Holi!
So far I'm just trying to reach the spanish version in the recently "free" time given... So deal with my awful grammar LOL
And to Sessha Tetsuko I want to say THANK YOU for reading my story, you are another one of my idols in this page, I absolutely adored your kenkao fic "Santa Works In Misterious Ways". So, for me that you took your time to write me was AMAZING. Thanks!
And as always Skenshingumi I love you for always leaving a review.
Warning: Once again, I remind you that I am mixing reality with fantasy, so it is to be expected that many events will not happen as they occurred in the original story (neither in the real nor in the manga).
"We are not children anymore pt.2"
March, 1865
Kaoru woke up the next morning and was surprised to find that, for the second time, she had had a sleep devoid of dreams. Ignoring the reason behind this and thankful for having been able to rest, the young priestess stood up with her heart in jubilation and a smile adorning her lips.
Getting up she remembered the events of the night before, and her heart danced in her chest. It had been so perfect, she told herself.
Nervous, and slightly excited, Kaoru had prepared to go out to meet who was her best friend; but before this happened, someone had knocked on the door, one of the inn workers brought her breakfast under the instructions of her 'protector' Seijuuro Hiko.
Thinking that perhaps-master and apprentice-would have gone out before she woke up, she stayed alone in the room for breakfast, forcing herself not to get depressed. She was here anyway, she told herself, "with him." Savoring a glimpse of the life they might as well have built for both of them.
Kaoru smiled; the view on the other side of the window augured good weather.
When she had finished eating, she suddenly felt suffocated by the walls of the room in which she was. She did not want to remain locked up until her companions returned; besides, they were no longer in Owari. This close to Kyoto she could afford to be a little more inconspicuous; after all she had been out of the city for months.
Determined, she took the tray with the dirty dishes and went out into the hall, carefully down the stairs, but upon entering the dining area she was instantly reprimanded.
"Kami! you shouldn't be doing my job!"
Kaoru looked up with a start, watching the waitress—a young woman with short brown hair—advance toward her annoyed. As soon as she reached her, she jerked the tray out of her hands.
"I didn't mean… I'm really, really sorry," the priestess apologized.
"Don't try to fool me," the waitress refuted, still looking annoyed and raising her voice, "or do you think my service is bad?" -She questioned without waiting for her to give her an answer; she began to walk back to the kitchen.
"What? No" Kaoru replied instantly and starting to follow her. "I just… where I come from it's normal to help, and I just wanted to do that. Be useful. I'm sorry," she apologized at the entrance to the kitchen, keeping a respectful distance.
The waitress -after leaving the tray with one of the cooks-, looked at her for a moment, analyzing her. Kaoru kindly kept her eyes downcast.
"I understand now." Said the young woman suddenly. "You shouldn't be so anxious; your protector paid in advance; they didn't abandon you."
"They? My protector? Kaoru looked at her confused. "Is she referring to Hiko san or Kenshin?" She thought to herself.
"They even left you a message…" the brunette continued, advancing to face her again. Then she changed her face and faked her voice to deliver the message. "We'll be walking a lot. You better be ready." Kaoru almost laughed at the regal interpretation of the Kenshin master that the young woman gave. "And the other: Good morning."
Her heart fluttered in her chest.
Her mind pictured her bosom friend standing in front of her… Kaoru smiled.
"I see. Thank you so much."
The chestnut snorted.
"Although you shouldn't try to usurp other people's jobs. By the way, you haven't answered me, do you think my work was bad?"
"No, not at all," she answered immediately.
The eldest was about to say something else, when another of her classmates who came out of the kitchen gave her a smack on the head.
"Leave the poor girl alone, Naoko," he said. It was a boy with black hair and dark eyes. "I'm sure she was just scared of the new arrivals."
"If it had been with you, you wouldn't be defending her, Katsu," Naoko refuted.
The boy rolled his eyes.
"It's ripe." He said, then looked at Kaoru. "Don't pay attention to her. These days we're all anxious; it's quite normal", he assured, giving the group that was in the dining room a meaningful look.
The younger blinked.
"Why?" She questioned.
To which the other two looked at her in surprise.
"You really don't know?" Katsu asked, and Kaoru shook her head. "They are slave traders."
Kaoru's heart skipped a beat. Her gaze instantly turned in the direction of the group that was having breakfast at that moment.
If she looked at them out of the corner of her eye, they looked like normal people, but if she paid attention, she could notice that the clothing was not the same as the people of the region; some even wore armor.
But in this region...
"With the confrontations it is normal for more children to be orphaned." Naoko informed her. "Before, it was famine that forced parents to abandon their children deep in the forest. No one could even buy them."
Kaoru was able for an instant to hear Kenshin's words:
- I was sold to a slave caravan. -
It felt like it had been many years ago. And the priestess was ashamed to finally see the gravity of what it meant to become someone else's property. Before, such facts had been so far removed from her, that even if she did hear about them, she was'nt able to see them for what they were.
A disgrace.
"Now, with the trade that the south and its armed groups have made, the purchase of slaves is no longer reduced only to the houses of pleasure," Katsu continued. "Many of them are now bought as cannon fodder."
"That is awful." The priestess murmured.
Katsu shrugged, dismissing it.
"It is what it is. They would die on their own anyway. Most prefer to survive by accepting the course of their destiny."
If Kenshin hadn't been rescued by his master, she wondered, would they even have crossed paths?
"I wish there was something we could do for them," she said more to herself than to the others.
The other two looked at her sadly.
"Many of them join of their own free will -said the dark haired man-, you shouldn't feel sorry for them if they don't feel sorry for themselves."
Just then, Naoko spotted the boy sneaking out the back.
"Like that one that goes over there," she said, and the next moment she went out to chase him. "Sanosuke! Where do you think you are going?!"
Sanosuke was startled and stopped on the spot. He was a boy a little taller than Kenshin, with brown hair and tan skin, his clothes looked like those of a fighter.
"Oh no," Katsu complained. "They started again," he said, and then waved goodbye to Kaoru, before retreating back into the kitchen.
For her part, the priestess felt attracted to where Naoko had left and followed her to the patio where she was struggling with the minor.
"Let go!" He complained. "I already told you that I am going to join the ranks of Captain Sagara!"
Naoko kicked him then, and Sanosuke fell to the ground rubbing his injured part.
"And I already told you that you can't leave without paying your bill first!" Naoko refuted.
"Don't be annoying," the boy continued from the ground. "There is no way I will pay you now, I will after the war is over."
She rolled her eyes.
"And when will that be, huh?" she demanded, mocking the boy's naiveté, something that Kaoru herself could clearly understand. "By then, you will owe me a fortune."
"If he doesn't die before then," the miko thought. She had begun to smile without realizing it; in her mind, she had remembered his brother and how the two of them also used to argue without rest. Feeling a deep nostalgia, Kaoru dared to get involved in that meeting.
"How much does he owe you?" She asked. Getting both of them to stop in their discussion and look at her with interest and bewilderment. Kaoru was embarrassed by the weight of their gazes. "How much does he owe you? Maybe I can help you."
There was a short silence, and then Sanosuke was standing holding her hands, and at a nonproper distance .
"Neechan, thank you very much. I wish they were all like you", he declared, before falling to the ground again after Naoko hit him again, this time on the head.
"Don't be disrespectful!" Said the brunette, who then looked seriously at Kaoru. "Are you sure?"
Kaoru blinked, wondering if that was how it would be for others when she and Koshijiro argued. Then she smiled.
"Hai," she said.
…
Kenshin was panting, trying to catch his breath. His body was tired after several attempts to master the next technique, but mainly after the last unplanned confrontation. Sweat trickled down his forehead and fell to the ground in little drops. Bent over as he was, he was barely holding on to the katana stuck to the ground. He had removed his gi after the second match, overwhelmed by the heat the exercise had made him feel. And now he was feeling slightly grateful that he had, knowing that he did not want to ruin the arrangements his companion had made to said garment the day before.
Hiko was behind him. Like his student, he had made light of the load of clothing - although in his case only the white cloak had been removed. He was serious and worried, even if his face showed no evidence of the latter emotion. He kept analyzing his student with a thorn stuck in his chest; the early morning event still weighed on his disciple's shoulders, added to the meeting they had just had.
"Even if you have cleared your mind, your body still hasn't forgotten." He told the boy.
Kenshin gritted his teeth as soon as he heard him; his grip on the katana did as well. His eyes flashed.
"It will be impossible for me to fight like this," he reluctantly agreed, as if to say - I already know - but more elaborate if only to avoid being impertinent.
"Perhaps," agreed his master. 'Or maybe it's better if you don't fight at all.' He thought to himself.
After Kenshin's panic attack, Hiko had decided that they should go out to train, away from that community. It intrigued him that after a development like the one his student had had the night before with the girl from the sanctuary, he could fall back into a trauma from the past. Unless it was more of a fear of a looming future and being so close to a seer that Kaede herself had recognized, Hiko had no doubt that this was possible.
The older man turned his gaze in the direction of the men lying inert on the ground, the same ones that he himself had killed moments before, when his student had been unable to do so...
He had been so preoccupied with resolving what Kenshin had gone through in his nightmares that running into a gang of assassins in the middle of the road almost caught him off guard. But seeing the result - having witnessed the hesitation and indecision in his disciple's eyes and even more, seeing him freeze just before delivering the final blow - Hiko considered it a blessing in disguise.
"Kenshin."
"I know." The minor cut him off, frustrated.
Conscious of his own faults, and angry with himself.
"I do not wish to speak of it, master, -he declared, straightening up at last.- I'm not even sure what I saw," he confessed in a low whisper.
With his gaze still lost in the memory of that nightmare, Kenshin was unable to face his teacher, who continued to analyze him.
"Once we get back to Kyoto, it won't be your business any more," Hiko told him.
Kenshin's heart clenched in his chest.
Once in Kyoto. Away again from the closeness he now enjoyed with Kaoru. Then he remembered the absent expression of the Kaoru from his nightmare, and clenched his face in physical pain.
"I am aware of that," he said, his voice firm but with a tinge of resignation.
Right at that moment Hiko decided that they would be one more day late on their return to Kyoto. He had to finish deciphering the riddle that haunted Kenshin's consciousness, and determine exactly how Kaoru planned to continue her relationship with the latter; suddenly aware that there must be a hidden reason why the girl had searched for them, and even more so in secret.
"It's better that way," he declared, "there's still a lot to do."
…
Sanosuke drank the tea from the cup in one gulp, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and gave Kaoru, who sat across from him, a sly smile.
"Captain Sagara has allowed me to use his last name -he said proudly-, as soon as we win the fight, I will be Sagara Sanosuke."
Beside him, Naoko frowned, it was clear she didn't like the sound of his name.
"Sounds too complicated," she said. "I don't understand why bother with someone like you. Katsu, I can understand, but you... You don't even have talent."
Sanosuke looked at her annoyed, he was going to refute but Kaoru's question completely distracted him.
"Are you going to fight?"
Sano was smiling proudly again.
"Together with Captain Sagara," he declared.
Kaoru looked down.
During the last year she had taken lessons to learn about the political affairs of the country, to lend her ears to what was happening in the lives of the people around her. After the incident at the shrine, she felt compelled to take sides, even if her heart couldn't find a reason to jump right into the fight, categorically rejecting violence.
That's why she had to ask more. Not just for her fallen brothers, but for her, and finally for Kenshin. For understanding the role that the latter would have in the fight and why it was crucial for him to be part of it.
"And… why are you fighting?" She finally questioned, looking at the boy with some pity.
"What do you mean why?" He was shocked, almost offended. "It's too obvious."
The miko tightened the gesture.
"Sorry if I don't see it," she growled.
He looked at her much more puzzled.
"Where have you been living?"
Naoko then punched him in the arm.
"Sanosuke, don't be rude," she scolded him.
The boy whimpered at the pain of the blow and then rubbed the injured area.
"I'm just saying... It's obvious that she's not one of the lowest rungs."
"Sanosuke!"
"No. He's right. -Kaoru interrupted him, who finally understood the judgment of the young man in front of her. -I am the daughter of a daimyo." She informed.
The two young teens in front of her looked at her with surprise, after all, Kaoru was dressed humbly, just a white iromuji.
"Although I was delivered to a sanctuary, not long ago I came out of seclusion. So you will understand why my vision is so limited. But I want to learn."
Sanosuke finally took her seriously.
"How old are you?" He asked.
"I am twelve. I will be thirteen in June."
"I'm fourteen. Soon I will be a man." He bragged, Naoko rolled her eyes. "And I will be able to join as a fighter and not just as an errand boy."
"Why is it so important?" the priestess questioned.
"If you really want to know, come with me. And I'll show you."
Priestess shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wondering if it would be wise to accept the invitation from someone who was mostly a stranger.
"Don't worry" Naoko told her when she saw the doubt in the minor, "you'll be safe with him: he cackles, but he doesn't bite."
"Oi!" he demanded in response.
Kaoru forced herself to shake off her fears. Her visions had never been wrong. Besides; they had shown her that villa for some reason.
So she nodded with a smile and got ready to leave with Sanosuke.
…
Shiji massaged his temples in an attempt to soothe the pain in his head. Even though the preparations had gone smoothly, he couldn't help but feel anxious; he knew he would continue to feel that way until the new clergy took office the next day and Kaoru returned.
Just then, one of the servants showed up at his door.
"My lord, Kiyosato Akira has returned," he informed after bowing.
Shiji looked at him between confused and surprised.
"He arrives a day early," he mused. "And the priestess is late." He thought to himself.
He still hadn't received an answer from Kaoru.
"Show him in," he said at last. "I will receive him immediately."
The servant nodded, bowing his head before closing the shoji. Shinji settled in front of his desk, knowing that -although he was meeting with a family member- this meeting was more about business than anything else.
Soon Akira was in front of him, having been announced.
"My lord," the older man greeted.
Shinji frowned.
"You don't need to do that with me. By now, it is more than clear that we are brothers." He reminded him, indicating to his servants to leave them alone, they did as they were ordered.
"All the more reason to honor you, Shinji," Akira rebutted, sitting down across from his brother. "You are almost the same height as me."
The aforementioned snorted.
"Do not delude yourself, they are my mother's genes."
Akira shook his head while laughing; he had missed those fights so common when they were children.
"How have you been?" Shinji asked, his eyes showing that what he was hoping to hear was a report.
"Roughly speaking. -Assented his brother-. We have not yet faced any political harassment. And the business of the second branch is going well. They haven't discovered us yet."
They were supporting the rebellion after all, so it was normal to worry, but Shinji trusted Akira's judgment.
"How much longer do you think you can keep their attention scattered?"
"Not much, I'm afraid," he lamented, crossing his arms. "I've even talked about it with Tomoe."
Shinji raised an eyebrow.
"And does she understand? Don't tell me you still can't read your wife?
Akira sighed with some weariness while he massaged his neck.
"One would think that with marriage those communication barriers would disappear. But nothing could be further from the truth. It's like learning to speak another language."
"Well, you'd better learn fast."
"Tomoe is a strong and focused woman," Akira defended. "She knows what she needs to do, and she will do it even if she doesn't agree, because that's how she was raised. It's just that now she allows me to see when she's not happy because of this."
"Why do I think it's even worse?" Inquired the minor.
"Because it is." Assured his brother with some irritation, while he smiled sardonically. "Before I could excuse myself for being ignorant. But now, what excuse can I give when I can't change what makes her unhappy?"
"It's pretty obvious. Give her comfort. -Shinji blurted out, then he added as if he had thought it just then -And don't die."
"Of course." Akira smiled sarcastically.
Shinji ignored this rebuff and continued with his instructions.
"You will also be a bodyguard; Katsura hasn't shown any signs of abandoning his samurai status anytime soon, so he won't be risking any assassinations just yet."
"And for how long?"
Although nothing had been declared yet, the tension in the environment could be felt with increasing force; the rebellions in the south were another type of tension. Anyone could see that the time for "peace" was running out.
"Until he finds his assasin," Shinji stated.
Akira looked at him suspiciously.
"I thought he already had one."
Shinji growled in annoyance. The massacre at the inn where more than eight government posts had been vacated with a single clandestine confrontation was no secret. An event everyone doubted could have been the act of a single assassin. But the heir to the Kiyosato clan knew the identity of said character, and had also witnessed his power with the sword.
But that didn't mean he was willing to reveal him, not even to his own blood. He had a pact with Kaoru, and he wouldn't do anything that would put it in danger of breaking it.
"I've told you before, that event was random, and it wasn't really from Kihetai or Chosu. -He said, although Akira still didn't seem to believe him. So Shinji decided to change the subject. "Have you heard from Kaoru?"
The black-haired man agreed.
"I received a note from her a day ago. I planned to get to pay my respects once we got to Kyoto. But when I got to the shelter, the message had been waiting for me for a day."
"She should have seen it."
"Does it affect the plans of the clergy?"
"No. On the contrary, it suits them. -Assured. -Now they will be able to make their welcome even bigger and put aside the charges to be assigned tomorrow."
"Had she planned it?
"I doubt it." Shiji replied, although he suspected the same thing. "It must be something else. What did Enishi say?"
Akira made an anguished face, although it seemed more like a tragedy if you looked at it closely.
"I'm not sure that he assimilates it as he should, especially since he doesn't know the identity of his fiancée. I think he's just trying to please Tomoe."
"Which was to be expected from a good brother."
"Shinji!" Akira looked at him shocked.
"I can't have her. You know this. -The minor strongly refuted. -She doesn't want me as a partner, and I don't want her either. A better arrangement came to the Kiyosato house, it's that simple."
His brother looked at him still uncertain. He doubted that arrangement from head to toe.
"And will she love Enishi?" He challenged not without a certain mockery.
Shinji sighed wearily.
"It's just an arrangement. -He said. -Enishi is still young, almost a year and a half younger than her. We will have about three and a half years of grace if we see it from his side, four if the sanctuary imposes the marriage law on her side. With any luck, we will have ended the conflict by then, and such an arrangement will be invalid."
Which was true. Although there were still marriages with girls within the Japanese nobility; the law had changed a decade ago, and the official age for marriage was 15 for men and 16 for women. Although the age at which they could have sexual relations was barely 13 years for both sexes.
"Will she sign?" He pressed again uncertainly. Almost wishing Shiji would reflect and undo such an arrangement.
It was a wasted thought, however.
"She really has no other option; she needs the protection and financial support that we can give her."
"And we need her political influence," the dark-haired man concluded.
Shinji smirked.
"You're getting it now. I hope you didn't say a word to Tomoe."
"I would not dare. -His wife would certainly have an objection if she knew the identity of her brother's fiancée, but no more than she would oppose the reasons behind said union. -And what about him?"
Shinji tightened the gesture.
"He…" he pondered, lost in the memory of such an obstacle. "I'll take care of him."
…
"I didn't know there were so many," Kaoru exclaimed as soon as they reached the area where the Kiheitai were camping.
Lots of soldiers -consisting of farmers for the most part, and a few ronin- crowded together while training in the middle of the fields near the crop area.
Beside her Sanosuke spoke.
"A contradiction since they are the poor districts, right?"
She was embarrassed.
"I did not mean that."
"Don't worry, I'm not offended. - He cut her off, still smiling. Then he called his superior as soon as he saw him -Captain Sagara!"
"Captain Sagara!" Katsu called too, who was ahead of them.
The aforementioned -Sagara Sozo- turned to see him when he heard them and saw his protégés running towards him, followed in turn by a humble-looking young woman.
"Sanosuke, Katsu -He spoke to them as soon as they reached him. -And your guest?" He questioned, analyzing the young woman who was looking at him nervously.
For some unknown reason, she looked familiar.
"She's a friend," Katsu said, "she comes from a shrine."
Given this, the captain looked closely at the young woman in front of him, ignoring the feeling of déjà vu that had dominated him as soon as he saw her, until he recognized her. And, the next moment, he bowed respectfully.
"I apologize for the lack of education of my protégés, Kaoru miko sama, it is an honor to be in front of you," he said.
Katsu jumped in astonishment and bewilderment.
"Oh! The Inari's priestess?! he exclaimed, bowing then likewise.
Sano looked at him confused.
"Who?" he asked before his friend forced him to bow.
At this, the priestess was embarrassed.
"There is no need for such reverence, after all, I am supposed to be incognito. - She said, with flushed cheeks. - It's my fault for not being more careful."
Sozo smiled sympathetically, knowing what she was imagining.
"It'll be easier to understand if I confess that I'm from Kyoto too," he told her by way of explanation and assuring her at the same time that she hadn't been careless. "I had the chance to see her excelency during the pilgrimage to Edo."
Kaoru understood but was equally surprised, even though their Kyoto match had been quite a spectacle.
"I see." She nodded.
"To what do we owe your interest in us?"
Sano hurried to free himself from Katsu's hand, which was still pressing on his head, to explain before she could think of responding.
"She wants to understand the value of war and why we fight."
The miko was embarrassed.
"I know how confusing that sounds," she tried to explain.
"No." Sozo denied it with a smile. "On the contrary. It turns out wise. If you allow me."
Kaoru looked for a second at the arm that the captain offered her in an invitation to walk with him. The next second she accepted although nervous.
Sano was about to follow them when Katsu stopped him.
"Where are you going? It is not correct to follow them."
"But-"
"Listen for once, Sano," he chided without giving him a chance to explain.
The brunette crossed his arms in annoyance as he watched the priestess go arm-in-arm with his captain.
"I was supposed to take her," he growled.
Sozo walked slightly ahead of Kaoru, as was proper but taking care never to turn his back on her and never let go of her hand. They walked around the periphery of the camp, so they could visualize the entire group of soldiers.
The man explained where they came from and how that great group had been formed. The young woman listened carefully, but after a moment of walking, Sozo stopped and faced her.
"Kaoru miko sama, forgive me if I don't understand why your excellency is here."
Kaoru looked at him embarrassed.
"You said I had a wise reason."
"And I'm not taking it back," he assured her, smiling, "I admire and understand where your interest comes from; what I don't conceive is that you could be here, and even more so without an escort."
'I'm not alone.' She wanted to tell him, but it was still early to reveal who she had for company. Just because her visions had led her there didn't mean she could trust everyone, so she confessed only what was necessary. "I am still not allowed the freedom to move alone, on my own. Hence the reason I came incognito."
He looked at her blankly.
"Aren't you been looked?"
"I arranged that before leaving. So no." She said smirking and internally wishing Hikari was okay in her place. "It's important to me to be here."
He looked at her with genuine concern.
"But it's too risky."
"Don't worry, I know how to move," she answered instantly.
"I didn't mean to offend you."
"And you didn't." She cut him off, not wanting to continue down that path. "I would like to know why they have chosen the fight."
The older man sighed, understanding the concern of the young priestess. His gaze was lost for a moment on the horizon, before he started to explain.
"Although the caste system allowed a certain order that maintained peace for hundreds of years, people have a limit to the time they can endure living inside a cage."
That caught the young girl's attention.
"A cage? Are you implying that we are all slaves?"
"In a way, yes." He agreed. "Japan has always been a closed island; as long as we couldn't see the horizon it was easy to follow the established path. But the arrival of the Americans opened not only the country to the rest of the world, but the world itself to Japan.
Discovering that many of the limits we knew were non-existent, and the shock as to their advances in knowledge was the awakening of many...but mainly the poorer castes.
Even the slaves work to pay off their debt and get their freedom. Even those who end up sold to the houses of pleasure strive to acquire honor within this profession and get to be revered in their status. As you can see, everyone seeks to break the limits that dictate how they should live.
But even so, we remain prisoners of our social class, and why? Why do we have to stay where we were born with limits of rights? Why can't we all be worthy of the same honor? To live better?"
"Hence the promise of family names," Kaoru mused.
Having a last name was the representation of the honor of belonging to a family, usually a noble one. So the slaves and peasants had no right to one. Hence the importance of belonging to a clan.
"It is a symbol more than anything else; it is a right." Sozo conceded. "Those of us who fight believe there must be equality among the children of Japan."
"And the Shogun is against it?"
Sozo couldn't help but smile with some pity and understanding at the same time. It was easy to blame a single person for the current discrimination, but the problem was not that simple. It wasn't exactly a good vs. bad fight.
"It's hard to explain that part. -He said contritely. -We could better call him 'conservative'. Equal conditions and the opportunity to advance in the caste scheme would make others lose their privileges. Not to mention the great social change it would generate, so it is not easy for everyone to agree."
Kaoru considered this for a moment.
"And will it be possible to create that era of peace? Where everyone has access to the same rights?"
"It is our intention, but we still cannot guarantee it. -He confessed. -Once the war ends, the real fight will begin. Building something is much more difficult than tearing it down."
The priestess sighed.
She understood, of course. The need for conflict and what it would entail. Though, whether such a dream would come true or if they would be plunged into greater misery remained to be seen. The only thing she was sure of was that Kenshin had an important role in the coming fight; the gods themselves had let her know so... Then why?
Why was she continuing her relentless search for a different solution? Kaoru looked at the captain of the Kiheitai, aware of the shadow the Kiheitai would leave on the history of the new Japan.
"I thought, if there was someone capable of..."
"Captain!"
The priestess's words died on her lips. One of the soldiers was approaching followed by two others with obvious concern on his face.
"What's going on?" Questioned the captain, adopting a serious stance.
"A messenger has arrived from a neighboring gang.#
The miko's heart skipped a beat. The time had come, she understood.
"What did he want?"
"Apparently support and help," the soldier reported, "he says they are survivors of a raid from the next district."
Sozo frowned suspiciously.
"Ronin of Myth?" Sozo inquired.
The conflict continued to escalate and it seemed that it would not end anytime soon. At the moment, there had been casualties equally on both sides; although the balance was tipping in favor of the rebels against the shogun, the army was divided, so it was normal to find deserters where the battles had been lost.
The soldier in front of the captain denied however.
"It could seem like it, but it seems foreign."
Which meant that this group would be from the bakufu.
"I understand" Assented the captain, aware of the danger of having to reveal himself so soon.
The soldiers who were under his command were barely in training, and they did not plan to fight yet; they were still planning to wait another year and move based on the outcome of the rebellion, so he had to be cautious. "I'll be over in a moment, assemble the officers."
The men nodded and ran back to the camp. Sozo began to devise a plan in his mind while deciding how to hide his partner and keep her safe. The miko, however, had a different plan.
"I'll go with you," she blurted out as soon as he was about to speak to her.
The man was shocked.
"I'm sorry, Your Excellency, but I don't think it's safe."
"I wasn't asking your permission." Kaoru rebutted forcefully, cutting him off, the look in her eyes fierce and determined. "I came here for this."
Startled, the captain swallowed hard, feeling his fingers tingle and a chill of anticipation running down his spine. He understood the implication of her words.
"A vision?" He inquired hopefully. Hope that she was there to help them.
Kaoru nodded.
"In part, but I need to glimpse the intentions of your new visit."
Sozo looked at her confused.
"How would you do that?"
She smiled.
"By accident."
...
Once Kaoru had told Captain Sagara of her plan, he gave instructions to his officers, ready to prepare the stage in which the miko would move. The girl had then been left in charge of Sanosuke and Katsu to prepare her as she had requested.
"Even though I know I should be excited," Sanosuke said, helping the girl put on a black hakama over the white oromuji she wore, "I can't help but tell you that you are at great risk."
Kaoru nodded, as she allowed herself to be dressed as a peasant.
"Thank you," she said sincerely, she appreciated the boy's concern.
Katsu approached her then and extended a wakizashi (short sword) to her.
"You must have this," he told her, "you know how to use it, don't you?"
"Hai. -She nodded, taking the weapon and beginning to tie it by the sageo. Although it won't be necessary," she assured, but her face seemed far away and she gave very little credit to her words.
Katsu and Sanosuke shared a concerned look before turning back to their companion. She had already braided her hair and hidden it under a scarf. She looked like a boy.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Sanosuke insisted.
The girl smiled with some pity and then nodded her head. The weapon was already resting at waist level, strapped to the obi. The young girl then left the store with a ditch of water in her hands, and a cloth that she kept in her obi. Sanosuke watched her walk in the direction of the store where the captain and the enemy messenger were; he had a bad feeling then... he turned to Katsu who had started preparing gunpowder balls.
"Katsu, be good and send a notice to the inn," he asked.
In the event that something bad happened - and taking into account the identity of the girl - it would be best to notify her to have a backup. His partner understood instantly.
"I will, it is better to have support if the worst happens. But will it be okay? She said she was coming incognito."
Sano sighed. He had not wanted to weigh the possible consequences of his actions, even more so when he would go against someone else's order.
"Naoko will be the one to receive the message, she will know what to do," he concluded, even if he knew he was trying to convince himself.
Katsu wrote a note, went out as soon as he had it ready to one of the officers who were in charge of carrying out errands, and explained the situation. He understood and accepted the order, leaving immediately after on horseback to arrive as soon as possible.
Sanosuke for his part, found himself praying for the first time that they could avoid any tragedy.
...
When Kaoru reached the edge of Sagara Sozo's shop, the latter was waiting for her outside. He then gave her a significant look before entering ahead of her; the minor followed him at a prudent distance and stood still as soon as the man stopped in front of the messenger, who was sitting on the ground. The miko kept her face down and her gaze fixed on a distant point on the ground. Now she was a servant, or at least she should act like one, she told herself.
Sozo stopped in front of the messenger and studied him before speaking to him. The man was short in stature but athletic in build; his eyes were dark brown, but his hair was light brown, his skin also stood out for its whiteness.
"Identify yourself," he ordered in a firm, gravelly voice.
"My name is Iago. I am a simple messenger who was previously a slave. At the moment, I belong to a rebel gang that promised to free me."
The captain looked at him suspiciously.
"Under whose orders are you?"
The man did not flinch; his mask -if he was wearing one- did not suffer any cracks.
"No one but myself for now," he said, his voice steady, "but if you ask about the lord I serve, all I know is that he is a schoolboy by the name of Fujita Koshirō*
There were several murmurs around the room. While it was true that the name mentioned was one of the leaders of the Mito rebels, the messenger had intentionally avoided giving the name of his gang leader; perhaps he was one himself and was looking to hide. In any case, he had given a friendly name, and Sozo had to react accordingly but with caution.
"Why do you need our help?" He questioned.
Iago's countenance lost its former serenity to become afflicted. If he was acting, his performance was admirable.
"We were defeated in an ambush", he said. "A member of our gang turned out to be a traitor and led us straight to our grave. Few of us managed to escape... However, our reserves are about to end, and we cannot approach the villagers without arousing suspicion and instigation by them. Even for us it is difficult to know who is an ally and who is an enemy."
It would be so easy to believe him, the captain told himself. He wanted to believe him; they would be exposed ahead of time if the story of that man in front of him was a lie. In that instant he was reminded of the priestess, who was by his side.
"Minako chan -he called her-, please take care of our guest." He ordered, making it clear with this that he received the messenger as a guest in his camp.
"Hai," Kaoru agreed, still keeping her face down as per protocol.
Most of the soldiers present left the tent, including the captain.
The young woman stopped in front of the man and put the container with water she was carrying in her hands on the ground. She took a cloth out of the obi and dampened it to clean the man's face…she needed just a little touch.
"Your eyes are blue," said Iago, momentarily captivated by the deep blue orbs of the young lady who served him. She barely nodded her head before receiving the tray with the kettle and the tea that she would serve the man from another of the servants present. During that moment, the messenger continued to analyze the brunette's face. "But all your features are Japanese," he continued to say more to himself. "You must be mixed then."
Kaoru offered him the cup of tea.
"I couldn't say, I didn't know my parents," she told him, following his role.
"A pity." He regretted, he seemed sincere.
He sighed, then raised his right hand to receive the offered cup. Kaoru -thought she had been ready for the contact- was surprised by the man when he held her right arm by the wrist, just as he was taking the cup from her with his other hand.
"Ah!"
Kaoru jumped in fright, the man's gaze was sharp and seemed to cut her like knives. He pulled her to him by the grip and whispered to her with a psychopathic smile "Although there are always worse things."
A sword through her chest.
The miko jerked away from him, jumping backward until she fell face-first to the ground.
"Minako!" His partner called, worried and surprised, helping her to stand up.
"I'm sorry," the man apologized, "I didn't want to scare you."
Kaoru felt a chill.
"It's alright." She managed to say in a firm voice. "I understand."
And after bowing politely, the miko hurried out followed by the servant who had been with her. The man -Iago- stayed behind, and although the young woman did not look behind her, she was able to feel his eyes and his devilish smile on her person.
...
There was an instant in which Kaoru felt like she was drowning.
Unable to control the feeling that washed over her, she walked away towards the shop where Sano and Katsu had helped her disguise herself. But when she reached it, she could not enter. On the contrary, she forced herself to breathe slowly to get control of the chaos in which her body had been submerged.
She didn't know how long she was like this, only doing breathing exercises and forcing herself to think of something other than the death she had evidenced through that murderer's touch.
But she felt that it had not been a long time when Sozo's voice took her out of that bubble.
"So?" Questioned the captain bluntly. Four more soldiers (probably their leaders) accompanied him, standing a safe distance behind him.
Kaoru sighed.
"He's a murderer," she declared her voice firm but her face rueful. The group of Japanese with them are prisoners."
The young woman allowed them to ponder their strategies in the face of the revealed situation.
"He leads us into an ambush then," one pointed out.
"We need reinforcements, we won't be able to do it alone," said another.
"We should send his head on a pike," suggested the third.
"That would be condemning the hostages," concluded the fourth.
They continued like this for a while, long enough for the young priestess to manage to compose herself again and focus on doing what she was there to do.
"It is possible to free them by taking advantage of the trap," she told them, interrupting their spiel.
Sozo looked at her intently.
"How?" He questioned.
The young woman's hands clenched the white oromuji fabric tightly, reflecting in her slight tremors the emotions she was containing.
"Show me a map and I'll explain it to you," she answered.
...
As soon as they assisted her with what she needed, Kaoru marked the route they should follow, the exact point where the hostages were, and the path to avoid if they wanted to escape the ambush. More could not ensure the weapons they would find, that was subject to the ingenuity of the captain and his attack strategy.
Sozo decided that they would initially pretend to follow the messenger's ruse while moving two factions along two different fronts; in such a way that they could surround the enemy group. He immediately began to assemble the groups and gave the pertinent orders momentarily forgetting about Kaoru until she had stopped him.
"I'll go with you too," she declared.
"Your Excellency" The present looked at her scandalized. "It's not a safe place," the captain warned her, as if he didn't need any further reasons or elaboration in his response.
Kaoru looked at him challengingly.
"Am I to understand then that you consider it right to send children to the battlefield, but not me just because of the position I hold?" Everyone fell silent; that could well have been a slap. "Were your earlier words mere hypocrisy?"
The man wrinkled his face, clenching his hands into fists and for once felt ashamed of himself.
"Forgive me. I made a mistake." He finally said after a forced sigh. "However, I still can't allow you to go to the front."
She nodded, knowing where her place in the battle would be.
"I understand," she said.
Without much to refute, Sozo directed Kaoru back to Sanosuke and Katsu, explaining the situation to them, asking them again to prepare their guest with the appropriate clothing -protections more than anything- and to be on the lookout for her as soon as they left.
Both boys nodded. Although equally not entirely convinced, they admired the miko's resolve, unaware that she was a sea of nerves.
"Kenshin..." she thought. "Forgive me."
...
It turned out that the distance was not as long as they had thought. The two groups that had advanced were already in position. Sozo's group had set out afterward, led by the messenger Yago who didn't suspect anything yet.
The captain was not in front however, he and Kaoru remained at a prudent distance from their guide, near the end of the group, Sozo mounted on horseback. Sanosuke and Katsu were on foot on either side of the priestess but a few steps behind her.
The brown eyes were fixed on her straight back. Everyone knew at that point what the miko's gift had accomplished.
"I have to say that her power is a great asset," he said.
Katsu nodded understanding what his friend was referring to.
"It's a blessing," he corrected.
Sano smiled wider.
"With her here we could easily win the war," he declared, thinking that the miko could reveal their enemies' plans to them.
For his part, the dark-haired man shook his head, resigned to his companion's ingenuity.
"I don't think it works that way," he pointed out.
Sano looked at him confused.
"Why do you say so?"
"Don't you see?" Katsu accused in disbelief. "She showed up here as if she were on a mission. Surely her gift doesn't work at will."
That made sense, the brown-haired man told himself, much more sense than his crazy hopes. A knot knotted in his stomach.
"At least I would like to think that Kamisama is on our side," he refuted.
Katsu sighed, but couldn't deny that he had the same desire as his partner.
"If only..."
He was unable to continue, for at that moment a cannon blast reverberated through the air, the blast carrying it past them and nearly hitting them.
"Run!" Sano yelled, just as chaos broke out.
…
It was already past noon when student and teacher finally returned to the inn. After the encounter with the gang of assassins, Kenshin had appealed to bury them. Not very convinced, Hiko had let it go.
After this, both had went back to the inn, but they had stopped halfway for lunch, and in the end, time had passed in a hurry.
Therefore, when they returned to the inn, Naoko already had the note that Katsu had sent. For enough time to have been ashamed of the treatment she had given to the priestess of Inari -who was also the emperor's protégé-, recovered from the same shame, and controlled herself to prepare a possible help and/or rescue group.
The inn was then in controlled chaos.
"What's the fuss?" Hiko questioned as soon as he entered the building.
His voice and the strength of his ki as always, attracted the attention of the people in the place, making the tension in the environment almost palpable.
Naoko stopped in her run and looked at him nervously.
"I'm sorry…" she said softly, quietly "...your partner..."
Kenshin jumped up behind Hiko, his heart hanging by a thread.
"What happens with Kaoru dono?" He asked, and the next moment he began looking for her trying to feel her presence.
But he only found silence.
"She's not here..." he said, his voice trembling.
Naoko jumped up to speak.
"A conflict has broken out, where the camp of the troops made up of peasants is located."
"Ah!"
Student and teacher understood what was happening before the girl finished speaking.
"Your friend is there."
-In the middle of the battlefield-, they both thought. Kenshin would have run out of the place in search of his mate if it hadn't been for the fact that his master stopped him before he could even blink.
"Stay. -He ordered him. -As long as you can't dominate yourself, it's better you stay out of the fight. After all, we cann't risk repeating the events of a year ago. I'll go in your place."
It took the young samurai a brief, painful moment to compose himself. He struggled with the anxiety and fear he felt and with the shadow of that terrible nightmare still following him.
"I trust you, master," he said finally, with a bow.
His master adjusted his white cloak and headed back out onto the path. At the entrance, one of the inn servants stopped him, leading the reins of a black horse.
"It will be easier if you go this way," the servant told him humbly, aware of the importance of helping Inari's priestess.
Hiko nodded.
"If you insist," he said; and then took the reins of the horse, setting off as
soon as he was on it.
Kenshin stayed at the entrance of the inn, heart in hand, without taking his eyes off his teacher until his figure vanished on the path.
…
"We will protect you Kaoru dono."
Sunk in a sea of darkness, the echo of old ghosts made its way through her mind.
For that brief moment, her consciousness remained submerged in limbo.
"We will protect you Kaoru dono."
Cannons erupted all around them, soldiers screaming and running as they sought cover and attacked at the same time. The world in which she walked was a dark curtain where each presence moved and vanished like smoke.
"Whatever happens, you have to live."
She had fallen to the ground after the first attack. Sozo was with her in an instant and led her along with the rest in retreat. Even if she could hear his voice giving orders, she was unable to register anything that was said. She was immersed in another world.
And even if things continued to unfold as her visions had arranged, the young woman was unable to stop the panic that was gradually engulfing her.
"Kaoru dono!"
His chest ached, the air felt heavy. Caught between the reality of the present and the tragedy of her past, Kaoru could barely breathe. She was a prisoner of a nightmare.
"Sanosuke, Katsu, take her with you!"
"Your Excellency, hold on to me"
They were taking her away from the battlefield, but not yet, she told herself; it was not time yet. She had to stop; she had to warn them; there was still so much she had to do...!
"You must steal the cannons before the archers arrive! -she heard herself say, and for a brief moment the movement stopped -There is a path hidden by foliage; they tried to hide it near the river."
"Seek shelter."
The voices continued under the water.
"Send a message, now!"
She was moved again, led again by whom she recognized as Katsu and Sanosuke; the world was still black, a thick mist of unreality... She was still in that limbo and couldn't get out.
"Kaoru dono, let's do the incantation."
She was trapped!
"You must survive."
Sano and Katsu were two shadows, almost dragging her through the mist; They moved up a slope, and just before reaching the top, Fuu loomed ahead of her.
"Let's do the incantation, Kaoru dono."
Panic ran through her veins, there was blood dripping down her friend's face; just a second and then she would return to her paleness. Her breathing became labored, the miko knew what would happen next.
A bullet went through Fuu's head.
"No...!" She shouted.
Her friend fell to the ground inert, from where she looked at her with empty eyes. The rain was raging, the puddles on the ground were dyed red, thousands of arrows were flying across the sky.
Kago rushed to her side suddenly, just a swift shadow moving ahead of her... and was slashed trying to save Hikari's honor.
"Enough!" the miko begged.
A scream from behind her, and after turning her gaze towards him, Yuta was standing up receiving the blow that ended his life... And suddenly the rain had turned into fire; the flames rose, enclosing her in a burning prison.
"You must live."
Kaede.
"You have to live."
The woman's chest opened, blood pouring out.
"No!"
Kaoru fell to the ground.
Fighting against the grip of her companions, there was no force that could hold her. The crying grew and grew in her center.
She hadn't been ready...
She had not been ready to engage in battle, and now she would pay the price.
"Aaaah!"
...
"Katsu something is wrong with Kaoru."
They had been running without stopping, both initially holding the miko, until it was necessary to defend themselves when crossing with enemies. Sanosuke had stayed close to Kaoru while Katsu defended them by throwing smoke bombs that allowed them to escape in convenient directions. They both carried her, aware that it was their duty to protect her, but Sano had noticed the change in the priestess.
Katsu turned to them and approached the young woman to analyze her. He observed the short and continuous breaths she made, the dilated pupils and the trembling of her body, her open mouth...
"What's wrong with her?" Sano pressed, a different fear beginning to seep into his veins. "What's wrong?"
"I think it's a panic attack," Katsu answered.
It should have been quite obvious, the brown-haired man thought; he himself felt that he would vanish at any moment; there was a constant noise in his ears that made him notice everything with terrible clarity.
"And how do we stop it?" He asked desperate.
Katsu thought about it, taking a furtive glance around his surroundings and calculating the distance to a safe area.
"First we must save ourselves." He said, then placed a smoke bomb in Sano's free hand. "Listen, they don't know it's the three of us; they're just trying to find out our numbers. I'll go in the opposite direction, towards the canyons."
"It's a suicide!" Sano denied scandalized.
But the brunette was already beginning to prepare to leave.
"We don't have a better plan, and you know I'm slippery. Plus, that will give you a chance to run off with her. Go to the camp; only there you'll find someone to help her." He concluded getting up.
"And in the meantime?" He demanded to know, not sorry at this point that his voice sounded sharp.
Katsu had no answer for that, and time was short, so he broke into a run while answering.
"I don't know!" He shouted. "Try to distract her!"
"Katsu!"
Sano couldn't yell at him anymore.
If he wanted to run after him he had to get rid of Kaoru first, and he couldn't do that. The boy leaned in with her as soon as his partner's plan worked and the shots began in Katsu's direction. He should wait before moving, Sano thought, and calm Kaoru down in the meantime. He turned to look at her; the young woman was no better than she was a few moments ago; if anything, despair and fear were much more palpable in her body.
"We must wait, miko sama, try to breathe."
Kaoru, on the other hand, breathed faster; in her condition she was unable to react as she should. Sanosuke mentally hit himself.
"That was stupid, I know." He recognized, making a huge effort to appear calm; he felt that inside he was just as scared as she was. "I have to control you first." He thought aloud.
Sanosuke then hugged her trying to contain her, tightly.
"Aah!" Kaoru yelled back.
Sano released her the next instant, and they both fell to the ground, he on his butt and she on her hands and knees.
"Oh! Serious mistake… -He said.
Suddenly he felt that panic was taking over him too.
"What to do? What to do?" He was now a sea of nerves. And he wasn't ignorant about what happened to someone who hyperventilated. He had to act soon.
"Distract you he said… how exactly?" He complained, hands buried in his chestnut hair...
Then he had an idea, one that surely someone else would describe as stupid, even more so when she saw how the young woman was submerging more and more in that despair and the strength of her tears. It was decided then; he couldn't think of any other option anyway.
"Here I go then, I guess is better than nothing" He thought to himself.
Then he took the young woman by the shoulders and pulled her up towards him with a jerk, getting her to look him in the eye.
Instantly he kissed her.
...
The passage had been just where Inari's priestess had indicated. Besides, thanks to the adrenaline of the battle -or some kind of miracle on Kamisama's part- it hadn't taken them long to find it.
The three groups attacked from the fronts arranged before the assault and soon managed to appease the cannons. Amid the chaos, the messenger Iago had fallen dead. The same for both opposing sides, although luckily the casualties were still less on the Kiheitai side.
Sozo was forced to remain in the rear, as befitted his position giving instructions and orders to his soldiers. Soon the news arrived that they had succeeded in freeing the prisoners.
The captain prayed that his adversaries, who were still standing, would surrender soon.
...
Sanosuke fell back to the ground on his butt managing to stay somewhat upright by sticking his elbows in to slow his fall, even if he wanted to tend to the burning in his cheek that now throbbed.
No one had ever slapped him before. Let alone one with the strength to knock him to the ground.
"You were supposed to close your eyes," he complained.
It had hardly been a kiss. But surely it had been improper. And despite that, it had given the desired result.
Kaoru was back in the present world, saved from the horror on the other side of the world.
But she was still far from calm.
"That was…" she began, her voice just a shaky thread.
Sanosuke jumped instantly-
"Don't get upset again!" He ordered, thankful that his voice came out with enough authority to get her to obey him. "You know why I did it, and you already hit me once. Are you better?" Kaoru kept crying and trembling, but her breathing was almost rhythmic. "Guess not."
"Get me out of here," she begged with a sob.
He nodded.
"With pleasure."
"Ah!" Kaoru exalted at being lifted off her feet.
Sanosuke had wasted no time in picking her up.
"Hold on tight," he told her.
And the miko nodded before wrapping her hands around his neck. Then, Sanosuke started running with her.
It wasn't the first time she had been taken that way, and the young woman couldn't help but think back to the ghosts from a year ago.
"Kenshin", she thought. "Please don't see me like this."
"Looks like we're winning." Sano's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Without a doubt, that information that you gave Captain Sagara was very helpful."
Visions.
Glimpses of a future that even if she improved from time to time, she would not be able to change it completely. She shook her head.
"It won't be enough," she declared.
"Why's that?"
"They'll attack again at night; they'll bring a second squad," she explained.
Sanosuke stopped then and looked at her carefully, analyzing the gravity of the sadness she showed. Then her lips curved into a smile.
"We'll be better prepared by then, don't worry." He assured, surprising her again. "We also have allies."
The depth of those brown orbs shone with a sincerity that touched her. It was a different echo she was hearing when she looked at this boy, she realized.
"You have to live for Kenshin."
It seemed that the tears would continue to fall even if for a different reason.
"Un(yes)…" She finally nodded.
"Hey, don't worry, we're almost close." He assured her tenderly, as a family member would. "I'll take you, I promise." He swore, and then started running again. "Leave it to me, jouchan."
Her heart clenched in her chest.
...
"You have to live for Kenshin, Jouchan."
…
The second group had gone in favor of the hostages. They were now making their way back using wagons they had found in the enemy camp-just a mound of ruins in the middle of what had once been a village-when a procession of six enemy soldiers with rifles confronted them, preventing their advance and managing to injure the few who were in front.
Running for cover, while others covered themselves uselessly with their hands, they waited for the second round of bullets.
It never came.
"So my suspicions were correct."
The group that had been saved then looked in disbelief at the man who stood ahead - meters away - of them, with the sword drawn and the limp bodies of the six soldiers at his feet in a line - in the order in which they had been lined up shooting at them.
"Incredible," exclaimed the general in charge. "Identify yourself!" He yelled after.
Hiko had just cleaned his sword when another voice spoke among the soldiers, he recognized the man who stepped forward.
"He is not an enemy," he said.
"Master Shaku," the officer acknowledged.
Hiko raised an eyebrow before smirking.
"Oh, I didn't expect to find you here, old friend," he told him.
"I should have assumed you would be with the priestess," the swordsmith answered instead.
Hiko growled, smile forgotten.
"-It's the opposite. Is she safe?"
"We're still waiting. -He told him after a brief moment of weighing his words.- Come with me, the fight is over as I see it, and it is upfront where we will find an answer."
…
The battle had barely lasted a little over an hour. Even if it had been a controlled engagement, the difference in weaponry and war organization had prolonged the fight.
But they had won, and the hostages were already advancing on the camp. Sagara Sozo then returned with the main group, the one that had faced those who had tried to ambush them head-on. Now he had to count the casualties and plan his actions to follow.
"Captain Sagara!"
The aforementioned looked up and visualized his closest protégé.
"Sanosuke!" And after seeing the state of this and the young woman in his arms, he dismounted and began to run toward them. "Kaoru sama…"
The young woman was pale, her eyes red from crying; her hands were weakly holding the boy's gi, no longer able to embrace him.
"What happened!?" He exclaimed confused.
A small group also approached them, trying to help.
"She panicked," the boy replied. "I managed to calm her down a bit, but she's still very dazed."
"You have to take it inside," said one of his men, a medical expert.
Sozo nodded, afraid that the young woman's condition would worsen. But before they could even move, they were interrupted.
"I'd better be the one to take her."
The young priestess's heart leaped in alarm as she recognized the new presence. They had all turned to see the man standing behind them, all but Kaoru, who had to recover some of her courage before she could look at him with a lowered face; like a daughter who knows she is about to be scolded by her father.
"Hiko… sama…" -he spoke to him.
The man, noticing the change in honorific, frowned even more.
He was upset.
"You have a lot to explain, child," he told her.
"And who do you think you are?" Sanosuke claimed. While carrying Kaoru in his arms, he had not been able to ignore her trembling in the presence of that man. He felt that he had to protect her.
Arai Shaku, who was next to Hiko, was the one who reprimanded him.
"Show respect Sanosuke."
Hiko stopped him with one hand, with little interest in the ki being fired from the boy in front of him.
"This man is temporarily the guardian of the girl you have in your arms," he told her arrogantly.
In response, the boy looked at him more suspiciously.
"Captain, I don't trust him."
Sozo didn't seem very confident either to be honest, but he wasn't a child like Sanosuke, and he couldn't allow himself to move as a result of mere impulses or premonitions. So, instead he turned to look at the swordsmith who had been his ally for months.
"Master Shaku, is that true?"
Shaku nodded solemnly, and that was all the captain needed to understand what he had to do; he turned to his protégé.
"Sanosuke," he ordered.
"But!" He jumped instantly, but it was the young woman -still in his arms- who stopped him; she drew his attention by taking his face. Sano looked at her in disbelief. "Are you sure?" Kaoru nodded. He sighed in resignation and walked over to where Hiko was. "She needs medical attention," he informed him, though it sounded more like he was giving an order.
"Sure," Hiko said, evidently ignoring him.
Before Sanosuke handed over Kaoru, Hiko pressed the miko's neck from behind.
"Ah!"
The next instant the priestess fell unconscious.
"But what? What did you do?" Sano demanded, though unable to prevent the man from taking Kaoru from his arms.
'You've caused too much trouble,' Hiko thought to himself as he looked at the miko's face.
Sozo came over then.
"She mentioned coming incognito. It will be better to respect those wishes." He said; Hiko nodded. The captain turned to his men. "None of us have seen anything."
They all agreed.
Including Sano; though he'd done it grudgingly.
…
The walk back to the inn was much slower and quieter, considering previous events. Kaoru spent the journey unconscious, sitting on the horse in front of the Kenshin master, supported by him to prevent her from falling. But the effect wore off as they got closer to the building. From afar, the group of people waiting outside could be clearly seen.
It was certain that, although the activities of the tavern would continue, more than one member of that place felt responsible for not having recognized the young miko and for the fact that she had been involved in a confrontation between the group that the villagers kept secret of the shogun's government.
"You're a couple of idiots" Hiko said as he felt the vibration of the girl's ki, knowing that she was already awake.
Kaoru tightened the gesture. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. Despite her visions, she had not managed to control herself and, instead, had come close to losing her life.
"At least you admit it. -The man continued. -And that's one of the reasons why you're good for him."
The lump in her throat formed again, and the miko felt she would continue to cry all night. The sun was already setting when they finally reached the inn. Kenshin, who had been standing at the entrance, had run towards them as soon as he sensed them.
"I do not waste words; you better pay attention to them," Hiko warned.
"Kaoru dono!"
The entire being of the young girl shuddered when she heard her name on Kenshin's lips, but even more so due to the concern that surrounded him.
"That boy, my baka deshi needs you. And you need him."
The tears finally fell. Kenshin was steps away.
"Don't make the same mistake as your predecessors" was the last thing the man said to her, before his disciple reached them.
"Kaoru dono!"
Hiko dismounted along with the girl, and regardless of the erratic pulse in his student's ki, he didn't allow him to get close to her. Kaoru, for her part, hid in the chest of the person who then served as her protector.
"Let her rest." Ordered his teacher.
"Shishō!" Kenshin wanted to complain; he was a bundle of nerves.
"There will be time for your questions," Hiko cut him off.
Naoko, as well as the doctor they had sent for, was already waiting for him inside.
"Over here please."
Kenshin stood with his heart hanging by a thread.
He had agonized for hours begging for his friend's well-being and unable to control the pile of tragic thoughts that had dominated him during all the time he had been waiting.
Never before had he felt so disconnected and alone as he did in those hours. So useless... So unworthy...
"Kaoru dono," he sighed.
His hands, which had been a nervous wreck hours before, were clenching tightly on the blue ribbon that held his sword.
*Leader of the Tengu rebels during the Mito Rebellion.
A/N: would it kill you guys to give a review? LOL