Thank you so much to all of you who gave a review: Aolun, Renata, Putragis, skenshingumi. I've just started working with a grammar corrector so hopefully, the writing will be better... HOPEFULLY (insert a crying face here).

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Chapter 7: "Prepare the flowery road."

Spring of 1864

That night, blood flowers floated into the sky. Its vivid colors shone in the night sky creating a mirage of intense sunsets. Orange, red, and yellow danced transmuting from one tone to another while consuming everything in their path. If the danger of that hell was forgotten, it could almost even be beautiful.

There was a song of burning embers, wood, and cloth, crackling and hissing respectively. The cats ran terrified, adding their meows to the music that announced death.

No one knew how the fire had started.

One moment the dim light of the oil lamps had covered the sanctuary in their dying yellow light, and the next, the rising heart of a sun had set the sky ablaze. The blaze had risen above the second floor of the compound as if a volcano had erupted from its center.

"Fast! Bring water from the well!"

"It won't be enough! We need to bring water from the lake."

From the city, it was a spectacle of bright orange, scarlet red, and yellow lights. The fiery tongues seemed to want to touch the stars as they stretched out. People looked on in terror, doubting even that there was anything they could do. The sanctuary was almost at the top of the mountain; the path from its base to the Tori took about an hour at a steady pace.

"There are people still inside!"

"Watch out for the ronin!"

In the sanctuary, the chaos that was experienced was the same as that of a war. It had been a special event, the clergy had been preparing to receive new priests and priestesses, and the seer's kuchiyose was days away...

Now everything was on fire.

But the fire was not the only enemy...

"Kaoru dono!"

The seer watched that tragedy unfold before her eyes, utterly awed by the countless lives that were being lost and would surely continue to be extinguished.

Just hours ago, she had been so happy…!

Kaede finally caught up with her. She took her forcefully by both arms, first one and then the other, and fixed her gaze on her.

"Kaoru dono you must escape! Kaoru dono!" -She sobbed.

But the girl did not see her. Her being was sunk in a tide of anguish and sadness that drowned out any notion that her life was in danger, that she should move.

"Kaoru dono!"

How had this happened, she questioned internally... A part of herself was aware of the answer... She had interfered, after all. So she understood how and why she had ended up receiving that sentence.

…

It had all started with a letter.

…

My dear Kenshin:

It's been almost two months since we last saw each other. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I've been worried about you.

I understand from the message you left with your master, that you are now a free sword. I am aware that you are leading your own search amid the war that is about to break out. And I have no intention of interfering, I promise you. The reason I'm writing to you has more to do with me and my selfish heart's desire.

Coming spring, I'm going to be promoted. The last time we met I couldn't tell you. I was worried, you know, about a different priority...

Originally my ritual would be completely private and isolated from my chokkai partners, but Yumi sama managed to convince both Guji sama and Momiji sama and now, my ritual will be at the same time as my partners.

Kenshin… I'm happy.

After our last conversation, I dedicated myself to bringing down that barrier that separated me from others. It hasn't been easy, and the truth is that not everyone trusts me yet, but at least Hikari and Fuu have become close to me. And I've found myself, ever since, wishing you were here and could see me.

This brings me back to my wish.

For my Kuchiyose, I want to see you.

I know from Master Seijuro that you are now in Edo, and I am aware that you will continue traveling until you find the answer you are looking for... Even so, I would be very happy if you could take a break from your long journey and come the first week of April to keep me company and say goodbye after the ritual. You should know that once I make my vows, I will belong completely to the sanctuary.

I want to see you one last time before that happens. Hopefully, my wish can be the same as yours...

Do you know? A few days ago, I met a woman from Edo who had followed whom she considered her mate to Kyoto. The couple couldn't have been more quirky. The man turned out to be the general of the Shinsengumi's third division. I was surprised. He was cold, and she was so cheerful…Though it was obvious that there was a strong bond between them. But the strangest thing happened after the wedding. Two days after the ceremony at the shrine, the woman returned to Edo. I didn't understand why they had to separate and how she could leave so soon, after everything she had gone through to get to be with her now husband. It was the latter who gave me the answer:

"She's the wife of a samurai," he told me, "I wouldn't have married her if she couldn't understand me and bear it."

At first, I thought it was cruel.

Later I found it to be beautiful.

Kenshin, I'm about to become a miko. You are a samurai, and your desire to help those who suffer will involve you in a path full of constant struggles and sacrifices. And even if we can't walk the same path... I want to keep the oath I made to you.

I will be here, always.

I will pray that this letter finds you well. I will pray that your heart continues beating the same song as mine and that its constant beating convinces you to return to my side once more. I will pray to be able to see you before I am crowned a miko.

And even if my prayers go unanswered. I want you to know that, in my heart, I will always be waiting.

Kamiya Kaoru.

…

February, Chosu Prefecture.

There had been multiple reports of clandestine attacks. Although neither had resulted in significant casualties, the events themselves caused anxiety among the ranks of the shogun's army. The Shinsengumi brigade had been committed to rounds throughout Kyoto for more than half a year, so it was easy to assume among the higher-ups that the situation was not as precarious as it might seem. After all, no political official had been in real danger.

What the shogunate didn't know was that those apparently failed attacks were a distraction from the real threat. Since the end of the previous year, many volunteers had begun to gather to form the army that would overthrow the shogun. An army that intended to act from the shadows to avoid a long conflict, and to ensure control from within the government.

Which at that time for Katsura Kogoro was far from true.

"You don't look very happy, Katsura."

The man barely directed a furtive look at his newly arrived companion. Shinsaku was more than just his right-hand man or fighting partner, he was, first and foremost, his lifelong best friend, and at that point, he was practically family. Perhaps that was why he found it irritating having to listen to him then.

"If you keep waiting for the perfect assassin, I'm afraid Chosu's army will be Chosu's army forever," he joked, hinting that they would never leave the region.

Katsura growled under his breath.

"I would do it myself if I could, you know that," he answered.

"That's not right," Shinsaku contradicted, "if you do that, your hands will be covered in blood, and your credibility as a possible leader in the new government will be ruined. I thought you were smarter."

Silence.

He had nothing to refute. He knew his friend was right. Watching the ronin train in front of them, or at least that's what they seemed to be doing, it was clear that their ranks were more than just weak. No, not weak. Clumsy. They were certainly clumsy, and they lacked discipline. A bunch of men without reason or destiny in a world that had abandoned them.

And all because of the shogun's weakness.

"I've been thinking, maybe we could recruit samurai in Kyoto."

Katsura was taken aback by that suggestion, finally turning his gaze away from the courtyard to focus his full attention on his partner. When he felt his gaze on him, he decided to go straight to the point.

"I know that sounds like a pointless proposition." Katsura snorted under his breath. It was certainly more than that. "But think about it. Once we start with the assassinations, our hitokiri (assassin) will need to be an expert in the ways of Kyoto, otherwise, he may risk getting lost in his own trap. And it's no secret that there are ronin villages surrounding the city; not to mention the pleasure houses that have been on the rise."

Katsura was beginning to understand what his partner was saying.

"If you look for someone with a grudge, you will find them quite close to your enemy."

"It would be quite a risky move. -The older man finally spoke. -What you are asking for are not simple spies or double agents. Not even traitors."

His gaze fixed on his companion's, who did not shy away from him and, on the contrary, maintained the same intensity in his own eyes.

"What you are looking for is a hero," he concluded.

"I wouldn't call him a hero, I would call him a patriot," he mocked.

"Still, you ask too much. I don't think there is such a thing as a free sword."

Shinsaku laughed again.

"On the contrary. I heard that the road to Edo has been cut by the edge of a masterless katana."

Katsura frowned.

"Just one?" He questioned incredulously.

"Ah," Shinsaku agreed. "Although what is interesting is the place where it is rumored that his journey began."

"Kyoto?" Katsura inquired.

"Not only Kyoto."

"Friend, you kill me with the suspense" He urged before the passivity of his nakama.

Shinsaku dropped to the ground, facing away from the fusuma before responding with a laconic smile.

"The Fushimi Inari Shrine."

"You're kidding!" Katsura blurted out in bewilderment.

"Isn't that great?" Shinsaku asked, still amused. "We had already said that all Shintoism must be included in the movement against the barbarians, so it is a kind of sign from the gods, if you are a believer."

Silence then falls. For Shinsaku, it is evident that his companion has already lost himself inside his own mind, tying up the dots and plotting plans, so he decides to get up and look for his shamisen (square guitar); as soon as his hands touch the instrument he begins to play a melody.

For his part, Katsura weighs whether it will be worth taking a risk and trying a direct connection with the sanctuary, asking for support for his troops. Until then, they have not involved any priest in the movement, even if the support has been loudly expressed, it is evident that they are the ones who depend on the clergy and not the other way around.

"But maybe if we could get them to take action on their business," he thinks.

"Shinsaku" He calls him because he has remembered an even more important piece of information, his partner looks at him without stopping playing. "Isn't that the sanctuary where the maiden blessed by the vision resides?"

His friend offers him a grin from ear to ear.

"That same one." He answers "And I have a feeling, that our free sword is related to her."

Katsura frowns in confusion, his heart beginning to pound. If they connect with Shinto's latest miracle, it would be the same as getting themselves a symbol for their cause, one that could move large masses and tip the scales of war in their favor.

"Why do you think so?"

"Hmm… If the rumors are true. It is a sword that does not kill... at least for now."

That, far from demotivating him, generates more interest. Shinsaku knows it, he sees it in the shine that has settled in his friend's black eyes, the same ones that until then had been opaque. He also sees, however, doubt and guilt pass like a shooting star in those same orbs.

"I know that look," he tells him after considering it for a moment, "you're going to do something dishonorable."

Katsura looks truly contrite.

"We can't delay any longer -he assures, more to himself -...And even if I know that this is not the most commendable thing, I can't ignore that I have agreed to a war."

His friend nods.

"You will make others get their hands dirty with blood for you. -He lamented, still with the smile on his face, although it no longer reached his eyes- Do what you have to do, but be aware that it will only be your fault and your condemnation."

Shinsaku then fully surrenders to the music, his voice accompanying the notes of the stringed instrument. Katsura on his part feels the weight of his friend's words like arrows that pierce his back.

"It's too late to go back," he says internally. It has been decided. -Tomorrow, we will leave for the sanctuary." He informs.

But his partner is too lost in his music to listen.

…

Kyoto.

Hajime Saito is in a very bad mood.

Since morning he has been attending meetings to determine what the rebels' objective was. ...If they could be called that. Annoyed at having to move in circles, he had decided to remain silent, aware of how pathetic his superiors were at the moment.

He himself had been a samurai who belonged to a daimyo. He was no stranger to the feelings of shame that dominate a warrior to remain faithful to even the craziest lord if, with that, he manages to maintain his honor. He had known men desperate because of the ruin of not having a name with which to give shelter to their families.

And therefore, he knew that those alleged attacks lacked a real motive.

"You look afflicted," Okita Soji told him, with her usual smile. He was the only companion that Saito considered truly close.

A true nakama (fighting partner), one who was not rotten in the seas of corruption.

"You know me," he answered. "You must know what I'm thinking," he told him pointing to the pile of reports scattered on the tatami.

Okita nodded in amusement. The reason they both understood each other was that they had similar minds. The general had been able to notice the arbitrariness of the attacks committed during the last month, and taking into consideration the importance that Kyoto held for the shogunate, that had been careless.

"You think these are just distractions. -He said. -Although it is difficult to see the connections that you propose."

"Hm," Saito huffed. "They scream 'distraction' in the ease with which they commune with death."

"Ah, but don't we all?" The younger smiled.

"That's exactly my point," Saito warned with a sharp look.

Okita understood then. A movement too 'sloppy' but whose protagonists were intensely committed, it could only be a smokescreen for something much bigger and sinister.

"Should we ask Kondo dono to patrol the streets again?" He questioned with interest, without any real concern.

The older man considered it. Although they were actually months apart, Okita was of a small build, contrary to Saito, and the former had always treated him as a superior, even if he ranked slightly above the latter. But Okita was a reliable wolf.

"No," Saito blurted out after a little internal debate. "It'll be enough with us and Heisuke," he assured. The latter, together with the two of them, made up the youngest members of the Shinsengumi.

"What do you have in mind?"

Saito smiled.

During the following nights, the trio of officers dedicated themselves to carrying out their own investigation of the events. But whether his suspicion had been wrong or, in the worst case, the rebels had found out, there were no new incidents.

They were weeks full of frustration.

Kondo-sama even dismissed concerns on the matter, assuring that there was no one who could stand up to the Shinsengumi, not even the imperialist traitors whom he blamed for the attacks from last month.

Saito couldn't feel more desperate. He knew it was only a matter of time; his murderer's blood told him so. There was a change in the air that had been tensing the atmosphere since the beginning of the year, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before a spark set off that fire.

"Should we continue patrolling, Saito san?" Okita questioned next to him.

"Aa… We must never stop." He sentenced.

Even he himself did not know the reasons for his fears. Even months later, when the door to hell seemed to open, he could have believed that his suspicions had not been unfounded.

There were enemies everywhere.

…

March

Kenshin had started traveling in early January, missing out on the shrine ceremony and the chance to see Kaoru again. The boy understood that this was a selfish wish for himself, and that having fulfilled it would have been more of a whim than a necessity. And considering the ordeal of having to listen to his teacher's constant accusations, he didn't want to have to agree with him no matter how right the man was.

Both had been faithful, moreover, to concentrate on what each one's duty was; even if he himself hadn't figured out which one was his yet. He understood that he couldn't hang onto Miko's apprentice forever, especially if doing so might cause her to stray from what she had always considered her greatest dream.

Kenshin couldn't do such an offense to Kaoru. As tempting as it was to ask her to choose him, he was determined never to admit such a feeling.

He had been traveling for two months since then, visiting each of the prefectures from Kyoto to Edo, following the transgressions line that had occurred in the country since the economic collapse decades ago. He could understand by seeing each village up close, the true implications of what an uprising against the shogun represented.

Suddenly, he no longer felt so convinced of entering the war with such naive airs of grandeur, as ridiculously absurd as the very idea of such a blind fight between good and evil. Neither side was excusable. Now he knew because he had seen it. That was the reason he was constantly grateful for meeting Kaoru by crossing each other's paths and reaping the courage for life, and the nobility of second chances.

He had seen much of the latter during his travels and was grateful that his relationship with the apprentice miko had somehow allowed him to make his journey without having to kill.

Now his steps were taking him back to his master's home, on the outskirts of Kyoto, less than a kilometer away from the shrine. The pull that made him want to turn in her direction was still just as strong, and the boy, far from being upset by the force of its push, was grateful that it'd prevailed. It was a two-way street, after all, which meant his mate was still feeling the same way she had that last night together.

His heart skipped a beat in excitement.

It was said that distance made love grow, and in the past few months, he could attest to this. Now every time he thought of her the feeling with which he remembered her was slightly different. Much more intense yes, but with a connotation of affection that had not been present during their last meeting. As if his feelings had transmuted from affection to love, and at the same time, love had always been there.

That was the reason however, that kept him firm in his decision not to return.

Not yet.

Kenshin stopped suddenly, senses alert. He felt the attack before it took place; the sound of the katana being drawn pushed him into his defensive stance.

Metal collided with metal. The redhead ended up almost kneeling on the ground blocking his attacker, who was none other than his master.

Irritation was evident on the boy's face.

"Seijuro Hiko," he growled, through clenched teeth, "a man who instead of greeting properly, attacks his apprentice without any qualms."

For all answers, the major laughed.

"You have the nerve to complain when it's your fault for being late."

The vein became even more apparent on the apprentice's forehead.

"I would have arrived on time if it hadn't been for your ridiculous order, shisho," he refuted, marking the last word with all the bitterness he was feeling.

Hiko raised an eyebrow elegantly; contrary to his apprentice, that match did not cause him any effort or discomfort.

"Did you bring it?" He questioned more as a warning than as a question.

Kenshin growled again.

"Would I have returned if I hadn't?" he answered with obvious annoyance.

The older man finally stopped pressing his student, undoing the attack, fixed his stance, and sheathed his sword; his apprentice imitated him.

"Considering what an idiot you are, it's only natural to have doubts.

Kenshin then makes a big effort to remain calm, though his hands are balled into fists - one is still on the sword hilt - and his jaw is clenched enough to cause his teeth to gnash.

This, without a doubt, was something he had not missed throughout his long journey.

"Make haste kozo (boy), we have a guest."

For a moment the redhead feels out of place, it is not normal for his master to receive visitors in his hut. Normally, he is the one who wanders and makes visits at his convenience.

"It must be important," he says to himself, then follows in his master's footsteps to his humble abode.

In the main room is a man who seems to be the same age as his master, but his presence is entirely different, Kenshin realizes. While his teacher inspires a hint of admiration and fear, the guest generates a type of admiration that borders on respect for an elder. In his lap, he carries a long rectangular box; the apprentice can only think of a sword when looking at it.

"He's just a child," are the immediate words of the man sitting in the room.

"Didn't I tell you?" Hiko answered, taking his place on the tatami, sitting in front of the screen that divided the main room from the private rooms.

Kenshin debated for a moment before deciding to sit in front of the guest. Said man didn't stop looking at him even when he was in front of him. The boy shifted uncomfortably, unable to look away either.

"So, the samurai you spoke to me about who wants to take part in the revolution, who is also your pupil, is little less than a man. -He said.

Said boy growled under his breath, the annoyance evident in the way his gaze narrowed. That hadn't been an insult, but it sure sounded like one.

Hiko, for his part, laughed, then proceeded to serve himself sake. The guest's cup is still full, and Kenshin hasn't yet earned the right to have his master fill a cup for him.

"Let me make the introductions, or else my baka deshii will be as quiet as a mute," he said.

"I'm not mute," Kenshin growled, inadvertently falling into his master's trap.

"Oh -the latter exclaimed -Then you can introduce yourself."

Now, it was the guest's turn to laugh, albeit under his breath, not mockingly but truly amused by that exchange.

"Excuse your master -he says -He was never one to know how to show affection.

"I heard that!" Hiko claims, but his friend ignores him.

"My name is Arai Shaku, and I am known as one of the best katana makers in all of Kyoto."

Kenshin, totally surprised, looks at him with admiration. And the next moment, he bows with the utmost respect.

"It is an honor. My name is Himura Kenshin, apprentice of the Hiten Mitsurugy Ryu."

"I know -Shaku answers -I have come at the request of your master."

At this, Kenshin looks up in surprise, first at the smith and then at his teacher. The latter looks at him with a touch of annoyance, as if the low expectations his apprentice has for him bother him.

"In spite of what you might think in that hard head of yours, I take into account the interests of my apprentice -he assures with some annoyance- I am your master, after all. You are my responsibility."

"I'm sorry, Shisho" Kenshin apologized. It's so difficult to decipher the man, he laments.

"Even if I don't approve of your ridiculous desire to get involved in the fight, I'm no stranger to people's problems," Hiko continues, "and I've been watching the growth you've achieved. If you have to leave this place, it will be at least with the best of my dispositions. However, keep in mind that you will not be able to depend on me again."

The boy swallows with some difficulty. In his last letters, Kenshin has kept his master informed of his discoveries about the situation in the country. He wasn't going to deny that those letters had been a vain attempt to convince the older man to, if not join the fight with him, allow him to get involved with his blessing and not as an assertion of their teacher-student relationship. But he knew that was being too optimistic, especially when the man did not answer any of the letters.

Even so, he hadn't expected that show of support, albeit cold, not entirely detached from his intention to at least prepare him for his destiny.

"How much do you know about the movement, Himura kun?" Shaku asks.

The redhead's eyes glance sideways at the box on the man's lap, as he thinks about how to summarize everything he's learned so far.

"I know about the precarious, international situation Japan is in," he begins. "The debate about how to keep the country's economy afloat and foreigners at bay, and how this same debate has generated discontent from Edo Castle to the lowest castes of Japanese people. I know about the two factions, the daimyos removed from the government, and how the latter has contributed to the image of weakness that the shogun's government earned after its defeats with the American fleet."

Shaku nods.

"There is a need for a stronger government," Kenshin continued. -That is the reason behind the movement of Chosu, although its ranks at the moment constitute mostly ronin and deposed clans; there is a notion that an internal revolution is necessary."

"I'd say more like inevitable," Shaku interrupts. "As I told your master, I'll be joining the movement with an ideal that borders on fantasy, but every utopia is based on a frivolous desire, I suppose. -He jokes, although the redhead isn't sure if there's something to joke about-. Besides, I am not bound by any obligation like Hiko's. I forge and sell my swords to whomever I want, and for whatever reason, I please. What are your motives, Himura kun?"

This was the crucial moment when he had to give his answer, and what he said at that moment would determine if he would still be worthy of being called Hiko's apprentice. The latter was looking at him with obvious interest.

"A year ago, I would have said that I can no longer allow people to suffer in front of my eyes," he confesses.

There is a small silence in which the boy remembers those stormy months when famine and violence had plagued all of Japan.

"Now, I would like to think that I am not so naive."

"But?" Hiko pressed.

"I still believe that it is possible to create a new era in which people are not bound by their status, making it impossible for them to aspire to something better. -He assured. -I know that a confrontation is necessary, and although I have not yet decided if I should take sides, I wish to use my sword to help those who suffer."

The two men absorb the boy's words, and in the end, both end up giving the same reaction. With a hint of satisfaction, they both laugh to themselves.

"Even if it's not a complete answer, it's a good start." The swordsmith smiled. His hands run over the wooden surface where the gift is carefully stored. "I wish that my swords help to forge a new era. Himura kun, this sword is for you. Train carefully with its weight. Be aware that you will be collecting more than just blood."

Kenshin accepts the offered gift, nodding as he takes it, then revealing the katana that rests inside the wooden case. It is slightly longer than the sword he had been using up until then. And although it is heavy, it feels much lighter than his previous katana when balanced between his fingers. The young man admires the edge of the blade in the light streaming in through the windows.

Shaku stayed for a little while before leaving, finished a second drink, and left, but not before telling Kenshin to go find him as soon as he decided to participate in the fight. The redhead had nodded with a slight emotion of anxiety in his center, shaken because it was obvious to whoever saw him where his steps would end up taking him... Not for the first time he wondered again if the purpose of his destiny was a fact, had there been truly any reason to stay away from Kaoru?

"Oh, that reminds me," Hiko spoke then, behind his back, as if he were able to see through the boy's mind, "you have a letter from the girl of the temple" he blurted out, pouring himself more sake.

Kenshin jumped instantly.

"Kaoru dono?" He asked, not without some hope.

"Though I don't remember where I kept it," the man murmured.

"What do you mean?" Questioned Kenshin, not understanding how easily he would forget where he left an object he had recently received, unless... "Since when did she send it?" he questioned suspiciously.

"She left it with me in mid-February," he blurted out.

"February?!" Exclaimed Kenshin. "Shisho! Why haven't you sent it to me since then?"

The man looked at him as if he were stupid.

"Why should I spend money when you could read it when you get back?" he inquired.

Kenshin was about to pull his hair.

"Is that the real reason you didn't answer any of my letters?"

"In that regard, I didn't feel like answering you," he declared, giving the sake jar a long drag.

Kenshin used all his strength then to keep the jar away from his master's mouth, pressing both hands on his master's.

"Where?" he growled.

"Where? -His teacher repeated without interest, almost managing to return his lips to the bottle, only to lose contact under the pressure of his pupil -it must be in my room p... ack, kuso!" He cursed after hitting his mouth with the jar.

He hadn't finished speaking when his baka deshii had run behind the screen that separated the rooms, dropping the jar he had been holding until then, resulting in his master's injury.

"Don't you dare break anything," the man warned.

But the boy came out again as a man chased by the devil, the letter in his hands.

"Damn kid," Hiko cursed as he was left alone, with all the disaster in which his pupil had left his room.

Kenshin waited until he reached the bamboo area near the river that ran down the mountain, the same one that concentrated in the form of a lake near the sanctuary. Once feeling safe in his solitude, he broke the knot of the letter and spread the two sheets in front of him. He began to read from the greeting, and his legs gave way when he read the words of affection with which his friend referred to him.

He finished reading the letter and sat on the grass. Re-reading, over and over again, the lines where Kaoru was clear in her feelings; where she expressed her fervent desire to see him once more. He felt divided between joy and anguish.

She wanted him back… if only to see him one last time before she became completely unreachable to him.

She kept her oath despite her destiny... but far from being a haven, she couldn't grant him more once she gave herself to the sanctuary.

He bit his lips, and after moments of debating between one feeling and another, he convinced himself to follow one step at a time. For now, he convinced himself, he only intended to grant her her wish, and perhaps by doing so, he could ask for a wish of his own.

It was already quite late so he would take his answer with him the next day. After all, there was still a week left before the month ended. And without a doubt, her friend would not complain that he gave himself the pleasure of spending more than a week with her as she had originally requested in her letter.

She wanted to see him, after all.

And the feeling was mutual.

…

The assembly had concluded an hour ago, the room had emptied, and only Momiji remained inside it. Sitting in front of the shoji's doors wide open to the second floor hallway, the young woman stared at the view offered by the height. Her expression was one of concern. They had not reached an agreement, after all.

The Guji then entered through the second entrance, the one that led to a second room, where small banquets were given to important people during festivals.

"You seem quite conflicted Momiji san," he pointed out, as soon as he was close to her.

The woman did not even turn to see him.

"Don't try to point to me the same way you feel Udo," she accused.

The man let out the breath he had been holding in a pained sigh. The priestess only forgot the keigo when she was either very happy or very upset.

"I wish I could convince you," he lamented. "I am surprised at your inclination to comply with their requests."

Her face turned to him like a whip.

"Can you judge me? -She challenged strongly. -When they continue to snuff out the lives of my sisters?"

Holding his breath again for that moment in which both of them fought with their eyes, the man could not help but surrender to his partner's words. After all, it was no secret that, even if the patriots swore to defend Shintoism, the reality was that many did not support the weight and power of the mikos. This under the excuse of protecting them under abuse that until then had been considered a sacred duty.

"No. I can't." He conceded at last. "But Momiji, our lives do not belong to us." He reminded her. They were nothing more than servants of gods and men.

"There was a time when they did," she murmured resentfully.

Centuries ago, the man wailed in his mind, centuries ago they had been two different people. "That moment has passed," he said forcefully, forcing himself to put those experiences out of his mind.

"I relive it every moment I breathe," she challenged, raising her voice.

Contrary to what she'd expected, the Guji looked at her with a sad smile on his face.

"That's kind of embarrassing, don't you think?" He asked, in a sad attempt at a joke to lift their spirits.

The effect was the opposite.

"Udo…"

The man moved away from her contact, standing up, he went out into the patio, approaching the railing.

"Is your position so bad that you want to eradicate it forever even from others?" he inquired.

Udo knew the dissatisfaction the woman had felt since her coronation as miko. He knew how resentment had led her to think the same way as the members of the Chosu clan. He had understood how far she was willing to compromise when Katsura Kogoro had arrived a month ago with that ridiculous proposal.

The same that until then he kept denying, to the frustration of not only the Chosu faction, but hers as well.

"You can't understand it," Momiji complained, deciding to leave the room.

"What I understand is the desperation everyone seems to feel for Kaoru dono," he blurted out, causing her to freeze in place.

Momiji pursed her lips.

Kaoru. Innocent Kaoru.

In recent months her popularity had been increasing after the evidence of her power and her ability as an apprentice. The young woman also had a virtue of empathy, which allowed her to be able to sympathize and help people on a level that was not so common.

And Momiji knew what fanaticism could do to a prodigy of the gods, she had heard the murmurs behind the walls of Edo Castle, even at the sister shrines. The girl was becoming the ace up the sleeve of high positions, the salvation card they would use to save religion and create a symbol of struggle in the patriot movement. Except that the latter could save her, while the former would damn her.

"I was her once, have you forgotten?" She finally said.

The Guji felt his heart skip a beat.

"If you hadn't interfered, I wonder if there would be a child of the gods walking the halls of this sanctuary," she said.

"You can't compare one with another," he roared. "You're talking about a war."

"One that equally can't be avoided," she reminded her. "Stop fooling yourself! In any case we are in danger, and you know it. I would at least hope that you would do something, however small, to prevent the coming tragedy."

He could only look away, which only made her more angry and heartbroken at the same time.

"At least the man who saved me then would have."

Momiji left the compound, leaving him alone with his regrets.

"Centuries ago," he whispered to himself. "Centuries ago, Momiji, I should have taken you with me," he confessed.

But there was no human power capable of turning back time, that was not how men's "second chances" worked. Even as a Guji, he did not have any connection to the gods. No matter how much he prayed, he only had the skills of a simple warrior; there was nothing special about him.

"Maybe," he said to himself. "Maybe you're right, Momiji..."

For the next two weeks, the priest would debate whether to stand firm on the path he had pledged centuries ago or whether to break that promise and risk a different future after betting on a war that he might well not survive...

Without knowing that, in the end, the decision would be ripped from him by someone else.

…

Inside the building of rooms, was the training room. All the clergy had to know how to fight to be able to protect the sanctuary. Although the matches generally took place in the central courtyard, from time to time the matches could take place inside the makeshift dojo.

At that time, however, the meeting was more of a game between siblings.

Kaoru covered up from taking the blow, while her opponent took advantage of the stance to attack with a jijutsu move. The young woman, however, was able to evade the move by deciding to spin under her opponent and attack with her hips.

Said attack was not enough to knock down her adversary, but it managed to at least free her from his grasp.

"You've improved considerably." Koishijiro applauded, his chest puffing out in pride at his sister's progress.

"Thank you niisan"

Both siblings broke their posture, stood up with their arms at their sides, and bowed to each other to conclude the encounter.

Hikari and Fuu, who were watching the match with excitement at that moment, cheered for their companion. Koishijiro joined them after a moment.

"I can't believe that in a couple of months, you'll give us the final goodbye," he said with a dramatic tone and not at all credible.

Kaoru frowned.

"You sound like I'm going to die" she complained, leaving the bokken in Fuu's hands who took charge of putting it away.

"The feeling is very similar," his brother refuted, high on the drama.

The young woman rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"You exaggerate too much, not even dad was that dramatic."

"That's only because you haven't seen him," he corrected, abandoning any previous playful tone. His sister felt a small pang in her chest, she was about to ask about their father when he interrupted her again "Kaoru, are you sure you won't regret it?"

"Have I regretted it so far?" she answered defensively, it was evident that more than once she had been asked that question more frequently during the last month, to the point of beginning to feel offended.

"Don't throw a tantrum, you know why I'm asking." He defended himself. "Yumi sama informed me of the offer for the Kiyosato family and from your letters, there was a moment in which I thought you would end up marrying that boy, what was his name?"

Kaoru grunted under her breath, she had forgotten about those letters.

"Shinji, Kiyosato Shinji," she told him.

"Shinji-kun!" He jumped smiling, continuing to speak with the help of his hands. "What happened? It seemed like it would evolve from a fixation to a real crush, but then, poof, nothing more after that last letter."

Kaoru rolled her eyes.

"You see things where there isn't anything, niisan. I never said I felt anything for Shinji beyond irritation."

"But you refer to him without honorifics," he refuted.

"And?" She asked annoyed. "He's not the only one who…" and then she forced herself to stop.

Koshijiro noticed the change instantly, his sly smile spreading across his face.

"Who else then?"

Nervous, the black-haired woman tried to play it down.

"People of course." She stated.

"Hmmm... you're not being very honest," he teased her, "are you sure you won't run away from the sanctuary into Shinji kun's arms?"

Kaoru jumped instantly, cheeks red in more than embarrassment.

"Of course not! What nonsense is that?!"

And the next moment his brother had received a direct blow to the face, so strong that he fell to the ground on his buttocks.

"Being in the sanctuary hasn't taken away your bad temper, I see," he complained, rubbing the wound.

"You are to blame for speaking nonsense!" She answered breathing heavily.

But his brother stood up again.

"I don't understand you. Do you?" he asked the other two apprentices.

"Hey, don't mess with them," Kaoru growled.

But Hikari and Fuu had already looked at each other with certain mischief shining in their eyes.

"Maa, maa, Kaoru dono, we don't mind," Fuu admitted.

"Especially since we know the reason," Hikari completed.

Koishijiro jumped excitedly toward them.

"And which one is it?"

Whereas Kaoru instantly regretted.

"Don't!"

Fortunately for her, or at least for the moment, Kago ran into the compound.

"Kaoru dono, a letter from Himura kun!" He informed smiling

"Himura?" the older Kamiya questioned.

The chokkai caught up with her then, clearly running from the Tori, if his ragged breathing was any indication.

"Kaoru dono, letter to you from Himura kun," he said, still bending over on his knees to catch his breath.

Kaoru's heart skipped a beat, curled up, and jumped up, only to fly away an instant later. The young woman practically ripped the letter from the chokkai's hands, noticing that it was not closed, it was just a folded square of paper.

"Thanks, Kago."

And then she ran out of the building leaving her brother along with her companions.

"Who is Himura?" he asked, confused when he heard a completely new name for him but too important for his sister.

The two apprentices share a look again before responding with a croon.

"Kaoru's Susano dono" they both answered.

Koishijiro blinked even more confused.

…

Kenshin's letter was barely a cut sheet. It looked more like a note than a letter. Kaoru had slowed down after heading out into the courtyard towards the main building, but when she finished reading the letter, she once again ran off, this time out of the shrine.

…

My dear Kaoru dono:

I was happy to receive your letter. But the truth is that although I could and would like to tell you everything about my travels and the answer I have come up with…

The truth is that while you are reading this letter I am at the entrance of the sanctuary, right under the Tori, ready to tell you everything face to face, if you allow me.

Himura Kenshin.

…

True to his word, the boy was standing at the top of the stairs, his back to the shrine, hands hidden inside his gi. A smile adorning his face.

Kaoru felt her body empty and fill with life at the mere image of his silhouette, suddenly feeling that the path was too long for her small steps.

"Kenshin!" She called out his name because she felt that she was not reaching him at the speed she wanted.

"Kaoru dono!" He of course understood that feeling because it was his own, and he went out to meet her.

The two collided in a hug, Kaoru's feet coming off the ground for a brief moment. A brief instant in which he squeezed her tightly and breathed her full.

He had missed her too much and now he had her in his arms.

Oblivious to them, Momiji watched the meeting take place, not without some bewilderment; but after a moment of observing them in detail, a new idea flashed in her mind. Instantly after a smile graced her face.

The smile of a villain.

A/N: I definitely need help! =(