And here I was wanting to avoid writing about complicated stuff... sniff...
Btw... there are a couple of errors with the timing... this weekend I want to take on the task of correcting them chapter by chapter, but I don't promise anything. The point is that Kaoru turned 13, 4 months ago before she got her period... Anyway, with that out of the way, let's get to the chapter.
Also, yes, my quotation is different and confusing because in spanish we don't use (""), we use ( - )
xD
"Wedding nights"
Breakfast had had to be delayed for about half an hour due to the young duchess's fainting; although she had regained consciousness relatively soon, she still felt somewhat dazed. Kenshin, on Okami's instructions, had not been informed, "better not plant any more doubts in the duke's mind," she had told the servants, and they had all agreed.
Now, after an awkward greeting, the duke and duchess sat at the table while the dishes were served. Taking the cutlery at the same time, they each brought the chosen food to their mouths. That coordination of movements continued until the first dish was consumed and the silence became unbearable.
"Is everything ok?" They both asked at the same time, then became embarrassed and ended up looking away.
Kaoru particularly had red cheeks.
"Everything is delicious as always," Kaoru answered, still without looking at him, murmuring the words.
"I'm glad," Kenshin replied equally.
Then they both drank from their glasses for the simple need of having something to do, both avoiding each other's glancing.
How to bring the topic into the conversation? The duke was particularly wondering how to dissuade his young but excited girlfriend/wife from following that ridiculous plan of sharing a bed? Or at least to avoid the act by which they would share a bed without offending her?
It wasn't that he didn't feel a certain attraction towards her, nor that he didn't consider her attractive; it was clear that his young wife was beautiful and would be beautiful once she became an adult woman. And perhaps the problem lay in the latter. Kenshin could very well claim her as his and fulfill his role; desire is desire in the end, but the age difference still made him feel like he was abusing her, whether she was his wife or not.
Okami's words, however, reminded him again why he should stop thinking like a mind ahead of his time...
...
"This time, you must spend the entire night with her and share her bed." Those had been Okami's words.
Kenshin of course was quick to refute her.
"It's too soon to-"
"Need I remind you she is already of age according to the law?"
And Okami was quick to interrupt him anyway. Sharp and to the point.
They were both in the anteroom of the redhead's room; Okina, Aoshi, and Sanosuke were also with him, all with serious expressions, including Sanosuke, and that was saying a lot that there was no way the duke could make light of the situation.
"Not to mention that she received the blessing of blood from the previous month." The woman remarked. "I know it is difficult, but it's your duty to acknowledge the changes in her. I'm not telling you to take her yet, but you'll have to keep up appearances. For five nights you will not leave her bed."
"It's part of the contract too, I'm afraid." Okina completed, his expression showed the pity he felt for Kenshin. "Duke Kamiya has made quite a point that your marriage is at risk of being annulled."
"That's not going to happen." Kenshin refuted in anger, raising his voice an octave and with a frown and hands in fists.
"Maybe not on your side, and certainly not on the little duchess, after all the contract was made by her father." Okami conceded. "But the emperor, I'm afraid, is a separate topic."
"The second prince remains without a fiancée." Okina remarked; "and soon something will be done to get one. You know the risks based on the provisions of your wife's father."
A thorn stuck in the duke's heart. The expressions of his two lieutenants denoted that they had felt something similar. Even at such a long distance, an unconsummated marriage could be annulled in a matter of seconds, even more so if the emperor himself gave the order. It was not that his union with the young Kamiya was not recognized, but she was no longer eight years old, but thirteen, a proper bride; added to the fact of her lineage and her political power. If a suitable bride could not be found for the second prince, they could still search among the maidens who, although with a partner, could very well be considered "available."
"Is his power so great now?" Kenshin questioned, aware of the threat posed by the second prince. If his strength continued to grow, a revolution would no longer sound so far-fetched if said prince did not manage to remove the current crowned prince diplomatically.
Aoshi shared a look with Sanosuke before responding, the latter looking dismayed.
"Despite the interventions we have made, it does not seem to be enough to counteract him." He told him, implying that the prince had been able to evade every obstacle placed in his path. "As of now, he has ceased his expeditions, which is something."
"The issue of commitment will keep him busy for now." Sanosuke contributed. "But it won't take long for him to come here. His inspection and tax collection pilgrimage is just around the corner; he was designated this year by his majesty the Emperor. If he sets his eyes on our little duchess, and knowing of his vanity, it won't take long for him to end up showing interest in courting her."
Not to mention that the age difference between the prince and the duchess was not as far apart as the one the latter shared with Kenshin.
"What about Kaoru's secret?" Kenshin questioned.
Aoshi shook his head.
"Nonexistent to the empire." He declared. "However, you know the risk if her awakening occurs far from your company. If it is discovered that she is a light elemental, and that on top of everything your marriage with her is not consummated..."
Kenshin raised his hand in Aoshi's direction, a clear gesture for him to stop talking, and looked away.
Okami, however, did not remain silent.
"Even if all the members of your court are loyal, a not ill-intentioned comment can become the arrow that ends up destroying you." She warned. "Starting with the castle servants, avoid putting your young wife in a vulnerable situation."
In other words, "don't reject her."
...
Kenshin took courage then.
"Kaoru." He called her, finally looking at her.
"Tell me," the brunette jumped, still nervous.
The redhead looked at her in detail, finding that he liked what his eyes saw; the blue of her eyes, the crimson of her lips, the pink of her cheeks, the whiteness of her skin, and the black of her hair... He decided to focus on that. He smiled.
"Tonight I will be waiting for you in the main room." He told her sounding more convinced than he truly felt.
Kaoru's heart skipped a beat.
"Okami will instruct your maids, so you should not worry, they will be in charge of preparing everything."
His young wife's eyes were filled with a special shine as they seemed to grow in evident amazement. The blush on her cheeks was adorable to him.
"Un (yes)" She responded, lowering her head in a clear gesture of shyness.
They both finished their meal in silence. However, it was peace that they felt and strangely a certain emotion.
Light poured out of the great room through the huge windows, from the inside out, creating slats that in turn created shadows of different shades on the floor. The little girl laughed happily walking towards her father, while she played with shiny spheres that seemed to emerge from her small hands; these rose and then remained suspended in the air until they burst and then disappeared in small sparks.
"Dad!" She calls him. "Look, dad! I can create stars!" She said while continuing to create that show in the middle of the night.
Her father, Koishijirou, laughed with satisfaction as he approached his daughter. Soon he went to take her in his arms until he lifted her and hugged her in the air.
The light enveloped everything until the memory completely disappeared. When it dissipated again, the scene before his eyes had a completely different shade.
The sky was covered with black clouds, the rain fell slowly and partially; the floor was a gray mirror that reflected the sad image of a young woman crying while hugging a young man in her arms. He was unconscious and seriously injured; the blood that emanated from his wounds stained his companion's dress.
"You don't understand..." The lips of the girl, now already a teenager, sobbed.
Thunder rumbled in the sky. The clouds were illuminated by the force of the lightning. The father's heart was squeezed with such force that he almost felt like he would die right there, even more so when he heard the words his daughter said right after.
"I love him, dad." She confessed in a muffled whisper; and then she raised her face to face him, with her blue eyes filled with tears and a ragging emotion dancing in them. "I love him!"
The sky rumbled with force, illuminating itself with the lightning that fell then. It was as if something destroyed him from within, scratching the walls of his heart until he was bleeding for life. Once again the memory was taken away by that light.
When he opened his eyes again, his hands clung to his daughter's arm, who looked at him with evident sadness and whose body looked just as destroyed as he felt.
"You have to let me go." She asked him in a soft voice, and Koishijirou trembled because he knew that his daughter was right.
Kaoru took her hands with her free one and little by little she released the grip her father had on her. He - resigned and in tears - let her, he had completely lost strength until he fell to his knees on the ground, while the world around them was covered in darkness.
Then it was another voice that spoke to him.
"This will be your punishment for having denied your daughter what rightfully belonged to her."
And the man's heart was squeezed until it shrank within itself, until it bled again with pain and sorrow much more intense than before; with the desolation of having lost an important part of himself forever.
But the man in front of him, General Himura, showed no mercy or regret; his gaze remained cold and severe, almost as if he repudiated him.
"For having denied her to me." The redhead concluded, squeezing the inert body of his lover in his arms. "Now you will be the one who gives her to me."
That last sentence reverberated in the recesses of his mind and soul. It resounded loudly until it shook the sleep from his eyes. Abruptly the scene cleared, and he felt for a brief moment that he would fall without being able to stop.
...
"Ah!" He exclaimed when he woke up, finding himself in his own office in Kamiya castle.
The clock said noon; the mess on his desk indicated that he had fallen asleep while working. Koishijirou stared blankly at the mess in front of him, trying to embrace reality he internally convinced himself that everything had happened, even if he knew it was just the opposite.
"Father, are you okay?" Megumi questioned next to him, sitting in one of the office chairs, she looked evidently worried but doubtful about whether she should stand up and attend to her father or not.
The man, for his part, concentrated on admiring his daughter, seeing her in detail, making sure that she was equally safe and healthy. Then he noticed what she had in her hands, apparently it was the day's newspaper.
"What's that?" He questioned, pointing with interest to a piece of news that stood out.
Megumi blinked before looking at the note her father was pointing to.
"It's the announcement about the transfer rings." She said. Her father hurriedly stood up and advanced towards her. Megumi was surprised to see him take the newspaper in his hands with an expression of fear and distress. "It is not really a teleportation, but a passage through two connected planes."
Koishijirou felt faint.
"It can't be..." He exclaimed with obvious anguish while reading the note.
"I know it's incredible, but it's good news," Megumi pointed out. "Just now that I'm planning a visit to my dear sister."
The note explained the great success of the research by the elemental sciences tower. A great advance in terms of teleportation technology. The system was complex because of the way it dealt with existential planes, in a way similar to traveling in a wormhole but much safer. The article explained the success of the first two rings, although the distances had not been great.
Although it was an important topic - especially because of the repercussions it would have on commerce and politics - Megumi couldn't understand why her father suddenly seemed to have aged ten years all at once; his face had lost color and it seemed that at any moment he would fall ill.
"Father? What happens?" His daughter asked, but her father barely recognized her.
Koishijirou was trembling, but whether it was from fear or anger Megumi couldn't tell.
"Kaoru is barely thirteen years old, they shouldn't be finished so soon." He lamented, dropping onto the couch in front of Megumi.
The brunette felt the world tremble under her feet upon hearing those words, her previous suspicion resurfaced much stronger and remained firm in her mind.
"Father... what aren't you telling me?" She questioned with fear.
There were so few texts that evidenced the possibility of what her father seemed to be experiencing, that if it were someone else who was experiencing it, Megumi wouldn't believe it.
His father let out the breath he had been holding in a forced sigh. Putting his hands to his face, he seemed to want to cry.
"Even if I wanted to, I can't tell you." He confessed with a trembling voice.
Megumi felt those words as an offense.
"Of course, you can!" she refuted, raising her voice an octave; "keeping a secret will only make things worse."
"No. You do not get it. It's not that I do not want to." He cut her off; uncovering his face, he stared at his daughter. "I can not do it. I can't."
So he was tied up, Megumi realized. Some kind of spell, an oath or a curse... and it didn't matter anyway; for now she could only guess. And one of them indicated that either his father was having visions of the future... or - as he had told her at the crowned prince's wedding - this was his second life.
With her heart hanging by a thread, and her body losing heat every second, Megumi forced herself to take this seriously.
"What is there to do? She asked, finally understanding, or at least looking in a different light each and every one of his father's actions regarding Kaoru during the last five years.
Koishijirou looked at her in disbelief for an instant, just a second, before feeling a relief that somewhat lightened the load on his chest.
"We have to contact Himura as soon as possible." He sentenced.
If events were moving forward, it could only mean one thing; Kaoru's second awakening was soon to happen. The chaos of that war was once again taking the reins of destiny, and soon both forces would collide.
The rest of the day passed in a kind of blurred tranquility. Blurred because Kaoru barely saw what was in front of her, and perhaps to a certain extent confused, because she seemed to be living on another plane; and calm because there was nothing extraordinary that could even compare with the excitement of seeing the night arrive.
Thus, during dinner, the young duchess could no longer contain herself and ended up venturing out to investigate what was to come.
"Kenshin" She called. The aforementioned looked at her instantly with interest. She smiled at him. "Are you excited about today?" She inquired.
The duke felt a small thorn momentarily stick into his chest, or perhaps it was the same one that had been stuck since early in the morning and had only moved a little. The boy managed to stay calm, however.
"It certainly makes me nostalgic." He said instead, evidently diverting the conversation away from what his partner inferred.
Kaoru blinked in confusion.
"Nostalgic?" She questioned.
He nodded, keeping his smile.
"When you first arrived in the North, I stayed with you until you fell asleep." He reminded her.
The young woman's cheeks colored instantly.
"Well, yes, but..." She stammered embarrassed, then composed herself. "This time is different, isn't it?"
This time the smile seemed to fade from his companion's eyes, even if his expression denoted some understanding and empathy.
"It doesn't have to be." He answered.
And then she really hated his response, because then she could understand that other emotion that was overwhelming her partner, even if she couldn't put a name to it.
Disappointment stayed with her for the rest of the dinner, and accompanied her during her nightly bath until she got ready in her room before moving to the main room; and stayed with her throughout the night in which, side by side, she slept in the same bed as her husband - before him of course, since he had stayed awake with the intention of not sleeping until after she did.
By the time Kaoru woke up the next day, Kenshin had already retired and her maids along with Shura were knocking on the door to attend to her. They entered as soon as the young duchess answered them. They all looked at her with smiles and meaningful looks to such a degree that Kaoru couldn't help but blush with shame and anger - a gesture that, of course, the young women misinterpreted.
It was then that Kaoru could no longer stand the emotion shown by her maids, especially Shura, who kept making pointed comments about what might have happened that night; that the duchess ended up dismissing her maids with the exception of her lady-in-waiting, to whom she finally confessed her discomfort.
"No. You don't understand, Shura."She complained, sitting down on the bed with a defeated air. "Kenshin doesn't see me as anything more than a girl, no matter how much I've grown. He treats me more like a little sibling." She concluded piteously and ended up raising her legs to the bed to hug them while resting her face on her knees.
Shura looked at her in detail then, finally seeing that the bed indeed showed no signs of a night shared in conjugal union.
By then the green-haired girl considered that age was more of a number than something to be taken fully into account, at least in Kaoru's situation. Her husband was not a middle-aged man by any means; nor was he a pervert or a degenerate; and considering the time they had spent together, the love and respect he had for his young wife could be seen. It was then that Shura thought that perhaps that had been exactly the problem. Living day to day with her while she was growing up, it was normal not to notice the physical changes in her.
Seeing her companion she couldn't help but feel her heart squeeze in her chest. Kaoru looked depressed and disappointed; by then it was no secret that the young duchess had fallen in love with her husband, so the rejection he showed was naturally hurting her. Suddenly sadness turned into annoyance.
"Then you should change that." She told her with a firm and determined tone, hands on her waist.
Kaoru didn't even look at her.
"How?" She complained instead.
"Well, you will spend the night with him again today." She reminded her, taking her by the shoulders to force her to see her, thus shaking off some of the sadness that enveloped her. "And this time, you'll have to make sure it's different."
The brunette blinked, distressed and overwhelmed by the immensity of that task.
"I do not know how to do it."
Shura smirked.
"First of all we will have to prepare you for the occasion, this time with greater emphasis" She pointed out with intention. "Today we will keep you hidden until nightfall." She laughed satisfied like a true villain.
Kaoru felt chills.
...
That's how the second night arrived.
Luckily for Kaoru, it hadn't been difficult to stay away from Kenshin during the day. Her young husband had been locked in his office, apparently trying to resolve situations related to what was happening in his capital. Kaoru could have sworn she had seen a missive from her father in Kenshin's hands just before she entered the room they would share, however, he had been quick to hide it.
But even if she was curious, she didn't dare to say anything that could ruin her plans regarding their second night together.
"I see that you are ready to sleep," Kenshin said to her by way of greeting, he looked nervous and Kaoru wondered if perhaps his nerves had a similar origin to hers.
She shook off that thought, realizing that this was asking too much, answering his question with a shake of her head, and concentrating on carrying out her mission. But her nerves were about to eat her alive! She walked to the small table where a tray of snacks was placed, wishing for once to have some alcohol to test the theory that it helped the nerves disappear, and was disappointed to find only juice and water.
"I guess they won't give me wine until I'm fifteen," she thought to herself. "I also don't think it's a good idea."
"What did you say?" Kenshin asked.
Kaoru, for her part, jumped in surprise when she realized she had spoken out loud.
"Ah, betsuni..." She answered in her language to avoid giving explanations. "It's still early. Why don't we spend a moment together instead?" She said instead, hugging herself with obvious nervousness, completely forgetting what she was supposed to do first: get rid of the robe she was covering her body with!
He seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding.
"What do you have in mind?"
It took her a moment to come up with a response.
"Well... if you allow me, I would like to introduce you to a classic game from my country." She pointed.
He smiled.
"OK. I'd love that."
Once again, he stayed awake until she fell asleep; just like those nights on the way north.
This time, she wasn't so sorry that Kenshin wasn't there the next day when she finally woke up.
Fortunately, the maids still did not suspect what was NOT happening in that marital room and interpreted Kaoru's behavior as shyness.
The only one who therefore did not have such a blessing of ignorance was her lady-in-waiting.
"YOU'RE KIDDING!" Was Shura's complaint at the full volume of his voice.
As soon as they were alone, Kaoru returned to the same position from the previous morning, and Shura did not hesitate to put two and two together.
"SHOJI? You played shoji!?" She complained.
Kaoru withdrew every time her partner reprimanded her.
"It was my way of getting rid of my nerves," she excused herself.
"And with the mood too," Shura muttered between her teeth with obvious annoyance.
Kaoru looked at her with fake tears in her eyes.
"Don't say that, it wasn't my intention," she defended herself. "It's just very difficult! When I'm with him my heart already doesn't stop beating uncontrollably. Now imagine having to stay alone in his company, at night, with indecent intentions; while he thinks only of sleeping. It is unfair!" She sobbed.
Shura looked at her with irritated pity, while patting her back.
"There, there. I understand you." She took a deep breath, then her eyes filled with fire. "That just means we have to be direct."
"Direct how?" Kaoru questioned, on all fours on the bed.
Shura got serious this time.
"You'll have to confront him."
The brunette blinked, previous emotion forgotten. And after a moment of silence, she ended up hiding under the covers.
"I don't want to!"
"Kaoru!"
While Shura responded by pulling the sheets, in a struggle with her.
"Kenshin barely takes me into account as a mature girl for my age, if I start to complain he will end up seeing me as a tantrum-y girl" She complained, clutching the sheets tightly.
"That's where you're wrong!" Shura refuted, continuing their struggle, she continued pulling the sheets "It all depends on how you confront him. It's adulting to talk about the elephant in the room instead of ignoring it, aah!"
Then she fell to the ground, as Kaoru had let go of the sheets after hearing her.
"You think?" She asked with hope.
Shura, from her position on the ground, nodded.
"Think of Megumi. Your sister is an expert at talking about uncomfortable topics," she reminded her. "Try to act like her and you will see that everything works out."
This time the chills the duchess felt felt pleasant.
"Act like Megumi," Kaoru agreed. "I will spend the whole day preparing," she said.
"That's the spirit!" Shura celebrated.
...
And it certainly could have been a good plan. Except, Kaoru - as a young teenager, with emphasis on the young - didn't have the control or maturity of her sister to approach the topic seriously instead of making impulsive demands.
"Kenshin!" She had jumped as soon as he had entered the room, and she had jumped internally with pleasure when she noticed how he hesitated for a moment when he discovered her without the robe that normally covered her nightgown. How his eyes traveled over her young body, stopping to take note no doubt of the curves that her day dresses had kept hidden. "We need to talk!" She sentenced.
That tone in her voice finally made the trance into which her companion had fallen disappear as if a soap bubble had burst. But not completely. Through her element, Kaoru was able to sense the doubt in him.
"Of course." He answered, smiling with some difficulty, he cleared his throat. "Tell me, what have you so upset?"
Kaoru clenched her hands into fists, feeling cold in her extremities but warm in her chest. This was the moment, she told herself.
"Your indifference" She blurted out.
He blinked in genuine confusion for just a second.
"My indifference?" He questioned and then proceeded to deny everything. "I don't understand what you mean, if there is something I have done that bothers you, please tell me."
This time it was a certain anger that his young wife felt.
"You have not shared the bed with me." She recriminated.
"I'm sorry. Haven't we slept side by side these last two nights, my dear wife?" He inquired smiling, and the annoyance was evident.
That cynicism only served to make her angry.
"You know what I mean!" She refused. "You and I are supposed to have sex, according to the law I am already of legal age," she said, not without some difficulty.
Which did not go unnoticed by him, whose smile had faded in a second. If Kaoru had been as mature as her sister Megumi, she would have been able to see how little by little the pressure in the environment changed. She would have been able to see the threads of darkness that ran down his companion's body and poured onto the floor. But neither she nor her own power were able to notice the changes.
Not even when Kenshin rebutted with ice in his gaze.
"I am not interested in the laws of the capital, princess. Here in the North, we are governed by our own customs; I am not going to force you to fulfill a duty just because the law of the empire dictates it."
"Kenshin," she growled, still inflamed by her own feelings. "I didn't mean that I was doing it just out of duty. I am also aware of the agreement you have with my father. But Kenshin, I want to do it."
He frowned, his annoyance beginning to rival hers and it would soon take the lead.
"You have not even reached maturity no matter how old you consider yourself to be."
"I may not be an adult woman, but I am not a little girl either, I am already a teenager. I'm more than ready!"
"Oh! Oh really?"
"Yes, really!"
Silence.
Kenshin analyzed her in detail, a meeting of glances that out of pure foolishness, she seemed not to want to give up.
"Do you even know what needs to be done? What does the act itself entail?"
"Of course!" She refuted. "Have you perhaps forgotten the time I spent with the courtesans? Plus I've been studying, I know what is required o-of... me... Kenshin?"
Kaoru was suddenly speechless. Kenshin had been getting closer to her while she was speaking, with an air of a predator around him. The young woman trembled at having him so close.
"If you're ready..." He said.
Kaoru swallowed hard before answering.
"I am," she declared, looking him in the eyes.
Kenshin smiled sideways and his eyes shone with a golden hue. He moved forward and she could only step back in reaction. After a couple of steps, Kaoru collided with the bed, lost her balance, and fell back onto it. But she didn't have time to recover because suddenly Kenshin was on top of her.
"Ah!" She jumped when she felt him separate her legs with a movement of his right leg and invade that space. "Matte...!"
But her husband did not stop there. With his right hand, he held both of her hands until he positioned them above her head, while with his left he caressed the contour of her silhouette, from her waist to the bottom of her knee, elevating her leg.
In response, Kaoru jumped.
"Eehp!" She exclaimed, before turning her face away, obviously fearful and uncomfortable.
Kenshin chuckled.
"I barely touched you and look how distressed you are." He mocked mercilessly.
"Nani?" Kaoru looked at him, startled instantly.
"If you can't even resist a caress, princess" he told her, releasing her, "you will be unable to enjoy the entire act," he said, caressing her face, and then lowering his hand to the height of her chest where he undid the bow on her nightgown. "More considering the fact there will be no clothes involved." He whispered.
And Kaoru, young and reckless, took advantage of her newfound freedom to slap her lord hard.
"Kenshin no BAKA!" She shouted at him.
The blow - because it had been more of a punch than a slap if the force was considered - had ended up not only pushing away but also knocking the redhead to the ground. Kaoru jumped out of bed the next moment and ran out of the room with angry tears streaming down her face.
From his position on the ground, the young duke placed a hand on the injured area and scoffed at himself.
"I knew that was an offense." He said to no one, finally recognizing what baka meant in Kaoru's native language.
"Idiot."
And he certainly felt like one.
...
Thus the third night concluded.
This time the young spouses did not share a bed. And it was rumored in the corridors that the duke had been too impatient to the point of frightening his poor wife. Which was fine, Okami and Okina told each other. Better that they think that the Duke wants his wife so much that he can barely contain himself, than that they discover that he has been denying her and ends up putting her position in the castle at risk.
...
Needless to say, the next day Kaoru remained firm in her anger towards her partner. This time she didn't receive anyone in her room, not even Shura. Her lady-in-waiting could not help but feel guilty about the result of such a failed enterprise; and could only offer words of comfort from across the room.
By the time night came, Kaoru did not show up to Kenshin's room, but instead remained locked in her own. And perhaps she would have remained locked up until the next day if it had not been for the tremendous reprimand that Okami gave the Duke. She did not stop until she was sure she had made him feel guilty enough so that he ended up being the one to seek the company of the young duchess.
That had been a fortune from heaven because if Kenshin had not gone, it would have ended up fragmenting his connection with Kaoru forever.
Standing in front of the door to her bedroom, Kenshin allowed himself a moment to compose himself. He had rehearsed the words he would say many times on the way there, but sadly all the words had flown out of his head.
"Kaoru?" He called. "I know you are upset with me, but I ask you to receive me. I have come to apologize." He said feeling nervous. His gaze fell to the ground as he looked for something to distract himself while he spoke...
And that was when the heat suddenly left his body. Ribbons of light slipped and mixed with each other until they created a kind of mist that slid across the floor until it blurred.
Okami had been right to reprimand him because he had forgotten an important detail...
"Kaoru?" He knocked harder, trying to open the door without success since it was locked from inside. His heart started to beat fast.
...He had forgotten something so important! A detail that Koishijirou himself had warned him about in the letter the day before.
"Kaoru!" He shouted, desperate.
And the next moment his power of darkness was deployed against the door until it exploded.
"Kaoru!"
In the center of the room, which was enveloped in an intense light, a burning white light, was Kaoru. Her body was completely illuminated until she was just a figure of white light. The light that came from her came out in waves and burned to the touch. Kenshin had to make a shield with his power, a dark barrier that allowed him to see his partner's form until he noticed that she was in obvious pain.
He ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders, releasing her as soon as he touched her.
"Ah!" He screamed, looking at his hands he discovered the burning in them. Kaoru was burning. "Kaoru..."
However, after contact she finally seemed to recognize him.
"It burns!" It was the first thing she said, while she held her body, and tears in the form of light poured from her eyes. "It burns! Kenshin!"
His heart was squeezed with pain, guilt, and fear. Overwhelmed by that scene, Kenshin forced himself to calm down to call upon his power again and envelop his partner.
"I'm not going to let you faint!" He declared as both powers merged.
In the distance, the voices of the members of the castle could be heard, who had woken up after that hassle. But before they arrived, with a new explosion of power, both elementals disappeared.
A/N: Now, can we send Kenshin away? xD