Hello. Sorry for the absence. I have been in very poor health these last three months, immersed in studies and treatments while trying to continue with the rest of my life (work and family), and when I had some time for myself I felt so tired that I preferred to sleep or watching series 🙈 I don't even read anymore, which is another of my passions, it caught my attention...
But hey, happily I've been better. Btw, thank you and welcomo NiraKira your comments and messages turn on a spark in me.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: The story is mine!
"The secrets we keep: Koishijirou"
June, 1865
The world around her had grown heavy, thick-edged as if it had been submerged in water. The miko had gotten up at first without haste, but as soon as she was standing - and after having overcome the dizziness that followed - she had run away from the plain where the banquet was taking place.
It was like moving inside a maze.
Not even Hikari's voice from behind her could stop her.
Her heart felt heavy; it jumped in her chest and echoed in her ears. She needed answers. Tomoe's words were repeated and echoed continuously.
"During our stay in Edo, we resided in the Kamiya mansion."
Seeing without seeing, Kaoru moved among the trees and foliage as if she were fleeing from something or someone. Distantly, the feeling of deja vu enveloped her as she recognized the fear of flight that was so similar to the hunt that the previous Guji had given her.
"While we were there, my husband, Akira, discovered the secret of your birth."
She couldn't cry. The despair she felt was a feeling completely different to sadness. Because she would be lying if she said that she hadn't suspected it before, that she hadn't seen it... But still...
"The clan wishes to use this to its advantage to ensure the union becomes a reality. There will be no way around such an arrangement."
She wanted to go home!
Not to the structure of the shrine, nor to its gardens, nor to the bamboo forest where she secretly met with Kenshin during his stay. No. She wanted to go to her mansion in Edo, where his father had his koi (goldfish) lake and the dojo where his brother trained was located. She wanted to return home.
...because she was scared. Very scared.
She had always known...!
Especially after hearing the murmurs in the sanctuary.
"It's strange... I never imagined that Kaoru's father was so old, nor that his brother was so many years older than him."
"It will be a noble thing. Maybe they decided to wait to avoid neglecting the firstborn."
Comments made without malice but that carried the weight of a secret. In her heart she had always felt that something was missing; she was also aware of the peculiarity of her family.
And now, with the threat that the secret represented for her clan, she could not avoid having the tragic outcome.
"One life can pay for others." The previous Guji had told her.
But would it be enough to save everyone she loved? All those who were important in her life?
"We live to serve. Our lives do not belong to us."
She remembered. And only then she could stop.
"For a moment I thought I wouldn't reach you." She heard someone say in front of her, a couple of meters away.
The miko looked up in surprise, and a glimmer of hope sparked in her.
"Yumi sama...!" She exclaimed, looking in disbelief at the figure of her previous mentor.
Yumi was wearing a simple kimono, with a cape on top that covered her face. She had then lowered her hood and looked at her former apprentice longingly.
"It's good to see you again, Kaoru sama." She smiled at her.
EDO
At Master Genzai's residence, discussions had broken out after receiving the message about the shinchogumi's involvement in the arrest of the Kamiya clan. That movement was clearly a political one; but finding out who was behind it without ending up in arms was the real problem.
"We cannot sit idly by, or they will kill Kamiya sama." Declared Masato, a man in his thirties who was the cousin of the leader of the Kamiya clan. "If we intervene now, something can still be done."
More voices were raised.
"If we intervene now, there is no way for us to be heard without leading to a confrontation." Refuted Kurama, a scholar of the second branch who was barely 20 years old.
"Perhaps it is time to take up arms" Proposed one of the generals, leader of the samurai group. His name was Touji, and he had quite a bit of combat experience.
"Don't be reckless!" Kurama growled.
"Reckless? -The offended general exclaimed.- We are the only ones who remain neutral in the region. The south is ahead of us!"
"We do not have an army that can confront the shinchogumi." Masato reminded them, knowing that his three groups of samurai would be insufficient for a war.
More and more voices were heard, with the group divided into two and a few neutrals, unable to make a decision. Their voices generated a scandal, a whirlwind of noise that ended up exasperating Kenshin.
"Enough!" He shouted.
The room fell into silence; those present were frozen by the power that the young samurai's voice - added to the weight of his ki - exerted over them and the tension it generated in the atmosphere.
Kenshin's gaze sharpened.
"While we remain here arguing about which path should be followed we are wasting valuable time." He declared.
Touji was the first to speak.
"That's what I said, we need to act now."
"It would be an uprising!" Kurama denied again; he seemed irritated.
"Not entirely." Kenshin denied.
At his statement, the others looked at him attentively again "Allow me to recover the Kamiya mansion; I am capable of infiltrating it and allowing you access from within."
Mutism.
Every man in that room had his doubts about it and a lot of things to refute. However, more than one had witnessed the young samurai's skill, and they could not deny his presence.
It was Masato who, being a resident of the Kamiya mansion himself, answered him then.
"Even if you manage to enter, you are only one. If we talk about a rescue perhaps we could change the balance, but we would still act against the shinchogumi."
Kenshin looked him straight in the eyes.
"Even if it's just one. I can take back the castle." He promised.
The older man admired the boy's determination, and had to remind himself that he was little more than a child and what that represented.
"Are you talking about how you alone will finish off everyone?" He inquired.
Kenshin was quick to deny.
"No." He said. There was no doubt in his eyes. "I will only take back the castle."
Eye contact between the two was not broken. Masato continued analyzing the boy. While the latter seemed to understand the man's concern.
"I will not fight unless it is strictly necessary," Kenshin added. "I just need to know who is loyal within the mansion."
That ended up convincing the major.
"I'll help you with that." He declared.
The rest of the room agreed to the plan.
KIOTO
Kaoru felt that the world had become unstable; she had the sensation that the ground at her feet was shaking. It had been over a year since she had seen her previous mentor, and suddenly seeing her there was more than incredible.
"Yumi sama -She said overwhelmed. -Why are you here?"
The eldest sighed with something similar to sadness, before advancing towards her former partner. She had been moving from prefecture to prefecture for about six months; putting together plans that could support her former shrine companions, especially Kaoru.
The Guji's death had been a tragedy, but even more so for her when she found herself too far from Kyoto.
"I am very sorry to have to introduce myself this way, but it was necessary." She explained.
"Hikari and Sato?" Kaoru questioned, letting the older woman admire the changes in her person.
"They are aware of this meeting." Yumi nodded.
Kaoru lowered her gaze.
"Of course." She muttered with a defeated air.
The brunette rushed to hold her face, getting Kaoru to look at her.
"Don't be disappointed, they do it for your safety," she told her.
For a moment Kaoru looked at the woman in front of her, searching for something in her eyes without really knowing what. Her eyes filled with tears, remembering Tomoe's words.
"Yumi sama, I..."
"I know." Yumi cut her off, hugging her.
The black-haired girl clung to her tightly; relieved to be able to feel that she had finally touched safe ground. She had missed her terribly, while she had sought to honor her through her work as head miko at the shrine.
Kaoru then understood that - given the likelihood that Yumi would not stay for long - this was her only chance to clarify the doubts she had.
"My father and my brother..." She began, moving away just enough to see his partner in front of him. "Did they ever say anything about my origins?"
Yumi blinked in confusion, finally realizing the misunderstanding.
"It seems to me that we are talking about different topics, Kaoru sama."
The minor was distressed.
"So you don't know?"
Yumi shook her head.
"I'm sorry."
Her heart squeezed in her chest. She suddenly felt ashamed.
"No. It's me. -She admitted sadly. -You have come to see me after not seeing each other for so long, and I can only think of myself."
Yumi gave her a meaningful look before patting both of her cheeks forcefully.
"Haven't you learned anything, Kaoru sama?" She scolded her, the youngest barely complained. "You must be selfish."
The youngest trembled.
She had heard those words so many times from so many different people over the past few months. But it was difficult to find balance, since the weight of her obligations, of her responsibility as Inari's representative, tended to drown out any desire of her heart. The miko let herself be enveloped by the emotion that danced in Yumi's brown orbs.
Tears fell with the bursting of their hearts.
"Yumi sama!"
Kaoru clung to her partner again, taking her at her word and allowing herself, for once after a year of seclusion from herself, to cry like the child she still was.
"Oh, Kaoru dono... -Yumi responded sadly, reciprocating the hug. -I've missed you like you can't imagine. But I can't stay for long."
Yumi forced herself to separate herself from the miko. The woman reached into the sleeve of her kimono until she pulled out a small talisman, a tablet with the kanji for fire engraved on the wood. The youngest looked at him instantly, feeling the energy that emanated from it.
"What is it?" She questioned with interest.
"A memento from our previous Guji." Yumi answered. Her former protégé looked at her with distressing surprise. "There is one last vision in this one, a small present in gratitude to you."
"I couldn't save him." She lamented as she accepted the object in her hands.
"You did it Kaoru sama, you did it. -Yumi refuted. -And in any case, his downfall was not your curse but Momiji's. And even at the end, I know you were able to see her."
The girl couldn't deny that. Even despite the sad outcome, she had been able to witness the soul of the previous miko waiting for the Guji. She knew that their souls should rest, but it was precisely this that dismayed her.
"Why now?" She questioned.
"It wasn't safe before."
Kaoru frowned.
"And now is?"
Yumi smiled letting out a short laugh.
"Smart girl. Although not quite a girl anymore. -She remarked. Her hands caressed the young woman's face. There was still so much to do, she told herself. -Should I take you to the sanctuary? Back with your company? Or will you return on your own feet?"
The young woman looked at her superior and then down at the small talisman in her hands. Something told her that the answers she sought were literally in the palm of her hand.
...
Hikari and Sato were waiting on the outskirts of the forest that Kaoru had entered. Lost in silence and anxiety, they both jumped as soon as their former superior came out into the clearing with them.
"Yumi sama." They both exclaimed.
The woman nodded.
"It's done." She declared.
Both teenagers wrinkled their faces in something resembling pity.
"We have done our part too." Sato informed her.
"Sasaki?" Yumi questioned.
Her plan wouldn't work without the support of the former miko.
"We didn't even have to convince her." Hikari answered to Yumi's surprise. She nodded.
"Good. Things have slowed down too much; if this continues, we run the risk of the war becoming endless. -She lamented. -Everything that should have happened a year ago will have to happen in the following months."
"I wish I could tell Himura kun," Hikari said.
"That would interfere with what we must cause." Yumi reproached her for such a thought, the youngest looked contrite. "For now our objective will be to avoid commitment. I have made a couple of allies who can help us with spies on the enemy factions."
"And Kaoru's family?" Hikari asked.
Mutism.
The eldest looked away with sorrow in her brown orbs. Although she wouldn't say it out loud, it was easy to understand that there would be no way to prevent the clan from falling.
Hikari looked down, hands on her chest, tears soon coming.
"I leave the rest to you." Yumi told them before leaving.
"Hai." Sato agreed.
The latter held Hikari on their way back to the car that would take them back to the shrine.
EDO
After finishing the meeting - where Kenshin was given instructions on how to move around the Kamiya mansion - they proceeded to decide how they would proceed to gain entry to the young samurai. After an arduous hour of arguing, they had finally come up with a resolution.
At that moment, Kenshin, Sanosuke and Megumi were in an alternate room, outside the main mansion in the company of Masato and Master Genzai, and a small group of three servants; the latter were then in charge of dressing Kenshin in armor - they had to protect the torso where the wound was still healing.
Sanosuke's mind began to ask questions as he admired the servants' movements.
"There is something that is not clear to me yet." He said suddenly.
Megumi looked at him with interest, leaving aside her task of preparing a box of medicines for the moment.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Why attack the Kamiya clan? -Sano questioned.- Isn't it supposed to be one of the strong houses of the shogunate?"
Masato, who had been reviewing some documents, let out a short laugh, almost like a mockery.
"The Kamiya clan is quite extensive. -He told them. -It is one of the oldest clans and has several branches. Unfortunately that is a factor for oppositions to form." He sighed with some regret.
He felt suffocated by the current situation; he wished he could get his family back safely, and he knew he was having an almost a vain wish. At that point, nothing would prevent the confrontation.
"Although it probably has nothing to do with the current problem, it is most likely that his interest is in controlling the princess of Kyoto."
"Jouchan?" Sano asked.
Megumi rolled her eyes.
"Seriously... you ask me to address her with respect and you call her 'jouchan'." She complained.
Sano crossed his arms.
"It's different, we are close."
"Oh yeah? As much as Himura kun is?" Megumi challenged.
Silence.
The fighter's gaze at the end was no match for the gaze of the young medical apprentice.
"Okay, you have a point there. -The boy gave in. -I still don't understand it. If they are a pro-shogun clan, wouldn't it be easier to ask them for support directly regarding jouchan?"
"Not if her father refuses to use her as a means to an end." Masato declared, his gaze looked distant.
"Something tells me that was the case." The black-haired girl assumed.
"Why do you said so?" Sano asked.
But Megumi did not answer, on the contrary, she kept her gaze fixed on the man who was sit at one of the desks. The latter, after the pressure exerted, ended up giving up and sighing.
"Since the emperor lost his political power, the clergy has done everything possible to remain involved in political affairs. -Masato explained. -This had not been easy at all, and even less so now with the American intervention and all the Christian and Buddhist missionaries. But the seer of Inari came to change this. Her visions and their assertiveness have once again given weight to the clergy in the people's affairs. Under the precarious balance the shogunate finds itself, using the miko as a banner can give them the winning card."
"The same goes for us then," Sano concluded, remembering his own words to Katsu when they had just met Kaoru. "But, Jouchan has expressed her sincere desire to help the people of Japan. I don't even think she lets herself be dominated."
"Unfortunately it is not that simple." It was Kenshin who answered; he looked completely ready for battle. "It would only take a certain threat towards what she values for her to end up giving in."
Nobody said anything then. Everyone, especially Sano and Megumi, understood the weight of the redhead's words, as they had witnessed firsthand how much he tried by all means to avoid being linked to Kaoru.
"The map is ready," Genzai announced then.
Kenshin headed with Genzai and Masato to a second room to address the plan.
Megumi and Sano were left behind.
"I understand your point. -Megumi suddenly said to Sano, without stopping looking in the direction where the three men had gone. -I wonder what is the secret they are being threaten with."
Sanosuke didn't say anything, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't equally curious.
...
On the way to the room where the rest of the clan members were, Kenshin dared to ask Genzai.
"Was it because of us?"
The doctor smiled understandingly; after all, he had been the one who had given shelter and medical care to the Sekihotai faction.
"No. -He told him. -You should not worry in this regard. You could say that we have caused this ourselves." He admitted.
Masato, who had heard the boy's question, also answered.
"Genzai is right. In a world where the sword determines the value of a man, the entire clan decided to follow the precepts of the eldest son, our heir. The sword can be used to protect instead of kill. We must have seemed cynical to them." He scoffed.
"Maybe, but it doesn't have to be absurd." Said the young samurai.
He still hadn't made peace with Kaoru, and the weight of his own hypocrisy made him feel guilty. Maybe that was why he now strongly wanted to believe in that utopia.
Masato nodded.
"You're not the only one who thinks like that. Many Edo people agreed with Koishijirou sama's ideas, the school was growing. But I suppose that represented the first threat to a government that uses the sword. And now with Kaoru dono's secret-"
"Masato." Genzai cut him off hard. Repressing him with his gaze, he had stopped in his walk, making the impertinence of his words more evident.
Both Masato and Kenshin stopped as well.
"Excuse me. -Said the man. -I don't think it should be a secret for young Himura. Although I understand that it is not my secret to tell."
There was a tense silence, a period of time in which both men seemed to have a conversation with their eyes.
Kenshin shifted uncomfortably. He knew that it was not his place to say anything, but his closeness to Kaoru and the affection he had for her screamed at him to discover the meaning of those unsaid words.
The three entered the room afterwards.
The plans were explained. Bugs were corrected, and other paths were glimpsed.
In the end, just before leaving, Genzai addressed Kenshin.
"We will go to the front as a distraction. -He told him. -Once inside I'm afraid, you will be on your own."
The samurai tightened his grip on his katana.
"I understand." He said.
And the group left in the direction of the Kamiya mansion.
...
The mansion was surrounded by members of the shinchogumi, low-ranking samurai who served as guards; while only two captains were at the mansion's doors. The group had a total of six crews, four less than the shinsengumi counted, but larger in number. During the last month, with the fall of Jineh, the group of samurai under the shogun's command had taken the opportunity to recover their ranks. What many did not say was that most of these new recruits had joined under threats; and that would be one of the weaknesses that the Sekihotai would use to their advantage.
"We will create one disturbance after another," Masato pointed out, in front of the cart where the group was moving. "We will force several of them to abandon their positions. When this happens, you will have to look for a blind spot through which you can access. Although the walls are high, it is not difficult to jump over them with the right help."
"What will happen if there are guards on the other side?" Sano questioned.
Masato frowned, but it was Kenshin who answered.
"In that case I will have to make sure to eliminate it before it can raise alarm."
Masato nodded.
"With any luck, by then, there won't be many still on your guard."
"We have arrived, Masato dono," reported the coachman.
"Everyone to your positions," he ordered.
Kenshin's group remained hidden while the first group separated to create the commotion a couple of blocks from where the mansion was located. It wasn't long before the riots were reported. Sanosuke mentally thanked the sekihotai troops for agreeing to attack even without Captain Sagara. It was a risky move, but if they wanted to save the Kamiya clan without involving the clan members themselves, they only had that option.
The captain in charge of guarding the gates had a group of samurai go to resolve the conflict but, as soon as the group was about to advance, another disturbance broke out in the opposite direction. This caused alarm among the shinchogumi troops, and the two captains present engaged in a discussion before deciding how to move.
Kenshin waited impatiently. His left hand tightly gripped the handle of his katana. His eyes remained attentive to the scene in front of him while at the same time looking for a blind spot from which to access.
When it was finally decided that one of the captains would go to the other group, Masato gave the order to his third squad to move, this time in the direction of the east of the mansion.
In the midst of the chaos, Sano was the one who saw the opportunity then.
"Kenshin," he called to his partner in a whisper, indicating with a movement of his head where he should look.
The redhead understood as soon as he saw the same thing as Sano.
It was a procession of carts that apparently supplied food supplies to the mansion. Both young men slipped away among the carelessness of the samurai under alarm. For that moment, Kenshin left the mask inside his gi and mingled with the group that was advancing towards the entrance. Sano did something similar, until he decided to steal some of the merchandise just when the cars reached the front, and the guards were in charge of checking the first car.
"Thief!" Several shouted.
In the midst of the confusion, Kenshin flowed through the group.
Sanosuke, for his part, evaded his pursuers using part of his fighter training; jumping on the carts and forcing more than one to focus their attention on him.
"Aw, come on, there's enough for everyone," he mocked while grabbing different fruit from the supply carts.
At this point, Kenshin had taken a backseat; moving with agility and that heavenly speed of his technique, he moved behind Sano and then his pursuers, but not before destroying one of the wheels of the cart in front, causing it to fall until its contents spilled on the ground. . The noise was such that even those who were pursuing Sano forgot about him. When even the remaining captain lowered his guard at the latter, the red-haired young man let him pass him by, hiding in the shadows, and then entered the mansion.
The boy allowed himself one last look behind him to make sure Sanosuke had escaped. The latter smiled at him as if thanking him for that last support before running away from the mansion.
"Definitely better than climbing the walls." Kenshin thought after having managed to hide again in the gardens after the entrance. He took out the mask and put it on, because he couldn't risk being recognized later.
There, hidden in the shadows, under the foliage and shelter of the cherry trees, Kenshin redrawn the mansion's map in his mind. Both Master Genzai and Masato dono had been clear on the path he needed to follow if he wanted to avoid as many confrontations as possible. However, not even they could know the number of enemy samurai, much less their position. It was Kenshin, once inside, who had to determine whether or not he could continue with the plan.
The mansion had a main building, with an intermediate visiting room, which extended to one side on bridge paths and then divided into two. These led to an employee room and the dojo, respectively. Each building had two floors, except the first that had three. That was where he was supposed to go, he reminded himself.
"Kaoru dono." Kenshin thought to himself, hand on his sword. "I will save your family's honor. I promise."
The boy analyzed the space in front of him. From his position it would be easy to reach the main building and access to the main rooms. However, he will be exposed giving the samurai stationed in front a clear line to surround him, and he would be unable to avoid a confrontation.
On the other hand, he didn't have much time...
Kenshin made a decision then. He took a deep breath and let it out through his mouth forcefully.
He started running the next moment.
"Intruder!"
With the alarm given, the other enemies immediately looked at him and drew their swords. More than one ran in his direction. Kenshin, left hand on the sheath, placed his right hand on the handle of the katana, still running and a couple of seconds away from finding his first enemy.
And then Hiko Seijuuro's voice spoke in his head.
"A good master is capable of fighting without having to draw his sword."
Clash!
At the last moment Kenshin had ended up taking out his sheathed sword, the safety pin still on it, blocking his opponent's attack.
"I didn't come here to fight!" He declared, eyes still clear. "But I don't plan to stand by and do nothing if you refuse to cooperate."
"Insolent!" Shouted his opponent, who struck the blow again.
Kenshin saw the attack long before his attacker even decided to deliver it, giving a brief glimpse out of the corner of his eye.
"Just look at your opponent's weaknesses to determine which attack is more accurate."
Kenshin jumped back and then skidded to his left, supporting his weight on his left foot and turned to his right, sword in hand. The samurai who had attacked him again received the blow right in the back of the head; as his body moved forward, it also collided with the second samurai who had tried to attack Kenshin from the right. The latter, surprised that his enemy "disappeared" and then seeing his partner in front of him, lost his balance and collided with his partner, who had been left unconscious.
"The important thing is not to waste energy on an opponent who is weak."
"I warned you." Kenshin muttered.
The sword was still trapped inside the sheath. He had promised to do everything possible to avoid having to kill. Not there at least, when it was known that many of the new soldiers were young men of the same age as him forced to fight under threat.
Kenshin felt the third as soon as he stood up.
He jumped into the air to the surprise of his three attackers and prepared for his second blow as he fell back down. The three samurai, less than children, barely managed to follow him with their gaze.
The first fell after being unable to respond to the force of Kenshin's attack, who continued to fight basically with the holster. The redhead then, with sharp eyes, looked at one and then the other, before deciding to go over to the one on his left.
That confrontation, in which more and more samurai joined, lasted about seven minutes before it was evident that none of them would be a match for Kenshin.
"There is no need to fight," he tried to reason again. This time the young men seemed to listen to him, as more than one dropped his sword.
Kenshin had barely replaced his sword in his sheath in its place, tied by both the obi and Kaoru's ribbon, when a new group came out into the garden.
"Who's there?" Questioned the one in front, who obviously had more experience than the previous samurai.
Kenshin stood up, shoulders back.
"I come on behalf of the leader of the Kamiya clan. I am in charge of taking back the mansion." He declared.
"What nonsense are you talking?!" The man mocked with annoyance, and the madness in his eyes revealed his obsession with killing. "You better identify yourself before it's too late."
Kenshin's gaze sharpened, his color having begun to change. A final thought from his former master reverberated in his mind.
"You should never give your name to the dead."
The safety on the katana came undone. Both samurai prepared to fight.
But the aggressor then fell unconscious to the ground after receiving a severe blow to the head.
Kenshin blinked in surprise, his posture even relaxing.
"Good. I was getting tired of waiting." Said a voice.
The boy then revealed himself by taking a step forward, and the rest of the group that came with them also under guard, as if it were really him and not the unconscious man they were following. The redhead then understood who it was.
"Are you Kamiya Satoshi?" He questioned cautiously.
The aforementioned, a man in his twenties with black hair and striking blue eyes, so similar to Kaoru's, nodded solemnly.
"I am. Did my uncle really send you?" He questioned.
Kenshin put the safety back on his katana.
"Someone else did, but I can't say who." He answered.
"I understand." Satoshi said, analyzing the samurai in front of him. Fortunately for Kenshin, Koishijirou had informed his closest members about the red-haired samurai who was the bodyguard of his previous heir, Kaoru; although he had reserved mentioning the genius he was in the use of the sword. "My cousin is on the third level; he is guarded by two shinchogumi officers, but only one of them represents a problem."
Kenshin frowned.
"Just two?"
"Don't feel overconfident. -Satoshi told him with anger in his voice. -Their strength is to be feared."
Kenshin then deduced that Satoshi must have already faced such a samurai and lost terribly. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering Kaoru's smile, and when he opened them again, his eyes had lost that murderous look.
"Let's recover the two missing levels first, and then guide me with Kamiya Koishijirou."
Satoshi nodded.
...
The battle took about half an hour before they managed to knock out all the samurai sworn to the Shogun, those few who considered themselves veterans and who, unlike their companions, had joined out of conviction. Satoshi explained to Kenshin that due to the clan members' loyalty to their leader, they had all yielded to the momentary control of the shogun's forces, secretly waiting for the opposite order. So, his presence was more than welcome. With their help, Kenshin managed to take back the mansion from within.
With the enemy samurai tied up and locked in a special room, the rest of the group dedicated themselves to attacking those who were still stationed around the castle. It would be a matter of time before the rest realized the deception. The redhead quickened his pace down the hallway that would take him to the room where the clan leader was being held, secretly surprised that the officers who were holding him had not come out to support their companions. Although he understood that their mission was different, the boy had expected another type of response.
Only four more samurai stood before Kenshin, one of them appearing to fight against the other three. Analyzing his clothes, Kenshin decided to help the first being he had been in front of by attacking him from behind. The man he had saved in time turned to look at him. Only by having him so close did Kenshin recognize who he was.
"Kiyosato san!" He exclaimed surprised.
"Who...?" The aforementioned questioned.
But then the remaining samurai attacked, both young men turned to face them. Kenshin, feeling his patience running out, decided to use a two-step batou technique, finishing off first one and then the other.
Akira was stunned seeing the men who, although they had fallen unconscious, were still alive.
"I didn't expect to find you here, Kiyosato san," Kenshin spoke to him, attracting his attention.
At that moment, the redhead removed his mask, which in turn, was another protection for the armor he wore on his chest.
"Himura-kun!" Akira exclaimed.
If Shinji had intended to keep Himura Kenshin's involvement in the movement hidden, such efforts would have been futile at the time, Akira told himself. Now, seeing in detail, it was easy for him to see the red of his hair, which in the darkness looked just as black as that of his companions.
"I should have assumed you would come to help," said the dark-haired man.
"It was lucky that I found myself in Edo," Kenshin explained. "Otherwise I wouldn't have known what was happening."
Akira smiled understandingly. He too, had been close to being left in the dark about what would happen to the clan had he not received Tomoe's letter.
"It's only fair that I tell you my reasons then," Akira said to the surprise of the minor. "I am a double agent; I intended to remain a spy until tomorrow's trial. But I am glad that you have arrived; this way, I can act and ensure that my identity remains hidden. I guess it's something we have in common."
Kenshin then looked at the mask. They certainly shared circumstances.
"I guess." He nodded before tying his mask again. "Is it there?" He questioned, looking at the large wooden doors, unlike the rest of the mansion, this was a training room.
"Un(yes). -Akira nodded. -His name is Nishiki Niimi, he is the leader of the third group, Okita Rintaro is in charge."
"Okita?
"Aa, he is Okita Soji's brother-in-law. Although his ability is not as good as his familiar, he is a good strategist."
Kenshin then undid the knot on Kaoru's ribbon, this time he could not allow himself to let go of the sword. He tied the ribbon on his right hand.
"Is he the second officer?" He questioned.
"No. I don't know the identity of the officer accompanying the captain," Akira responded. "And something tells me that his ability is equal to or better than his superior."
The boy noticed the doubt in the older man's voice. Even if he had never seen him fight, thanks to Hiko's teachings it was easy for him to determine that his ability was not extraordinary. Not to mention that if it had been, he wouldn't be a simple bodyguard. On the other hand, he was an important person to Kaoru, someone else he had to protect.
"I will continue alone from here." He declared advancing.
Akira was going to refute, but after taking a look at the unconscious samurai on the ground and remembering the skill of the boy in front of him, he could only nod.
KIOTO
The ceremony was over. The bride and groom had retired, and the few that remained were enjoying the banquet before, little by little, they also began to leave.
But Kaoru still did not return.
Tomoe shifted worriedly in her seat, wondering whether or not she should go in search of the young priestess. She hadn't wanted to have to reveal so much so quickly and under such circumstances, but something had led her to confess then. She knew the longer she waited for an ideal moment, the less it would come. And even if what she had revealed was considered a betrayal, she couldn't feel guilty. Much less now that she had also involved Akira.
Taking advantage of the affection that her husband still harbored for the blue-eyed miko, Tomoe had convinced him to go to Edo as a representative of the clan instead of the official that had originally been selected. She had to trust Akira to act based on his feelings and not his duty. But how much longer he would remain safe, she could not know.
"Kiyosato dono."
Tomoe looked up at Sato, who was looking at her with a smile. The brunette was no fool however, and could identify that the priest was anything but happy.
"Allow me to escort you back to the city." He told her.
"Kaoru miko sama?" She questioned instead.
For a second, Sato's façade almost falls apart.
"Her Excellency has already returned to the sanctuary. -He lied. -An important matter prevented her from staying with us, I hope you understand."
She felt like screaming.
"Of course." She said instead.
She stood up and followed Sato towards the waiting carriages. She cast one last glance in the direction Kaoru had gone and prayed internally that she had done the right thing.
...
Miles away, Shinji was dealing with his own problems.
He had received the letter that the Sekihotai had been hiding in Edo, with the report that Battosai was in the group. Although the message did not say under what conditions, days later, rumors spread throughout the city. He had been convalescing just as the priestess of Inari had. It would be a matter of days before the rumors were not only among those directly involved and the sides in the conflict, but also in the mouths of the people themselves.
However, that wasn't what had him in check at that moment. But the actions of his beloved political sister.
"Are you really going to continue with this, my son?" His father, the general, complained to him after having entered the meeting room without announcing himself.
Shinji had not wasted time in denying the obvious. Instead he had ordered everyone to withdraw and leave them alone, servants included. Only until he was left with no one but his father did he deign to answer.
"The union was made according to what was agreed, however, it has not borne fruit. -He declared. -It's as simple as that."
In other words, despite the months he had been married and sharing a bed with his current wife, she had not become pregnant.
"You take too much risk with a bastard." His father growled at him.
"Haven't we already done it?" Shinji refuted, running his hand through his black hair in an attempt to contain his frustration. "It was you who first agreed to receive Akira."
"That was different. -The man bellowed. -Even if he was from another branch, his blood was from the clan through both parents."
Akira had originally been accepted to take the role of heir and allow Shinji to grow up without threats to his life. It could be said that the dark-haired man had served as bait or cannon fodder, to allow the true heir not to have to face threats. That had turned out wonderfully, so much so that the latter had even been able to finish his preparation years ahead.
However, what Shinji intended was something entirely different. Since, in this case, the bastard was his.
"Well, whatever is missing to equal the weight is compensated by the fact that I am the heir and the current leader." He refuted.
The general felt anger and sorrow dominate his heart.
"You are digging your own grave." He warned. It went without saying, more than one within the clan would object, and the current wife's family would undoubtedly reveal themselves as well regardless of whether the failure was on her part, after all, it was still too early to declare her infertile.
"What do you want me to do then?! -Shinji bellowed. -The clan needs an heir."
"Try it for at least one more month." His father answered, the desperation he felt was clear in his voice. "If there are still no fruits by then, I will help you myself." He promised.
His son could only look away with annoyance and some embarrassment. He loved his father and knew that he was right. So he ended up nodding. His father sighed with relief, then sobered again.
"As for Kaoru dono - he continued and Shinji's attention fell on him again -, I do not intend to be part of your deception, nor of the ruse that will bring the fall of his clan."
General Kiyosato left the room then, the hiss of the closing doors cutting the last thread holding Shinji, who turned to hit the table with both fists in a short cry of frustration.
He hadn't counted on his father finding out about his secret plans. The only one who had come close to discovering them had been Tomoe, but even the secret he revealed to her about Enishi's engagement reached the status of the clan, unless...
Shinji growled.
"Enishi!" He shout.
The minor came out from behind the screen in front of the meeting table, where he had remained hidden. He looked attentively at the older man with firm eyes that seemed like ice.
"Your sister, I'm afraid, has spoken out of time. -Shinji complained. -Fix it up." He ordered.
Enishi nodded once, before bowing properly.
"Hai, Shinji niisan." He responded and then left the room.
As soon as he was alone, Shinji sighed, flopping back onto the cushion. His eyes held a longing that danced in sadness.
"Kana..." he whispered. "I will find a way to bring you to my side. I swear."
...
Kaoru held the talisman in both hands.
Standing in the middle of that forest, she forced herself to calm down until she reached a high state of meditation. Her eyes lost that firm shine and became clouded with the energy that still enveloped that talisman.
Soon, it reacted until it gave off a faint light, which grew and grew until it completely enveloped her and transported her to a white plane. An empty area where only shadows lived, and the only light was that which came from herself. There, the figure of the man who had guided her as if she were his own family was drawn in front of her.
"Guji Sama!" She exclaimed in a restrained voice.
Her heart squeezed in her chest at the presence of the man who had been her guide during her years as an apprentice. Jineh smiled with evident affection in his eyes.
"Little bird," he said.
The girl knew that she had no way of getting closer than the allowed distance, at one step away she tried to cope with emotions accumulated that were bubbling inside her, but she was unable to hold back her tears.
"It's nice to see you..." she whispered.
Jineh spread his smile, and then extended his right hand towards her.
"I have a present for you. -He said. -I know you have doubts. And if you allow me, I can show you the answers."
Hesitating for just a moment, the miko extended her hand to take the previous Guji's.
As she did so, a familiar voice was heard in her mind.
"If someone deserves a wish like that..."
"Kenshin." She said immediately.
The Guji nodded.
"The wish was suggested Kaoru dono. But the one who suggested it was not the one who asked for it for himself. -He declared. -Someone else made the choice. You must remember it."
The youngest shook her head, confused.
"I don't understand. -She said. -I have seen these images before. They are different paths, some have prevailed and others..."
A sword through her chest. Blue eyes as cold as ice.
Kaoru withdrew into herself; that nightmare still visited her certain nights, and certain days when she visited some vision from the sanctuary. It were like a kind of warning. It shone brightly whenever something was about to be decided that would end up altering the course that should be followed. As if preventing her from taking the wrong path.
"Others... -Jineh continued for her -It remains to be seen if they are fulfilled. But Kaoru dono, you know those that must be fulfilled."
She knew it, of course.
"Kenshin..." she whispered regretfully.
The Guji nodded.
"My life, as you well know, has been cut short before its time but not without a reason," he told her. "I made a decision, Kaoru dono. Like Momiji, in my last days I glimpsed a different way out than the one destined for me. And I have to say that it has been much better than I originally expected. However, such time must be used to advantage."
"Akira san's vision continues to reveal itself. -Kaoru refuted. -It may be impossible to use time according to our desires."
Jineh then denied.
"Little bird, it was not Kiyosato's life that I paid for."
Kaoru jumped at this.
"Then who's?"
The Guji's smile faded somewhat. His eyes darkened until he resembled more the murderer of his last moments than the priest he had been most of his life.
"First things first," he said. "Let me show you what's at stake."
The light intensified then. The shadows were swept away by it until they disappeared. The force of this caused a strong current of air to be unleashed from where they were. The priestess barely had time to cover herself with her hands before the light blinded her, and the wind tore her from the ground.
...
Moments later, when Hikari found her in the company of the two new apprentices, Kaoru was lying unconscious - but safe and sound - on the ground. The three young women picked up their superior and took her to where the carriage was waiting.
EDO
Kenshin pushed the doors open; both opened outwards, so he had to open them and move quickly to avoid an attack. If it weren't for his abilities to detect the presence of his opponents, they would have managed to hurt him. But he had to be careful. The wound on his torso had been healing, but although it had not been deep, it still did not completely close. That not only represented the danger of opening completely again, but also a physical weakness that did not allow him to have the same resistance as always.
He had to reserve his strength until the end and not use any celestial techniques until it was strictly necessary.
Two more launched themselves to attack him. A second that he took advantage of to glance askance at the two officers stationed on either side of Koishijirou, who remained sitting with his back straight.
Aware that he could not fight without drawing his sword, this time Kenshin chose to resign himself to fighting to the death. He moved quickly, still in a battou stance, dodging both attacks and then landing his own. A draw so fast and accurate that both samurai fell to the ground; the first with a wound at stomach level, and the second with a wound in the back, both serious.
The movement had been so fast that Okita Rintarou almost missed seeing it. And even then, he considers it something amazing, almost impossible. Kenshin had drawn hastily, making a cut on the first samurai's belly while he still had his sword raised; Then he had returned the sword to the sheath with the same speed and turned to the right to get out of the second's line of attack and manage to hit him behind his back. After this last one, the redhead had shaken the sword from the blood of his enemies - although only a little had managed to stick to the metal - and sheathed it again in his saya(sheath).
"So he finally visits us." Declared Rintarou, the second officer in that room. "The demon Battousai."
The boy did not say anything however, his eyes were fixed on who was his friend's brother, Koishijirou, who continued to stare at the ground, refusing to recognize him. He even seemed resigned.
Kenshin sharpened his gaze and prepared for the fight.
...
"Careful Okita san," Nishiki warned him. "This one is not like the others. He may not have the entire aura of an assassin, but he's close enough."
"Hmm," his partner laughed. "They called him a demon for a reason."
"I would prefer to avoid having to resort to killing," Kenshin spoke then.
"You say that after eliminating my companions," Rintarou growled.
"They're still alive," Kenshin refuted, inadvertently causing Koishijirou to snap out of his trance with a blink. "It is true that their injuries are serious but not irreversible. If you surrender here, they can be treated and saved. Nobody has to die."
Rintarou growled. And then he smiled. His smile grew until he released two bursts of laughter.
Koishijirou looked up then, finally looking at the samurai who had come in search of him. Something about his figure seemed familiar. He noticed his hair under the light of the lamps and the reddish reflections that shone in it.
"No..." he whispered, so low that no one heard him. "Impossible..."
"Don't waste my time," Rintarou refuted. "Even if you have managed to control the rest of the mansion, it is only a matter of time before the rest of the shinchogumi show up here, and the roles are reversed again. Not to mention, the true leader you seek to rescue is not here."
Kenshin frowned. He knew that Kaoru's father was in another cell, outside the mansion, but he believed he had to save her brother first. After all if the clan leader fell, the next in line was Koishijirou.
"There is no option then." Kenshin said to himself.
"Enough," Rintarou growled, and launched himself into the attack.
Kenshin unsheathed his sword at the last second, crouching down at the same time to attack with a Ryusyousen, attacking the enemy sword from the bottom up - so close, the blow almost hurt Rintarou's face, who, surprised, could not contain the force of the blow. - and then from top to bottom, with a turn of the hand. In response the enemy fell to the ground and barely managed to stay on his ankles.
The redhead then walked away with two steps back, ready for the next attack. Rintarou recovered instantly, this time analyzing his opponent better. There's a reason they called him Battousai, he told himself, and prepared to counter his opponent's response. The brunette rushed forward with an attack that Kenshin didn't know about but that seemed similar to the gatotsu. Kenshin dodged the first blow, but the enemy sword jumped under his katana and attacked him again. The redhead was barely able to counter this second attack, which followed a third and then a fourth. Aware that he would end up wasting energy by being on the defensive, Kenshin risked letting his enemy's attack fall, but before receiving the blow he jumped up to re-execute the previous technique, or at least the first step...
This time, he managed to hurt his opponent, but he couldn't avoid overstretching the muscle in his injured shoulder.
The two fell away from each other breathing heavily. Kenshin holding his left shoulder, and Rintarou covering the wound on his torso. The last one was the first to recover. His opponent no longer had a doubt, that technique had been the same as Okita Souji's although the strength had been less and the skill was below the latter.
The darkness of the night had begun to dissipate. Kenshin cursed, he was running out of time, and there was still one opponent left. He sheathed his sword then and prepared to wait for his enemy.
"I see you already understand," he said.
Just a second, and they returned to the attack.
...
Koishijirou had thought that it would be of no use to rescue him. For years, he had regretted having to be born in an era where killing was the way to do justice; and he had grown up most of his life seeking to change the ideology of his world, starting with that of his clan. That had paid off, especially with the arrival of Kaoru and even more so with the revelation of her gift and her acceptance within the sanctuary.
Under her fame and power, the school had grown considerably, to the point of having close friends who had learned his style to the point of almost perfecting it beyond the basic techniques of kendo.
However, after his father's arrest and his verdict, he had felt like he was in a cage. A cage on a cliff so that even if he escaped from it, there would be nowhere to run. The last thing he wanted was for blood to be shed for his cause, and there he was, accepting the fate of the weight of his role in that war.
But when his savior had arrived and declared that he would rather not have to kill anyone, a hope had shone in his center. Now, seeing him fight, that hope had grown considerably. And at the same time, Koishijirou could understand the lethality of such a style and how much it cost its user to contain the force of his attacks. The boy also looked tired. Was it possible that he had been fighting alone?
He felt he had to do something. If his clan had mobilized, perhaps there was still hope, he told himself.
But then, Rintarou's sword managed to wound the young man, where he had previously held himself. Although the armor reduced the force of the attack, the katana had managed to damage the flesh. Blood stained the front of the armor.
"He's going to die," Koishijirou muttered to himself. And if the young man was who he thought he was... "I can't let him die..."
...
Kenshin managed to jump away, putting considerable distance between him and his attacker. Staying close to one of the pillars, he allowed himself to rest on it. During their dance, that space had been used to their advantage. His enemy was somewhat more battered than he was, but it was evident that he had much more energy left.
"Let's get this over with," Rintarou said, adopting a different stance.
Kenshin gritted his teeth and took a deep breath until he managed to bear the stinging pain in his left shoulder. When he did, his eyes were liquid gold. He also took a different stance.
Rintarou then also unsheathed his wakizashi and prepared to attack with both swords. He ran towards Kenshin, who had already adopted the Ryusuzen stance, but when he was about to reach him, Niimi stood in his way.
Both Kenshin and Koishijirou jumped, looking at the scene in confusion. In one fluid movement, the man had cut off his companion's right hand and bruised his left until he finally dropped the small sword.
"Aah!" Rintarou shouted in pain.
Next, Niimi hit him hard on the head.
"With this we have won," he said.
Rintarou fell unconscious to the ground.
...
After a tense moment in which both Kenshin and Koishijirou looked cautiously at the one they believed to be a member of the shichogumi, he explained to them that he was actually a spy for the Chosu clan, sent by Katsura to be part of it for almost two years ago. After showing evidence that what he said was true, both finally let their guard down.
It wasn't long before the rest of the clan members entered and declared the mansion and its heir free. Kenshin had to settle for a message from one of the members who assured him that Sano and the rest were safe and that miraculously, they had had no casualties. The Sekihotai members had managed to escape, while the clan members had re-entered the mansion and imprisoned the previous captors.
Genzai had entered then, just when other members had finally given their heir a break. Only then did Kenshin allow himself to rest. Koishijirou then approached him.
"I would like to call you by your name, but I don't know if it would be wise," he told him.
Kenshin looked at him from his position on the ground, sighed and then undid the ties of the mask, revealing his face.
"It's good to see you again, Koishijirou san," he greeted with a small smile, he looked exhausted.
Still surprised despite having suspected it, Koishijirou then fell to his knees on the ground to the redhead's bewilderment. He had tears in his eyes.
"I knew it was you," he murmured between moans. "But I was so afraid that you weren't," he confessed.
For that moment, Kenshin didn't know what to do; he didn't understand the older man's actions.
Genzai, with a sad face, asked everyone to leave the room. As soon as they were alone, the doctor approached Koishijirou and put a hand on his shoulder. When Kamiya felt it, he looked at him, still crying, and then, nodded solemnly. Genzai then looked at Kenshin.
"Let me check your wound." He asked.
The boy let himself be done.
While the doctor worked in silence, and Kenshin allowed himself that rest, Koishijirou put his thoughts in order. The young samurai sensed there was something else weighing on his friend's brother's being, and he feared what it could be.
"I'm sorry you had to get involved in all this," Koishijirou finally spoke after a tense silence.
"I wanted to do it," Kenshin said. "I was lucky to be here when I was informed of what was happening. I know you understand what moves me to be a part."
Kaoru.
Koishijirou nodded.
"I wish it were that simple," he lamented. Kenshin looked at him, more confused than before. "My father is still a prisoner, and although I understand why the clan has decided in my favor, I fear that even with his death, it will be impossible for us to defend Kaoru's honor without taking up arms against the shogun."
"Has the problem escalated that much?" Questions Kenshin.
Even if he is not literate, he is aware that certain confrontations can be resolved through diplomacy to avoid having to take an opposing stance. Edo is still guerrilla territory, and although the rebellion has already exploded in the south, whether Edo falls in favor of one side or the other would be a determining factor in the fate of the war. Both sides know it, and that is why the confrontation has been cold in its entirety.
Koshijirou casts an uncertain glance towards Genzai, who nods again. The brunette gives up.
"Himura kun -he spoke to him- Do you understand that in our society, it is a crime the union between individuals of different castes?"
The boy felt a pang in his chest when he heard that. Of course he understood it. It was the principle why he and Kaoru could not aspire to an honorable life if they wished to unite in their current status. He even knew that no shrine or registry would consent to even marrying them.
"I know." He responded with a low voice.
Maybe all those times Koishijirou had tried to hook him up with Kaoru had been mere jokes in the end, he told himself sadly. Koishijirou, for his part, continued with his eyes filled with pity.
"If my father does not confess to such a crime, he will be denied sepukku and will die like a criminal."
Kenshin is startled.
"Naze?! (why) There is no reason for such an accusation!"
Both Genzai and Koshijirou frown in sorrow. The boy understands that that accusation is actually true.
"Use (lie)."
"As the clan refused to hand over Kaoru, we were threatened with revealing the secret of her birth. As we insisted on our position of refusing, we were given the threat. -Koishijirou explained. -Once my father falls, I will be the one who has to face the secret."
After this revelation Kenshin had a lot of questions. Why mention Kaoru? Why would revealing a union with someone of a different class be a problem at that point? Then he understood that he was referring to a marriage... But Kaoru's parents were both of noble blood. So, would it be Koishijirou?
The latter, understanding the doubt in the young samurai's eyes, guided him again.
"Tell me Himura kun, how many Japanese people do you know who have blue eyes?"
His heart sank, his eyes widened.
"But that means..."
Koishijirou nodded.
"Kaoru is not my sister. -He confessed. -She's my daughter."
Time seemed to have frozen then.
"A bastard according to clan law."
Everything became distant and heavy then.
Uncertain.
Because the implications of such a secret would open a sea of possibilities, mostly political, if the truth were to be known; Not to mention that that omiai with the Kiyosato house would be the only thing that could protect her in a scenario like this. He understood the precariousness of that matter... And yet, he was unable to deny that small part of himself that rejoiced in such a truth; because then he and Kaoru weren't so different...
And perhaps, he could still claim her for himself...
A/N: I apologize because I do not know how to correctly write fights... sigh... a review anyone?