I reiterate that this is just a relief story, so I won't focus too much on action scenes or politics unless strictly necessary (yeah, right). So you will have to deal with the narrative paragraphs xD
Disclaimer: Only the story is mine.
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The darkness moved in dense ribbons of pure energy until it became tangible. Moving like tentacles, they stretched until they caught, pinned, and enveloped their enemy. The specter moaned as it felt the heat of that energy, and in a matter of seconds its entire being was absorbed until it disappeared.
After his death, only a mound of sand remained as evidence of its previous existence. The rest of the knights present remained, however, in a defensive posture. After all, that confrontation had lasted longer than normally necessary.
"Is it the last?" General Himura questioned, surrounded as always by his two most loyal lieutenants, Aoshi and Sanosuke.
The first advanced to analyze the area using his earth elemental power.
"It looks like it is." He answered.
Kenshin sharpened his gaze.
"And the trail?" He questioned.
Sanosuke then approached the area where the remains of the previous specter had been left; he took the substance that had been left behind in his hands, analyzing it between his fingers.
"Red resin, demon blood." He reported. "I don't understand. We were supposed to have cleared this road." He complained.
Not even three months had passed since their last journey, and surely then, the path had not been stalked by creatures from the emptiness.
"Which only means that either one survived to then multiply or that an entry was forged before." Kenshin concluded, giving the order to his battalion to rest.
"But these days, that would mean serious problems, Kenshin." Sanosuke complained again, playing at times with the red sand.
Nobody said anything else because everyone understood the threat the brunette was talking about. A decade ago, an oracle had been spoken, it had begun with the fall of the Himura clan, and everything seemed to indicate that the events would happen just as they had been said.
"Shall we camp here?" Aoshi questioned, waiting for orders and successfully distracting his General from his worries.
Kenshin considered it. They were not that far from the newly formed village, and the rest of the company could easily endure the rest of the trip despite the recent confrontation. On the other hand, leaving Kaoru exposed was a definite no.
"No. It's very dangerous." He said. "Let's continue to the next village, quickening our pace, and we will arrive in an hour at most."
Aoshi nodded. Sanosuke groaned.
"I hate having to go at forced pace."
"It will be worth it once you get a hot shower." Kenshin encouraged him, smiling.
Sano composed himself almost instantly.
"Well, when you put it like that..." He laughed. And then he was speechless when he saw the light show that was taking place then.
He wasn't the only one who admired that scene. Pearly ribbons of light emerged from the future duchess's carriage, rising towards the sky and then falling like spheres that gave the illusion of being fireflies. Night had fallen, and that light would undoubtedly be much more helpful than the torches carried by the carriages.
"Whew!" Sanosuke whistled smiling, then looked at Kenshin with intent "You can see how much affection she has for you." He laughed. Kenshin however, frowned. "What? I did not say anything wrong!" The chestnut man defended himself, and for once, he saw fit to respond with the same annoyance. "You better relax or you'll end up making her miserable. I'm serious, Kenshin." He warned him before retreating to his horse.
The redhead looked away, still somewhat conflicted. Aoshi approached then.
"Although it is unusual, this time, I agree with him." He told him.
The General blinked, overwhelmed.
"I know," he answered.
It hadn't been easy after all. Regardless of the times in which they lived, the customs and the tradition of arranged marriages, Kenshin was different from the rest of the nobility simply because of the time he had grown up away from it. There were certain things that were still adverse to him. But now Kaoru was his... his responsibility and his chosen companion.
So, he put his worries aside.
...
Inside the carriage Kaoru made sure that the last lights prevailed, before closing the window and settling back into the soft seat.
"How beautiful..." Shura exclaimed, sitting in front of her. It had been arranged that she would be Kaoru's lady-in-waiting, so she had ended up following her to the north. "It has become something of a routine for you, right?"
Kaoru nodded.
"It's more natural to me if that's what you're referring to." She answered. "Considering everything they do for us, this is the least I can do." She explained.
She had been planning for months how she should and wanted to behave as the new duchess of the country of Akai in the Northern territory of the empire, so she had decided to be as useful as possible.
"Well, I think it's enough." Shura contributed smugly. "I'm so happy to be your lady-in-waiting."
"Me too."
There was a knock on the window followed by Kenshin's voice.
"Kaoru." He called her.
The girl was ready to draw the curtain again and open the window.
"Kenshin." She greeted him smiling; from behind her, Shura giggled.
"We will continue advancing until we reach the next village; it is dangerous to stay outdoors with the climate so changeable. Please hold on a little longer." Kenshin asked her.
She nodded.
"Sure. I will continue to light the way until we arrive."
The boy frowned.
"Just remember to stop as soon as we're on the edge." He asked with concern. "You must still remain a secret."
"Yeah. I'll keep it in mind."
After a nod, Kenshin left. Kaoru followed him with her gaze, watching as he gave orders and directed the rest of the company, until the carriage started moving. Kaoru closed the window again, Shura saw her smiling.
"I'm glad you're happy." She told her.
To which Kaoru smiled wider.
They had been traveling north for about a month, and each day had been full of fun moments. It was true that most of the time, Kaoru was alone in Shura's company inside the carriage; but she had had time to spend with both Kenshin and the rest of the Northern guard, becoming close to what she now considered her people. She was trying to follow the teachings of her sister Megumi and her etiquette teacher, and she felt like she was doing a good job.
Even in the small moments when Kenshin became distant, brooding, lost in thoughts that filled his eyes with storms. Then, she only had to look for him with her light, and he would react by inertia to her. With those small gestures he would free himself from any nightmare that plagued him, and he would smile at her again until he shared a moment in her company.
Friends.
They were friends, she reminded herself. And maybe in the future...
They managed to arrive with plenty of time left. They settled in an inn that had a large stable for horses and an open area for wagons and carriages. After a small negotiation, Aoshi managed to have the entire place exclusively for the Northern company; only a few had to campaign.
As soon as the rooms were ready, Kenshin led Kaoru and Shura towards the second floor.
"This will be your room; mine is across the hall." He told her as soon as they arrived at the bedroom and allowed his companion to enter it and admire it to her liking. "Anything you need, call me, and I will come right away."
"Ok" She nodded, smiling. "Thank you for your attention, Kenshin."
He smiled at her.
"Good night." He said.
"Good night." She responded.
Then, the door closed after his departure and the two girls were left alone to laugh in complicity after giving each other a meaningful look.
"How long will you stay sleeping in separate rooms?" Shura questioned, sitting down on one of the two beds and then, falling back.
Kaoru imitated her and sat on the next bed.
"Until I have reached the permitted age." She answered.
"Hmmm... It's good to see that there are still gentlemen who respect it. The law, I mean." She pointed. "I had a cousin who, at fifteen, married a man close to his fifties and he barely waited for the wedding night."
Kaoru was horrified.
"I know. I know how lucky I am." She said, letting her weight fall into her arms behind her back, while she weighed that thought. "But what exactly is done on the wedding night?"
Shura looked at her with the same doubtful expression.
"Don't know. I mean, they explained it to us but it's not entirely clear, is it?" She asked.
"I know. I'm not sure staying still is cruel."
"It is if you are a crazy sleeper like you." Sura joked.
"Hey!"
And the next moment, they were deep in a pillow fight.
...
In the next room, Kenshin was enjoying a glass of whiskey while he smiled at the specks of light that filtered under the door; his own power began to play with them.
"She keeps shining even if she doesn't realize it." He thought to himself.
For the last month, Kaoru's glow had been a constant to the point of awakening his darkness as if it had a life of its own. And Kenshin, for the first time, began to enjoy those exchanges.
His face suddenly became serious.
It was precisely because of those moments that he wanted to protect that the previous confrontation worried him greatly.
A council meeting was held the next morning. Kenshin, along with his two lieutenants, his secretary and private butler, met in an adjacent room to discuss what they had investigated during the previous hours.
Apparently, the area had been receiving small attacks for about two weeks, encounters with specters that fortunately had not been strong enough to cause real damage. The few confrontations had ended in favor of the villagers; but it was undoubtedly a serious problem and even more so if the intention to grow that area as a commercial place was considered.
"They have asked us for support regarding the recent attacks." Informed his secretary.
"Even if they had not asked for it, we would have to intervene." Kenshin pointed out, and then addressed Aoshi. "Did you find the source?"
The brunette nodded.
"Direct west, on the edge near the dam."
Kenshin considered it.
"We'll have to go there." He said.
"What about the little lady?" Sanosuke questioned.
"It would be best to go with the entire company." Kenshin answered to the surprise of those present. "I know she is trained, too... If the worst happens, her element would be of help to us, although I would prefer not to have to use it."
Considering the secret of her power, it was best to keep her close.
...
After laying out the plan to follow, everyone set out to do their own thing. Kaoru woke up moments later and was present in the dining room along with Shura, where she ate food with Kenshin. He - without wasting time - informed her of the situation and what he expected of her.
Kaoru, surprised but happy that her partner made her part of his plans, agreed to follow his instructions.
"I will support you in whatever is necessary," she said smiling.
He felt his heart squeeze in his chest.
"I don't mean to put you in danger, but I consider it worse to leave you behind," he excused himself.
"You don't have to explain yourself, I understand. In any case, I appreciate you allowing me to stay close. Typically, wives must stay behind while their husbands go to war."
Kenshin blinked somewhat confused.
"I see," he said, not knowing what else to say. It still felt strange to live with those labels. "We will leave before noon to ensure hours of light in our favor. I ask you to be ready by then."
"I will be." She promised.
The smile she gave him was enough to calm his heart.
Departing as arranged, they set up camp at a safe distance from the dam. They were surprised to see the number of houses that were inhabited so close to the periphery. But the scene of destruction they saw in the dam area disconcerted them even more.
It was clear that there was a demon nest within the structure. The rancid aroma, along with traces of red sand, showed how long the land had been deteriorating. The inhabitants of that area warned them about the threats they would encounter based on their own experiences. As soon as the sun began to go down, the area of origin of that invasion was more evident. Kenshin at the front, along with Sanosuke and Aoshi, led the battle that broke out then. The rest of the delegation dedicated themselves to destroying the specters that wandered through the area and contaminated the water of the dam while the first three dedicated themselves to attacking the area of origin.
The fight lasted about two hours, much longer than the time originally considered - taking into account the search time - the most difficult thing was to close and eradicate the fissure made; that point where the spiritual world had managed to sneak into that of humans. And, even though he was against it, the General ended up asking his partner for help as soon as the threats were eradicated.
Kaoru - happy to be an active participant - walked with Kenshin to where the fissure was, using her power combined with that of her partner to successfully close that fracture. The general smiled gratefully for that help, but his smile faded when he saw the state of his companion, who looked obviously tired and on the verge of losing consciousness. The boy then arranged for attention to be given to her in the area where they were camping, and did not leave her side until Kaoru was stable.
...
The sun was already setting. Soon, dusk would take place. Kenshin had just allowed himself a moment's rest when a small entourage of locals arrived at his camp; an older couple and three teenagers, two young girls and a boy. This family was in charge of that village; they informed him. And after learning about the help they had received, they had gone to express their gratitude. The General received them in his tent.
"We are very grateful to you," said the man. "Without your support, we would have been lost." He pointed with a bow, the rest of his family imitated him.
Kenshin smiled a little embarrassed, a little uncomfortable.
"No need to thank; it's part of our job." He assure them.
"Please allow us to repay you with hospitality. -The man answered again, his wife nodded with him. -We will attend to your needs until you recover."
The redhead hesitated for a moment; the truth was that he had his own agenda, and although he planned to stay one more night to ensure Kaoru's recovery, he was not sure he wanted to delay any longer. He looked at Aoshi, expecting him to refute him but, he rather leaned in favor of the offer.
"We still have some extra time." He told him. "We can reach the next crossing area in two nights."
Kenshin sighed. Without a doubt, Aoshi continued to ensure that his lord focused for once on being a Lord of his people.
"That's good, I guess." Kenshin said, resignated. "We are in your care."
The whole family celebrated.
...
Thus, the transfer to the inn that the family owned in that area was arranged. Kenshin and his council went ahead; Kaoru would integrate as soon as she woke up. The attentions were quite clear, however, and Sanosuke couldn't stop laughing under his breath, so much so that if it weren't for where they were, his general would have already killed him three times while they were in that inn.
And although their traveling chariots carried the clan's shield, as well as the flags and pennants of the entourage, two years were actually not enough time for the restoration of a fallen clan, no matter how fast the rumors spread. So, it was not surprising that more than one confused him with a noble lord and not with the duke who owned the Northern territory.
Therefore, those attempts by that family - the leader of the village - to pair the General with the eldest of the daughters did not go unnoticed.
How could he deny so much hospitality now? When it was already too late?
...
"You better reject them now, ladies man." Sanosuke whispered to him, just when they were preparing their rooms.
"By the way, we will have a small harvest festival soon," the mother informed them. "If you stay one more night, you will be able to participate in the event. I assure you that it will be worth it. Oh, and don't worry about coming without a partner; my two daughters will be good hosts," she laughed heartily.
The young women - although blushing - looked happy. And it had to be said, the members of the North were mostly attractive...
Sanosuke continued to chuckle.
Kenshin - having had enough - threw a ribbon of darkness at him that ended up making his liutenant trip and fall to the ground.
"Oh, by gods, are you okay?" The woman asked; the youngest of her daughters helped Sanosuke get up, who frowned at his general.
"Although I appreciate the invitation" Kenshin began, ignoring his injured lieutenant "I'm afraid it won't be possible for us to stay. On the other hand, I already have a partner."
The air of disappointment was noticeable. However, those women recovered quite quickly, much to Kenshin's dismay. They must think that while the guy was not married - and maybe even then - anything was possible. Fortunately for him, Kaoru's carriage arrived then. Aoshi informed his General, and he hurried out to meet her; he was still somewhat worried about her condition.
Those present heard over the voices of the apparent couple: "How are you feeling?" "I'm fine, you don't have to worry." "How could I not?" "Well, I was more worried when I didn't find you by my side." "I'm sorry, I had to attend to etiquette issues."
With curiosity raised, it was normal that everyone was paying attention to the newcomer when Kenshin descended back down the small step and opened the door fully, offering his hand that the girl took to descend later.
"Oh!" It was echoed by everyone present, both the family members and the servants of the inn.
And it was just that the girl who had just descended looked like an angel.
"But how beautiful!" They exclaimed.
"I understand" Said the mother suddenly. "Is she your partner?" She asked.
Kenshin nodded smiling.
"She is."
"She is a beautiful girl." Said the father, his children nodded with him.
"Divine." Exclaimed others.
Kaoru was wearing a pearl toga-style dress, with a thick pale pink ribbon around her waist tied in a bow at the lower back; a second tunic covered her back and shoulders and went down her arms, tied to them by small gold buttons. Her hair was tied in a thick, low braid and adorned with sakura flowers. She didn't wear any makeup because she didn't need it; both her lips and cheeks had a natural pink tone. Her smile was shy upon receiving such praise.
"Good afternoon," she greeted, positioning herself next to Kenshin.
The others responded to the greeting.
"Is she your younger sister?" Asked the youngest daughter, an innocent comment that unfortunately did not sit well with Kaoru.
Kenshin smiled uncomfortably.
"Eh, no, she's..."
"Or maybe your cousin?" The son interrupted with interest. "It's strange to see you traveling with a little girl."
That made Kaoru upset.
"Maybe it's a noblewoman he's protecting," a worker asked.
Distantly, Kenshin could equally hear Sano's laughter and Kaoru's annoyance growing if the way she squeezed his hand was a sign of this.
"I don't think it's his daughter; she's not that old." The boy refuted.
"I'm sure he escorts her to his parents, right?" The eldest of the daughters flirtatiously inquired, a slight flirtation that, unfortunately for Kenshin, did not go unnoticed by his partner.
He was about to stop Kaoru before she jumped on the poor girl, when Sano finally decided to be useful for once in his life - in all this, where was Aoshi? - .
"The little lady is our duchess." The brunette declared, hands behind his neck and a low sided smile.
Silence.
One blink and two blinks later...
"Eh? EEEEEH!" They all exclaimed.
And the rest of the comments only fueled the fire.
"But it's a child!" "How can she already be married!?" "Did you say duchess?" "So he is...!"
Kenshin, finally more comfortable - and to some extent out of touch - finally present himself.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Himura Kenshin, the Duke of Akai. And this is Himura Kaoru..."
"I. Am. His. Wife." Kaoru interrupted him, growling each of her words.
"Orororo..." Her husband exclaimed.
...
After such a terrible revelation, it was no surprise that Kaoru remained upset with Kenshin, nor that she ignored him throughout the next day, even after saying goodbye to that strange family and returning to the trip.
Near the next point where they would camp, the redhead decided that he had already given her enough space and began to approach his companion with the intend on fixing that problem.
...
His heart sank when he saw her so depressed. The girl was sitting near the edge of a cliff, a viewpoint whose fence was high enough to prevent accidents but which still made the redhead nervous. Kaoru hugged her legs while her face rested on her knees. Her gaze lost on the horizon.
Kenshin sighed.
"Kaoru" He called.
And then, he observed the miracle of how the minor's emotions went from sadness to evident anger.
"I do not want to talk." The girl growled.
Kenshin sighed again.
"Alright. We can sit for a while; dusk will soon fall." He told her while sitting next to her, less than a meter away. "I'm sure it will be a beautiful sight."
And it was certainly a beautiful sight. They were already halfway to Himura territory, and the landscape was slowly becoming a little colder but no less full. Even if the sunset had not yet begun, the view was already beautiful with wide meadows and frozen mountains in the distance.
"I don't want you here with me." Kaoru growled lowly. "Kenshin no baka" She thought to herself, still upset.
Although she couldn't say with certainty what was really bothering her. She knew that it wasn't entirely Kenshin's fault what others thought of her relationship with him. But she also noticed her partner's discomfort with using the word "wife" and that somehow hurt her...
"Do you prefer that I leave?" He offered.
She looked at him instantly, taken aback. And in his eyes she saw that he wasn't lying, that made her even more angry.
"How come you give up so easily!" She claimed.
And then she couldn't stop the tears from coming.
Kenshin's heart squeezed in his chest.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." He confessed with sadness.
For a brief moment, only Kaoru's soft cries were heard. In the end, Kenshin couldn't resist it anymore and using his power, he pulled her towards him until he hugged her.
"Forgive me... -He asked. -I do know why you're upset."
"It's not fair," she sobbed. "I left my home, my family, and my friends; I left everything I knew to come with you... Even when I felt sad, I consoled myself by saying I would be with you... But I can feel that you are not entirely happy with me."
"No," he interrupted. "It's not that. Kaoru..."
Kenshin choked on the words... because no matter how mature she might be or how well she had been taught, she was still a child compared to him... There were things that even if he managed to explain them to her in the right way, with the right words, he could not be truly understood.
And that frustrated him.
But he had to try.
"You are still changing, your body, I mean, and your mind too." He began, somewhat uncertainly. "Contrary to me, who has forged the person I want to be, you are just beginning the path to discovering it, and that makes me feel that I have robbed you of an experience... I would like to be with you on equal terms and discover little by little each other... But I can't..."
"I won't always be a child..." She murmured, still hiding her face in her hands.
"I know. Believe me, I know... But, I don't want you to accelerate your growth... Kaoru..."
A heartbeat.
"I want you. I care deeply for you"
Two beats.
Kaoru uncovered her face, her eyes flickering in wonder and hope, but she still remained hidden in his chest.
Kenshin took a deep breath.
Kaoru looked at him.
He was smiling.
"And it is because I care for you that this whole situation seems overwhelming to me. I'm sorry for hurting you with my insecurities. But rest assured, there is nothing more I long for than to share my life with you. I wish that you grow free and happy, that you experiment while you grow and decide who you want to be... and that you find me at the end of that path because rest assured that I will be waiting for you."
The sun set.
The sunset began with the death of the sun in its scarlet splendor. Just as Kenshin had said, it was a beautiful scene. But even more so because of the trails of light that began to dance around both of them, because of the shadows that came to life under such brightness. Because of the glow in both of their eyes.
Kaoru finally looked him in the face and reciprocated the feeling he conveyed to her.
"You promise?" She asked hopefully.
"I promise." I swear.
The air blew, removing their clothes and hair.
"Okay." She accepted.
"Okay." He confirmed.
"But...!" She suddenly jumped, still in his arms.
"But?" He asked her with interest, his smile still on.
A sigh. A doubt.
"They must also recognize me as your wife." She ordered with a pout.
Kenshin laughed heartily.
"Hai, hai." He answer in her language and that only made her happier.
That was the first hug they shared of many. This time, Kenshin tried to be honest about his doubts and fears, Kaoru tried to be twice as honest for both of them. The change was evident. That "proper" treatment disappeared, and in its place were left two companions who seemed to have always been the best of friends.
And on the nights when Kaoru would miss her homeland, Kenshin would stay with her until she fell asleep.
"I will always take care of you" He thought.
The stars in the sky blinked happily.
A/N: I planned since yesterday to continue uploading chapters, taking advantage of the fact that the cough doesn't let me sleep at night, but in the end I gave up and woke up very late today. I'm going back to work tomorrow despite my condition, so I'll probably be absent for another period... sniff...