Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Simple Twist of Fate ❯ Chapter 11

Slowly but surely, I am working on this story. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me. For anyone who wants to know, I received my second Sommelier pin so I am now officially a certified wine snob! Woohoo! All that studying has paid off and now I can go back to drinking a glass of wine while I sit and here and write.

 

Much love to everyone out there! And just to state as always, I do not own anyo f the characters below.

 

***************************

 

Kaoru ran into the chill night, her tears blinding her vision. The pain in her foot was a dull throb, nothing more than a distraction to the pain she felt in her heart. He had rejected her, for reasons she couldn't begin to fathom. She had asked for a kiss and he had complied. But then he had pulled away and shut himself off again. Why? She knew of his alter ego, had heard the stories. She didn't care. She judged a man by his actions, not his past and Kenshin had saved her life, shown concern for her well being. He had even vehemently defended her against the `other' man he had assumed she had referred to. She knew the attraction between them was palpable. Then why wouldn't he act on it? Why did he push her away?

 

The only reason she could possibly conceive was that he was still in love with the woman he had spoken of. She knew little of Tomoe, other than the bits Kenshin had told her. He hadn't denied it back in the cave. Of course she hadn't given him much of a chance to argue her theory.

 

The setting had been perfect. It was practically a scenario in one of her tardy romance novels. Caught in some perilous situation, the hero and heroine forced to strip down to their underclothes. She had willingly fallen into his embrace. She hadn't planned it, but it fit with nearly every scene she had ever read in those illicit novels. It left only once other possible reason. She was obviously undesirable. Why else would he have pushed her away?

 

The questions crowded her mind and she paused to lean against a tree, trying to catch her breath. She shivered, the cold seeping in through her thin shift, her wet hair still hanging down her back. She looked around and realized she was hopelessly lost.

 

Once again, Kaoru had acted impulsively and foolishly. Leaving the cave when some deranged lunatic was chasing her was imprudent. She allowed a loud sob to escape her, burying her face in her hands. Kenshin was a gentleman. She had clearly overstepped her bounds. By throwing herself at him, he probably thought she was nothing more than some sluttish peasant. And now, due to her overreaction, she had not a clue where she was.

 

Angrily she wiped at her tear-streaked face, fear beginning to override the sting of dismissal. She spun around and winced at the jolt of pain from her foot. She wrapped her arms about herself, trying to stave off another violent shiver. She glanced up at the sky, trying to determine her bearings. The river was east of the cave. But in her hurry to put distance between her and Kenshin, she had stumbled off in any direction. She could be all of a hundred feet from the cave and she'd never know.

 

Her fear deepened into terror. A cold wind slapped her wet dark hair against her cheek and she sat next to the tree to get away from the bitter chill. She wrapped herself into a tight ball and began to rock herself, trying to gain some warmth. She would sit here a few minutes and calm herself. Then she would try and find her way back to the riverbed. Once there, she could make her way downstream. It was the only plan she could come up with. But first she needed to gain control of her shivering.

 

********************************

 

The moment she had disappeared into the night, Kenshin had moved. He swore loudly, pacing the confines of the cave, cursing himself for allowing the kiss to happen at all. He had walked blindly into her innocent trap and succumbed to the sweet seduction. He closed his eyes against the memory of her lips moving against his skin, the feel of her body in his arms.

 

He swore again softly and ran a hand through his red hair. He sighed and glanced at the entrance to the cave. He should go after her. The woods would be a dangerous place for a woman in distress, particularly if Shishio were searching for her. He reached for his shirt and slid it over his shoulders. It was still damp, but it would provide some shelter from the brisk chill that had settled once the sun went down. He grabbed his sword and went to find her.

 

The woman had left an easy trail for him to follow, even without the pale moonlight filtering through the trees. He scanned the area for her, all the while hating himself for causing the woman any kind of pain to begin with. The situation was so simple and yet so complex at the same time. Being the princess, Kaoru would have her world turned upside down and there would be no room for Kenshin. Then why had it felt so right to be with her? With Tomoe, he had not denied that passion, no matter how fleeting it might be. Yet something deeper than passion stirred his blood whenever he thought of Kaoru.

 

The trail ended and he paused, his amethyst eyes searching for any sign of the dark haired woman. He heard a faint clicking sound and he swung his gaze around and finally spotted her huddled against a tree. Her arms were wrapped about her body, her damp hair hanging down over her face. Her rushed to her side, realizing her teeth were chattering. She murmured to herself, her eyes closed.

 

“Kaoru-dono!”

 

Dully her eyes looked up at him. Her lips had a tinge of blue, her skin pale. “I'm so cold.” She murmured.

 

Kenshin touched her cheek, her skin like ice. He cursed loudly and swiftly picked her up. He cradled her in his arms and hurried back to the cave. They weren't far, but each passing moment could mean the woman's life. At last he saw the hang of ivy. However, he detected another presence and he paused. Had they already found him?

 

Indecision caressed him. Kaoru's life was threatened, whatever he decided to do. But the menace in the cave was more prominent than the risk of hypothermia. He stole away from the cave and gently placed Kaoru between two roots of a large tree. Her body had begun to shake, her breathing shallow and uneven. Uncaring of his own health, he slipped out of his top garment and wrapped it about her shoulders, hoping to keep her warm enough for him to take care of the stranger.

 

He pressed a gentle kiss to the woman's forehead; her dark lashes fluttered. “I'll be back, Kaoru-dono, that I will.”

 

She moaned softly and he reluctantly left her. Quickly and quietly he crept towards the entrance of the cave. He could just discern the shadows behind the leaves. Then a hand appeared and Kenshin crouched low, ready to spring the moment the perpetrator revealed himself.

 

“Kenshin, where have you been?”

 

The deep voice broke the tension and he stood quickly, relief stealing over him. “Damnit, Sano!” He whirled and hurried back to where he had left Kaoru.

 

“And what have you been up to?” The snickering voice called after him.

 

He ignored it and brought Kaoru back to the warmth of the cave. He waited for another smart comment from the spiky haired man and got none. He cast a glance over his shoulder as he gingerly placed her close to the fire. The man stared at the woman, his brown eyes wide. “What happened?”

 

His earlier suspicions crept into his mind as he examined the woman and saw blood had soaked through the makeshift bandage on her foot. “We were attacked.”

 

“Before or after you left me a message.”

 

“After. I left her alone to get in touch with you. Danger is rising and it's more dire than we all initially thought.”

 

“That still doesn't explain why someone has come after Jou-chan.”

 

Kenshin paused momentarily and glanced at the tall man. He had said nothing about the woman being the target. The violet eyes narrowed as he stared at his longtime friend, the informal nickname transmitting into his brain. He had spoken of her far too casually to have just seen her for the first time. “You know Kaoru-dono.”

 

It was a statement, not a question. The brown eyes flickered at him uneasily. “I know her well. I'm acquainted with Megumi. They live together.”

 

“Kitsune.” Kenshin retorted flatly recalling the man's nickname for the woman. The acknowledgement didn't come as a shock. The woman had the book that the brunette had written. “Then you know where we should take her.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Chou showed up to take her. I stopped him.”

 

The brown eyes widened. “Are you claiming that the recent string of violence could be tied to Shishio?”

 

Kenshin swallowed, hastily pulling her dress over her head. He wasn't ready to answer that question. “How did you get here?” He demanded, slipping his shirt over his shoulders once more. “We need to get her warm right away.”

 

“I have horses waiting on the road.”

 

“Then what are we waiting for. We need to get her to the castle.”

 

Sano put a hand on his arm. “There was a reason why she was to remain at the cottage.”

 

He glared at the taller man. He flinched and dropped his grip. “The cottage has been compromised or have you not been listening to a word I just said. Whoever is behind this knows who Kaoru-dono is and where to find her.”

 

Swiftly he gathered her once more into his arms and stepped back into the crisp night. The brunette followed behind him. “Hiko won't like that idea. We should take her to another safe house.”

 

“No! I don't care about what Hiko thinks. That man has been lying to us all for years and I want answers. It's time to restore Kaoru to her rightful place. We must take her to the castle.”

 

“She won't necessarily be safe there.”

 

Kenshin ignored him, his thoughts focused on one thing. All he cared about was saving Kaoru's life. To make matters worse, he had no one but himself to blame for her current state.

 

*******************************

 

Sanosuke eyed the figure just ahead of him nervously. Kenshin was not acting in his usual manner. Aoshi had mentioned events were finally being set in motion. He had been waiting for two days for any sign of the redhead. For him to show up today, with a message to meet him, just amplified his suspicions. He was surprised to discover the former assassin had been so close all this time, but let it go. He had set about getting supplies and had set off with two horses as the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, trying to keep his own terrors at bay.

 

He had not seen Megumi since early afternoon, before Misao had met with Kenshin. He knew she had not planned on returning to the cottage until the following day. Her casual mention of the stranger who had appeared and was keeping an eye on Kaoru made him nervous. But Tae had stated Hiko had sent him. With everything happening on the two different lives he intertwined with, he should have put two and two together. Still nothing had prepared him to see Kenshin with Kaoru.

 

What had transpired was unknown. He had spotted the torn dress and his mind reeled with the possibilities. When he first spotted Kenshin, topless in the chill night, he couldn't help but surmise his friend had stolen into the woods for a secret rendezvous. Of course no one would believe it. Women had been throwing themselves at the redhead for years and had gotten nowhere. To see he was with Kaoru, struck an odd note in him. Then to realize Kaoru was hurt, on the verge of freezing and Kenshin had rescued her from one of the resurrected sorcerer's henchmen made his stomach curdle.

 

It meant rumors were true. Even after all these years and the secrets he had been forced to keep, he had not wanted to believe it. For whatever reason, Kenshin had never been informed of the pending danger, probably due to his wandering ways. And now he wanted to take the woman to the castle. Sanosuke had no clue as to what he was doing with her or exactly what the man knew. Only one thing was for certain. Things were going to get ugly before the sun rose in a matter of hours.

 

The city wall finally came into view, the castle just visible on the hilltop beyond. They were halted at the gate for questioning, but when the guards recognized the pair of men, they allowed them entry, though the unconscious woman riding with Kenshin gave them curious stares. They hurried to the castle and were halted once more at the gate to the fortress.

 

The guards were hesitant to gain them entry in the middle of the night. Kenshin unable to handle his rising turmoil turned on them. His eyes darkened and Sanosuke quickly shoved his way between them. “Let us in, before you regret your vacillation.”

 

“But the king—“

 

“Will understand. Now let us pass or you'll deal with Battousai.”

 

The wide-eyed guard finally stepped back and Kenshin urged his horse through the gate. He didn't bother heading towards the stable, but instead for the main door towards the living quarters. Servants scurried to meet them. One reached for the woman in front of Kenshin but an icy glare from the redhead had him recoiling. He swept her up and carried her towards the door. It was thrown open and Sanosuke hurried after them, knowing his presence would be required.

 

They turned down another hall and the brunette felt his stomach drop as he realized where Kenshin was taking the woman. However he was interceded. Aoshi came around the corner, preventing Kenshin from taking the unconscious woman strait to the king's chamber. There was a tense moment before the redhead finally relented and allowed the taller man to lead him towards a smaller room. Gently Kaoru was placed on the bed.

 

“Has a doctor been sent for?” His voice was disturbingly quiet and Sano shivered at the intensity.

 

“She should be here momentarily.” Aoshi responded.

 

On cue, the door was thrown open and Megumi stepped through. “What happened?” She demanded.

 

All three men looked at her and she hesitated before coming closer. Her eyes lingered on Kenshin and a hint of fear touched the dark brown eyes. Uncertainty was evident in the redhead's gaze and he glanced at Sano. Accusation lay in the dark blue depths and Sano swallowed knowing he would face the man's wrath before the dust fully settled.

 

The woman's eyes finally lighted on the prone figure on the bed and she rushed to the side of her friend. A maid appeared in the doorway. “Get me some blankets and awaken the cook. I need hot water and some broth.” The woman hesitated and the tall woman glared at her. “GO!” She ordered.

 

The maid sprang into action and disappeared. Megumi placed a hand on the woman's forehead and then her cheek. She found her wrist and felt for a pulse. She rose and left the room for a second, Aoshi close behind her. In her absence, Kenshin gingerly caressed Kaoru's cold cheek. Sano watched the tender display and realized there was more driving the redhead's anger.

 

Megumi returned, pushing him aside as another maid entered the room behind her. “Get out.” She barked, her attention focused on the small woman. She was no longer shivering, her skin pasty white. Bright blotches of red, signs of fever had bloomed on her cheekbones. Sano moved towards the door and waited for Kenshin to join him. The doctor paused and looked up at him through the cascade of dark hair that had fallen over her face. “Kenshin, leave.”

 

“No, I'm staying with her.”

 

“The hell you are. Get out. There's nothing more you can do for her right now except get in my way.”

 

The man was sprung tightly and he sucked in a deep breath before turning and pushing past Sanosuke. Megumi looked at him and he saw the trace of worry in her eyes. Then he left, knowing if anyone would save Kaoru, it would be Megumi.

 

Kenshin was disappearing down the hall when he pulled the door closed. Sanosuke saw the direction he headed and hurried after the redhead, intent on stopping him. He grabbed the man's arm and pulled him to a stop. “Where do you think you're gong?”

 

Sano fought the urge to cringe, feeling the fury that was barely held in check. The man's eyes were narrowed, traces of amber threading through the frosty blue orbs. “I want answers and I want them now.”

 

“I don't know what you're talking about…”

 

“Like hell. You knew who she was. How long were you aware of it? Who else knows?”

 

Sanosuke hesitated. He never cared so much for the secrets but understood the importance of keeping Kaoru's identity a secret. “I don't know who else knows.”

 

The fiery head was bowed and the voice low and menacing. “Do not lie to me.”

 

He swallowed and ran a hand nervously through his dark hair. “I don't know.” He protested. “I wasn't even positive who she was. I've had my suspicions; I think Aoshi knows, but I'm not certain. My relationship with Kitsune developed and was encouraged. I only later realized it was due to the woman's connection to Kaoru and who she was that belied the original intentions.”

 

The eyes flashed, the electric gaze causing Sano to wince. “Whose intentions?”

 

“Mine.”

 

The voice was low and Sano cringed again knowing he had violated orders from the king. He wasn't ever to openly to discuss the possibility of Kaoru's identity. Hiko had made that very clear when Sano had finally brought forth his notions. Based on comment from Aoshi and his protégé Misao, he thought they might possibly know too. But the king was not a man to be trifled with, despite the fact he only held the crown in trust. And while Koshijirou might never wear the crown again, the rightful owner had officially been found. Sanosuke had not fully comprehended the reasons for keeping the woman hidden, but he believed it relied on the whispered rumors that Battousai had not destroyed Shishio as everyone had first supposed ten years ago.

 

Now Hiko stood in the hall, Aoshi at his side. The pair standing side-by-side intimidated Sanosuke, would have intimidated anyone. Anyone but one. And while Kenshin was the man standing between them in the hall, the brunette had a sinking suspicion that the emotions that had driven Battousai a decade ago were beginning to slip to the surface of the man's aura.

 

Kenshin turned the furious gaze to his mentor and growled. “Why was I not informed?” He demanded softly.

 

“Informed of what, foolish boy? That the young woman residing deep in the woods was the missing princess?” Kenshin said nothing, but continued to glare at the head of the kingdom. “To tell you would lead to other inquiries.”

 

“Why she had not been returned.” Kenshin stated.

 

Hiko blinked and studied his apprentice for a moment. “That is only one of many.” He answered slowly.

 

“Not willing to give up power so willingly?” The redhead sneered. “So you allowed her to live in ignorance while her father, the rightful sovereign whither away with despair from never seeing his daughter again. He thinks she's dead!”

 

The dark eyes of the older man narrowed and he came forward, his focus completely on his student. “Surely you are not as stupid to believe that. But then you always were an idiot.”

 

Sano watched, fascinated by the argument between the two. The tall man was the only man alive he had ever seen willing to stand up to the fierce temper of Battousai. “You believe Shishio is still alive.” Kenshin stated, his demeanor on the surface calm and collected while underneath he was wound tight as a spring.

 

“I don't believe; I know Shishio is still alive.” The king whispered. He stepped forward again and lowered his head to speak directly into Kenshin's face. “I could not afford to have him find her.”

 

“So why not tell me.”

 

Hiko smiled bitterly. “You would have gone in search of him and I needed you to protect Kaoru. You were the only one that I fully trusted to keep her safe.”

 

Sano couldn't help but feel indignant by the comment, but kept his mouth shut. Some of the anger slowly drained away from Kenshin. “I wasn't able to do that.” He whispered as his fear, no longer fueled by his fury, slowly filtered to the surface.

 

“What did happen?” He asked tentatively, touching his friend on the arm.

 

Kenshin turned to face him, his eyes violet and haunted. “The situation grew beyond my control.” Not stating anything else he turned and disappeared down the hall where his own quarters were when he did stay in the castle.

 

Sanosuke let out a shaky breath and turned to face Aoshi and the king. “What happens now?”

 

“I suggest sleep, tori-atama. We will discuss it on the morrow.”

 

“After we tell Kaoru who she is.”

 

“Not yet. She has just been uprooted from her current life and I'm sure is confused as to the events that led her to being here now.”

 

“Will you inform her father of her return?”

 

Hiko turned a cool glance at the stoic man behind him. He did not answer, instead turning around and returning to his own chambers, his cape flowing out behind him. “Tell that dim-witted student of mine I wish to see him when the sun rises.” And then he was gone.

 

******************************

Hope you enjoyed it. Hugs and kisses until next time.