I was reading another manhua and I had another crazy idea for a new story, then I reminded myself that I can barely handle my own soul, so I ended up deciding to mix that new idea into this story, and it all went downhill from there LOL
kokoronagomu Thank you for the advise; at this point, I'll try ANYTHING to get better.
Disclaimer: Some ideas were inspired by various mangas, but there are so many that I don't entirely remember which ones, deal with me! xd
"Experiences"
They were weeks away from finally reaching the northern territory. Kaoru was extremely excited, as was Shura; the two had promised to fulfill a wish list as soon as they arrived. Such behavior both touched and amused the company. Especially Kenshin, who, had his own list of activities he wanted to do with Kaoru, determined to make his homeland his partner's home.
"It's good to see you determined," Sanosuke told him riding beside him. "I was already fed up with the brooding Kenshin."
"Brooding?" The redhead growled.
"It's the nickname we gave you," said the brunette, pointing to the rest of the company with a wave of his hand.
"We?" The General growled louder.
Behind Sano everyone denied shaking their heads while trembling with fear at the same time.
"Excuse your first lieutenant," Aoshi said suddenly on Kenshin's other side. "His brain doesn't work well after hours under the sun."
"Hey!" The aforementioned complained.
Kenshin sighed and then smiled.
He was relieved to be back home. It had taken him longer than he had anticipated but, in the end he had managed to reestablish his family's honor. Above all, he had found his mate in what seemed to have been a miracle from the goddess herself. After three long months he would finally sleep in his bed again.
This last thought brought back an unwanted memory.
His father's room remained unused.
There were some ghosts that Kenshin still didn't face. But maybe, with a little help, he told himself as he looked in Kaoru's direction, he could finally take a step forward.
...
Due to some duties regarding his return, Kenshin couldn't accompany Kaoru and Shura on their impromptu picnic this time. But it was fine, the brunette told herself; from time to time one needed to have "girl" moments... or at least that's what she had once heard her sister Megumi say. On the other hand, she didn't want to become someone who always needed her partner's attention. She had always been someone independent and preferred to remain that way.
Then Shura giggled, a bit different from her usual laugh. The air felt humid. After several moments where the green-haired girl let out small laughs and dreamy looks, Kaoru had enough.
"What happen?" She asked her.
Shura looked at her startled, forcibly taken out of her bubble; but then she laughed dreamily again. Kaoru's cheeks puffed out in annoyance.
"You're worrying me. What happen?" She pressed.
Shura smiled with her teeth.
"It's just that I found out something very interesting." She confessed.
"And what is it?" The brunette questioned.
Shura looked both ways as if trying to make sure no one else was listening. Then, satisfied, she moved until she was side by side with her companion and whispered in her ear.
"The place we are going to is not a village but a full-fledged city."
Kaoru blinked, not really understanding what all the fuss was about.
"Really?" She said without much surprise. "Well, considering the progress of the country, it is normal that a city has been formed outside the main castle, right? It is an example of the skill of my lord and husband." She completed proudly, cheeks red.
"Yes, that too. But that's not what's important here." Shura refuted.
"So?"
Shura's eyes lit up with pure emotion.
"Kaoru, we will see the sea!" She finally let out, clinging to her partner as she suddenly hugged her.
"Eh?"
After the appropriate rest and two hours of walking, the delegation arrived at the next town of Schatten. It was strange, Kaoru thought. Walking on land to suddenly see a port, a kind of bay that extended on both sides.
The city was full. Crowds of merchants crowded the streets on both sides. The bustle of people trading dominated the rest of the sounds. The motorcade parked near the port, in an area apparently designed for them. After having admired the sea landscape from afar, Kaoru and Shura hurriedly got off the carriage as soon as it stopped.
Kaoru's eyes looked with wonder and delight at the landscape in front of her. The air blew with the aroma and taste of salt.
"I see why you were excited." She said to Shura, who had run ahead of Kaoru and was leaning on the railing as if wanting to be closer to the water. "It's lovely."
Kenshin then approached them.
"Will this be your first time traveling by ship?" He asked with interest.
Kaoru looked at him, accepting the hand he offered her and allowing herself to be guided by her partner.
"No, in our territory, we also have two seas that cross the country. Both have access to the ocean through the same strait."
Kenshin smiled with some relief, stopping in his progress. Kaoru stopped with him.
"I'm glad, I was worried that you might have nausea like a certain lieutenant of mine." He complained.
Just then, the sound of Sanosuke vomiting into a bucket caught both of their attention. Sano was near the stairs that led to the port where the ships arrived; his face looked sick.
Kaoru frowned in displeasure.
"He hasn't even gone on board, and he's already sick, no doubt it's pure drama." She declared.
Kenshin chuckled.
"I'm glad that we think the same." He let out.
Kaoru blushed when she heard him, realizing she had said the above out loud. Kenshin, noticing her embarrassment, distracted her by grabbing one of the flowers from a nearby stand, a flower with five curved petals that gave the impression of being a star and whose colors ranged between white, yellow, orange and red; a classic plumeria.
Her fiancé placed the flower in Kaoru's hair making sure it held on to the clip holding her intricate hairstyle. His partner, shivering as she felt delicious cold currents running through her body, blushed even more when he looked at her in detail after finishing and nodded to himself. "It suits you. You look adorable," he told her, smiling.
"...Thank you." She murmured with her eyes down and her face rosy.
Luckily, Kenshin's secretary called him then, stealing his attention. A small moment in which Kaoru took the opportunity to take a deep breath and calm her dancing heart. Then Kenshin addressed her again, this time with an apology in his eyes.
"Kaoru... I still have to resolve some transactions; will you be okay on your own?" He asked sounding contrite.
She nodded understandingly.
"Hai. Shura and Katsu will accompany me."
During the previous week, a new personal knight had been arranged for Kaoru. Kenshin had arranged a total of six members of his personal guard for her to choose from. In the end, the girl had chosen based on her gift to ensure affinity between the two, and the chosen one had ended up being Katsu, one of Sanosuke's best friends, as she was told.
Kenshin nodded pleased.
"Ok. Take Sanosuke with you too; you'd be doing us all a favor if you kept him away from the water."
Kaoru sighed.
"Do I have a choice?" She said, trying her luck.
Kenshin denied while still smiling.
"I'm afraid not."
The youngest sighed again.
"Fine."
They had been walking along the main street of the port market, a large avenue full of stalls of all kinds, when they decided to take a break. Shura had been the one who had bought the most from each stall, especially from the sailors. Kaoru reminded herself that Shura's family belonged to the naval group and felt a little bad for not taking it into account before. Fortunately, Shura didn't seem to have a problem with such carelessness.
They decided to rest then in what seemed to be a patio with a central fountain; they sat on one of the benches and faced the avenue. Seeing so much hustle and bustle in detail, Kaoru finally understood what Shura had told her previously during the picnic.
"Has the city always been this lively?" She asked Katsu.
The brunette considered it for a moment before answering; after all, he had to remember the origin of his little duchess.
"Busy maybe, but it wasn't that populated." He told her. "So close to the northern territory that was once cursed, very few passed through here regardless of the benefits of the sea.
"It is fortunate then that the goddess gave her blessing." Shura contributed ecstatically, her eyes still full of brilliance.
Kaoru thought about it for a moment. And then she dared to ask about what had really kept her up at night during the last few days.
"Sanosuke, what is the North like?" She asked the brunette.
Sano continued eating his appetizer without taking his eyes off the front and answered with a single word.
"Cold."
Kaoru frowned and growled under her breath.
"That's all?" She pressed.
Sanosuke shook his shoulders dismissively.
"I'm not good at describing. I can only tell you that it is an interesting and mystical place."
Shura jumped from her place upon hearing that.
"Mystical? Will we see fantastic creatures?" She inquired with eyes full of stars; the water of the fountain danced.
"Maybe." Sano smiled. Then he looked at Kaoru as if wanting to reassure her. "Don't worry. I know you'll like it. Kenshin is even eager to show it to you himself."
Kaoru blinked, and her cheeks turned red.
"He is?" She inquired
Sano's smile grew.
"Of course! Have you not seen the dreamy fool's face he has had in recent days?" He questioned. "I'm telling you, I have to ride with him. It's too obvious."
"I... I see." Kaoru answered, hands suddenly on her cheeks and her look embarrassed.
Shura smirked as she nudged Kaoru in an attempt to provoke her. Sanosuke smiled with satisfaction, while Katsu looked at him with some reproach while shaking his head.
Then, a group of young girls dressed in brightly colored tight dresses walked down the avenue right in front of them. These caught everyone's attention, but mainly Sano, who stood up suddenly.
"I'll be right back." He told them and advanced towards the group.
...
This exchange mainly caught the attention of Kaoru, who did not miss any detail of the brunette's interaction with them even when the boy retreated elsewhere, guided by one of them towards another group of people, after which he was lost in the crowd. Her attention was then captured by observing those ladies, if they could be called that way, since the brunette did not know exactly their job. Finally, her curiosity won out.
"Katsu, what are they?" She asked his bodyguard.
The brunette answered instantly.
"They are courtesans, my lady."
"Courtesans? Like noble ladies do you mean?" His duchess inquired innocently.
Katsu had to remind himself not to laugh.
"Not that kind of courtesans." He refuted.
Kaoru blinked, and Shura smirked then.
"Ah, you mean the kind that entertain men, mainly in bed, right?" The green-haired woman pointed out to the knight's grievance.
"Something like that." He reluctantly agreed.
"Is that their job?" Kaoru questioned and then added forcefully. Don't lie to me! I'm twelve, not stupid."
Katsu, having no way out, sighed before answering.
"Although both in the capital and in each of the countries of the empire, there are areas intended for pleasure, the courtesans of the North are slightly different. Just as in your country there is honor in the service they offer.
"Contrary to the rest?" Kaoru questioned, referring to the empire.
Katsu nodded.
"In other places they are seen as less than merely sexual slaves. But just like in Nihon, in Akai every job must have honor.
"So, is it the same as in my country?"
"Almost. There is a slight difference you will see. In Nihon, people from the red light district cannot escape until they have met a certain quota, and some not even then. Debt slavery is also legal. In Akai it is not. Slavery is prohibited. -He said proudly. -And there are different methods to ensure that a debtor covers his debts without ending up tied to them.
"It sounds very utopian," Shura criticized under her breath; luckily, Katsu didn't hear her.
"So, they can choose that job." Kaoru concluded.
"That's right. And, they can also leave it whenever they want."
The latter somewhat overwhelmed the girl, who - although she had been studying about the Himura clan and its territory - was realizing that her knowledge of her now husband's culture was very limited.
"Although we belong to the same empire, our customs are so different." She lamented.
Shura took her hand and smiled at her.
"Cheer up" You have the rest of your life to learn from your husband." She reminded her.
Kaoru smiled again.
"You're right. And maybe I should start now." She suggested.
Shura jumped excitedly.
"Will you go to meet them?" She questioned.
"Of course!" Kaoru responded, standing up as well.
Katsu felt the ground open beneath his feet.
"What!? My lady, I don't think that's wise."
"Nonesense! -Kaoru cut him off. -You just said that here every job is honorable, so there should be no shame in relating to them, ne?" She pointed happily and then looked at Shura with intent. "Also, we have to investigate that."
Her friend jumped up and down even more excitedly.
"Oooh, right. The sooner we do, the better."
"What do you mean by that, my lady?" Katsu questioned with obvious concern.
The girl, for her part, looked at him with a smile from ear to ear.
"Well, what else? To what is done on the wedding night!" She blurted out before running hand in hand with Shura in the direction of the courtesans.
The poor knight had no choice but to follow them.
By the time Kenshin had finished his business it was already night, and the entire entourage was already at the inn where they would rest. Sailing had been planned for two more days to ensure everyone's rest before the last boat trip. It was a surprise for him, however, to see his fiancée avert her gaze as soon as she saw him, cutting the words from his mouth as soon as she had started running the next moment in the company of Shura, passing him straight, towards their rooms.
The General blinked in confusion and then looked at Katsu, who had been left behind.
"All good?" He questioned him.
The brunette sweated coldly, not knowing what to answer.
"Eh... Yes, we didn't find any problems," he ended up saying with a nervous smile.
"I assume then that they had fun." Kenshin asked.
Katsu nodded vigorously, much more tense than at the beginning.
"Without a doubt," he said, "the lady investigated until she was fed up."
Kenshin sighed with some relief and satisfaction.
"Good. It gives me pleasure. -He said smiling. -I was worried thinking she might have being bored."
"No not at all." Katsu denied instantly, almost interrupting him. "She was quite busy."
"What happened to Sano?" Kenshin questioned, finally noticing his lieutenant's absence.
"We lost him in a betting house." Katsu reported, later explaining what happened to him and where exactly he had been.
"I should have assumed it. -Kenshin sighed with a half smile. -Well, I'll go see Kaoru." He declared.
Katsu jumped instantly and clung unwillingly to his general's jacket.
"My Lord!" He shouted in alarm.
Kenshin looked at him between curiousity and irritation.
"Yeah?" He pressed.
Katsu let go of him instantly as if the contact burned him, and he sweated harder. Aoshi then, being more clever - decided to intervene.
"Maybe it's better that you let her rest." He told his general. "From the sound of it it seems like they didn't have a break.
Being Aoshi who said that, Kenshin did not question it further and ended up nodding.
"I guess you're right." Then he looked at Katsu. "Good job." He told him, and then he headed to his chambers. "See you guys tomorrow."
As soon as the General disappeared from the sight of both soldiers, Katsu finally deflated.
"Thank you Lieutenant Aoshi." He told him with tears in his eyes.
"I didn't do it for you. -The lieutenant refuted. -And you better give me the report now."
Katsu swallowed hard.
"...Yes. I will." He gave up, regretting having to relive what his ears had had to hear from the mouths of the courtesans and the constant questions from the two ladies in his charge who apparently had no shame...
Shura had assisted Kaoru in her bath, guiding the other maids, but both could barely pay attention to the present. Their minds were completely lost in what those beautiful, gentle and noble cortesans had taught them. It turned out that before the wedding night, you had to first understand your husband's body so as not to receive any kind of painful surprise; but before knowing your husband's body you had to know yours. And when you know yours, you should know what allows you to conceive a life and how the dreaded period works.
It was too much information for one night, so Kaoru felt like she would definitely end up avoiding Kenshin the next day. She was no longer 8 years old, she was 12, and her period would soon arrive. She was 12 and just a year away from reaching the age allowed in the empire for high-born girls to have sexual relations. She would soon be 13, and if things between her and Kenshin continued to progress as they had for the past few months...
Kaoru's face turned red.
She wasn't stupid. She knew it. She knew perfectly well what the feeling that had begun to blossom in her heart was.
She liked Kenshin.
She liked him a lot.
"Hey, Kaoru. Are you OK?" Sura asked him, wrapped in her blanket, lying down and ready to go to sleep in the bed next to hers.
The aforementioned did not even look at her. Her gaze was lost on some distant point on the ceiling. Her eyes wide open, full of emotions.
"I'm overwhelmed." She confessed.
Shura nodded.
"I kowt." She told her equally distracted. "Will you do what they told you?" She inquired.
And then Kaoru did look at her.
"Should I?" She questioned with intention.
"It sounded like you should." Shura pointed out as if it were so simple and to a certain extent an obligation to recognize how one's body reacts to caresses.
"Will you do it?" Kaoru pressed in a whisper, because she suddenly felt the need to speak in a low voice.
"I don't know..." Shura confessed, her voice becoming weaker. "But without a doubt, if we do it, it must be secret, and the other will not have to know about it."
"I agree." Kaoru said, because how painful that would be! And then she hid her face in the pillow. "My poor virginal eyes. Megumi would definitely kill me for this."
...
As predicted, Kaoru ignored Kenshin for the entirety of the next day, even going so far as to lock herself in her room when she had no longer found excuses to get away from him every time they crossed paths.
Fortunately for her, her now husband was denser than water.
By the third day, however, Kaoru took to stalking Kenshin. Although she did not really hide the fact that she was following him from a distance, she did feign madness when he turned to see her. The redhead, more patient than foolish, dedicated himself to wait for his partner to decide when to confess what was - obviously - worrying her.
That's how the stalking followed him to the solar in the inn where the redhead was currently working; a large space with seats arranged for visits. Then it was Sanosuke who accompanied him and who couldn't take any more of the looks that the little lady was throwing at his General, from behind one of the pillars.
"Hey, did you do something to the little lady?" The lieutenant asked in a whisper, looking askance at the brunette.
"Not that I know of," Kenshin answered without stopping writing on the document he was working on, he seemed somewhat irritated.
"She hasn't stopped looking at you," Sano pointed out.
"I know," Kenshin growled under his breath.
"Aren't you going to face her?"
"I prefer to be patient."
"Ha! Coward is what you are," he mocked, raising his voice, and then jumped in fear when he noticed the dark ribbons coming out of his master. "I'll shut up, I'll shut up! Geez, what a character." He complained.
Kenshin turned off his power and continued working. But Kaoru continued spying. And then, Sanosuke had an idea.
"Hey little lady!" He called, enjoying the cute way in which the little duchess jumped when she felt discovered and ignoring his General's panic and annoyance. "We can see you; why don't you come once and for all and stop killing us in anguish!"
"Sanosuke," Kenshin growled loudly, his power active again.
But this time, Sano laughed as he put distance between them, knowing that Kaoru was advancing towards them.
"You wouldn't kill me in front of her, would ya?" He teased.
"I'm tempted to..." Kenshin growled again, and he might have if it weren't for the fact that Kaoru just reached him, standing in front of his desk.
"I didn't mean to bother." She said, cheeks adorably flushed and hands clenching the skirt of her lovely blue dress; a shade that made her eyes stand out Kenshin noticed, and his irritation evaporated.
"You are not, I assure you. -He said smiling. -So? What's wrong? Is there anything you want to ask me?"
To the surprise of both boys, the girl best known for being direct and firm-voiced seemed to withdraw into herself, almost as if she had always been an extremely, shy person. And they both feared that there was something really wrong.
"Well, we promised to be friends, right?" She finally blurted out, blinking constantly in a clear gesture of nervousness and sorrow.
"True." Kenshin admitted.
"And... friends are honest, aren't they?"
"That's how it is."
"Well, well... Well... -Her voice trailed off, as she seemed to dance in place. After a few seconds in which she seemed to debate with herself, the brunette closed her eyes before gaining courage and opening them again with a gleam of determination in them to finally ask. "How many women have you had sexual relations with?" She demanded to know, almost shouting that, completely embarrassed.
Silence... and then...
The pen Kenshin was holding broke with a clear clack.
The second noise belonged to Sanosuke. First. a tick in the eye, then a noise from his mouth - which he tried in vain to cover - and then he burst into laughter.
"Ppfffff... ahahahahaha"
The third sound was Sanosuke crashing against the wall next to him - courtesy of Kenshin - luckily, Kaoru was so engrossed in her embarrassment that she was barely aware that the brunette had been attacked by his partner.
Kenshin's smile was forced and uncomfortable, and seemed to dance as it struggled to stay on his face.
"What is this question about?" He questioned - obviously - uncomfortable.
Kaoru blinked and became embarrassed again, once again oblivious to what his partner was feeling.
"You see... Two days ago..."
...
And then she told him.
From the name of the place to that of each of the courtesans she had paid for their time, which had arranged her in an intensive course of multiple lessons on periods, the female and male bodies, masturbation and sexual relationships, as well as a couple of techniques on how sex could be more pleasurable and less painful for the woman the first time.
And although Kenshin remained relatively firm in the image he placed in front of her, the jumble of emotions he felt then - which ranged from embarrassment to pure irritation and annoyance - were evident in the objects in the room that had slowly began to fracture - some even breaking - out of nowhere. A set of small explosions that, to the even greater annoyance of the redhead, made his lieutenant laugh, who was still on the ground, apparently holding his stomach that surely hurt from laughing so much.
Someone was undoubtedly going to pay dearly for what happened two days ago, the General told himself.
...
By the time the story ended, the brunette girl looked - and felt - much more confident, so it didn't take long for her to ask the initial question again.
"So... how many women have you had sexual relationships with?"
Because after so many lessons and stories from the courtesans, Kaoru doubted that her husband, being almost eleven years older than her, had no experience whatsoever. And that, although it was difficult for her to admit it, caused her some discomfort.
Kenshin, who could barely keep his emotions at bay - let alone process all the information given - simply had no words.
"Little princess, I don't think it's wise."
"I knew it!" -She interrupted him with evident anger that quickly turned into dramatic sadness. "There were so many that you have lost count! Isn't it?" She said with tears coming to her eyes and a clear desire to flee.
"ORO! N-no!" Kenshin refuted, standing up suddenly, ready to chase her.
Then, to his good or bad luck, Sanosuke composed himself.
"Little lady, you have nothing to worry about." He assured her smiling, blocking the way to the exit, and then pointing at the redhead. "Our dear general has not closed the deal with any lady, at least as far as it counts -He assured, making an obscene sign with both hands (the index finger on his right entering a circle made by the thumb and index finger on his left), "So he is at the very least 98% virgin."
"What a relief!" Kaoru exclaimed, joining both hands in front. "That means we will be each other's first time!
Kenshin was boiling in a kind of dense black lava, which surrounded him and rose like an intense flame that threatened to consume everything. And he was about to incinerate his lieutenant when Kaoru turned towards him, and his power died in less than a second.
"Kenshin! We must promisse now." His little wife said running back to him, who looked at her dumbfounded. Kaoru took his hands and then joined them with hers by the pinkies. "This is the promise of the little finger, that whoever lies may have a thousand needles fall on him, and his finger will fall off." She hummed. "We promised each other first night, right?"
And then she left the room so dreamy that Kenshin barely had any idea of what had happened.
However, as soon as the door closed, his lieutenant's trial began.
...
The situation escalated to such a point that the General had to pay for damages to the inn.
Sanosuke was on forced rest for the next five days they traveled by ship.
For the next few days Kaoru remained with a different smile on her face, her eyes shining with a pearly glow that hadn't been there before. Her interactions in Kenshin's presence also changed somewhat.
The girl suddenly acted more like a teenager, and the General felt chills.
For her part, the little duchess spent much of the night dreaming about her first kiss because, at the moment, that was as far as her imagination went. And this time she had no doubt.
She was undoubtedly in love.
She let out a giggle before falling asleep.
...
Meanwhile, in his room, Kenshin sitting at the desk, remembered the conversation at that inn again. Although it was normal to assume a life based on his age, the reality was that his life, due to his gift and the tragedy of his family, had led him to seclusion. There were so many things that he had not considered would happen to him that now everything seemed new and dangerous.
"The first time, uh..." he said to no one, later remembering Kaoru's words.
"We promised each other first night, ne?" She had told him, and in her expression he had seen a young girl who was growing faster than he had anticipated.
"Himura!" He scolded himself, almost throwing the drink, face flushed. "Show some decency." He lectured himself.
It would be a long night again.
A/N: I have five chapters already planned, although not developed. They were supposed to be short for easier and faster writing and updating; but, as is well known with my writing, again it seems to be a vain wish... sigh... xD