flick of his tongue easily closed the slice in her skin, but if she felt any pain from the action, it did not show through the affection in her heavy gaze.
Dipping the mold into the blood, the fluid clung easily to the detailed curves when it was withdrawn, and the glow transferred to the stone stamp in Kenshin's right hand. Positioning himself closer to her, his free hand bracing her intimately along her spine, he paused to study her loving features.
"Kaoru… before I place the seal, I have to confirm that you truly know me." Confusion curled and lifted her eyebrows, and he continued slowly. "What name did my father give you?"
The intimacy of the moment was threatening to overwhelm her, and she had to catch her breath while steadying herself on his shoulders. His voice was low, his violet eyes smoldering, and her partially opened robe left her defenseless to the breath ghosting along her skin. Swallowing to free her voice, she answered him just as quietly.
"Shinta."
Everything about his expression changed, but was no less intense. Vulnerability creased his brow line, the hand at her back trembled, and moisture the color of hot magma gathered along the crust of his bottom lashes. Before the tears could spill over, his upper lashes slammed closed, and he leaned his forehead heavily into hers. Both of her hands bracketed his jaw, and she could feel the difference. She loved the name Kenshin, but his true name meant more to him. For him, there was nothing more intimate and personal. She had been told that a true name held power, and the insinuation in that claim meant that knowing another's true name gave you power over them. She had not understood how until then. Using another's true name meant seeing them at their most vulnerable. It meant knowing them on a level that was not physical or emotional. It meant the formation of a bond that was on the level of instinctual. It meant nothing less than pure, undying love that was not tainted by romance, lust, or desire. Choking on her own tears, she wrapped her elbows around the back of his neck and hugged him tight against her. She did not even need for him to confirm to know that his father had given her his true name.
Pulling suddenly away, he shifted the arm at her back to press his forearm along her spine so that his hand could cup the base of her head. The intensity of his expression remained, but had firmed into determination.
"Kaoru… with this seal, I bind you to me."
The press of the intricate carvings that had been etched into the stone mold stung sharply as he flattened it against her sternum, and even though the muscles around her eyes twitched, she could not look away from the gaze staring straight into her. Moments later, the pain eased as the stone stamp was pulled away, and she sucked in air greedily once she realized she had been holding her breath. It was then that she recognized he had pulled her into his lap, and that she was now looking up at him from her position near his shoulder. One long kiss abruptly stole the breath she had just regained, and his eyes were closed when he finally pulled away.
The stone mold was replaced into the bowl, and it was now his turn to receive the seal. Purposefully, he withdrew his arms from the sleeves of his sleeping robe before dropping the top half to hang around his waist. His bared torso revealed the still blackened and cracked portion of his side, but the full body splinters that had decorated him after his failed transition had at least faded. Stone seal in hand, Kaoru looked to him for direction on where it was to be placed. A hand curled around the back of hers and brought the stamp to the left-side of his chest, directly over where his heart, thereby his core, would be. Resting her free hand on his face, she licked her dry lips and swallowed.
"Shinta…" His true name, so softly spoken, again touched vulnerability into his violet gaze. "With this seal… I bind you to me."
If he felt pain from the seal being formed, not an ounce showed on his face. Instead, there was only promising desire on his shadowed features as he stared back at her. For a moment, she wondered what the seal was meant to even do, as she felt no different than minutes before, but then the seal on his skin solidified and connected with the seal on hers. What felt like thick bands snapped around the full length of her back and tightened, and she lurched into his chest where she was pinned and bound. It felt like some foreign power had roped them together, but also like it was trying to make them one. Instinctively, her limbs tried to struggle as she did not understand, but the harder she fought, the stronger the ropes dug into her muscles.
"Don't be afraid. I have you."
The confirmation that this was not unnatural eased the panic from her mind. Sucking in a shaky breath, Kaoru squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on the arm Kenshin had wrapped snuggly around her lower back, on the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the gentle nuzzle of his nose behind her ear.
"I can feel you. Can you feel me?"
Inside the dark behind her lowered eyelids, she could feel the scaled rasp of his skin under her hands and the heat from his body. The callouses on his fingers grasped her right hand and were comforting at her spine. Kaoru knew, though, that it was not his physical body that he spoke of. There was something else, something deeper. She could feel his presence beneath the skin and tissue. She could feel his power, and more importantly, what stood at the center. In a place she could not identify, at an angle that appeared to be outside of herself, she could see them, bound together and yet standing apart. Her soul appeared as a calmly flickering blue flame, a light in the dark for those that were lost. His soul raged with all the chaos of a birthing star.
Parting dark lashes, Kaoru straightened onto her knees to press their foreheads together at eye level, her features brightened by delight.
"I see it." The moment she accepted the bond, the tight bands forcing them together loosened, but she failed to notice in favor of sharing in his revelation. "I feel you. All of you."
Red lashes half-lowered at the unknowing insinuation of her words. Before he could act, though, her eyes glanced down as if only just aware that something was missing.
"The mold." Pulling her hand away from his chest, she turned her palm up to reveal her skin covered in soot from where the stone mold had disintegrated. "It's gone."
"As it should be." Gentle, cleansing flames cleared the soot from her hand before he urged both of her arms up around his neck. Lifting her by the waist so that she was straddling his bent legs, one hand worked to remove the tie holding her robe on at the same time as he explained. "No other may join or disrupt our bond. It is sacred, and not meant to be shared."
Kaoru had thought to keep the mold as a souvenir for their wedding day, but his rather romantic explanation was much better in her opinion. Smirking a little devilishly, Kaoru planted a teasing kiss on his nose.
"Good. I don't share."
With the robe removed and tossed behind her, their weight shifted smoothly to deposit her on the bed. The smoldering heat that had been present in his gaze since earlier finally won over his composure, and the peek of those irises from his position near her chest caught the breath in her throat.
"Neither do I."
X
A long yawn forced Kenshin's mouth open wide, and he blinked the sleep from his eyes as he finished making breakfast. He had woken up a bit later than he had intended, but regretted none of the activities that had resulted in the strain on his energy levels. A smirk tugged at his mouth as he glanced at the rumbled mess of the futon through the cracked door to the bedroom. Kaoru still slept deeply, and her barely covered naked form was nearly tempting enough to climb back in next to her. Raking a bandaged hand back through his hair, his fingers next dropped to massage the sore ache on his left pectoral muscle where their marriage seal now bound him to her.
The soft groan of wood scraping open pulled his attention back to the door, but instead of his wife, he found only the large, sleek form of the salamander. The fire lizard looked pleased, and much more amendable to his presence than the day before. Prancing his way over to Kenshin, the salamander plopped his rump down on the floor next to him, and looked for all the world like he was smiling.
"What are you so happy about?" Making sure to keep their conversation purely within the link, so as not to wake Kaoru, Kenshin returned his attention to the food.
"She belongs to us now." Rhythmic thumps from his tail announced that he was pleased. Sighing, Kenshin corrected him.
"We are married. She is not a possession. She's my wife."
"Yep. That's what I said." Unfazed, the salamander proved that possession was not what he had intended for his words to be construed as. "She belongs with us, and we belong with her. Now we can be with her forever."
Kenshin smiled down at the stove and agreed. "Yes. Now we can be with her forever."
"He can talk?!"
Both Kenshin and the salamander turned to find Kaoru standing in the door to the bedroom, the futon blanket wrapped around her modestly. Immediately, the salamander hopped up to greet her.
"Good-morning! Can you hear me now?!"
"I… g-good morning."
Sighing again, this time a little heavier, Kenshin nodded reluctantly. He had suspected this might be one result of their marriage seal, but he had half-hoped it would not be.
"Yes, the terror can speak, but only directly through a link connecting him to me. Now that we are bonded by marriage, it seems the seal has allowed you access to that link through the power you were granted."
Leaning into Kaoru's legs, the salamander gazed up at her dreamily. "I love you."
The surprised expression from learning her guardian could speak melted into that look she only gave the salamander, and she bent down to kiss the dual spike of his nose and hug him tight.
"Oh, buddy, I love you, too."
Aware it was ludicrous to be jealous of his own protective charm, Kenshin started plating the food. His voice was slightly petulant when he spoke up.
"I hate to rush you, beloved, but Yūtarō-kun will be here soon to pick us up."
"Ok." Giggling and sounding smugly pleased, Kaoru dropped the blanket before strutting forward to kiss him on the cheek. "Wanna help me get dressed?" The look she received informed her that his petulance had instantly vanished, and her insides cheered with victory. The salamander wisely made himself scarce.
"If you're fine with the food being cold." His hand slipped around her bare hip, and she grinned.
"Anata, your food's good no matter what."
X
A/N: Again, I apologize these three chapters took so long. I tried to be kind to myself while dealing with my grief, and also to allow the process to work itself out naturally. Family, friends, and faith helped me a lot. I gave myself permission not to force myself, and it was honestly relieving. There is a benefit in pushing oneself, but there is also a benefit in allowing oneself to rest and recover. I am feeling more like myself again. Thank you all for waiting so patiently.
On a different note, I'm really enjoying the new Rurouni Kenshin anime. It doesn't 100 percent follow the manga, but it's pretty close. (Some might hate me for saying this, but it's a sight better than the original anime, lol.) My husband has only watched the original (he's not much of a reader), and he's been enjoying the new anime despite having to watch it in Japanese. Enough to ask me questions about what's going on and how it coincides with the manga. I'm glad he's enjoying it with me.
These last three chapters pretty much focused solely on their wedding. I wanted to take some time to focus on the romance before we get into this end part, and it was healing in its own way. (Not to mention writing the salamander made me happy.) As you may have guessed, the talk with Misao is up next, and a new bond formed. Afterwards, I might finally get to really write about Sōjirō, lol.