Thank you so much to all of you who have given this fic a chance.
Btw, in my story, the Ikedaya incident takes place a year later due to the fact of Kenshin not joining the Isshin Shishi yet.
Chapter 8: Lighting the flowery path
Spring of 1864
All her life, Momiji dreamed of making her own home. In her mind, she visualized a warm room that overlooked a private garden. It would be a boarding house, and all her family would grow in it. The young woman saw the silhouettes of children running across the wooden floor, followed by laughter and the reflection of the light vibrating through the tops of the cherry trees that would undoubtedly line the house.
However, that dream was now far from coming true, if not already impossible.
"Stupid woman." The words sprang from Guji's mouth with traces of disappointment and sadness. The man was trying to catch his breath after the battle.
Momiji could only see the parts of the attacker's body that Guji's own body did not cover. It was a still figure on the bloody wooden floor.
Dead. Surely, that man was dead.
That brought a smile to Miko's lips. Even if her life was fading away too with aggravating haste, she felt satisfied to see that her prayers had finally been heard by the gods above.
"You provoked this…" The Guji accused when he noticed the happiness on the woman's face.
The priest approached the miko at a slow pace. The wound on his left thigh hindered his gait. Momiji was lying on the wooden floor near the atrium; the wound on her side was evident only by the pool of blood that had formed around it.
"I could have been satisfied, with just the two of us." she managed to say, though with difficulty. She seemed happy.
That day had been dedicated to preparing the sanctuary for the visit of the high Shinto clergy who would arrive in two days counting from then, mostly from Edo, from the imperial court itself. They had been attending the small altars on the long staircase for hours when they had been cornered by supposed Shinsengumi officers. This, of course, was false. They were mere fans. And what was supposed to be a simple confrontation ended up being a massacre.
Ten men dead, eleven if you counted the samurai the Guji had just killed seconds before. Four of them had belonged to the sanctuary. Kaede along with her page -a girl under fifteen who had just entered the sanctuary-, had managed to run up the stairs.
And all because of the woman in front of him.
Momiji frowned.
"But in the life… that you chose for us… -She continued, breathing with difficulty -You forced me to serve… And I can't, see someone, especially her… Suffer the same thing, as me."
The man tightened his grip on the now bloodstained spear. He had known, but had naively ignored those whispers hoping they would die on their own. The pressing political and social situation promised the keys to the gates of hell to anyone who decided to get involved in the coming war. And he had wanted to remain neutral in the conflict, foolishly ignorant of the storm that would befall the clergy.
Something that none of his companions in the sanctuary had chosen to ignore. Being the center of that disaster, the young seer, Kaoru.
"Your mistake was seeing yourself in someone who has a different destiny," he assured, still reluctant to give in to the truth that the same miko in front of him had shown him countless times.
"Was it?" She questioned, her chest rising more slowly, a clear sign of the effort it was for her to simply breath. "Be honest, Udo. -She asked. -None of us can deny the sentence that was given to us."
The man breaks then, falling to his knees to the ground as he crawls towards her and takes her in his arms. He knows that what she says is true. Even with all the power of the clergy, the current government has been enclosing them in the walls of the sanctuaries, used as mere instruments to maintain or increase their control and popularity among the people.
That world from which he had wanted to rescue her and to which he had also ended up being a slave.
"What do you want me to do?" He complained bitterly, the crying clear in the shaking of his voice. "I did it all for you!"
Momiji listens to him without feeling anything anymore. She'd released that guilt so that she could arrange the deal she'd made almost three weeks ago. When the "warrior and maiden" reflected in the figures of Kenshin and Kaoru under the embrace of their reunion, had reminded her of her own with the man who now cradled her in his arms.
There had been a time when they both loved each other.
There was a time when they both looked to the future with the hope of forging their own destiny and creating a life together. One, that promised no other god than the love they had for each other...
But Momiji's awakening had been the taste of reality that had made them notice the impossible things they hadn't wanted to see in their youth. He was the son of a low-ranking samurai, and she was the daughter of farmers. The sanctuary promised a life of luxury for the young woman and also the opportunity to receive a child from the gods.
"You knew about the oath that bound me…" the man sobbed.
But even if she knew it was true, she could only feel anger and resentment at such an oath. The Guji, despite being so young, had achieved his position based on miracles... Or at least that's what had been heard every time his rapid ascent in the hierarchy was mentioned. He had prayed hard. If they allowed him to reach her and protect her, he would give himself fully to the service of the gods.
And his wish had been granted, with each life he had extinguished...
"Momiji!" he called her, dropping the honorifics. There were tears in his eyes at last. "How do you expect me to live without you?"
The woman, making use of all her strength, raised her hand to caress his face. He plunged into her caress, closing his eyes in regret.
"Don't worry…" She told him with the hint of a smile on the corner of her lips. "I won't leave you empty..."
Udo's eyes widened in alarm.
"What-?"
But it had been late.
As soon as his eyes opened, the miko's eyes locked with his, the glow of power became evident in her green irises, painting themselves in a silver tone.
"Kill them all…" she whispered.
The man was completely paralyzed, a slave and a prisoner of the power that radiated from her gaze… the same power that poured into his own eyes.
"Kill them all," she ordered spitefully, "Jinei Udo."
"Momiji!"
The cry that left his lips carried the sorrow of a condemned man.
With the death of the priestess, the spirit of the man vanished and in his place only the assassin remained.
March
It had been early in the morning when Kenshin had headed for the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Although there was a considerable distance between it and his teacher's house, most of the way was downhill, so it hadn't taken him more than twenty minutes to get there. That day, even he had expected Kaoru to receive him, he had not expected her to show herself practically instantly, ignoring the protocol after a visit. Kenshin thought he would get the cue to wait for her, so it had been a pleasant surprise when his friend had run out to meet him, still in her training clothes.
The hug had been a second surprise. One that spoke high of what was in her heart. And, not caring that hidden eyes might be watching, they had both walked away from the main building, taking the steps two at a time, then disappearing into the foliage of the mountain.
It would be difficult to define who had the idea first by now, while they were laughing and running -Kaoru tightly hugging Kenshin's arm- it didn't matter what fate they had. The countless cats, so characteristic of the sanctuary, were drawn to the pair, and a few dared to follow them on their run.
It had only been two months since they had seen each other, but to the children it had felt almost like a lifetime. After all, many changes had occurred in their lives.
"I can't believe you've reached the shogun's court," Kaoru exclaimed, sitting on a large rock with a cat on her lap and two more at her feet.
"I could hardly believe it myself," Kenshin replied, standing a few steps away from her, hands folded inside his gi, leaning against one of the bamboo trees.
They were in the "secret bamboo garden." They were sure that they would not be found for a long time. Completely protected from visitors to the sanctuary and its workers. Kaoru had wasted no time attacking her companion with questions about his journey and what he had done and seen in the meantime. Kenshin had complacently agreed to tell her.
"Was it hard?" she asked as she caressed the cat that was now sleeping on her lap.
"Not as much as I had expected, although I guess I have shishou (master) to thank for that." He answered.
During his journey he'd been surprised to discover how many doors would open for him if he mentioned his teacher's first name.
"It's hard to believe how many acquaintances he has," she agreed.
Kenshin barely nodded. He turned his attention back to her as he noticed two more cats join their companion, climbing up the rock to rub against the apprentice's body. A smile formed on his lips.
"They seem to like you quite a bit."
"They like you better," she refuted, laughing.
And she was right; the redhead had more cats around him than Kaoru herself, almost as if they worshiped him.
"I think they found me one of them." He observed, bending down to take one of the cats in his hands, a blond one. "At this point we are all wanderers." He pointed out amused, looking at the cat from a distance under the light that filtered through the bamboos before putting it back on the ground. Then he looked back at her. "But when they get closer to you, I'm sure they see something else."
She blinked at him confused. The silohuette of the samurai was framed by the sunlight.
"Like what?"
He had no hesitation when he answered.
"Salvation."
For a second, there was silence, then Kaoru burst out laughing.
"That was bad, even for you," she said.
He shook his shoulders, smiling.
"Say what you want, but you are a important part of the sanctuary. Isn't that what believers see in a servant of the gods?"
The laughter stopped, and the young woman frowned at him.
"Now you're just being annoying," she complained. The cats around her seemed to agree with her. But Kenshin did not flinch.
"Gomen (sorry), I think I'm just beginning to believe."
Kaoru dropped her expression, slightly blushing. She hadn't missed the hint in his words. After all, his gaze was fixed on her, with a resolution she had seldom seen in him; he was basically confessing to her that she was his reason for believing.
She looked away feeling suddenly embarrassed, searching for something to say instead. That was how her eyes fell on the young man's new weapon, resting side by side with the old one that now looked too small in comparison.
"You have a new sword."
The effect was the expected; the redhead's attention focused on what she saw. He drew his katana and held it out in front of her; unsheathing it to show her the blade.
"I'll be fifteen this year." He declared, as if by way of explanation, there were still a couple of months left for June but, it wasn't strange -given the circumstances at least- that this present was brought forward as a celebration of his passage into adulthood. "Let's say it was my ceremonial gift from shishou."
"You don't sound very convinced," she pointed out with slight suspicion.
Kenshin shook his shoulders, resheathing his sword.
"I have my reservations regarding shishou." He refuted.
It wasn't that he had little faith in the man that was his teacher... But he had little faith in the man that was his teacher when it came to feelings.
"Which reminds me, I have a present for you." He said, reaching into the sleeves of his gi.
"What is it?"
Kenshin brought the small gift closer and offered it to Kaoru. She received it in her hands, raising it to admire it against the light; it was a small structure, shades of pink and white, with circles similar to those of a snail shell.
"It's a sea shell." He told her. "Have you ever seen the sea?"
"No." She answered, looking at the present with a slight sadness. "On one occasion, we had a trip scheduled to a rest home, but it was the day I received my first vision. I was in bed for a week with a fever."
"Did the visions make you sick?"
"I was only a child then, barely five years old, and it was the vision of my mother's funeral, so it was quite overwhelming."
Kenshin was instantly embarrassed, having brought up such a sad memory of her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay. Don't worry. I'm long over it." She assured him, squeezing her hand into his own in a gesture of affection. "So, the sea? What's it like?"
He smiled again. And the next moment, he was lost in the story of his trip. The reasons that led him to such a place, the means by which he had arrived, the image of the sunset on the shore of the beach, the sea, the salt, the waves, the sand... Kaoru looked at him, entranced as she held the small shell in her hands, close to her chest.
"I want to take you to see it with me," he confessed, though he hadn't meant to say it out loud.
For a second, he feared a refusal, but Kaoru was still prey to his story; she found herself allowing herself that dream.
"Maybe one day I can accompany you on one of your trips."
His heart jumped in his chest.
"Would it be possible?" He asked hopefully.
Kaoru bit her lip.
"I am not allowed to hire a samurai, but I see no problem in traveling with a friend." She assured, thinking there was always the option of becoming a wandering priestess, regardless of the fact that they had begun to censor themselves. "Perhaps once I receive my name, I can dedicate myself to pilgrimage."
That, of course, was impossible. When Kaoru received the name of the Kami who blessed her, she would spend about half a year in religious seclusion. Then, her only responsibility would be to serve the temple dedicated to it.
But Kenshin didn't know this...
"If…" he began, hope hanging by a thread. "If our paths are somehow close to each other, I would like to escort you." He confessed.
Kaoru barely felt guilty of that white lie, secretly wishing to make the impossible come true.
"It is a promise." She said, but she didn't ask to join hands this time. She hastened to change the subject instead. "So? Did you have some kind of encounter?"
"Encounter?" He blinked, somewhat confused. "What kind of meeting are you referring to?"
The brunette's cheeks flushed red.
"You know. One where you were the hero..." She muttered under her breath. If he hadn't been standing in front of her, he wouldn't have heard her.
"Hero?" He questioned, still confused.
Kaoru looked away; her lips pulled into an adorable pout that made Kenshin smile. She stirred and fought with the words, obviously embarrassed.
"Like, a samurai with a noble mission, you know. That has an honorable fight."
He seemed to understand at last.
"Now that you mention it, there was an altercation near Edo." He said, looking away, wrapped in a memory. Kaoru looked at him with some concern. "Momiji sama was present, although I didn't have the chance to get close to her, I know that she had something to do with the way things ended.
Secretly she was startled, Kenshin hadn't understood her after all, and she remembered what event her partner was referring to.
In mid-February, they had received a wandering miko; the girl had been prisoner in a Buddhist temple, which had turned out to be a hideout for fanatics who had taken control of a small village near Edo.
"Are you talking about the fallen temple?" she questioned, no longer interested.
He nodded.
"It was one of the worst situations I faced. -He confessed. -Which reminds me, Sasaki dono entered the shrine right?"
"Hai! (yes)" Kaoru jumped instantly, flustered and with renewed interest. How could she forget the young woman with chocolate eyes? Which had captivated the hearts of all the chokkais, including her. "She did." She said uncomfortably. "Sasaki san was, she was…very kind." The miko finally said, before his curious look.
"She was." He nodded, then his face turned contrite. "Which only aggravates the pain of what happened to her."
Even if that was true, and Kaoru knew it -the young woman had suffered terrible abuse after all- the black-haired girl couldn't help but feel annoyed by the attention Kenshin devoted to the girl.
"She was also very beautiful." She blurted out with obvious annoyance.
"Was she?" Kenshin flinched, totally cut off from the previous train of thought. "I couldn't say. I didn't pay real attention to that."
"You're kidding, right?" She said raising an eyebrow. "Her beauty is startling, besides at your age..."
"At my age, it is more feasible to think about what I will eat the next day than in young girls." He cut her off, suddenly understanding his partner's annoyance. "Remember that I am not an aristocrat."
Kaoru felt embarrassed then.
"I didn't mean to be rude." She apologized, truly contrite.
"I know, believe me, I'm not upset." He assured her, taking the liberty of sitting at her feet. "So, you were worried about my love life?" He teased her.
Kaoru jumped instantly.
"Nani?! (what) lie, lie (no, no). It was for the sake of the temple maidens." She excused herself.
Kenshin raised his eyebrows.
"Really?"
"Mm." She nodded too strongly. Kenshin was laughing internally, secretly ecstatic by her feelings. "Being so excluded from the world outside the sanctuary, it's normal for us to be interested in reading or listening to adventure and romance stories, ne?"
Satisfied with knowing that he was in his friend's thoughts, he decided to give her a truce for this time.
"I can imagine it." He nodded, smiling.
"Kaoru!" Someone called in the distance.
Only then did they both realize that the sun had already begun to set; it would soon be time for dinner, and they both had to go back to their respective duties.
"It looks like they're about to find us." Kenshin pointed out as he felt the presence move towards them.
"That must be my brother," Kaoru said.
"Koishijiro?"
She nodded. They both stood up then. The cats ran out away.
"Do you want to meet him?"
"Kaoru!" The man's voice shouted.
Just then, the older of the Kamiyas made an appearance; he didn't stop in his run and immediately jumped on his little sister before Kenshin's astonished look. "I thought we had lost you forever!" He sobbed, squeezing her tight.
"Nisan!(brother) Get off me!" The girl growled.
"And you. -Koishijiro said, giving the redhead a long look. -You must be Himura."
The boy blinked out of his astonishment and bowed properly.
"Himura Kenshin, apprentice of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." he introduced himself.
"Kamiya Koishijiro, creator of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu," the older boy said, but still without letting go of his sister, who kept wriggling in an attempt to get out of his bear hug. "I'm sure my little sister has told you about it."
"She did. -Kenshin nodded -She even allowed me to observe the technique."
At this, the dark-haired man looked at him with real interest, finally letting go of his sister, who fell face down on the ground, much to Kenshin's horror.
"Kaoru dono!"
"Did she train with you?" Questioned the older one, cutting off the younger one.
"A couple of times," Kenshin said nervously.
Koishijiro gave him a long look before nodding with a smile.
"Okay, I approve."
"What nonsense are you saying?" Kaoru growled from her position on the ground. "What do you approve of?" She demanded to know, totally angry.
But her brother kept his attention on the samurai.
"Count on me for whatever you need," he blurted out excitedly as he took the redhead's hands.
"Oro?" Kenshin blurted, confused.
The older boy kept pressing him, forcing the younger one to take steps in reverse, while his partner insisted on sticking to him, especially putting their faces together.
"I will support you unconditionally. I can even get you a couple of stays on the way. You just need to tell me what direction you will go."
"Direction?" Kenshin asked, confused.
"Niisan" The younger girl then got up and followed them.
"We need to be prepared, of course." -The major continued. "Tell me, when exactly do you plan to elope with my dear sister?"
"Oro! / - Niisan!" They both yelled at the same time.
But the major did not listen.
"I recommend that it be at night, oh! And you don't have to worry about decorum. I can get an arrangement in the next prefecture so you can get married in the next shrine."
"Orooooooooooo!" Kenshin's head was spinning.
"Don't say ridiculous things!" Shouted an embarrassed Kaoru, at the same time as she gave a tremendous punch to her brother, who fell to the ground with a resounding blow. Kenshin watched the scene with terror on his face.
"Let's run!" she urged, taking his hand.
"Oro?"
"Don't 'oro' me and just do what I tell you," she ordered.
"But your brother..."
"If the cats eat him, it will be a blessing for him," she declared.
And they both ran towards the sanctuary.
Koishijiro, for his part, took time to analyze what had happened. That had been the first time her sister had reacted in such a way to one of her ploys. Hours ago, it had been almost the same, he reminded himself. Himura's name had painted an emotion on her sister's face that he hadn't seen since she entered the shrine.
Discovering the story between the two of them from the mouths of their chokkai companions and verifying it with his own eyes had been another discovery that had left him stunned. Kaoru had never shown such closeness to someone outside of her family. And just now, he had embarrassed her so much to the point of painting her face the color of Sakuranbo (Japanese cherries). But far from scolding him, she had fled with the boy with whom she had hinted at an engagement.
Koishijiro smiled, grateful that even if his sister, being so headstrong, wouldn't give up on her fate to the shrine, she had at least had the chance to experience her first love, even if she wasn't aware of what she was feeling yet.
...
In the end, Kenshin had stayed to eat at the sanctuary but had left as soon as dinner was over. There was nothing to do for him. Kaoru's brother, although a guest, couldn't stay with her after curfew either.
The miko's apprentice had lingered that night in the onsen; Koishijiro's words had resonated membranes in the minor's psyche.
Kaoru looked at her reflection in the water. Her face still had that characteristic round shape of children, she was still eleven years old, and although her real birthday was in June, it did not make much change in terms of growing. Kenshin was three years older than her, not a very noticeable difference, and their heights were quite similar. But she knew it wouldn't be like this forever.
She stood up then, dropping the towel, leaving it on the edge of the pool, and then looking at her chest. It wasn't quite flat, the ridges had begun to form, but it was hardly a woman's chest; they were too small, she concluded with some disappointment. Her hands fell involuntarily on the small pointed mounds, marveling at the softness of her skin.
"Girls definitely grow faster."
"Momiji-sama!" Kaoru exclaimed, frightened of being discovered in that way. "I'm not…"
"Do not apologize for acting according to your nature." The older one cut her off, deciding to enter the pool as well.
Kaoru covered herself with the towel again, sinking back into the water, unsure if she should get out now or if the older girl would take it as an offense, albeit a minor one.
"Tradition may dictate that boys become men at fifteen, but the reality is that they are still children." Momiji blurted out suddenly, drawing her partner's attention. "Contrary to girls, whose childhood can be interrupted sooner if the gift of blood comes before they reach the age of adulthood."
There was a brief silence, during which Kaoru considered Momiji's words.
"And in a way, I think you and Himura-kun are the same age." Momiji declared, to the astonishment of the minor. "At least in what counts."
The black-haired girl was going to refute when the brunette interrupted her again.
"Do you doubt it?" She questioned, and the apprentice lowered her eyes, embarrassed; she didn't know what to say. Momiji smiled at her reaction. "Don't fight against the truth." She told her. "Better accept it. Receive it for what it is, and then let it be. That way, it will hurt less when you have to say goodbye."
Kaoru's heart skipped a beat.
"Were you listening?" She asked nervously and somewhat offended.
"It's hard not to when I'm your guardian," the young woman stated.
And Kaoru had to bite her tongue because she had nothing to refute about that. Annoyed, more with herself than with her superior, she rushed out of the bathroom and ran to take refuge in her room.
That night was the first time of many more that Kaoru doubted her destiny.
…
In the center of the busy streets of Kyoto, where life went on in various nightclubs, a samurai walked through the crowd; his mind was lost in a dream.
"Marriage, uh…" he said suddenly.
The street he was on was barely a small market district.
"Beautiful clothes for the ladies, you can take the one you like." Said someone to his right, just at the point where he had stopped.
"For a relative, or perhaps a pretty girlfriend." Insisted a second voice to his left.
Kenshin looked at one and then at the other vendor.
"If the lady is not yours yet, it can be a good courtship gift." Commented a woman next to him, seeing how he hesitated.
A blue ribbon caught his eye then.
Blue like her friend's eyes, so similar to the depth of a starry night.
Kenshin raised his face to the sky, and with his eyes closed he sighed.
"Kaoru dono."
…
The next day, Momiji met with Kaede, Yumi, and several Gusho (shrine administrators); the time had come to decide the future of the sanctuary and look after the interests of its protégés.
The one chosen to carry the message to the Kiheikai, the Chosu clan, had been Yumi. She had taken Kago with her, along with other chokkais, as a mere precaution and by around ten in the morning, they had reached the inn where the group was hiding.
Yumi had entered alone. Her partners had stayed in the hall, where the quiet restaurant -which was just a facade- was located. The miko crossed the central courtyard and entered the second building. But the edge of a sword made her stop before she reached the engawa.
"This is the first time I've seen a temple maiden on the road to hell," the man said.
His face was handsome, his voice thick, he was tall, and his hair as black as night, tied in a long ponytail that fell to his waist. His sword on the other hand, had an infinite number of teeth on the blade.
To the young woman's credit, Yumi didn't flinch.
"I'm looking for Katsura Kogoro. I have a message for him." She said with authority.
The man smiled.
"And I guess you won't hand it over to anyone other than him, uh."
The chestnut frowned.
"Don't make me waste my time ronin." She insulted him.
The man chuckled, sheathing his sword the next moment.
"I'll take you with him just because you've shown strength." He sentenced, beginning to move ahead of her. Yumi followed him.
And after a few steps they were interrupted by a woman apparently in her forties.
"Shishio kun, this is not an inn."
The samurai only bragged more at the woman's accusation that he had brought a bedfellow.
"Excuse me Okami, but the lady is here to see Katsura." He informed her.
The woman looked at the girl carefully, and Yumi had to remind herself that her position as a miko gave her authority over anyone, even if she covered her clothes and her face under a cloak.
"From here, I'll take care of it," the woman finally said.
"As you like," the man agreed and turned around, leaving both women behind.
Yumi now followed the woman without saying a word. She led her to a room on the third floor of the inn. The room had the fusuma open, and Yumi was able to see the two men inside it as the woman who was playing on one side of them; she supposed she was a geisha.
"Katsura san, it seems the gods are finally answering you," the woman said as soon as they reached the room.
"oh, oh, oh. This is certainly an interesting twist." Said the tallest.
"Calm down Shinzaku. We don't want to look bad in front of our guests. -He said, attentive to how she was observing the room cautiously. -Welcome, Yumi Miko sama, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" He asked as soon as Okami had left.
The miko remained regal despite the kindness shown by the men in front of her. The geisha withdrew to the back of the room to prepare tea.
"First you must answer my questions," she finally said, "and if your answers are satisfactory, then I will give you the letter my superior sends you."
"A risky request." Shinsaku nodded, amused.
Katsura remained serious.
"Were those your instructions?" He inquired, wanting to shake her off, but she remained just as impassive as he was; this was not a personal ruse, the man realized. "I see. Okay, ask, and I will answer as I see fit.
The silence lasted a couple of seconds. Yumi's heart was beating heavy, with anxiety at possible failure.
"If we support the rebels," she began, "will the Kihetai defend Shinto as the only religion in Japan?"
"Although we cannot force believers, the nationalist sense that we defend lies mainly in the recognition of our roots. We will not recognize any foreign religion above Shinto.
An answer in favor, but not entirely committed.
"What about the patronage of the daimyos?"
"We need it as much as you do." He refused, not without some regret. "However, we will appeal from outside to avoid looting."
That meant under the shadows, away from the shogun's law.
"Will they use the enclosures as a hideout?"
Katsura hesitated for only a brief moment. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to pass off as a freeloader either. Involving civilians was not his goal, after all.
"Only if we were in an emergency situation, of course, we would not put assassins on sacred ground."
"And if it were to happen?"
"We will take responsibility accordingly," he assured forcefully.
Behind him, Shinsaku was smiling. Yumi felt a little more restless, she squeezed the kimono sleeve where she kept Momiji's letter.
"What about Kaoru dono?"
Katsura took a deep breath; this was the moment he had been waiting for.
"We only require her as a symbol." He said, secretly praying that he didn't ruin his hopes of getting the seer to his cause. "Her presence will not be entirely required; it will be enough that we are allowed to spread the word about her miracles."
At this, Yumi frowned.
"We will not allow lies about her."
"And we won't tell any, but we can't guarantee that once the news spreads outside of Kyoto, the truth won't be exaggerated."
That was understandable, but none of them would bet with someone else's life, less that of their protégé.
"If they can't ensure her safety..."
"I assure you that no one with the intention of harming her will be able to enter the sanctuary," he stated.
"How can you ensure it?"
"There will always be someone watching over her." He promised. "Besides, if we get her fame to increase as the miracle she represents, the same people will not consent to any harm towards her."
Everything was happening just as Momiji had predicted... So why did she feel insecure?
"And as for the function of the mikos, will your previous offer be maintained?"
The man agreed.
"You have my word."
Yumi closed her eyes and let out the air she had unknowingly been holding. The man had passed the test. The miko took out the letter and extended it towards the samurai.
"Please read the letter when you are completely alone."
Shinsaku chuckled.
"Don't worry, I got the hint," he said.
She ignored him.
"It's of vital importance."
Katsura nodded.
When she left the room, Okami was waiting for her to guide her back to the exit, the one that led through the restaurant that served as a front for her hideout. The samurai who had greeted her on arrival came out to meet her.
"Did you finish so soon?" He asks.
Yumi gave him a calculating look. Maybe she should start playing on her own predictions, too.
"Tell me something, ronin. Are you strong?"
The man's smile spread to one side.
"Do you want a demonstration?"
The miko studied him again, then looked away from him.
"Maybe." She answered and then walked away without looking back until she reached where her companions were waiting for her.
Shishio watched the car drive away with a wide smile and a feeling of satisfaction.
"Interesting," he said.
"Stop having evil thoughts, Shishio kun. -Okami accused him from behind him, she had trays of food in her hands. -This is not the place to do it."
"You can't blame a man for acting according to his nature, Okami san." He defended himself, still smiling with that attractive satisfaction on his face. "But I will accept that it is still too early to intoxicate the environment with my desires. I'd better retire."
Okami snorted with some irritation; she didn't quite like the hitokiri that Katsura had made his protégé. But she had to tolerate him if she wanted a new era to emerge.
…
When Hiko returned from his daily retreat - as his role as heir to the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu dictated - he was surprised to find Kenshin training outside his hut.
"I thought you would go straight to Chosu." He said by way of greeting.
His student continued with his exercises without losing concentration.
"I was going to, but Shaku san informed me that the group of rebels has already entered Kyoto." He replied. "The group that was left behind will barely get involved in the movement."
The man snorted before sitting down on the pile of wooden logs that served as a bench.
"Weak people, I suppose."
"I prefer to see them as people with another type of strength," his student refuted.
"Maybe." His master accepted, the sake bottle continued to hang from his hand, held by the loop around its neck. "So, are you going to see them now? Or will you return to the sanctuary with that child?"
For a brief moment, the redhead almost lost his posture; Hiko didn't even try to hide his smile.
"Although I would like to stay with Kaoru dono, she has a couple of ceremonies to attend to this week, including the wedding of the region's daimyo. Her free time will be spent in the company of her brother, Koishijiro, who has also come to say goodbye to his sister."
Although the encounter had been somewhat awkward, Kenshin couldn't deny that it had left him more touched than embarrassed. He found himself having no problem with being paired with Kaoru, and he had to admit that he even relished the idea of running away with her. And no matter how hard he tried to reproach himself for those thoughts, he couldn't find any sense of guilt or shame in himself.
That was why, even if he wanted to be close to her as long as possible, he had received that distance with open arms.
Hiko, on his part, had a very different opinion.
"They make it look as if she were going to die," he mocked, without laughter in his words but rather with a certain contempt.
Only then did his student break the stance, setting aside his training.
"She is leaving behind a life; it is normal for her relatives to see it that way."
Hiko snorted a small laugh that raised one corner of his lip in mockery.
"That is where you are wrong. Kamiya Kaoru will continue to be the same as she has been until now." He assured the edge of his gaze did not allow a contradiction. "People don't change, Kenshin; they just mature. And sometimes the growth is so much that it seems as if the person has undergone a transformation when in truth something that was always there has been discovered. It may be that she becomes a miko consecrated to a kami, and that the limits of how she will live her life change compared to how they are now, but they are not permanent. At any time, she can refute them.
Kenshin's grip on the hilt of his katana tightened.
"Kaoru dono is not someone who has such poor determination; she is… genuine."
"I'm not saying she's not. -The older one cut him off. -What I am saying is that your beliefs will always be the reflection of your inner self, the same that, little by little, you have been discovering. That same conviction can choose another perspective. Whether she remains true to herself remains to be seen."
Mutism.
And not because he had no way of refuting his teacher's words, of denying them and continuing to fight until the end that Kaoru would never change her destiny, the destiny that she herself was forging with her own hands... But because a part of him, that every day was getting bigger and bigger, secretly hoped that his feelings were reciprocated, and that, at some point, the young apprentice miko would choose him over the path she had laid out for herself.
But it was yet too soon to confess such a wish.
"Anyway, it doesn't seem like you have any intention of abandoning her." Hiko pointed out, after seeing the doubt in his student. "Not yet, at least. You are just as blind as her."
"Shisho!" He refuted scandalized.
"Leave it." He cut him off, standing up. "I don't expect you to understand now, but one day you certainly will. Hopefully, by the time you do, you won't regret it. So? Are you going to see this Katsura guy?"
Surprised at the change in subject, Kenshin pushed his thoughts of Kaoru away.
"Tonight," he stated. He had been preparing for this meeting for days.
"All right. Remember that once you decide to join, you will not be able to return here."
"I'm aware."
If he agreed to join any group, it would somehow go against the principles of the style that his teacher had taught him.
…
Early the next morning a bride was nervously waiting for the car that would take her to the sanctuary where she would unite her life with that of her lover. It was not so common back then to use wagons instead of the traditional palanquins for weddings, but it would be considered something special given the position of the Kiyosato clan, who was a renowned general and close relative of the region's daimyo.
Although the shrine where the wedding would be officiated would not be at Fushimi Inari but at Gion Shrine, being blessed with the gift of vision Kaoru would be part of the good fortune ceremonies. The young woman was moved when she saw the young bride waiting for the entrance.
"You look beautiful Tomoe san" she told her, entering or rather leaving the main room; the young bride was in the main entrance of the mansion, while the miko's apprentice had used one of the secondary entrances.
"Kaoru dono!" Tomoe exclaimed when she saw her. She approached her immediately, the fine white cloth shimmering with the reflection of the sun. "I was afraid that you would not arrive on time."
"Why shouldn't I arrive on time?" The apprentice refuted with irony.
"Sorry, I'm very nervous."
"You have nothing to worry about." She assured her smiling, taking her hands in her own. "Everything will be fine."
"Hai," agreed the young bride with a shy smile.
Shy, the apprentice miko reminded herself. Remembering her conversation months ago with the young woman's fiancé, and how that meeting had allowed said event.
…
Akira had visited Kaoru just the day after Tomoe's nephew was born. In spite of the letter delivered by Shinji, Yumi had been too upset -just like the rest of the mikos- to remember to give it to Kaoru.
It wasn't until the boy appeared at the tori that the brunette remembered the favor.
The young man, of course, had downplayed the fact, internally thanking her for having interrupted the delivery of the letter, since what he had confessed in those lines he preferred to say up front. Yumi give him back the letter then.
That was how he found himself in the miko's apprentice's private enclosure, in the dry garden where, the day before, the little girl had received her punishment because of Tomoe's vision.
"I knew you were injured."
"It wasn't anything serious; you shouldn't worry about it," Kaoru assured, sitting on the engawa with her feet dangling.
Akira was standing in front of her.
"Can you still do the dance?" he questioned worriedly.
The blessing ceremony was arranged for that afternoon, having determined that the young girl's health was in optimal condition. If Kenshin had found out about all the fanfare planned, he would have locked himself in the room with her, Kaoru thought to herself, a secret smile on her lips.
"If I couldn't, they wouldn't even allow me to introduce myself," she assured, imagining that it was Kenshin she was answering to.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."
She finally blinked out of the illusion, seeing for the first time the young man in front of her. A boy with a kind face and a gentle personality; whose smile had dazzled her on more than one occasion.
"Akira san…"
As well as the memory of his death at the hands of an unknown hitokiri...
"You shouldn't choose the military."
His heart skipped a beat.
"Is that the verdict of your visions? Or your desire to protect me?"
"Both." She answered sincerely, without giving him time to interpret her emotions based on her silence. "Tomoe san doesn't deserve to be abandoned," She said, she was pleased to see him be contrite. "Believe me when I tell you that your doubts are unfounded."
"Why is it so hard for me to believe it?" Akira sighed.
To him, his fiancée was as distant as ever.
"How do you expect her to trust your love if you are not able to trust hers?" The apprentice strongly refuted this. "Tomoe is simply too shy to express her emotions, but you can tell she wants to change."
"And you?" He interrupted her. "How much have your feelings changed? Shinji informed me of Himura-kun's departure," he said, she cringed at the mention of her friend. "Is it related to you?"
"He has another path to follow," she answered uncomfortably. "And I, I could no longer stop him."
"And did you want to stop him?"
Kaoru was shocked; that was rude of him.
"Akira-san!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." He apologized, although he didn't seem entirely sorry. "But you must understand my insistence. Why don't you agree to take Shinji's hand?"
The young girl sighed. She understood his hidden prayer, how through his brother he asked for her to change course. In his eagerness to achieve that arrangement, the ones who had ended up becoming close had been her and Akira; however, the feeling was far from being entirely romantic, at least on her part.
Kenshin's arrival at the sanctuary had ended up ending any possibility of an arrangement between the two parties.
"Your brother doesn't love me, not in that way at least."
"He could have done it," he insisted again, almost as if asking her to give him another chance, "if only Himura-kun hadn't shown up."
"Perhaps his presence was a divine intervention." She said. "This is the path I chose for myself. You would do well to remember."
Akira looked frustrated.
"And me? Have I chosen well?"
Kaoru looked at him sadly.
"That is something that only you can discover."
"Why don't you tell me what you saw? It must have been quite serious if even Tomoe was so distraught."
"I don't have the right to tell you. Please understand." She confessed and avoided looking at him. After all, that oversight was the reason for her early separation from the redhead. "But, if you have made so many sacrifices to get here, perhaps you should carry out said enterprise."
Mutism.
Akira pondered. Kaoru, of course, was right. In the letter, he had not delivered, the young samurai had confessed his true provenance. How he had entered Shinji's family so that he could take charge of leading the clan without risking Shinji's life in the militia. He told her how his desire to improve himself to have something to offer Tomoe, who was his love since childhood, so that she could receive him as a husband; especially after she and her brother were taken in by their aunt's family, who was an aristocrat.
And even if he hadn't finished confessing it to her, the young man felt that the miko apprentice in front of him already knew.
Finally, he sighed resignedly.
"You're right. I have been a fool."
After that meeting, Akira seriously dedicated himself to meditating on his future and the options he had. Although he did not give up joining the Shinsengumi lines, he did agree to advance his wedding with Tomoe and thus delay his entry into the militia. If only to trust his friend's words.
…
Kaoru hadn't stopped praying since then, because that future would never come.
"I wanted to thank you." Said the bride, taking her out of her thoughts. "Otherwise this wedding would have been delayed until after late spring."
The aforementioned trembled internally, if only Tomoe knew everything behind her wedding, the girl thought.
"We could not have allowed such misfortune," she assured, smiling.
Kagome walked in at that moment, a veil in her hands.
"Tomoe san, it's time," said the woman.
The bride moved nervously.
"I'll go ahead of you. Don't worry." Kaoru assured her, seeing her nervousness. "You have the blessing of the gods."
Tomoe smiled convinced again.
Enishi then entered.
"Nee san, hurry up," he demanded. He looked much more embarrassed and embarrassed than when the engagement had been announced.
His sister wanted to approach him, but he avoided her.
"Are you alright, Enishi?"
He nodded flushed cheeks.
"I'm holding back as much as I can; so hurry up." He confessed. "As soon as the ceremony is over, I will be able to hug you properly."
Her sister's eyes widened in astonishment, and then she gave him a touching look, the young woman understanding the farewell that her wedding represented.
"Hai," she said, caressing his face one last time.
Outside the procession awaited the young bride. True to her word, Kaoru positioned herself in front, with her fellow chokkai from the neighboring shrine. Momiji -being the miko of the emperor's court- accompanied her during the journey.
Throughout the entire procession and wedding ceremony, Tomoe and Kaoru's hearts beat as one though each with a different motivation.
Kaoru hadn't looked into the future of the young couple again, beyond what was required for the blessing of the wedding. But even if she had allowed herself to generate that new path in the destiny of both, the vision of Akira's death remained the same.
But she couldn't admit it...
So, with a heavy heart, the young miko apprentice celebrated and blessed the union of the bride and groom, giving them a smile that disguised her grief.
She could only pray that she could ensure as much happiness for both of them as possible, however fleeting it might be.
…
The inn where Chosu's group trained was just a facade; near it was the Tsushima mansion where they were hiding. Kenshin had rigorously investigated the movements of the group around Kyoto, as well as those of the clans -Tosa and Higo- that shared the same ideology.
Months ago, before his encounter with Kaoru, the redhead reportedly volunteered to be part of the Kiheitai (Chosu clan), blindly believing that he was on the side of justice that would help the people who were suffering then. Now, however, after his clash of beliefs with the apprentice miko and what he had seen during his travels to Edo and the prefectures around the shogun, his perspective had broadened to the point of understanding that there was no such thing as a good side and bad side. He had to see for himself what ideals he would defend and whether it would be worth joining any faction to defend them.
Hidden under the shadows, that night Kenshin attacked.
He wanted to test the motivation and determination of the group. And if there was someone in command capable of controlling such an uneven group of ronin.
For the moment, he met no real resistance. As soon as his presence became apparent, the group attacked him in rhythmless movements. The redhead wanted to be noticed and that was why he ended up directing them to the central courtyard of the mansion, where most of the ronins ended up congregating. Even for him, facing a large group would not be an easy task, but the men were noticeably untrained in group combat, and it was easy to slip through them.
When the group had become reduced, Kenshin detected the new presence.
"Stop!" Katsura roared. At the force of his voice, calm finally reigned in the mansion. Both the ronin and the intruder stopped, and the redhead could not help but admire the authority the man radiated. Next to it was his right hand, Shinzaku. "Please, I ask you not to destroy the spirit of my men."
Kenshin straightened up, finally breaking his attack stance.
"Katsura Kogoro?" -Questioned.
"The one and the same." The man stated. I suppose you're here to talk to me.
Kenshin studied him for a moment before deciding to sheath his sword. The rest of the ronin he had fought did the same, at least the ones left standing.
...
The Kiheitai leader received him in his private quarters, excited to finally have the seer's samurai on his lands -savoring the power of having the opportunity for him to join him so close, he served him himself sharing tea. Shinzaku, as usual, accompanied him as well.
Kenshin explained that he was interested in learning about the movement, as his desire was equally to help suffering people with his sword to bring justice. But given the events in Japan he was unsure which path his people should follow to ensure an era of peace and prosperity for all. Katsura wasted no time in exposing his reasons and his plan on how to forge a new era -which was the dream of several clans; as well as his eagerness to avoid a big fight in exchange for small clandestine meetings.
After thinking about it for a moment, the redhead finally expressed his feelings.
"Although I understand what you say, I have no intention of being a supporter of any group" He concluded. In the end none of the reasons had been enough. Even when the man's reasons were similar to his desire to change the current government, the ideals did not vibrate at all, not after his friend's teachings.
"Even if the revolution is necessary for the stability of the country?" Katsura pressed.
Kenshin considered his words before releasing them.
"I am not literate like many samurai from noble families, nor am I wise enough to understand the concepts under which changes in a government are decided. But even someone like me can understand that violence cannot generate stability."
Behind them both, Shinzaku let out a chuckle. The man was sitting in the hallway that led to one of the mansion's private gardens. Although the instrument did not accompany him then, it was easy to feel the music that seemed to follow him everywhere.
"I understand what you're trying to say, Himura-kun." Katsura answered, ignoring his partner's reaction with some difficulty. "But I would like you to make an effort to understand us. We also do not want an armed conflict; we intend to end the conflict by eradicating only those whose existence threatens the life and security of the people of Japan."
"And how can you be sure that your judgment is correct?" Refuted the boy.
"We have evidence, of course, and both political and military knowledge."
"You are strategists, is what you mean."
"Basically it's like a shogi game." Shinzaku interrupted, before his friend's struggle with words; it would be useless for him to lose his temper at that moment. "And in a war, I'm afraid these decisions must be made by men like us."
Kenshin considered it.
"I'm not yet a man. -He pointed. "I have never taken a life. And to be honest, a part of me, hopes I never have to. At least not in the shadows." He concluded and got up to leave the room.
Both men had to accept it, that night Kenshin had not drawn his sword, the ronin had barely fallen and were unconscious. What the boy was referring to was that if he had to fight, he would do it in the open field in a fair confrontation between both parties.
"You have lost, old friend." Shinzaku said, placing a hand on Katsura's shoulder to calm him down. "Let him go. You won't convince him tonight."
Reluctantly, the older man understood that he had to give in.
"Can we at least trust that your sword will side with the weak?" He questioned.
The redhead nodded instantly with a smile.
"Of course, that is the principle of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," he stated.
Kenshin said goodbye to both men and left the Tsushima mansion this time through the main entrance and walking. Both Katsura and Shinzaku watched him go, but the latter was able to see the determination in his partner's eyes.
"I know that look," he told her, his smile now looking more sad than amused.
"I want that boy," Katsura replied, his eyes still fixed on the redhead's back.
"Careful, Katsura." Shinzaku warned, turning back into the mansion. "You are so close to earning hell, maybe with it you will seal your destiny."
"You know as well as I do that there is no better way."
"He's just a child."
"I know."
None of the men backed down.
"And still you will ask him to commit the murders for you…" Shinzaku concluded, knowing that there would be no way to change his partner's mind. "You're going to regret it, all your life, old friend."
Only then did Katsura turn to him.
"So, do you think he agrees to come…?"
Shinzaku considered this for a moment.
"If he doesn't, I know that you will make him do it. And I think that the letter you received yesterday is the key to achieve it." He concluded walking away.
Katsura turned his gaze to the street, in the direction where the redhead had disappeared.
"Himura Kenshin," he said, savoring the name.
Until then, he had resigned himself to having to use Shishio, even if he himself wasn't quite ready -and he was grateful for his absence that night-; but after having observed the redhead's skill, he knew that he had found his murderer.
The card, he reminded himself, if he used his cards well, he could kill two birds with one stone and have both the shrine and the young samurai on his side.
...
April
On April 1 of that year, Kaoru received a visit from the three miko of the Fushimi Inari Shrine in her retreat room, on the second floor of the main building. The three informed her of one last gift that she would receive before the Kuchiyose ceremony, what she decided after this gift, no one -the three assured her- would refute it; for which the three asked him to think carefully about his destiny, but above all things to enjoy that gift to the fullest.
That's how the miko's apprentice ended up writing her second letter to her favorite samurai.
…
My dear Kenshin:
I am writing this note hoping that you are back from Chosu. Starting two days from today, our meditation period, prior to Kuchiyose, will begin, and I have good news.
Yumi sama has informed me that you will be able to stay at the shrine during this period together with me and the rest of the chokkais. Isn't it magnificent? We will have the chance to be a part of the Kyoto community as well, and mix with the rest of the people. It will be like living a different life.
Say yes, Kenshin. My heart leaps for joy at the possibility of sharing this time with you. I don't know if this is how it should be done or if I have once again received a kindness from my superiors due to my gift, but I confess that I don't care if with it I manage to have you for these two weeks.
Please, Kenshin, say yes… I'll be waiting for you in the secret bamboo garden in two days at sunset.
Your friend,
Kamiya Kaoru.
…
On April 3rd -and after having investigated the ranks of the Shinsengumi in the Aizu region- Kenshin returned to his teacher's home, ignoring as always, the pull that begged him to go to the sanctuary. On this occasion, his teacher was waiting for him on the banks of the waterfall where they used to train.
"You arrive ahead of schedule; it almost seems like a terrible coincidence," the man said.
"It's good to see that you're happy to see me again, shisho," Kenshin answered, feeling irritated by his teacher's attitude.
Hiko snorted in mock annoyance.
"The only thing that makes me happy is that you don't seem to be as stupid as I originally thought you were," he pointed out, hinting that the fact of returning meant that he hadn't chosen a war side yet.
"Always so affectionate," the redhead complained.
The boy was about to approach his teacher, willing to train and discuss part of what he had discovered on his last trip, when the older man cut him off by throwing what looked like a paper rock at him.
"Catch!".
Kenshin caught it instantly, somewhat apprehensive, looked at the item, then unrolled it.
"When?" He asked hastily, his heart pounding in his chest with excitement.
"Don't worry, just a day ago." Hiko answered, turning again towards the waterfall. "Maybe you should have told her earlier that you would stay near Kyoto. Although if you had, there probably would have been no reason for such a missive."
"If you'll excuse me," apologized the disciple, who evidently hadn't paid attention to what the older man had said.
Hiko excused him with a wave of his hand, knowing the answer in advance. As predicted, the boy soon read the letter.
"Shisho!" He exclaimed loudly. "Tomorrow…" he began and then trailed off, obviously embarrassed.
The man didn't even try to hide his smile.
"Are you leaving again?"
Kenshin swallowed dryly.
"You said it yourself; it's basically a funeral," he refuted, returning the words that his teacher had said days before.
"Clever boy." Hiko smiled. "Let's see if you celebrate such intelligence once you lose her."
These last words were a thorn in the heart of the young samurai, who did not know how to answer. It was evident that both of them -Kenshin and Kaoru- were gambling with the time they had left.
"Make sure you leave enough water before you go," he reminded him.
The young man was no longer able to hide his smile.
"Hai," he agreed and ran off in the direction of the hut.
Hiko laughed again at the obviousness of his disciple's feelings, before feeling again the regret that had dominated his thoughts since the end of last year.
He considered that a dose of reality was necessary for his baka deshii to mature; that a man got his heart broken was an experience that undoubtly would grow his character. But seeing the genuineness of the feelings of his disciple and the girl with whom he was exchanging hearts, a part of him regretted the obvious outcome.
While another part, even more selfish, wanted to put everything in the hands of the young seer to prevent his student from losing his way; even at the costs of the girl's dream.
For now, he could only continue to make bets as he watched the story unfold before his eyes.
...
Hours later, about a kilometer away from Hiko's hut, the samurai and the maiden met again in their secret place. One running to meet the other, they collided into a hug.
How much longer that innocence could last could not yet be known.
Even if the air already smelled of blood...
A/N: Once again if you want to see the character design of this fic, you can look for me as naru_astalina on instagram.