Finally, the story moves forward again! A thousand thanks to those who have continued faithful to it.
I regret my absence like you can't imagine. It has been a very difficult year, but here we go.
"Inevitable destiny"
KYOTO 1865
The sun seemed to be reborn as a new determination grew in the heart of the blue-eyed priestess.
Although it was true that work in the sanctuary began before the rooster crowed, that morning found several members awake; gathered in the events and operations room, the new Guji, the eternal chokkai Hikari, the priest of the Maekkai Sato, and the chokkai Sasaki, in addition to the two apprentices under Kaoru - who stood guard outside the room - listened attentively the plans of the seer.
Kaoru was barely able to receive the complaints that followed her statement.
"You can not be serious!" Hikari exclaimed, saying that she was shocked was an understatement for what she felt was drowning her.
"What you intend is suicide!" Sato said just as dismayed, he even looked furious.
The new Guji, like Sasaki, was perhaps the one who appeared calm; he seemed to be debating with himself.
"Your Excellency, I am not sure that this is the right path." He said at the end, in his eyes, there was a plea to the psychic, he certainly asked her to reconsider her plans.
However, Kaoru stood firm.
"I'm not asking for your opinion, I'm explaining my plans for the sanctuary."
Mutism.
Each one equally regretted that news.
Sasaki was the only one who remained completely silent, she seemed resigned. Her silence was such that even her companions seemed to have forgotten her presence. The brunette understood better than anyone the desperation that each of those gathered there felt, but above all, she understood - and accepted - Kaoru's motivation, so she would not challenge her.
"Openly supporting the idealist movement is very dangerous, Kaoru dono." Refuted Sato, who seemed to have recovered from a blow. "Imagine the repercussions for believers."
Hikari nodded as did the Guji.
But despite this Kaoru remained firm.
"We are not so different in that aspect." She told them. "I'm sure you understand. We have reached the point where we are stuck. What we decide to do from now on will be what tips the balance of this war."
That war had slowed down, she now knew it, and even if she did not have a heart inclined towards violence, she knew that she would not hesitate to take part if that meant that the conflict would end sooner, or at least when it should. If the idealist movement supported Shintoism, it would be absurd for the latter to feign ignorance when the situation was in their favor.
From that moment on, with Kaoru at the helm, the Fushimi Inari shrine would be a voice and part of the creation of the new era.
"And what about the omiai?" Hikari questioned looking desperate. "I thought that such an arrangement was precisely to protect the sanctuary. I don't think Kiyosato sama also agrees with declaring himself in favor of the emperor."
Kaoru frowned. If she hadn't learned from Tomoe about what was at stake beneath that arrangement, perhaps she would still believe she had no choice; but now the board was in her favor.
"The omiai will continue as what it is, a screen. But it will not be completed." She declared, and in her gaze, she left no room for complaints. "Now, I know the plans you had for the Kiyosato clan and for myself in that regard, just because I didn't say anything doesn't mean I agreed."
That was a direct blow to those present, including Sasaki, who remained with her face lowered. Sato and Hikari looked away, aware that they were keeping more secrets than they were blamed for.
"They were all movements seeking your benefit, excellence." Said the Guji.
But it was in vain, Kaoru would have no compassion for anyone, at least not when it came to her plans.
"Maybe tyou thought about it that way, Guji sama." She refuted him with a hard voice. "But there are other interests involved. And in this game, I can't afford to lose."
The priestess stood up and called for her two maids, who hurried in, each with a basket full of parchments in their hands. The miko gave instructions to the two young women who began to distribute the scrolls on the table and move items around the room. Noticing what was happening, Hikari got up in a hurry.
"Do you plan to start from now?" She questioned.
Kaoru remained calm, however, refusing to look at her, she headed towards the entrance of the room, stopped right in front of the shoji, and then looked at each of those present.
"Prepare the sanctuary," she ordered. "Starting today we will receive a visit from the Emperor's Maekkai to discuss the changes in policies to follow from now on. In a week at most, I will leave for Edo, by then the plan should be in motion. Don't look for me today, I have matters to resolve on my own."
Sasaki closed her eyes when she heard her say that with anguish, although there was the hint of a smile on her lips; while her companions looked at Kaoru dumbfounded until she left them in the room.
The last letter Tomoe had received from Akira had been three days ago. In his letter, he did not mention anything clear about his mission in Edo or its development. No. Everything was encoded in words and expressions of love that only the two of them understood.
Although she never thought about becoming a spy - and a double agent at that - she had not been able to contain herself after the clan she now belonged to had involved Enishi. Although she understood that far from being an offense it was a privilege, her brother was barely turning twelve. Even though he had grown a lot in height and muscle, he was still a child in her eyes. Added to the plan of using him as a decoy in their desire to get the seer from Inari, Tomoe knew that she would not forgive herself if she allowed harm to someone who, more than her savior, had been her friend.
She took the Tanto in her hands for the umpteenth time and unsheathed the dagger just enough to see her reflection in it. Her expression was still cold, she noted, and she sheathed the blade again with some annoyance.
"If only I could conceive..." She lamented.
She had cried uncontrollably when she discovered that she would not be able to conceive children. She had felt like a half-woman, but Akira had been with her at all times, and little by little she had managed to overcome that pain... at least for moments. Maybe that was why, the woman thought as she continued to consider her next move it didn't hurt much now.
After returning from the village of disowned people, silence had greeted her in the mansion. She wasn't stupid, she was a samurai after all, and she understood that she was being watched; Shinji had taken a while to discover her but in the end, he had. And now she only regretted that once again, the person she least wanted to get involved in such a fight turned out to be her jailer.
There was a dull thump on the fusuma before the door slid open and revealed the figure of her brother.
"Neesan(hermana), I have brought jasmine tea for you." He told her. Tomoe barely looked at him. "I know how hard it is for you to stay still..."
The look the younger boy gave his sister seemed to say "Please, behave," and Tomoe wondered how long Enishi had been pretending to be an adult. Enishi began arranging the tea service in front of her sister's futon, talking as he did the work.
"Don't worry. It will be soon when you can go out on your own again," he told her. "Although you will have to apologize to Shinji niisan" She wrinkled her face when she heard him say that. " I'm sure he will forgive you if you promise not to move again without his permission."
"Enishi," she called him, happy to see the control she still had over her brother.
He looked at her instantly with bright eyes.
"Hai, neesan."
Far from feeling relieved to see that her little brother still retained some innocence, Tomoe felt great misery. It was in moments like these that she was most convinced that she was doing the right thing.
"Have you forgotten the last name Yukishiro so soon?" She reproached him.
The effect was immediate. The bowl that Enishi had been holding until then, and which he had been about to fill with sweets, slipped from his hand until it fell with a loud crash to the floor. The child - because he was still a child - looked at her as if he had just received a blow that he knew he deserved.
Tomoe felt haughtier.
"I was already afraid of it." She sentenced with a firm and recriminatory voice. "You were too small to bring you with me, and now these are the consequences."
"Neesan!" Enishi claimed, standing up, the panic he felt could be seen in his expression, he had never liked being scolded by his sister, feeling like he was disappointing her. "What are you talking about? I'm less than three years away from being a man!"
"Are you?" She challenged him with her look. Her brother was silent. "Enishi... I can't be a mother. You understand, right? Everything that entails?"
Silence.
The youngest's gaze strayed from his dear sister, which hurt him too. Knowing how loving she was and how much she wanted to be a mother, such a sentence felt worse than death.
"If your loyalty is with the clan, tell me now, and I will end my life by biting my tongue and choking on it." The woman declared to her brother's surprise and fear. "If, on the other hand, your loyalty remains mine... You will be my eyes and my mouth out there."
"Is it true then?" He questioned, feeling faint. "Were you the one who sent Akira niisan to Edo?"
Tomoe sharpened his gaze.
"Enishi, what is your answer?" She pressured him.
"Why neesan?!" He refuted, almost as if he were throwing a tantrum. "Even with your situation, no one would dare to disown you. Shinji niisan wouldn't allow it!"
Aphonia.
Tomoe sighed. It was clear how much her brother had suffered with her because of his misfortune, but there was so much more that - because he was a child - he could not understand.
"It's true, he wouldn't have," she agreed. "Because then, you would be the new heir of the second branch of the Kiyosato clan. I would only be your sister."
That ended up breaking the tension in Enishi's body, and he looked at her with a certain defeat in his eyes.
"Are you... on the side of the idealists?" He questioned fearfully.
Tomoe smiled sadly at him.
"Aren't we all?" She asked with a certain cynicism. "We fight for the same thing, Enishi. The conditions are the only thing that changes. Has your heart changed, dear brother?"
"Never." He answered instantly, all doubts forgotten. And then, remembering where his loyalty lay, Enishi sat down again in front of his sister - the one who had cared for him like a mother - in a submissive manner, of total obedience and surrender. "Tell me what to do."
Tomoe did so.
Both brothers shared tea. And once the instructions were given, each one dedicated themselves to continuing to play their role. Enishi came out again with a look of defeat and slight annoyance, even if inside the excitement filled him to the point of overwhelming him.
He advanced to where his small escort was waiting for him, two samurai and a shinobi. It was the last one who approached, a boy of no more than twenty years old of short stature and features relatively similar to those of his master.
"Are we going back to the first mansion?" He asked him.
Enishi shook his head before answering.
"No. We will take a walk through the city." He declared, searching for a paper in the sleeve of his kimono. "Then, you will pretend to return to the mansion. And when you are free from surveillance, you will send this letter to Edo." He ordered him.
The ninja took the small scroll in his hands.
"Understood." He said before disappearing.
EDO
About seven hours had passed since they received the news of the death of the previous leader of the Kamiya clan and that a small delegation representing him, left for a meeting point with what was left of the shichogumi to negotiate the inevitable conflict. The members who had remained in the mansion, along with the few allies who had joined in the rescue of the castle, anxiously awaited the verdict of such a meeting.
In particular, Kenshin remained desperate but still in a corner of the great hall, waiting just like the rest. The tension he possessed, however, was so heavy that everyone avoided him, including Sanosuke and Megumi.
"He hasn't said a single word since we received the news." The young woman noted as she looked like her companion at the redhead's evident desolation.
Sanosuke snorted in feigned annoyance.
"It is to be expected, considering who it was." Said the chestnut.
Megumi looked at him in surprise.
"Did he know him?" She asked curious since the previous leader of the Kamiya clan had been a well-known nobleman in Edo.
"I don't really know, but I doubt it." He responded. "I think it was more for Jouchan."
Jouchan. Princess of Kyoto, the seer of Inari, the blue-eyed miko... Kaoru sama.
Even more than before Megumi's curiosity towards the heiress of the Kamiya clan grew.
"I have never seen the princess of Kyoto, is she truly as magnificent as they paint her?" She questioned crossing her arms.
Sanosuke answered without taking his eyes off Kenshin, his mind combining the memories of Kaoru about their first meeting and the memory of Kenshin's reaction to the mention of the first.
"She's something, that's for sure." He said.
"And for you?" Megumi asked.
Sano blinked and looked at him confused.
"She's my friend." He answered.
"And for Ken san?" Megumi pressed.
"Ah, I understand," the brunette said to himself. "She means much more." Was his response.
Then the front doors opened, and footsteps and voices could be heard coming from the patio as they hurried to the room. Kenshin was already on his feet and running towards the entrance when the doors to the fusuma opened.
"Kamiya dono." Everyone said.
Koishijirou did not refuse to attend to Kenshin - he felt that he owed him more and more - he allowed him to approach him like the rest. However, the moment he tried to speak to everyone present, his voice failed him.
At his side, Masato spoke for him.
"We have reached an agreement." -The man declared not without some regret. "If you could support us in bringing everyone together in the meeting room, at least those who count..." He asked.
The move was made. Koishijirou, after giving Kenshin a look, motioned for him to accompany them too. The boy did not hesitate even for a second.
As soon as everyone was gathered they were informed about the conditions of the surrender agreement. At first, there was a sigh of relief since it became clear that the shinchogumi had agreed to surrender; Koshijirou had managed to convince them that a surrender agreement would be a thousand times better than everyone bleeding on the battlefield, whose outcome was already predicted. The shinchogumi had received heavy and significant casualties; even with two of his best generals still alive, it wouldn't be enough.
They could have a dignified death, it was also true, and even more so many wanted to see more than one die for revenge. But that was still against the new beliefs promulgated by the Kamiya clan style. Nobody was supposed to die.
But sadly, the gift of life can't always appease a man's pride.
The soldiers demanded a fight. One last fight to calm the urges for a bigger conflict. Regardless of the outcome - this was an obvious lie - the pro-shogun group would surrender without a fight or end up fighting after days of recovery, knowing they would lose and die trying.
It was at this last point that the discussions broke out in the room; voices divided between those who agreed and those who did not; between those who demanded retribution in blood and those who only wanted a truce for Edo; not to mention those who questioned who should fight in such a duel.
Amid the chaos, and with his hand firmly on the handle of his katana, Kenshin approached Doctor Genzai, deciding that for the moment, Koishijirou would be unable to give him an audience; the most polite thing would be to let him grieve in solitude.
"Master Genzai" Kenshin called him as soon as he got there.
But the man looked tired, even angry, and rejected him instantly.
"Not now, Himura kun." He said him. "It's better if you rest. It's been a long night; it's so late that it's already early, and I'm afraid that even with the arrangement, it will be at least two weeks before everything settles down."
'Two weeks?!' His subconscious screamed; on the outside, he remained relatively calm. "And as for the secret of the clan?" He questioned.
The doctor's face softened as he understood what, or rather who, his concern lay.
"Silence will be maintained, for now at least." He told him, then he apologized and walked away from the samurai.
Kenshin stood looking at him for a moment.
Outside, both Megumi and Sanosuke watched the clan members come and go while listening to their discussions over the surface.
"What will have happened?" They both asked themselves.
KIOTO
All the way to the shinsengumi's main base Kaoru kept praying to heaven. If she was honest, even with this new determination she was unable to stop feeling afraid. If she made a wrong step, no. She thought. She couldn't allow herself to think that way.
"We have arrived". The coachman informed her and her acolyte of the day, Emi, as he stopped in front of the gate of that enormous mansion, whose doors were open.
Emi was a young girl of barely eleven years old and whom the blue-eyed miko had grown fond of since her arrival at the sanctuary four months ago. With a serene temperament, almost shy, with brown eyes and black hair, the girl was extremely loving and used to following Kaoru like a chick following its mother hen. She was observant by nature, even more so as she came from a family of priests, and therefore, she knew how to identify when her superior was feeling restless.
"Your excellence?" Emi called her, noticing her superior's slight tremor.
Kaoru jumped a little in surprise.
"Ah... Sorry." She apologized. "I just needed a moment."
Emily smiled.
"Of course." She said.
They both got out of the vehicle and headed towards the mansion, reporting to the samurai on guard before advancing inside.
Under other circumstances, Kaoru would have looked around with admiration, excited to see the scene that was then seen - the samurai in the middle of their training session in the courtyard - and would have even been encouraged to analyze each of their styles.
However, now her heart was beating heavily in her chest. She was extremely nervous.
Keisuke, who was then training a crew with Okita, was the first to notice her. Being a faithful believer in Shinto practices, the samurai had great admiration for the clergy of Japan, so he could not help but be moved.
"Oh!" He exclaimed when he saw her and then smiled, without taking his eyes off her, he shook his partner with one hand, pushing him. "Okita, Okita, tell me that my eyes don't deceive me."
The brunette - his concentration broken by force - turned to see what was happening behind him.
"Mm? Oh! She is Inari's seer." He exclaimed as soon as he saw the young woman and understood his partner's reaction. "Should we look for Kondo san?" He questioned knowing that the high clergy would surely go in search of the Commander of the faction.
Keisuke denied, however.
"He won't be back until tomorrow, remember!" He reproached him.
With the conflict in Edo, Kondo had had to come out in support of the surrounding prefectures to prevent the conflict from spilling out of the city limits.
"Then, should we call Saito?" Okita proposed.
Keisuke frowned.
"Are you kidding? It would be better to receive her ourselves." He said making a dramatic gesture. "Saito is not exactly a pretty face to look at."
Okita laughed at him.
"Keisuke, you hurt me with your lack of affection." And the captain they were talking about answered from behind them with his classic smile.
"Saito san!" Exclaimed the captain of the first division, still laughing.
The aforementioned shared a look with Keisuke, the latter ended up looking away after snorting without stopping smiling.
"Go change. You reek of sweat. -Saito ordered them.
Keisuke shook his head, while Okita sniffed at himself, but in the end, they both did as they were told.
"Whatever you say, friend," Keisuke told him, touching him on the shoulder as he passed. "But this time you won't be saved from an explanation."
Saito, for his part, went to receive the priestess of Inari. Annoyed, yes, but equally intrigued to know why the miko had shown up there and in that way.
...
The meeting room was part of a larger room that belonged to Kondo dono, the leader of the shinsengumi. Although absent, the room could be used by any of the company captains as long as there was a justifiable reason. So no one questioned the fact that Saito had it or that he was in charge of receiving Inari's company; especially as he was the one who best dominated political issues within the group of captains.
"I'm sorry for the rudeness," Saito said as soon as the tea service was ready for him and his two guests, and the three took the first sip. "Tell me, Your Excellency, what can I do for you?"
Kaoru, sitting directly across from him, carefully put down the cup before standing upright again and looking into his eyes. Internally she trembled with fear, but on the outside, she remained calm.
"I am here to arrange a deal with the Shinsengumi forces." She declared.
Saito snorted mockingly.
"Will you finally abandon your charity position?" He questioned with an amused air, then analyzed the young woman in front of him. "No. It sounds like you have something different in mind."
Kaoru did not deny it, nor did she look away from him. Saito gave her credit for that, but it wouldn't be enough. He drank his tea with a calmness that was not typical of the moment and spoke to her again after placing the cup back on the tatami.
"Tell me, Your Excellency, how is the Kamiya clan Kendo school going?" He asked her with an even wider smile.
This time, the young woman could not avoid showing emotion in her expression. Saito laughed internally.
"I see that my family's ideology is still not to your liking." She said.
"I just think it's nonsense. A murderer will always be a murderer." The man refuted. "The deal you propose is a truce, isn't it?" He inquired. Kaoru nodded. "I'm not sure that Kondo Dono would find a truce convenient if we have to consider what you will surely ask for in return. If I were him, my answer would be no." He sentenced.
Kaoru tightened the fabric of her red hakama.
"So it's good that you're not and will never be Kondo san." The miko refuted.
Saito's smile faded.
"Kaoru sama!" Emi shouted half a step after getting up and without being able to move at the end.
Saito had been too fast, Kaoru had barely seen him draw the blade. The wakizashi's blade had superficially touched the neck of the Inari priestess, and a trickle of blood formed as soon as the movement ceased, but the weapon remained in its menacing posture. Kaoru had raised her hand towards Emi, as a sign for her to stop, she did so although not very convinced.
"Be grateful that I still owe you a life." The captain warned her. His smile had disappeared and his gaze had sharpened. "However, I will not be able to keep my word if your actions go against my oath."
"I would never dare to do such a thing." Kaoru declared with her gaze locked on her attacker.
After a brief moment in which the man analyzed the young woman in front of him, he moved his sword away and sheathed it. He stood up, however, unable to continue looking at the young woman who years ago had saved the lives of his wife and their son, including his own.
"Kondo san is currently attending to a situation outside of Kyoto. I assume you know what situation I'm talking about." He told her with intention. "He will be back in two days, you won't need to come. Let him be the one to pay a visit to the sanctuary." He advised her. "The gods know that if you open the doors of the sanctuary as a refuge, you will need to serve two masters. And maybe even make a show of it all."
"I know." Declared the miko, the young woman was still sitting with her back straight and her hands clenched into fists, tightly squeezing the fabric of the hakama.
"Luckily for you, it seems that the situation in Edo will be a good distraction."
"It won't be the only one." She interrupted him.
Saito turned to look at her instantly with an expression of surprise and disbelief.
"You're not saying..."
The miko nodded.
"That will be the part of the deal that I will have to carry out." The young woman told him. "If the shinsengumi agree to my proposal, I will ensure that they survive the next foreign intervention."
Saito sharpened his gaze.
It was not an assumption but a statement. And although they had all concluded the same thing, none had had certain proof that a new foreign intervention would occur. However, no one would dare question the visions of the priestess of Inari, since so far she had not failed in a single one of them. The captain's left hand ended up on the hilt of his katana.
"When?" He asked.
"Months, near the end of the year." She answered.
They were in June, if they had to prepare for the end of the year, they would barely have enough time; without counting the economic support they would have to get since they couldn't afford a weak army.
"Will you go to Edo?" He questioned.
Aphonia.
Even if she didn't say anything, her expression spoke for her. The anguish she was suffering could be seen in her blue eyes. The captain of the third division of the shinsengumi let out a short laugh, almost like a mockery, although internally he felt empathy for the young woman.
"Sometimes I wonder if you know the outcome of this revolution already... And you only play like the gods shaking dice in favor of those who are close to you." The man told her. "But I see your expression and I know that you suffer just like the rest of us. Tell me something, your grace, is your gift really a gift? Or a curse?"
"A little of both if I have to be honest." She responded. Then, she bowed in farewell, she had already said what she had to and she no longer had the strength to continue in the presence of that man. "I thank you for your time, Captain Saito."
Standing up again, with the help of Emi, she left that room still with her head held high; although the captain was able to notice in the trembling of the young woman's ki how much it was difficult for her to remain calm. Sighing after sensing the other presence in the next room, the captain of the third division questioned the newcomer "How much longer will you stay there, Okita?"
The man in question could not help but laugh when he was found out, he opened the shoji and went out to meet his companion.
"Keisuke was afraid that you would be too harsh." He said by way of explanation because there was no point in pretending anything.
Saito raised an eyebrow.
"Was I?" The man questioned.
Okita's smile was full of affection.
"No more than necessary." He told him; then, his gaze was filled with shades of sadness. "Tell me Saito san, in the end, are we no different from the men in charge of the shogunate?" He questioned.
Hajime Saito could not answer; his eyes returned to the figure of the young miko who was already leaving the mansion; but internally he knew the answer already and although he didn't completely agree, he knew that it couldn't be any other way.
...
Outside - and after they got back on the float - Kaoru's temper shattered, letting herself fall onto the seat and closing her eyes with regret, she tried to control the dizziness she felt.
"Your Excellency, Kaoru sama!" Emi exclaimed upset, she had come to attend to her as soon as her superior had lost her regal bearing, attending carefully to the wound on the miko's neck.
The miko smiled sadly but was unable to open her eyes.
"Please, forgive me." She told her in a whisper, just as the carriage began to move.
"Lie(no)" Emi answered, her eyes shining with emotion. "The way your Excellency contained herself was admirable."
Kaoru understood that others might think it had been like that, and would even admire her for maintaining her bearing ahead of Captain Saito, but she knew that it was all just appearances. Her hands were still shaking and her heart still couldn't recover its normal rhythm. No. She still had a long way to go to be at the level of her predecessors. But if her plans bore fruit, she would no longer have to worry about not measuring up as a miko.
If her plans bore fruit... If the visions occurred as she had seen them... If she managed to change some of them...
She sighed tiredly.
"Let's go back to the sanctuary." She asked, covering her face with her hands. "There's still much to do."
Emily nodded.
There were pending ceremonies, instructions to give to the clergy of Inari, and the proper adaptations of the sanctuary.
Two days might be enough, the miko said to herself. Then, she would receive a visit from Kondo dono and could secure the sanctuary as a neutral refuge for the rest of the revolution.
Only then could she see Kenshin again, but not before reuniting with her father and facing the Kamiya clan.
EDO
When the meeting room finally emptied, it was already night. And even then, the place kept moving. Everyone was tense and anxious because although the resolution agreed with the shinchogumi and the factions that still supported them had agreed to it - some with pleasure and others by force - the issue of who would participate in the duel was still pending.
At that time, there was not a single soul who did not know what was coming.
Kenshin was aware of this which was why as soon as Sanosuke had found him in the room they shared in the company of Megumi, the first thing the redhead asked him, was "Do you know?"
Sano frowned in response. The whole thing tasted bitter to him.
"What will you do? Will you fight with the rest?" Megumi questioned, looking at one and then the other.
Defeating the shinchogumi did not ensure that the conflict in Edo would cease, but it would certainly be an advance. The most likely thing was that the rest of the confrontations with the remaining clans would take place right there before advancing through the rest of the country since, if the last expeditions were counted, the balance was in favor of the imperialists.
However, away from the Sekihotai and the shelter it gave him - along with the protection of his identity - he could be lost if he openly declared himself in favor of a clan. He still had a pending meeting with Katsura Kogoro...
"I would like to, but I have to go to Kioto," Sanosuke answered, breaking the bubble of Kenshin's thoughts with this, he looked at him with surprise.
"To Kioto?" He asked from his position on the ground.
Sano sighed and sat down in front of his friend; Megumi also sat near both of them.
"Actually, I should have left already." The brunette confessed, remembering the words of his general who would soon become his tutor. "I was hoping you could come with me, but I guess, given the situation, there's not a chance you will."
The redhead looked away.
The truth was that he had been looking forward to returning to Kyoto. The conflict with Kaoru was still pending, and he wanted to make peace with her as soon as possible. But it was also precisely for this reason that he wanted to stay until at least the conflict that engulfed the Kamiya clan dissipated.
"I haven't decided yet," he answered instead because it was true. And he knew, in the worried look that the brunette gave him that he understood what he intended.
Be the soldier who would fight in the encounter in two days.
"The funeral should come first." Megumi declared, oblivious to the exchange between both males.
"I understand why it may seem that way to you." Kenshin refuted secretly grateful for the distraction; he didn't have to say out loud what he was planning.
"Explain to me how," the girl urged.
Kenshin crossed his arms, back leaning on the window bench.
"If we leave the conflict until after the funeral service, resentment will increase and the conflict may not be as passive as we wish." He explained. "If it is done now, the funeral will be what it should be, a moment of resignation and mourning."
"But is it okay?" Sanosuke provoked him, his gaze seemed annoyed and at the same time worried.
Kenshin felt conflicted.
"Sanosuke..."
"Would it be correct for you to take such a place?" He cut the chestnut tree.
"What?!" Megumi exclaimed, finally understanding what Kenshin intended and Sanosuke's annoyance "Himura kun, it's not true, is it? Do you plan to put your life on the line?"
Silence.
Megumi felt faint.
"...But, what about your injury?" She questioned, remembering something to justify her worry.
The redhead sighed before answering.
"...If I rest, two days will be enough." He assured while touching the injured part below his left shoulder. Fortunately, despite the recent conflict, the wounds had not reopened, and the pain was almost non-existent. "I understand your concern," he said suddenly, not letting either of them find another reason, especially one with blue eyes. "However, I would like you to at least try to understand me. When I joined the rebellion I didn't do it thinking about political issues, I hardly understand them even now, I just wanted a change in favor of the people who were suffering. But the reality is that the conflict is much more complex than I can see with my eyes. To that, I have to add my feelings, when it is people close to me who suffer the damage."
Megumi looked at him with pity.
"Do you feel responsible in any way?"
Kenshin frowned in anguish. If he were a stronger man he would not feel the desire to hide his tears.
"Partly... even when I know I shouldn't, I can't help but feel like I should do something."
Sanosuke snorted.
"It is normal." He told him. "As you said, it becomes personal when the person who suffers is someone you love."
At that moment at least, both Sanosuke and Megumi were able to understand Kenshin and not refute anything. It would be much later when worry would return to settle in their hearts.
KIOTO
By the time the work on the shrine was completed, and the rest of the clergy were informed about the alliance plans with the shinsengumi as well as their stance on the revolution, it was already night.
Kaoru had been relieved that neither Hikari nor Sato continued to insist on persuading her of her plans. The miko knew that although she had represented a rock in her companions' plans, they would overcome the new obstacles and adapt them to what they were preparing for the following months. Maybe Yumi hadn't revealed anything to her in words in their recent meeting, but the previous Guji - Udo Jineh - had.
Now, even if she didn't like it, she couldn't trust either Sato, Hikari, or Yumi - wherever the latter was - Sasaki was another matter, but she knew that the brunette wouldn't tell her anything, at least not yet.
The new Guji, Matsumoto, was a kind man, it was true, but it was also true that he had been a faithful acolyte of Yumi and Momiji. She couldn't trust him either.
"Up to my neck in water," the miko thought to herself as she saw her reflection in the warm waters of the onsen. Even in a moment of privacy, she felt like she wasn't alone... "Emi and Touko will be my allies now," she thought.
The two new acolytes, one younger and the other older than the miko, were daughters of priests who had once had power in the shogun's government. Kaoru knew how eager they were to gain their favor at the wishes of their families so, they would be perfect as a support, they would not answer to any of the high-ranking members of Inari's current clergy but her.
Satisfied, she smiled; the blue-eyed miko finished her bath and retired to her room to rest.
...
Even now it was difficult for her to see the new room as her own. Yumi had only used it for a short time, but even then she had looked at it like Momiji's space. Feeling nostalgic for her former superior, Kaoru offered a prayer for her. Then, she prepared her futon, and after that, she took the old top - the one that had been a gift from Kenshin - she placed a kiss on it and smiling, she put it back in the wooden box.
"uh?" She exclaimed confused.
Because her eyes had fallen upon the parchment resting on a small silver tray. It had not been there before, and the young woman could not avoid looking around to make sure that she was indeed alone. When she was convinced that she was the only one in her room, she took that paper and spread the page to read it.
Her eyes widened in amazement.
It was a letter.
A letter from Tomoe.
Kaoru began to read the letter with her heart hanging by a thread, her hands trembling as her eyes read each word. She was unable to utter exclamations of bewilderment and anguish when reading the lines, feeling how desperation was slowly settling in her mind.
Then, she analyzed the other sheets, after reading them, however, her eyes widened in bewilderment.
Falling sitting on the ground, with her gaze lost in the distance and a hand over her mouth, the miko felt one by one the emotions making their way through her chest until they rose up through her throat.
That night, the young woman fell asleep while tears streamed down her face.
...
Kaoru sama:
I apologize for my crude confession hours ago. It was not my intention to cause you any grievance or sorrow though I understand that what I shared could not be received in any other way.
I am very afraid, my dear friend, that this is not the only thing I have to confess to you.
As I have told you, I have dedicated myself to being a double agent within the Kiyosato family, but I have not entered this game alone. My honorable husband, Akira sama, is a participant in this deception.
On our first stay in Edo after the wedding, we had the opportunity to communicate with the Kamiya clan and learn about their kendo school as well as their ideology. Akira sama even joined as a temporary student at your family's school; although we kept this a secret. The reason was that we then discovered the secret of your birth and immediately understood the risk that your excellency ran if it were revealed in the current context of the country.
It was then that we decided to separate from the family that had welcomed us both out of greater loyalty to Her Excellency. We began to move on our own, taking advantage of the fact that no one pays attention to a married couple. We are currently trying to move the chess in your favor, ensuring that the engagement with my little brother, Enishi, is what was initially promised and nothing more: a screen.
I understand what your feelings will be upon hearing this, and I apologize for interfering in your family's affairs. But how could we remain without doing anything? When the destiny of Akira sama and myself has been possible thanks to you? Nor should we forget the support given to my honorable aunt, Kagome, and her baby at the dawn of her birth; not to mention the support you had for me in preventing Enishi from entering the military... As you can see, my debt is great, and I do not wish to be ungrateful.
My intention with this letter aside from confessing is to support you with the issues that are to come, particularly regarding the omiai to the Kiyosato clan. All the information gathered is here. Enishi has also agreed to be your ally. I beg you, listen to him.
He is the only family I have left, and it is his innocence that I wish to protect.
I hope you can understand me, and that in your heart you can forgive us. We have reached the point where we cannot turn back.
Akira sama, after participating in the liberation of the Kamiya mansion - which was a success, - has been discovered, I'm afraid...
I have received a letter from him with his wishes for me should the worst happen.
We are both aware of what our actions mean to your clan if our intentions are to discovered, but we have taken measures in this regard... But I know that even if I ask you not to worry, your heart must already be suffering from this truth.
I wish I could have foreseen this situation, but I know that even you, with your visions, are unable to glimpse more than fragments of the future, only what the gods allow.
I must confess that my heart is divided, and that accepting this outcome feels almost like an impossible task! But I have promised to stand firm, no matter the outcome.
Your Excellency, Kaoru sama, I must at least allow myself to be selfish here. Please take the example of this humble being; do not let time slip through your hands, the person to whom you have given your heart needs to hear from your mouth what you feel, otherwise, your feelings will never be able to reach him... and believe me, the regret you will feel will be immense...
From now on, I leave Enishi in your care. I say farewell wishing, my dear friend, Kaoru, the success of your company.
Kiyosato Tomoe.
...
EDO
Gathering again in the meeting room at noon, the clan leaders and representatives in favor of the Kamiya clan and the imperialists declared their decision regarding the agreement with the shinchogumi. Kenshin was also among those present; his left hand, wrapped in Kaoru's ribbon, held the handle of the katana tightly.
"After carefully deliberating this matter" Masato reported "It has been decided to accept the proposal. And the space is opened for any samurai who desires the honor of such a contest to nominate or be nominated by any of those present here."
Silence.
More than one of those present gave each other meaningful glances, there was already a list of possible prospects for the meeting between both enemy forces.
"How will our representative be decided if we have prospects with excellent technique and swordsmanship, in addition to their family background?" Kurama questioned. The others nodded with him.
Masato spared a quick, almost imperceptible glance at Koishijiro who was sitting next to him.
"We will have a small internal meeting." The man answered. "A demonstration of skill. The samurai with the best technique will be who represents us."
...
Outside Megumi and Sanosuke waited anxiously for the meeting to conclude and for them to get a glimpse of their friend's fate.
Even if they knew deep down that it would be Kenshin who would fight.
'Jouchan' Sano thought. 'For now, I promise to take care of Kenshin for you.' He said internally, a thought that felt old; old as if it were another version of him - an adult - that had spoken; a man sure of his duty to his friends...
The memory was so familiar that she was not surprised when, in his mind, he heard the response of his previous friend, Kaoru, his always Jouchan.
"Arigatou, Sanosuke."
A/N: Who do you think is his opponent?
One or two more chapters and finally the last of the Secrets we keep, and bang! xD Pure promises with me!
Next chapter: "First Scar"