Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Checkmate: Royal Aquisition ❯ Easy does it...or maybe not ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8: Easy does it…or maybe not

His eyes narrowed at the double meaning she was throwing at him.

“You are under my protection,” he answered, as if that answered everything.

“What…about the others?” she asked, hesitantly. “My cousin?”

“Now that you are awake, she will be allowed out of her rooms. The others are political prisoners.”

“Why?” she asked, confused. “Aizu is…dead. They were just following orders.”

“Because your step-brother has the fiancée of one of my vassals. He may have killed my men, but I will not let him keep my sister.”

Tokio's eyes widened. Kenshin had the King's sister? How the hell had that happened. Then her eyes narrowed.

“I thought your father only had one kid.”

“Father, yes. Hence why I am King. Mother, however, had a husband and daughter before being married to my father. Tomoe is my half sister and was affianced to her childhood friend, Akira. Your step-brother killed Akira and has refused to return Tomoe.”

“When was all this?” she asked.

“Just before you arrived at the palace.”

“So that's why you kept me,” she said, realization dawning. “But Kenshin doesn't harm women….why would he keep her….unless this is leverage against you?”

“It is not. However, I do not abandon my citizens. Especially kin. I do not know why he has not even considered releasing her. She is of no threat to anyone. She…is a lot like you, in a way,” he said with a frown. Why was he suddenly confiding in her so much? Okita had suggested her as a councilor….well, that and more. Even he needed someone to unload upon occasionally. Problem was, this was the daughter of his enemy.

The daughter who didn't want to go home.

“There must be some reason,” she said with a frown. “Kenshin does not do anything without reason.” Saitou's eyes clouded in rage at the mention of his name, but did not reply. Guess that was a touchy subject. “Maybe Megumi has news. May I see her?”

“That woman? In my room again? I think not. You will have to wait until you are well.”

“What, you can't levitate me to my own room? You really are selfish, aren't you,” she commented. That startled him. Him? Selfish?

“Selfish?” he drawled, his lip curling in disdain.

“Don't give me that tone of voice! Yes, selfish. You always have to do everything yourself. No one else is competent enough to handle it. You never let anyone else even think of doing something because god forbid anything should go wrong! Wake up! People make mistakes! It's a part of life! You make mistakes too. It's just there is no one who has the guts or rank to tell you.” Her eyes were blazing, color returning to her cheeks as she met him glare for glare.

“Are you done now?” he asked mildly.

“The hell I am!” she snapped. “Someone needs to put you in your place now that Okita is gone.”

“What makes you think you gained the privilege?” he asked dryly.

“I figured you would have enough sense not to kill me after all the hard work you put into keeping me alive,” she said with a grin, knowing full well it was true.

“A wise observation.”

“I thought so. Now can I see my cousin or do we get to fight again over it?”

“I think I prefer the fighting,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Fine, be that way,” she said, closing her eyes. Silence echoed in the room. He frowned. That was it? No further argument. Then her stomach growled.

“Hungry?” he asked. She did not answer. She reached up slowly and scratched her nose. Damn vixen. She wasn't asleep. She was ignoring him! “Damn brat. I'll get your damn cousin, but don't think you can always have your way just because you are healing,” he snapped.

As he left she allowed herself to smile, just a bit. So he didn't like being ignored? King Saitou rarely snapped unless someone was being truly incompetent. She wasn't being stupid, just difficult. She'd have to remember that. That and only to use it when absolutely necessary so he did not become immune to her little game. He would be in a foul mood having been manipulated.

Question was…why did he care enough to allow himself to be manipulated?

 

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“Sire,” the vassal said, bowing before his king. Saitou sat upon the throne, brooding. What the hell had put him in such a foul mood? He couldn't pin point it and that only made him even more mad.

“Report,” he replied gruffly.

“We've news from Kyoto, sire. Prince Kenshin married Lady Tomoe three weeks ago, just before the diplomats set out.” Amber eyes narrowed upon the messenger and the man actually trembled where he stood. The gaze suddenly snapped away, leaving the man in slumped relief. No man in all of Fujita would dare incur his wrath willingly. This Prince Kenshin must be one hell of a man to go against this king voluntarily. Either that or incredibly stupid.

“Ready the men, we march on Kyoto,” he snarled. Men began to scramble to issue the orders. “You,” he said, singling out a small page boy. The poor boy looked at though he was going to wet his pants. His duty was to obey. There was no way around it. If the king bade him come, he had to come.

But why did he have to be so scary about it?

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“So they are going to war?” Tokio whispered. Megumi nodded, holding one of her hands. Tokio released a ragged breath and looked toward the window. Even this high up in the castle she could hear the assemblage of men outside, the trumpets, the horses….the weapons.

“King Saitou is less than happy Kenshin married Tomoe,” Megumi said softly.

“As right he should be! It's his half sister and Kenshin didn't even bother to ask for his blessing!” Tokio snapped. Megumi blinked in surprise. Tokio was defending her enemy?

“Like he would have agreed?” Megumi retorted. “They were enemies long before that.”

“It's the honor, Meg. Think about it. First Kenshin killed the nobleman, then not only took the man's fiancée, but married her without even telling her only family! What the hell was he thinking?!” Tokio demanded. Megumi visibly bristled.

“That nobleman attacked Kenshin! Kenshin didn't want to kill him! He even dropped his guard enough that the man got past him and scratched his cheek! Kenshin then took the man's fiancée in as a guest because the stupid woman got herself so drunk she passed out, hit her head and has virtually no memory of her country or anything before now! He PERSONALLY took responsibility for her and has always been at her side! Dammit, Tokio, the man is in love!” Tokio regarded her cousin with cool disdain.

“That does not make his actions right,” she replied. Megumi's eyes narrowed.

“You're defending him,” she accused. “You little traitor!”

Tokio's palm snaked out to slap her cousin across the face. It never connected. A firm grip around her wrist prevented any movement. Looking up she met the amber gaze of the king. He looked….amused?

“Just because your opinion differs does not mean you should force the other to yield,” he said calmly.

“Wise words,” Megumi grumbled. “How come you don't follow them?”

“Opinions and ones sister are two different matters. I let you visit your cousin, but obviously you have no concern for her condition,” he said, looking down at the raven haired woman.

“A little argument isn't going to hurt her,” Megumi retorted. “You spent a great deal of energy healing parts she could have easily healed with a little time.”

Tokio looked between the two of them. Saitou had healed her? No wonder she felt great….if a bit fatigued. But didn't Healing take a tremendous amount of power?

“Out,” Saitou said in a low voice. “Now.”

To her credit, Megumi gathered her skirts in a dignified fashion and left the room, nose in the air, slamming the door behind her.

“I'm sorry,” Tokio said quietly, turning her head back to the window. Her wrist was still in his grasp. She felt the bed sag as he sat upon the side next to her.

“I'm leaving tomorrow,” he said. She did not have to ask what that meant. Tomorrow he'd be going to war.

“Just don't bring Kenshin's head in a basket or anything….” She said quietly. “That would be just plain disgusting.”

She heard him chuckle behind her. An uncomfortable silence followed. Tokio didn't know what else to say.

Saitou was faced with something he'd never thought he'd ever face. Being unable to ask something of someone. He was a king, he ordered and people did whatever it was. But this was different. Orders were things to follow, but requests got better results. How did you request something of your enemy?

“Tokio,” he said suddenly, nearly startling her. He rarely said her name. She pulled her gaze from the window to look at him. “Can you do something…while I am gone?” he asked, his voice almost strained. That piped her interest. King Saitou was asking something of her?

“It would seem….I owe you my life, correct?” Tokio asked. “I am in your debt. Ask what you will of me.”

“I am….selfishly leading my army,” he said with a small grin. “But the courtiers here would love every opportunity to create havoc without a firm hand.”

“So you want me to run your court and make sure that you don't have a mess to come home to?” she asked, the corner of her mouth twisting upward. “That depends….do I have to wear a dress?”

Saitou frowned. Of all the times she had chosen to be childish. This was a serious matter. Had Okita been here he would have led the army or controlled the court. Now he had to resort to using this…child….well, young woman. This was hardly a child lying in his bed.

“Ok, I'll wear the damn dress. Stuffy traditionalist,” she scowled. “But I want to be able to leave the castle.” His eyebrows rose at that. Leave the castle?

“What makes you think I'd allow that?”

“You would have me manipulate the most devious of people for however long you decide to be gone, having to tip toe around treason accusations and assassination attempts and you begrudge me the ability to walk outside the castle walls? You know I haven't seen grass squished between my toes in over four months!?”

“You want grass squashed between your toes?” he asked, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“I feel caged!” she protested.

“You are a prisoner,” he reminded her.

“And yet you want me to run your court,” she retorted. “What kind of king are you?”

“Woman, you are the only person I can trust,” he snapped. Her eyes widened. So that was his reasoning? Now things made a bit more sense.

“I don't have that much experience with court. I'm not yet 17.”

“I was fifteen when I ascended the throne,” he replied. “You can only learn by experience. You'll be able to contact me and I want regular reports.”

“Understood,” she said with a nod, all traces of childlikeness departing. He gave a brief nod as if sealing the pact and slid off the side of the bed. Without another word he left the room.

Praying he had not made the biggest mistake of his life putting his court into the hands of a 16 year old girl.