Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodline ❯ Battousai Awakened ( Chapter 8 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Angie-san 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.30.2005 | Updated On: 06.05.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 785 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.30.2005 | Updated On: 06.05.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 785 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.
Chapter 8 - Battousai Awakened
Kenshin knew something was wrong as soon as he laid his hand on the gate, the foreboding lack of Kaoru’s calming presence anywhere nearby had him tense and on guard. The dojo felt... empty. Pushing the door open he walked in and scanned the shadowed yard, looking for some sign of life. It was after dark but usually Kaoru would be up sitting in the moonlight or puttering around the dojo somewhere. yet, there was nothing.
A barely discernible thump drifted to his ears, breaking the oppressive silence. Making his way around the corner where the storehouse was, he saw the beckoning glow of a candle in the training hall. Silently approaching he peered into the open door and saw Yahiko, right arm bandaged tightly to his side practicing his kata with his left. Cold determination was etched into every line of the boy’s face, yet a haunted look shadowed his eyes as if he'd come face to face with the devil himself.
Oblivious to his audience, Yahiko swore under his breath and swung the bokken as hard as he could, planting it right between the mismatched eyes of the phantom hovering before his vision. He was still furious at himself for being unable to stop the intruder from taking Kaoru. Continuing to beat on the illusion, his every swing was accompanied by the fervent wish that the monster was truly in front of him so he could kill him; prove to himself that he was strong enough to protect his adopted sister, the one who protected him.
"Yahiko," Kenshin called out after a moment. "Where's Kaoru?"
Yahiko froze and swung his head around at the familiar voice. Suddenly ill at ease, he swallowed and faced the rurouni. "Kenshin...you're here already?"
An odd look passed across Kenshin's features before he pierced him with a hard look. "What do you mean ‘already’?"
Yahiko dropped his gaze to the floor, his shoulders slumping; the bokken hanging limply from his hand. "She's gone, Kenshin, some madman came here last night and took her."
For a long moment Kenshin stood staring at Yahiko trying to digest what he'd just heard, part of him denying the words that seemed to echo all around him. His chest tightened painfully when the information finally sank in. He was too late, she was already gone. Anger and guilt rose up in a rush, warring for dominance squeezing the breath from his lungs. Struggling for control he finally managed to lock down the emotions threatening to tear him apart. "What happened?" he bit out, harsher than he intended.
Yahiko flinched, then slumped helplessly, his eyes still downcast. "I don't know. When I got here the man had her slung over his shoulder and was making his way to the gate. I tried to stop him...but I couldn't."
"Where's Sano, was he here?" Kenshin asked in a gentler tone that belied his inner feelings.
Yahiko nodded and finally met Kenshin's eyes. A tingle of fear whispered down his spine when he saw gold bleeding into the normally violet-hued eyes, then recede only to glimmer around the edges again. Averting his gaze again, he shuffled over to return his bokken to the wall mount. "He's hurt really bad, he almost died." Motioning for Kenshin to follow him he led the way towards Sano's room. They were both silent as Yahiko slid the shoji back to step into the dimly lit room. The boy turned to lean against the wall, allowing Kenshin to enter.
Megumi's head snapped up when she heard the shoji slide open. Her eyes widened when she saw Yahiko step in, closely followed by Kenshin. "Ken-san, you're here already. I don’t understand, Yahiko just sent the letter this afternoon."
Ignoring her surprised look Kenshin stared at Sano's bandaged chest and shoulder. "What happened to him?"
“Sliced from hip to shoulder, then the blade was buried deep in his shoulder severing the muscle. He’s lucky it missed the artery there." Megumi rose from her place beside the sleeping man and padded over to Kenshin, leaning close to him she whispered, "He will never use that arm again like he did before, the muscle was cut clean through. We did what we could, but it won't take the abuse he will try to inflict on it."
"Don't worry, fox, it'll work just fine."
Surprised, both of them swung their attention to Sano's pale face. A ghost of a smile played across the ex-fighter's lips before it disappeared and he met Kenshin's gaze. Guilt and shame drew Sano's expression into a frown. "Sorry, Kenshin, I couldn't stop him."
Kenshin shook his head at the apology and closed the distance between them. It wasn't Sano's fault she'd been stolen, it was his. Settling down beside the injured man he asked, "Do you know who took her?"
"No," Sano replied, trying to sit up. "I've never seen him before."
Megumi flew to his side and pushed him back down. "Lay back down, baka, you'll reopen your wounds that way."
"Yes, mama," Sano murmured with a wan smile, grabbing her hand he wrapped his fingers around hers.
Megumi's eyes narrowed but before she could speak Yahiko pushed off the wall and squatted down beside Kenshin. "A policeman came here today looking for Kaoru...he knows who has her but wouldn't say who it was."
Kenshin stiffened. Saitou! The realization set his mind whirling, the implications and conclusions falling into place and each fact slammed into him. The control he'd fought for fractured, allowing his anger to rise up and seize ahold of him in a ruthless grip. So the Wolf knew who had her. And if he knew who had her he likely knew why as well. Why hadn’t Saitou been more forthcoming from the start? Kenshin could not foresee any sort of justification. The Wolf was going to bleed for holding back.
Rising silently he padded out of the room without another word, his fury intensifying as he realized it was too late to hunt the bastard down now. Making his way to the porch outside of Kaoru's room he sat down and pulled her blue hair ribbon from his gi, fingering the soft material lovingly. His anger slowly grew into a cold calculating wrath as he envisioned all the things he was going to do to the unsuspecting bastard who'd taken her... and the bastard who'd kept the information from him. Cradling the sakabatou against his shoulder he leaned against the wall and settled in for a long sleepless night. He'd failed to protect the one he loved... again... but this time he would fix it.
oooooooooooooooooo
Saitou Hajime reclined in his chair, his ankles crossed and resting on the desk, waiting for the storm to finally hit his closed door. The rage washing off his approaching visitor was almost a palpable thing, thickening the air as he drew closer. It was no surprise when the door slammed open, revealing a redheaded demon that stood glaring murderously at him, amber eyes glowing in the early morning light.
A sardonic grin touched Saitou's lips. "You failed again Battousai, how does it feel?"
The callous statement was enough to make Kenshin's fragile hold on his temper snap like a brittle twig. With godlike speed he drew his sakabatou and flew over the desk driving the cop to the floor, the sharp edge of his blade pressed tightly against his neck. "Where is she?!" he snarled, the blood rage within nearly singing with the need to slit the bastard's throat.
The smirk returned to Saitou's face. Heaving the redhead back he straightened and dabbed at the thin line of blood running down his neck. Turning to the now standing rurouni he remarked, "Maybe you should ask 'what is she' instead."
Amber eyes narrowed and Kenshin took a step towards his former enemy, slowly raising his sakabatou. "Enough of your insinuations, for once and for all tell me what this is about," he grated out.
"Sit down, Battousai," Saitou ordered as he righted his chair. "There are a few things you need to know." Seating himself, the tall man fished out a cigarette and lit it, blowing the smoke into Kenshin's face as the redhead sat down across from him. "You failed to heed my warning and now you're going to regret ever leaving her alone."
Kenshin's fist wrapped around the hilt of his sakabatou in a strangling grip, gritting his teeth he fought the urge to draw more blood. Telling himself repeatedly that right now he needed the information Saitou had been withholding more. Narrowing his eyes in a deadly glare, he growled "What the hell do you know, Wolf?"
Kicking up his feet, Saitou reclined in his chair again and picked up a couple sheets of paper; tossing them at Kenshin.
Kenshin caught them in midair and pulled them to him, quickly scanning the first page. His eyes widened when he realized that it seemed to be Kaoru's family tree dating all the way back to 1600AD. Two names at the bottom of the tree caused his fist to tighten, wrinkling the paper.
Kamiya Kaoru and Shishio Makoto.
Saitou relished his former enemy's reaction, mockery laced his words as he pointed out the obvious "Your little tanuki is the distant cousin of the infamous hitokiri, Shishio Makoto, your successor."
Spearing him with a glare, Kenshin asked, "And what part does he play in this?"
A chuckle escaped Saitou's throat as he flicked ash, "He's the one that took her, read the other paper Battousai and you'll understand why."
Kenshin scanned the other one quickly, confusion crossing his features. The woman described in the legend in his hand had been bound to a tree in the middle of a village by her own husband. Shortly thereafter the village had been completely leveled, all except for herself and the tree she was tied. Yet, it didn't say how or why.
"What does this have to do with Kaoru?" he asked, glaring at the dark-haired cop. Impatience was beginning to gnaw at the time being wasted here, his need to go to Kaoru rising.
Saitou sighed and nearly rolled his eyes. "Who is the woman in the legend?"
Glancing back down at the paper Kenshin's face paled. Shishio Aiko. Swinging his eyes to the family tree in his other hand he saw at the top of the tree Takashi Aiko wife of Shishio Kisho. They'd had a son and daughter, the family tree split beneath them with Kaoru descended from the daughter and Makoto descended from the son. An icy shiver ran down his spine, stomping out the sense of foreboding that flickered through him he asked in a low voice, "How was she able to destroy an entire village?"
"Takashi Aiko was the daughter of a woman named Akiko who, if the rumors are true, was a fallen angel. Cast out because of her love for a human." Saitou replied smoothly before inhaling and exhaling a drag from his cigarette. Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes at the utterly shocked look on his former enemy’s face. Shock that quickly turned into disbelief.
Shaking himself, Kenshin eyed him skeptically. "Angels don't exist."
"Then how do you explain the golden glow that surrounded Aiko before the town was leveled? Can you explain just how that destruction occurred? How did she remain unscathed? How much can you discount before you see the obvious?" Saitou leaned forward slightly, his sharp features intent. “Open your eyes, Battousai.”
Confused Kenshin turned his attention back to the legend rereading it more carefully. His eyes widened finding a whole piece he'd missed in his haste. There the more detailed description leapt at him. Words of the woman that had glowed as bright as the sun just before the ground buckled, rolling out from her in a huge wave to destroy everything in its path. Another shiver crawled up his spine as he read over the words 'golden glow’ again. Kaoru has a golden glow, his mind whispered, there has always been something different about her. Comprehension struck him hard ripping through his gut. Kaoru had the same blood, the same power...and Makoto had her.
Saitou watched the flicker of understanding pass through the redhead's eyes, "Yes, Battousai, you have given Shishio the means to destroy the very government, the very country you fought so hard to create simply by leaving her unprotected."
Kenshin crumpled the papers in his hands and, with eyes blazing, flung the balled pages onto desk. "Why didn't you tell me?!" He demanded harshly.
Saitou shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't fully believe it myself until I received the confirmation of the legend yesterday." Narrowing his eyes, the dark-haired cop glared right back at the furious hitokiri, his own anger finally evident. "You failed to guard her as you were intended to, leaving her instead in the care of a worthless ex-fighter and a kid. Thanks to you she is now the enemy," he stated coldly.
In a flash Kenshin shot to his feet and leveled the tip of his blade at Saitou's neck. "She will never be my enemy!" he growled, amber eyes flashing. They held silent in a deadlock of wills, each seething with indignation, neither moving for that long moment of silent communication. Blame and resentment for each other bled and stained the air till a cold sense of determination began to temper the two men. Restraining his anger Kenshin resheathed the blade and sank onto the edge of the chair, even as Saitou rubbed his throat.
Clenching his teeth he bit out, "What do you mean ‘intended’? It’s not like you to choose that word idly."
Saitou smirked as he blew out another stream of smoke, "You were the one who was destined to protect her from harm, but it seems whatever force chose you made a mistake."
Kenshin's vision flashed red, he was going to lose control if the bastard didn't give him a straight answer once and for all. He was finding his patience, what little he had anyway, wearing perilously thin at Saitou’s roundabout answers. "What the hell is this destined guardian exactly?" he growled.
Saitou shrugged again. "I don't know, but when her father was on his death bed he mentioned it before dragged the promise to watch over her out of me. He said a man would come into her life that would never leave her side, guarding her from those who would try to destroy her. For some reason I thought it was you, but I must have been misguided instead." A flick of his fingers sent another small pile of ash floating away. “I put too much faith in Fate it seems.”
Kenshin closed his eyes, his fury settling into a cold wrath at the verbal slap in the face. A blow that was well deserved, he acknowledged harshly. He'd failed and he knew it, he should never have left and now he'd lost that which meant the most to him. Sliding his eyes open he leveled Saitou with a hate-filled stare, "Where is he?"
Saitou leaned back and kicked up his onto his desk again. "Their ancestral home is located in the mountains north of Nagoya, he's currently holed up there with the man who killed Kamiya's father."
Kenshin's jaw tightened and he gritted out, "Who?"
A smirk crept across Saitou's lips. "Matsumoto Razan. I lost track of him after he killed Koshijiro, but he surfaced about a year ago when his path crossed Shishio's. He's been working for him ever since. Shishio sent him out to find something and I've been tracking Matsumoto all over Japan trying to find out what he was looking for. I finally followed him here. Unfortunately he slipped out of Tokyo before I could catch him, however it looks like he found what he was looking for. Eh, Battousai?"
Scowling viciously Kenshin fought down the urge to drive his sakabatou through Saitou's chest. Instead, ignoring the barb, he stood and strode towards the door. He had all the information he needed now. A shuffle of papers broke through the red haze surrounding his mind. "What will you do now, Battousai?"
Kenshin stopped three steps from the door and turned his head just enough to look over his shoulder, amber eyes glowing. "I will hunt them down and kill them for even thinking they could touch her," he stated in a dead cold voice. With that said he continued out the door, slamming it behind him as thoughts of ripping apart both men with his bare hands flitted through his mind.
A bitter grin touched Saitou's lips. "Good, because if she comes here with Shishio I will execute her myself." He whispered to the empty room. The promise he'd made to her father no longer held any sway, he would kill her if she so much as set foot in Tokyo.
oooooooooooooooooo
Kaoru awoke with a start, a scream catching in her throat as she bolted upright with terror filled eyes. Cold sweat instantly coated her pale skin, breath panting almost painfully in time with her pounding heart. The nightmare continued to tingle the edge of her senses, her skin remembering every touch of the blade causing phantom pain to shoot through her body.
Glancing down she expected to see herself completely covered in partially healed cuts, but was surprised to see her skin only marred by smears of dried blood. The tattered, stained yukata, hanging from her in strips and threads barely covered her. Hesitantly raising her hand to the cheek Shishio had cut to match Kenshin's she was surprised to feel only the smoothness of skin. How was she healed, she wondered as she regained control of her body. She should be dead, the amount of blood she'd lost should have killed her. The horror of the torture and agony Shishio had inflicted on her started her trembling again. Unbidden, a whisper of memory floated into her consciousness, gently caressing her skin and enveloping her in a blanket of protection and security. Warming her from the inside out, taking away all the pain and the trauma. The feeling of contentment that settled over her pushed away all her worries and fear.
So lost in the hazy memory her battered mind desperately clung to and the promise of relief it offered, she didn't immediately notice the foreign presence that slowly slithered its way into the back of her mind. The mental shove was all it took to gain her attention though, to break her from her solace. A gasp rushed past Kaoru’s lips as she physically tensed in shock. With a ruthless glee, tempered only by the driving need to destroy, the mental intruder swam to the surface while maliciously shredding the peaceful memory. The destruction in his wake left her bare to the onslaught of emotions sliding through her veins, invading her entire body. Her stomach twisted violently, threatening to heave its contents all over the futon as she tried to comprehend what was violating her. Without warning the memory of Shishio licking a stray drop of blood from his lips flashed before her eyes followed by a dry chuckle that echoed hollowly in her mind. Hot tears began streaming from her tightly closed lids when she realized what was happening. Shishio was inside her very skin, his emotions slithering through her like a snake wrapping itself around its prey, tightening around her in a strangling grip.
Shivering uncontrollably she collapsed onto the futon, trying to shove away the slimy feeling that his presence left under her skin. But it continued to eddy through her body, slipping into her very soul, leaving a poisonous sludge behind. A silent scream ripped through her mind, threatening to drive her over the edge again. Fingers twisted the fabric beneath her, knuckles whitening with the strain. Hopelessness settled deeply into her bones, slamming home the truth. She was bound to him now and he would always be with her, in her, no matter how hard she tried to be rid of him. Silent sobs ripped from her throat, despair stealing away all her energy and will as her tears wet the soft blanket beneath her.
oooooooooooooooooo
Sitting in the room next door Shishio relished the feel of anguish that washed through the bond from his angel. A triumphant delight slid across his features, black eyes lighting up with unholy mirth. She was nearly broken. Soon she would be completely his to manipulate as he pleased; the Meiji government didn't stand a chance and neither did she.
oooooooooooooooooo
After a moment, Kaoru shoved the despondency that had settled over her like a blanket into the deepest part of her heart and built a small barrier in hopes of closing out the monster who had invaded her very being. A rush of relief washed through her when his slimy presence diminished to a mere tickle teasing the edge of her awareness. Sitting up she pulled the remains of the yukata around her and glanced around the room, spying a bowl of water and a cloth laid out on the table she wiped her tears and padded over to it letting the destroyed yukata fall to the floor. With slightly shaking hands, she dipped the cloth and began scrubbing the blood off, rubbing so hard she left the skin red while trying desperately to wash away the feel of the monster she was bound to. Finally washing away all the crimson marks she shuffled over to the standing chest and opened it. Inside she was surprised to find her hakama and gi neatly folded at the bottom, all the blood washed clean from them with her hair tie laid on top. Smiling gratefully she slipped into the familiar clothes, the flowing feel of them reminding her of home, quickly tying her hair up she glanced at everything else housed in the chest.
It was full of some of the most beautiful kimonos she'd ever seen. Fingering the soft material of an exceptionally beautiful cream colored one with small sakura blossoms embroidered down the sleeve she wondered why Shishio would take the time and money to outfit her so, unless they weren't for her. with a shrug she turned her attention to the impossibly soft yukatas in every shade she'd ever seen that hung alongside the kimonos. She truly could not figure out the man who now held her life in his hands. A broken line at the bottom of the chest suddenly caught her attention.
Furrowing her brow, she knelt down and traced the line with a fingertip, shoving a nail into the crack she tested it to see if it was some kind of hidden compartment. Not really thinking it was, she was surprised when a small piece of wood popped out of the base at her gentle prying revealing a small compartment. Within a small journal rested, its timeworn cover cracked and corners crumbling slightly. Gently lifting it out of its hiding spot she set it aside and replaced the piece of wood, closing the chest when she finished.
Excitedly retrieving her find she made her way to the shoji that led outside and cautiously slid it open. The warm morning sun greeted her, blinding her momentarily as she stepped out onto the open porch. She was surprised to see the cliff from the previous day and the same garden spread out before her. Unbidden her eyes found the small stone building that had been her downfall sitting innocently among the sakura blossoms. A sick fascination settled over her as she gazed at the dull grey stone.
A sudden, driving need to see the room where she had lost her freedom pulled at her, setting her feet towards it before she even knew what was happening. Upon reaching it, she hesitantly stepped through the doorway and was shocked to see the floor cracked down the center, buckled up and slanting away in both directions. The small table that had held the implements of her torture lay on its side, the blades that had been arrayed on its smooth surface scattered all over. Some gleaming in the light filtering through the crack in the ceiling.
Kaoru's eyes widened in awed disbelief. Did she do this? She vaguely remembered something wrapping around her and shooting out in all directions trying to protect her from anymore harm. Scoffing softly under her breath she shook her head in. That was impossible, how could she have done this?
Shrugging off the strange thoughts she carefully picked her way over to the daggers laying on the floor and grimaced when she saw the dried blood coating several of them, her stomach knotting at the sight. Swallowing thickly, she reached down and retrieved the only clean one in the bunch to arm in herself against Shishio, one never knew when an opportunity might arise. A faint smile touched her lips and she absently fingered the sharp blade. She hissed loudly when the blade sliced into the tender flesh of her thumb and she glanced to the wound as one crimson drop welled up and threaded its way down her skin to pool in her palm. But then, before she could so much as move her hand to clean it away a bright golden glow emanated from the cut, sealing it so completely that not even a scar was left.
Horrified Kaoru dropped the blade; narrowly missing her foot and stared at the freshly healed skin. Is this how she was healed! For a long moment she stared at her thumb in bewilderment. This had never happened before, every cut and scrape she'd ever had in her life healed by itself in the usual way, never like this. How could this be? What had happened to her?! Biting down on her lip she forced the panicked confusion aside. She wouldn’t get any answers out here she was sure, besides she had more important matters to deal with. Grimly Kaoru reached down and retrieved the dagger, slipping it into her belt. And then without thinking she shifted her eyes to the side as she turned to leave and saw the black puddle of dried blood on the remains of the floor nearby. Her blood, she realized, and so much of it.
Spinning around Kaoru shot out the door and fell to the ground, her stomach clenching violently as hot tears trickled from her tightly closed eyes. Resting her forehead against the cool ground she fought to settle her roiling stomach, the memory of the torture she'd endured making it hard to get control. That she had been driven to that point sickened her and she gritted her teeth as she shoved the memory into the deepest parts of her mind. Slowly sitting up in the grass she wiped away the clammy sweat coating her brow and retrieved the journal she'd dropped in her flight. With fragile resolution she rose and stumbled to the cool shade of one of the sakura trees nearby where she gratefully dropped to the ground and leaned against the trunk. Once she was settled she set the journal on her knees and gently lifted the cover to reveal the first page. A gasp escaped her throat when she saw the the name written in large, flowing script on the otherwise empty page.
Takashi Aiko.
Stunned, Kaoru swung her attention to the shoji she'd left open, now understanding why Shishio had asked her if the room was acceptable. He had put her in Aiko's room. A shiver of something she couldn't name slithered up her spine. Why would he do that? Did he hope to completely break her? Or did he just gain a sick amusement in putting her in their ancestor’s room?
Yet, what he didn't seem to understand was that she may be bound to him but he would never fully break her, no matter how hard he tried.
A small grin tugged at her lips and Kaoru gave her attention back to the journal. Flipping through the first few pages, she read an entry here and there. The first few entries she read were entered by what seemed like a young woman no older than herself helplessly in love with a man who didn't seem to even know she existed. A sad smile came to Kaoru's lips, she knew how that felt as she had the same problem and now she would never have the chance to change his mind. Shaking off the heavy feeling that settled in her chest at the thought, she flipped further into the journal. Her heart lightened somewhat when she found an entry made the day of Aiko's wedding, her ancestor had finally managed to catch the eye of the man of her dreams, hope for the future filling an entire two pages. Shortly after the wedding there was an entry filled with absolute glee... Aiko was pregnant.
Continuing to read the entries after the birth of their twins Kaoru felt the sadness creep into the pages as the years passed, until she reached an entry that made her blood run cold. Aiko had chosen to tell Kisho her secret in hopes of saving their marriage, offering him her blood so they could share a more intimate bond than the legal one already linking them. Reading further the sadness swelled into despair as Kisho took advantage of the gift Aiko had given him. The entries became darker as the power twisted the man into something Aiko no longer knew. What began as using the bond to control her turned into eventually using her to destroy an entire village, killing everyone but the one's who'd been tending the outlaying fields.
Horrified by the destruction written in the pages, Kaoru wondered what exactly it was they had in them that could do so much damage. Glancing back to the stone building, icy fingers of fear trailed down her spine leaving her feeling hollow and alone. What were they? Hesitantly she flipped to the last page afraid of what she might find. Her heart twisted painfully as she read the last entry, Kisho had done the ultimate thing to harm Aiko, he'd threatened to bond their children together so the blood would never be lost. Tears welled up and fell from Kaoru's eyes, dripping unheeded onto the fragile parchment that told of Aiko's desolation and her decision to send away their daughter, saving her from an unholy union with her brother. Through blurry eyes she read the last sentence ever written by her ancestor.
I go now to correct the terrible mistake I made, I should have heeded my mother's warning but now it's too late. I hope my sacrifice will keep anymore of our blood from suffering the same fate as I have.
Kaoru dropped the journal and curled forward to rest her forehead on her knees, her tears soaking into the soft material of her hakama. Aiko's pain and suffering cut deep into her heart, leaving a wound almost as big as the one Shishio had inflicted. In the end the sacrifice her ancestor had made had come to naught, they'd found her anyway. Curling even further into herself, she didn't notice the man who had come to stand before her until heavily calloused hands gently cradled her cheeks and lifted her face.
"What troubles you, my dear?"
Startled out of her misery, Kaoru jerked her head out of his hands and slammed back tight against the tree, her eyes flying impossibly wide. Who the...?
Quickly taking in his handsome face which was framed by golden highlighted raven hair she ignored the teasing smile tickling the edges of his lips and tried to figure who he could possibly be. Was he another of Shishio's henchman? Shivering at the thought, she finally met the black eyes fixed on her and immediately regretted the action when she saw the promise of something she would rather not have seen in those black depths.
"Who are you?" She muttered shakily as she attempted to move further away from him.
A small chuckle escaped from the man's throat. "You don't recognize me do you, sweet angel."
Kaoru froze at the familiar voice. "Shishio?" she croaked in disbelief, unable to reconcile this man with the one who'd been bandaged from head to toe.
Shishio nodded and reached out to trail a finger gently along her jaw. He grinned when she flinched away from the touch.
"Your blood healed my scarred body, I'm not so bad to look upon now, am I?"
Kaoru shimmied up the tree to her feet and skirted away from his touch. "Don't touch me" she growled, as she rocked back on her heels, ready to bolt if he reached for her again.
But her preparations were for naught as Shishio reached out lightning fast and grabbed her, dragging her up against his chest to hold her close. With his free hand her forced her head up and planted his lips firmly against hers. Kaoru fought against his hold to no avail. A heartbeat later he finally released her lips and purred, "You are mine. I can do whatever I desire with you."
Kaoru shuddered at what he implied and wrapped her hand around the blade in her belt as she continued to fight to free herself. All of a sudden, Shishio released her and she fell back a step, at the same time she wrenched the dagger from her belt and thrust it as hard and as deep as she possibly could directly into chest where his black heart resided. A sudden burst of pain exploded in the same place in her own chest and Kaoru gasped as the breath was stolen from her lungs. Instinctively releasing the blade, she stumbled back, clutching her chest and watched horrified as a bright golden glow engulfed them both, the wound she'd inflicted healing as Shishio drew the blade from his chest. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the blade to the side and grabbed her arm, dragging her to him, face to face. “We are immortal and invulnerable, my dear.” Kaoru's stomach twisted into a knot at the unholy glee lighting his expression. “You cannot kill me...nothing can."
All the fight bled out of her and she crumpled to the ground as a dark blanket of hopelessness settled over her. How was she going to free herself from this monster? There had to be a way, Aiko had done it...but how?
Unable to think of any possible way, Kaoru hung her head in defeat and didn't flinch or fight when Shishio wrapped his hand around her arm and guided her to her feet. Following behind him as he led her towards the mansion, she realized that she no longer cared whether she lived or died anymore.
She truly was broken.Top of Form
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Chapter 8 - Battousai Awakened
Kenshin knew something was wrong as soon as he laid his hand on the gate, the foreboding lack of Kaoru’s calming presence anywhere nearby had him tense and on guard. The dojo felt... empty. Pushing the door open he walked in and scanned the shadowed yard, looking for some sign of life. It was after dark but usually Kaoru would be up sitting in the moonlight or puttering around the dojo somewhere. yet, there was nothing.
A barely discernible thump drifted to his ears, breaking the oppressive silence. Making his way around the corner where the storehouse was, he saw the beckoning glow of a candle in the training hall. Silently approaching he peered into the open door and saw Yahiko, right arm bandaged tightly to his side practicing his kata with his left. Cold determination was etched into every line of the boy’s face, yet a haunted look shadowed his eyes as if he'd come face to face with the devil himself.
Oblivious to his audience, Yahiko swore under his breath and swung the bokken as hard as he could, planting it right between the mismatched eyes of the phantom hovering before his vision. He was still furious at himself for being unable to stop the intruder from taking Kaoru. Continuing to beat on the illusion, his every swing was accompanied by the fervent wish that the monster was truly in front of him so he could kill him; prove to himself that he was strong enough to protect his adopted sister, the one who protected him.
"Yahiko," Kenshin called out after a moment. "Where's Kaoru?"
Yahiko froze and swung his head around at the familiar voice. Suddenly ill at ease, he swallowed and faced the rurouni. "Kenshin...you're here already?"
An odd look passed across Kenshin's features before he pierced him with a hard look. "What do you mean ‘already’?"
Yahiko dropped his gaze to the floor, his shoulders slumping; the bokken hanging limply from his hand. "She's gone, Kenshin, some madman came here last night and took her."
For a long moment Kenshin stood staring at Yahiko trying to digest what he'd just heard, part of him denying the words that seemed to echo all around him. His chest tightened painfully when the information finally sank in. He was too late, she was already gone. Anger and guilt rose up in a rush, warring for dominance squeezing the breath from his lungs. Struggling for control he finally managed to lock down the emotions threatening to tear him apart. "What happened?" he bit out, harsher than he intended.
Yahiko flinched, then slumped helplessly, his eyes still downcast. "I don't know. When I got here the man had her slung over his shoulder and was making his way to the gate. I tried to stop him...but I couldn't."
"Where's Sano, was he here?" Kenshin asked in a gentler tone that belied his inner feelings.
Yahiko nodded and finally met Kenshin's eyes. A tingle of fear whispered down his spine when he saw gold bleeding into the normally violet-hued eyes, then recede only to glimmer around the edges again. Averting his gaze again, he shuffled over to return his bokken to the wall mount. "He's hurt really bad, he almost died." Motioning for Kenshin to follow him he led the way towards Sano's room. They were both silent as Yahiko slid the shoji back to step into the dimly lit room. The boy turned to lean against the wall, allowing Kenshin to enter.
Megumi's head snapped up when she heard the shoji slide open. Her eyes widened when she saw Yahiko step in, closely followed by Kenshin. "Ken-san, you're here already. I don’t understand, Yahiko just sent the letter this afternoon."
Ignoring her surprised look Kenshin stared at Sano's bandaged chest and shoulder. "What happened to him?"
“Sliced from hip to shoulder, then the blade was buried deep in his shoulder severing the muscle. He’s lucky it missed the artery there." Megumi rose from her place beside the sleeping man and padded over to Kenshin, leaning close to him she whispered, "He will never use that arm again like he did before, the muscle was cut clean through. We did what we could, but it won't take the abuse he will try to inflict on it."
"Don't worry, fox, it'll work just fine."
Surprised, both of them swung their attention to Sano's pale face. A ghost of a smile played across the ex-fighter's lips before it disappeared and he met Kenshin's gaze. Guilt and shame drew Sano's expression into a frown. "Sorry, Kenshin, I couldn't stop him."
Kenshin shook his head at the apology and closed the distance between them. It wasn't Sano's fault she'd been stolen, it was his. Settling down beside the injured man he asked, "Do you know who took her?"
"No," Sano replied, trying to sit up. "I've never seen him before."
Megumi flew to his side and pushed him back down. "Lay back down, baka, you'll reopen your wounds that way."
"Yes, mama," Sano murmured with a wan smile, grabbing her hand he wrapped his fingers around hers.
Megumi's eyes narrowed but before she could speak Yahiko pushed off the wall and squatted down beside Kenshin. "A policeman came here today looking for Kaoru...he knows who has her but wouldn't say who it was."
Kenshin stiffened. Saitou! The realization set his mind whirling, the implications and conclusions falling into place and each fact slammed into him. The control he'd fought for fractured, allowing his anger to rise up and seize ahold of him in a ruthless grip. So the Wolf knew who had her. And if he knew who had her he likely knew why as well. Why hadn’t Saitou been more forthcoming from the start? Kenshin could not foresee any sort of justification. The Wolf was going to bleed for holding back.
Rising silently he padded out of the room without another word, his fury intensifying as he realized it was too late to hunt the bastard down now. Making his way to the porch outside of Kaoru's room he sat down and pulled her blue hair ribbon from his gi, fingering the soft material lovingly. His anger slowly grew into a cold calculating wrath as he envisioned all the things he was going to do to the unsuspecting bastard who'd taken her... and the bastard who'd kept the information from him. Cradling the sakabatou against his shoulder he leaned against the wall and settled in for a long sleepless night. He'd failed to protect the one he loved... again... but this time he would fix it.
oooooooooooooooooo
Saitou Hajime reclined in his chair, his ankles crossed and resting on the desk, waiting for the storm to finally hit his closed door. The rage washing off his approaching visitor was almost a palpable thing, thickening the air as he drew closer. It was no surprise when the door slammed open, revealing a redheaded demon that stood glaring murderously at him, amber eyes glowing in the early morning light.
A sardonic grin touched Saitou's lips. "You failed again Battousai, how does it feel?"
The callous statement was enough to make Kenshin's fragile hold on his temper snap like a brittle twig. With godlike speed he drew his sakabatou and flew over the desk driving the cop to the floor, the sharp edge of his blade pressed tightly against his neck. "Where is she?!" he snarled, the blood rage within nearly singing with the need to slit the bastard's throat.
The smirk returned to Saitou's face. Heaving the redhead back he straightened and dabbed at the thin line of blood running down his neck. Turning to the now standing rurouni he remarked, "Maybe you should ask 'what is she' instead."
Amber eyes narrowed and Kenshin took a step towards his former enemy, slowly raising his sakabatou. "Enough of your insinuations, for once and for all tell me what this is about," he grated out.
"Sit down, Battousai," Saitou ordered as he righted his chair. "There are a few things you need to know." Seating himself, the tall man fished out a cigarette and lit it, blowing the smoke into Kenshin's face as the redhead sat down across from him. "You failed to heed my warning and now you're going to regret ever leaving her alone."
Kenshin's fist wrapped around the hilt of his sakabatou in a strangling grip, gritting his teeth he fought the urge to draw more blood. Telling himself repeatedly that right now he needed the information Saitou had been withholding more. Narrowing his eyes in a deadly glare, he growled "What the hell do you know, Wolf?"
Kicking up his feet, Saitou reclined in his chair again and picked up a couple sheets of paper; tossing them at Kenshin.
Kenshin caught them in midair and pulled them to him, quickly scanning the first page. His eyes widened when he realized that it seemed to be Kaoru's family tree dating all the way back to 1600AD. Two names at the bottom of the tree caused his fist to tighten, wrinkling the paper.
Kamiya Kaoru and Shishio Makoto.
Saitou relished his former enemy's reaction, mockery laced his words as he pointed out the obvious "Your little tanuki is the distant cousin of the infamous hitokiri, Shishio Makoto, your successor."
Spearing him with a glare, Kenshin asked, "And what part does he play in this?"
A chuckle escaped Saitou's throat as he flicked ash, "He's the one that took her, read the other paper Battousai and you'll understand why."
Kenshin scanned the other one quickly, confusion crossing his features. The woman described in the legend in his hand had been bound to a tree in the middle of a village by her own husband. Shortly thereafter the village had been completely leveled, all except for herself and the tree she was tied. Yet, it didn't say how or why.
"What does this have to do with Kaoru?" he asked, glaring at the dark-haired cop. Impatience was beginning to gnaw at the time being wasted here, his need to go to Kaoru rising.
Saitou sighed and nearly rolled his eyes. "Who is the woman in the legend?"
Glancing back down at the paper Kenshin's face paled. Shishio Aiko. Swinging his eyes to the family tree in his other hand he saw at the top of the tree Takashi Aiko wife of Shishio Kisho. They'd had a son and daughter, the family tree split beneath them with Kaoru descended from the daughter and Makoto descended from the son. An icy shiver ran down his spine, stomping out the sense of foreboding that flickered through him he asked in a low voice, "How was she able to destroy an entire village?"
"Takashi Aiko was the daughter of a woman named Akiko who, if the rumors are true, was a fallen angel. Cast out because of her love for a human." Saitou replied smoothly before inhaling and exhaling a drag from his cigarette. Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes at the utterly shocked look on his former enemy’s face. Shock that quickly turned into disbelief.
Shaking himself, Kenshin eyed him skeptically. "Angels don't exist."
"Then how do you explain the golden glow that surrounded Aiko before the town was leveled? Can you explain just how that destruction occurred? How did she remain unscathed? How much can you discount before you see the obvious?" Saitou leaned forward slightly, his sharp features intent. “Open your eyes, Battousai.”
Confused Kenshin turned his attention back to the legend rereading it more carefully. His eyes widened finding a whole piece he'd missed in his haste. There the more detailed description leapt at him. Words of the woman that had glowed as bright as the sun just before the ground buckled, rolling out from her in a huge wave to destroy everything in its path. Another shiver crawled up his spine as he read over the words 'golden glow’ again. Kaoru has a golden glow, his mind whispered, there has always been something different about her. Comprehension struck him hard ripping through his gut. Kaoru had the same blood, the same power...and Makoto had her.
Saitou watched the flicker of understanding pass through the redhead's eyes, "Yes, Battousai, you have given Shishio the means to destroy the very government, the very country you fought so hard to create simply by leaving her unprotected."
Kenshin crumpled the papers in his hands and, with eyes blazing, flung the balled pages onto desk. "Why didn't you tell me?!" He demanded harshly.
Saitou shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't fully believe it myself until I received the confirmation of the legend yesterday." Narrowing his eyes, the dark-haired cop glared right back at the furious hitokiri, his own anger finally evident. "You failed to guard her as you were intended to, leaving her instead in the care of a worthless ex-fighter and a kid. Thanks to you she is now the enemy," he stated coldly.
In a flash Kenshin shot to his feet and leveled the tip of his blade at Saitou's neck. "She will never be my enemy!" he growled, amber eyes flashing. They held silent in a deadlock of wills, each seething with indignation, neither moving for that long moment of silent communication. Blame and resentment for each other bled and stained the air till a cold sense of determination began to temper the two men. Restraining his anger Kenshin resheathed the blade and sank onto the edge of the chair, even as Saitou rubbed his throat.
Clenching his teeth he bit out, "What do you mean ‘intended’? It’s not like you to choose that word idly."
Saitou smirked as he blew out another stream of smoke, "You were the one who was destined to protect her from harm, but it seems whatever force chose you made a mistake."
Kenshin's vision flashed red, he was going to lose control if the bastard didn't give him a straight answer once and for all. He was finding his patience, what little he had anyway, wearing perilously thin at Saitou’s roundabout answers. "What the hell is this destined guardian exactly?" he growled.
Saitou shrugged again. "I don't know, but when her father was on his death bed he mentioned it before dragged the promise to watch over her out of me. He said a man would come into her life that would never leave her side, guarding her from those who would try to destroy her. For some reason I thought it was you, but I must have been misguided instead." A flick of his fingers sent another small pile of ash floating away. “I put too much faith in Fate it seems.”
Kenshin closed his eyes, his fury settling into a cold wrath at the verbal slap in the face. A blow that was well deserved, he acknowledged harshly. He'd failed and he knew it, he should never have left and now he'd lost that which meant the most to him. Sliding his eyes open he leveled Saitou with a hate-filled stare, "Where is he?"
Saitou leaned back and kicked up his onto his desk again. "Their ancestral home is located in the mountains north of Nagoya, he's currently holed up there with the man who killed Kamiya's father."
Kenshin's jaw tightened and he gritted out, "Who?"
A smirk crept across Saitou's lips. "Matsumoto Razan. I lost track of him after he killed Koshijiro, but he surfaced about a year ago when his path crossed Shishio's. He's been working for him ever since. Shishio sent him out to find something and I've been tracking Matsumoto all over Japan trying to find out what he was looking for. I finally followed him here. Unfortunately he slipped out of Tokyo before I could catch him, however it looks like he found what he was looking for. Eh, Battousai?"
Scowling viciously Kenshin fought down the urge to drive his sakabatou through Saitou's chest. Instead, ignoring the barb, he stood and strode towards the door. He had all the information he needed now. A shuffle of papers broke through the red haze surrounding his mind. "What will you do now, Battousai?"
Kenshin stopped three steps from the door and turned his head just enough to look over his shoulder, amber eyes glowing. "I will hunt them down and kill them for even thinking they could touch her," he stated in a dead cold voice. With that said he continued out the door, slamming it behind him as thoughts of ripping apart both men with his bare hands flitted through his mind.
A bitter grin touched Saitou's lips. "Good, because if she comes here with Shishio I will execute her myself." He whispered to the empty room. The promise he'd made to her father no longer held any sway, he would kill her if she so much as set foot in Tokyo.
oooooooooooooooooo
Kaoru awoke with a start, a scream catching in her throat as she bolted upright with terror filled eyes. Cold sweat instantly coated her pale skin, breath panting almost painfully in time with her pounding heart. The nightmare continued to tingle the edge of her senses, her skin remembering every touch of the blade causing phantom pain to shoot through her body.
Glancing down she expected to see herself completely covered in partially healed cuts, but was surprised to see her skin only marred by smears of dried blood. The tattered, stained yukata, hanging from her in strips and threads barely covered her. Hesitantly raising her hand to the cheek Shishio had cut to match Kenshin's she was surprised to feel only the smoothness of skin. How was she healed, she wondered as she regained control of her body. She should be dead, the amount of blood she'd lost should have killed her. The horror of the torture and agony Shishio had inflicted on her started her trembling again. Unbidden, a whisper of memory floated into her consciousness, gently caressing her skin and enveloping her in a blanket of protection and security. Warming her from the inside out, taking away all the pain and the trauma. The feeling of contentment that settled over her pushed away all her worries and fear.
So lost in the hazy memory her battered mind desperately clung to and the promise of relief it offered, she didn't immediately notice the foreign presence that slowly slithered its way into the back of her mind. The mental shove was all it took to gain her attention though, to break her from her solace. A gasp rushed past Kaoru’s lips as she physically tensed in shock. With a ruthless glee, tempered only by the driving need to destroy, the mental intruder swam to the surface while maliciously shredding the peaceful memory. The destruction in his wake left her bare to the onslaught of emotions sliding through her veins, invading her entire body. Her stomach twisted violently, threatening to heave its contents all over the futon as she tried to comprehend what was violating her. Without warning the memory of Shishio licking a stray drop of blood from his lips flashed before her eyes followed by a dry chuckle that echoed hollowly in her mind. Hot tears began streaming from her tightly closed lids when she realized what was happening. Shishio was inside her very skin, his emotions slithering through her like a snake wrapping itself around its prey, tightening around her in a strangling grip.
Shivering uncontrollably she collapsed onto the futon, trying to shove away the slimy feeling that his presence left under her skin. But it continued to eddy through her body, slipping into her very soul, leaving a poisonous sludge behind. A silent scream ripped through her mind, threatening to drive her over the edge again. Fingers twisted the fabric beneath her, knuckles whitening with the strain. Hopelessness settled deeply into her bones, slamming home the truth. She was bound to him now and he would always be with her, in her, no matter how hard she tried to be rid of him. Silent sobs ripped from her throat, despair stealing away all her energy and will as her tears wet the soft blanket beneath her.
oooooooooooooooooo
Sitting in the room next door Shishio relished the feel of anguish that washed through the bond from his angel. A triumphant delight slid across his features, black eyes lighting up with unholy mirth. She was nearly broken. Soon she would be completely his to manipulate as he pleased; the Meiji government didn't stand a chance and neither did she.
oooooooooooooooooo
After a moment, Kaoru shoved the despondency that had settled over her like a blanket into the deepest part of her heart and built a small barrier in hopes of closing out the monster who had invaded her very being. A rush of relief washed through her when his slimy presence diminished to a mere tickle teasing the edge of her awareness. Sitting up she pulled the remains of the yukata around her and glanced around the room, spying a bowl of water and a cloth laid out on the table she wiped her tears and padded over to it letting the destroyed yukata fall to the floor. With slightly shaking hands, she dipped the cloth and began scrubbing the blood off, rubbing so hard she left the skin red while trying desperately to wash away the feel of the monster she was bound to. Finally washing away all the crimson marks she shuffled over to the standing chest and opened it. Inside she was surprised to find her hakama and gi neatly folded at the bottom, all the blood washed clean from them with her hair tie laid on top. Smiling gratefully she slipped into the familiar clothes, the flowing feel of them reminding her of home, quickly tying her hair up she glanced at everything else housed in the chest.
It was full of some of the most beautiful kimonos she'd ever seen. Fingering the soft material of an exceptionally beautiful cream colored one with small sakura blossoms embroidered down the sleeve she wondered why Shishio would take the time and money to outfit her so, unless they weren't for her. with a shrug she turned her attention to the impossibly soft yukatas in every shade she'd ever seen that hung alongside the kimonos. She truly could not figure out the man who now held her life in his hands. A broken line at the bottom of the chest suddenly caught her attention.
Furrowing her brow, she knelt down and traced the line with a fingertip, shoving a nail into the crack she tested it to see if it was some kind of hidden compartment. Not really thinking it was, she was surprised when a small piece of wood popped out of the base at her gentle prying revealing a small compartment. Within a small journal rested, its timeworn cover cracked and corners crumbling slightly. Gently lifting it out of its hiding spot she set it aside and replaced the piece of wood, closing the chest when she finished.
Excitedly retrieving her find she made her way to the shoji that led outside and cautiously slid it open. The warm morning sun greeted her, blinding her momentarily as she stepped out onto the open porch. She was surprised to see the cliff from the previous day and the same garden spread out before her. Unbidden her eyes found the small stone building that had been her downfall sitting innocently among the sakura blossoms. A sick fascination settled over her as she gazed at the dull grey stone.
A sudden, driving need to see the room where she had lost her freedom pulled at her, setting her feet towards it before she even knew what was happening. Upon reaching it, she hesitantly stepped through the doorway and was shocked to see the floor cracked down the center, buckled up and slanting away in both directions. The small table that had held the implements of her torture lay on its side, the blades that had been arrayed on its smooth surface scattered all over. Some gleaming in the light filtering through the crack in the ceiling.
Kaoru's eyes widened in awed disbelief. Did she do this? She vaguely remembered something wrapping around her and shooting out in all directions trying to protect her from anymore harm. Scoffing softly under her breath she shook her head in. That was impossible, how could she have done this?
Shrugging off the strange thoughts she carefully picked her way over to the daggers laying on the floor and grimaced when she saw the dried blood coating several of them, her stomach knotting at the sight. Swallowing thickly, she reached down and retrieved the only clean one in the bunch to arm in herself against Shishio, one never knew when an opportunity might arise. A faint smile touched her lips and she absently fingered the sharp blade. She hissed loudly when the blade sliced into the tender flesh of her thumb and she glanced to the wound as one crimson drop welled up and threaded its way down her skin to pool in her palm. But then, before she could so much as move her hand to clean it away a bright golden glow emanated from the cut, sealing it so completely that not even a scar was left.
Horrified Kaoru dropped the blade; narrowly missing her foot and stared at the freshly healed skin. Is this how she was healed! For a long moment she stared at her thumb in bewilderment. This had never happened before, every cut and scrape she'd ever had in her life healed by itself in the usual way, never like this. How could this be? What had happened to her?! Biting down on her lip she forced the panicked confusion aside. She wouldn’t get any answers out here she was sure, besides she had more important matters to deal with. Grimly Kaoru reached down and retrieved the dagger, slipping it into her belt. And then without thinking she shifted her eyes to the side as she turned to leave and saw the black puddle of dried blood on the remains of the floor nearby. Her blood, she realized, and so much of it.
Spinning around Kaoru shot out the door and fell to the ground, her stomach clenching violently as hot tears trickled from her tightly closed eyes. Resting her forehead against the cool ground she fought to settle her roiling stomach, the memory of the torture she'd endured making it hard to get control. That she had been driven to that point sickened her and she gritted her teeth as she shoved the memory into the deepest parts of her mind. Slowly sitting up in the grass she wiped away the clammy sweat coating her brow and retrieved the journal she'd dropped in her flight. With fragile resolution she rose and stumbled to the cool shade of one of the sakura trees nearby where she gratefully dropped to the ground and leaned against the trunk. Once she was settled she set the journal on her knees and gently lifted the cover to reveal the first page. A gasp escaped her throat when she saw the the name written in large, flowing script on the otherwise empty page.
Takashi Aiko.
Stunned, Kaoru swung her attention to the shoji she'd left open, now understanding why Shishio had asked her if the room was acceptable. He had put her in Aiko's room. A shiver of something she couldn't name slithered up her spine. Why would he do that? Did he hope to completely break her? Or did he just gain a sick amusement in putting her in their ancestor’s room?
Yet, what he didn't seem to understand was that she may be bound to him but he would never fully break her, no matter how hard he tried.
A small grin tugged at her lips and Kaoru gave her attention back to the journal. Flipping through the first few pages, she read an entry here and there. The first few entries she read were entered by what seemed like a young woman no older than herself helplessly in love with a man who didn't seem to even know she existed. A sad smile came to Kaoru's lips, she knew how that felt as she had the same problem and now she would never have the chance to change his mind. Shaking off the heavy feeling that settled in her chest at the thought, she flipped further into the journal. Her heart lightened somewhat when she found an entry made the day of Aiko's wedding, her ancestor had finally managed to catch the eye of the man of her dreams, hope for the future filling an entire two pages. Shortly after the wedding there was an entry filled with absolute glee... Aiko was pregnant.
Continuing to read the entries after the birth of their twins Kaoru felt the sadness creep into the pages as the years passed, until she reached an entry that made her blood run cold. Aiko had chosen to tell Kisho her secret in hopes of saving their marriage, offering him her blood so they could share a more intimate bond than the legal one already linking them. Reading further the sadness swelled into despair as Kisho took advantage of the gift Aiko had given him. The entries became darker as the power twisted the man into something Aiko no longer knew. What began as using the bond to control her turned into eventually using her to destroy an entire village, killing everyone but the one's who'd been tending the outlaying fields.
Horrified by the destruction written in the pages, Kaoru wondered what exactly it was they had in them that could do so much damage. Glancing back to the stone building, icy fingers of fear trailed down her spine leaving her feeling hollow and alone. What were they? Hesitantly she flipped to the last page afraid of what she might find. Her heart twisted painfully as she read the last entry, Kisho had done the ultimate thing to harm Aiko, he'd threatened to bond their children together so the blood would never be lost. Tears welled up and fell from Kaoru's eyes, dripping unheeded onto the fragile parchment that told of Aiko's desolation and her decision to send away their daughter, saving her from an unholy union with her brother. Through blurry eyes she read the last sentence ever written by her ancestor.
I go now to correct the terrible mistake I made, I should have heeded my mother's warning but now it's too late. I hope my sacrifice will keep anymore of our blood from suffering the same fate as I have.
Kaoru dropped the journal and curled forward to rest her forehead on her knees, her tears soaking into the soft material of her hakama. Aiko's pain and suffering cut deep into her heart, leaving a wound almost as big as the one Shishio had inflicted. In the end the sacrifice her ancestor had made had come to naught, they'd found her anyway. Curling even further into herself, she didn't notice the man who had come to stand before her until heavily calloused hands gently cradled her cheeks and lifted her face.
"What troubles you, my dear?"
Startled out of her misery, Kaoru jerked her head out of his hands and slammed back tight against the tree, her eyes flying impossibly wide. Who the...?
Quickly taking in his handsome face which was framed by golden highlighted raven hair she ignored the teasing smile tickling the edges of his lips and tried to figure who he could possibly be. Was he another of Shishio's henchman? Shivering at the thought, she finally met the black eyes fixed on her and immediately regretted the action when she saw the promise of something she would rather not have seen in those black depths.
"Who are you?" She muttered shakily as she attempted to move further away from him.
A small chuckle escaped from the man's throat. "You don't recognize me do you, sweet angel."
Kaoru froze at the familiar voice. "Shishio?" she croaked in disbelief, unable to reconcile this man with the one who'd been bandaged from head to toe.
Shishio nodded and reached out to trail a finger gently along her jaw. He grinned when she flinched away from the touch.
"Your blood healed my scarred body, I'm not so bad to look upon now, am I?"
Kaoru shimmied up the tree to her feet and skirted away from his touch. "Don't touch me" she growled, as she rocked back on her heels, ready to bolt if he reached for her again.
But her preparations were for naught as Shishio reached out lightning fast and grabbed her, dragging her up against his chest to hold her close. With his free hand her forced her head up and planted his lips firmly against hers. Kaoru fought against his hold to no avail. A heartbeat later he finally released her lips and purred, "You are mine. I can do whatever I desire with you."
Kaoru shuddered at what he implied and wrapped her hand around the blade in her belt as she continued to fight to free herself. All of a sudden, Shishio released her and she fell back a step, at the same time she wrenched the dagger from her belt and thrust it as hard and as deep as she possibly could directly into chest where his black heart resided. A sudden burst of pain exploded in the same place in her own chest and Kaoru gasped as the breath was stolen from her lungs. Instinctively releasing the blade, she stumbled back, clutching her chest and watched horrified as a bright golden glow engulfed them both, the wound she'd inflicted healing as Shishio drew the blade from his chest. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the blade to the side and grabbed her arm, dragging her to him, face to face. “We are immortal and invulnerable, my dear.” Kaoru's stomach twisted into a knot at the unholy glee lighting his expression. “You cannot kill me...nothing can."
All the fight bled out of her and she crumpled to the ground as a dark blanket of hopelessness settled over her. How was she going to free herself from this monster? There had to be a way, Aiko had done it...but how?
Unable to think of any possible way, Kaoru hung her head in defeat and didn't flinch or fight when Shishio wrapped his hand around her arm and guided her to her feet. Following behind him as he led her towards the mansion, she realized that she no longer cared whether she lived or died anymore.
She truly was broken.Top of Form
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