Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Daughter of the Forest RK Style ❯ Fomhoire Bring Us Together ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“What in Brighid’s(1) name happened to you?” Okubo asks in concern while covering me up.
Everyone stood there in shock, not knowing what to do.
“Don’t just stand there. Kaoru needs help,” Okubo takes charge with impatience. “Shougo, go get some water. Tsunan, go to the village and bring back some clothing. Please make haste.”
With that, Shougo and Tsunan speed off to fulfill their tasks. Soujiro, Souzou, Okita and Okubo remained kneeling beside me.
“Kaoru, now tell me, did this happen recently?” Okubo asks with slight anger.
I just nod yes while keeping my eyes plastered to the floor. I can’t manage to look at my brothers feeling the way I do. I feel vulnerable and cheap. To show my weakness to them would mean another lecture about quitting my task. I won’t consent though, and that would leave them all the guiltier.
“We might just be able to track him down if we leave right away. Soujiro, stay here and take care of Kaoru. She’ll need you more than anyone right now. Okita and Souzou will come with me,” Okubo says anxiously. “I promise you, Kaoru, this man will pay fully for his actions.”
As Okubo and Okita walk out of the hut, Soujiro comes up to me and puts his arm on my shoulder. I flinch at his touch and curl up inside of my blanket. I know that I shouldn’t fear Soujiro, but at the same time, I am scared to be touched.
“I don’t blame you for fearing me. I should have protected you, but I failed you miserably. It’s entirely my fault. If only I had warned you,” Soujiro remarks mentally with a guilty tone.
As I look up at my brother, I notice tears running down his face. Never in my whole life have I seen Soujiro cry. He is always so strong and reserved. Watching him like this reminds me of a child. I can’t help but embrace him and cry onto his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Soujiro. It’s not your fault. The only one to blame is the man who did this to me. Even if you had warned me, I doubt it would have prevented anything,” I reply while sobbing.
“I saw a dark man in your room in a vision, but I didn’t think…”
“Please don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known,” I say cutting off Soujiro while pulling away from his arms. “Didn’t you once say that the gift doesn’t always speak true? I don’t blame you, so you shouldn’t either.”
“Even facing such horrible odds, you still remain in higher spirits than any of us. Here you are protecting us when we should be protecting you. You are definitely a strange girl,” Soujiro states sadly.
“As I have been told,” I reply painfully while flashes of the last time I saw Akira enter my mind. It is hard to imagine that Akira is now dead. It’s been six months since last I talked to him and yet it feels less than that. I guess I’ll never learn what happened to the small family mentioned in his story.
“It pains you to think about Akira, doesn’t it? Are you sure that he is dead?” Soujiro inquires.
“It must be true if the Lady says so,” I respond depressed.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I guess it must be true then,” Soujiro says in imitation of my tone. “Did she have anything to say about the Christian? Lately, I have had a bad feeling about him.”
“He has died as well. Lady Yumi killed him a couple of days before she turned all of you into swans,” I add while looking down at my hands.
Silence falls upon us for a few minutes until Shougo and Tsunan walk back into the hut with water and clothes in hand.
“Kaoru, if you don’t mind, we need to dress your wounds. We wouldn’t want to dress you in your new clothes without your wounds being properly tended to,” Shougo states calmly.
Taking the bucket of water from Shougo, I reply mentally to him, “I can bath and dress my wounds myself. I am a healer and know what to do.”
“I understand your hesitance. Soujiro, Tsunan, let’s let Kaoru have her privacy,” Shougo says sadly.
I take out my sponge and dip it into the bucket of water. I can smell the various herbs added to the water and remember that Shougo had also been trained by the Christian. I feel guilty that I forgot about his skills, but I still don’t feel comfortable with my brother seeing me in my current state. My brothers are already angry enough as it is.
The water hurt as I draw it up to my wounds. The mixtures of herbs that Shougo used are potent and thus stung as they clean. With pain comes healing, so I don’t mind.
After bathing, I put on the new dress Tsunan got for me. It is worn and much too big for me, but I take it gratefully. The dress might fit like a potato sack, but no matter what clothes Tsunan gave me, I know it would hang in such a fashion. All the months of neglecting my health and solely working on my brothers’ shirts had taken a toll on me. It isn’t a wonder that my brothers want me to head towards a village and give up my task.
I walk to the door and open it for my brothers. I could have used my mental voice to tell them to come in, but for some reason it feels almost as if I’m cheating. I feel more comfortable physically communicating when I possibly can.
“Tsunan is almost done with your boat. The next time we come back, we are going to leave this place. I’m sure Okubo and Okita would agree with me on this issue,” Shougo states firmly.
I just look back at him in shock. I want to leave, but at the same time, the Lady commanded me to reside here. If an otherworldly creature tells you to do something, you don’t go against it.
“We won’t take no for an answer, Kaoru. We will find you a new home and protect you,” Shougo commands.
I just nod in understanding. To go against my brothers on this issue would only lead to failure. My brothers are much too stubborn when it comes to my safety, and, after tonight, I don’t blame them.
Okita and Okubo show up hours later exhausted. From what I can tell, they had run for several miles in pursuit of my rapist. I am tired when they come in and do not catch everything they say, but one thing Okita said stuck in my head.
“Kaoru won’t have to worry anymore now that he’s dead.”
From that point on I can rest soundly. No longer will I have to worry that the man was coming back or that others might follow in suit. I am safe as long as my brothers are here to protect me.
“Kaoru, we must go. I found this in the village and thought this might come in handy,” Tsunan replies in concern.
I look down to see a small dagger in my hands. I couldn’t help but look at Tsunan in shock.
“I know that you’ve never used a dagger before to kill someone, but I’m sure when the time comes you will know how to use it. Be careful, Kaoru. I don’t want to see you hurt again,” Tsunan says teary-eyed.
I nod back in understanding with a smile on my face. How could I turn away such a thoughtful gift?
All my brothers give me a sad farewell before they returned to the lake. Once they leave, I no longer can hold back my tears. No longer do I have their protection or presence to comfort me. I am alone and have only a dagger for protection.
“Do not cry child,” a familiar voice calls out to me.
I look up to find the Lady standing there before me along side a man with fire in place of hair. He shines so brightly that it hurts to stare at him for too long.
“We are here to protect you and guide you. That is if you still trust us,” the man replies with a voice that made the ground shake.
“You are…?”
“Yes, we are the leaders of the Tuatha De Danann(2), or, as some of your kind like to call us, the Fair Folk. We are watching you, child, and wish to help guide you. The Fomhoire(3) have also taken it upon themselves to watch over you. You have many powerful friends behind you,” the Lady declares with a smirk on her face.
“Why am I so important? I don’t understand,” I ask in shock.
“Lady Yumi plans on preventing the prophesy. You are the only one who can stop her. Plus, the Fomhoire would be angry if we let one of their children get hurt. They are weak, but we don’t need another war on our hands. Not with the Lady Yumi running around,” the man answers seriously.
“What is this prophesy you’re talking about, and how am I a child of the Fomhoire?” I implore overwhelmed.
“See what you have done? Now you have confused her even more,” the Lady remarks angrily.
Now addressing me, the Lady replies, “Sit down, child, and I shall explain. You have heard of the islands that were lost to your people and are now in the possession of the British people of Northwoods, have you not?”
I nod my head yes.
The Lady continues, “The islands are important for our survival. For when the people begin to forget about us and start to destroy this earth, the islands will be the last place to be untouched. The islands are our last hope at keeping our memory alive. One day, there will be a child neither of Britain nor Erin but at the same time both. This child will bear the mark of the Raven and will win back the islands.”
“What does this have to do with me?” I inquire confused.
“Your family is connected to the islands and will eventually win them back for us. One of your ancestors married a Fomhoire woman and therefore your family was entrusted with the task to protect the islands. You are a child of that race, just as you are a child of the human race,” the man continues in the place of the Lady.
I was in too much shock to reply. I had heard the story many times as a child, but I never believed it to be true.
“As much as we’d love to keep on talking to you, you must leave this place at once. It is no longer safe to stay here. You must follow the river on the boat your brother made for you. You must go and seek safety somewhere else, for we can no longer hide you,” the man firmly commands.
“Don’t worry about your brothers. They will eventually find you. Your safety is more important at the moment,” the Lady advises in haste.
I grab a bag with the few possessions I can’t live without and start running towards the boat Tsunan built me. The Lady is right, I must concern myself with my safety first. If I stay and die, my brothers would continue to live as swans and Lady Yumi would succeed. I cannot allow that to happen.
I get to the boat and start rowing as hard as I can away from the shore. I let the current guide me away from the place I have called home and my brothers who I would not see again for a long time. I look back crying, realizing that, though I had the Tuatha De Danann and the Fomhoire to guide me, I will always feel alone. All I can do is trust in their abilities.
********
The lake turned into a river and I have been following it for a whole day now. I had lost my oar to a strong current a few miles back and am currently being carried away aimlessly.
In my haste, I forgot to bring provisions and therefore am dying of hunger and thirst. I haven’t eaten since I left and am beginning to see and hear things. Sometimes I look at the side of the boat and see strange hands pulling me along the river. Sometimes they would chant things like “Kaoru, daughter Kaoru,” or “Don’t be frightened, Kaoru.” I just dismiss it as a figment of my imagination.
“Kaoru, wake up,” a voice says coaxingly. “Jump, daughter, jump into the water and go to him.”
I kneel by the side of the boat and look down at the water. The water is calling to me and I can’t resist it. I jump into the cool water, letting it sooth my burning body. It feels so good that I can’t think of any thing else. I just float under the water not caring if I ever emerge from it.
I don’t know how long I stayed under the water, but eventually I feel a strong arm wrap around my waist and pull me upward. As soon as my head brakes the surface, I gasp for breath. I almost forget how wonderful breathing is.
“You scared me back there. You should be more careful,” a feminine, male voice says to me in English.
“Kenshin, are you alright?” a male voice behind me asks in concern while lifting my body onto the sand.
“Yeah, I’m fine, though I’m not quite sure about the girl. If I hadn’t been a good swimmer, she might have dragged me in with her. It’s almost as if she had a mind to kill herself,” the man that rescued me replies.
“Stay here until I get back,” the man who rescued me says.
I just nod back in understanding.
The two men walk a few paces away from me while I survey the area lying down. They are in a deep conversation about what to do with me. Taking the chance given to me, I get to my feet and start to run. As soon as I took a couple of steps, a hand grabs my arm from behind.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the man asks. “Kenshin, you better watch this girl of yours. She just tried to run away from you,” the man says in amusement.
“Thank you, Kiyoshi,” Kenshin replies while walking back toward me.
I look in awe at the man who is walking towards me. Though he is much shorter than the other men in his party, he has to be one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen. Red hair isn’t all that unusual for my people, but this man named Kenshin has hair of a softer shade of red than I am used to. Hair like his could easily make Lugh(4) jealous.
As I look at his face, I notice a cross shaped scar on his left cheek. In some weird way, the scar adds to his natural beauty. It gives him an edge that I’m sure many women have swooned over.
As if noticing my stare, Kenshin looks me straight in the eye. His eyes are an unusual amethyst that held both softness and strength. Despite his gentle appearance, his gaze made me uncomfortable.
“Do you think she can understand us?” the blonde man walking beside Kenshin asks.
“I think she can. The way she reacted to my comment before makes me want to believe so,” Kenshin replies softly while continuing to look at me.
“Are you sure that it’s not just wishful thinking on your part? She doesn’t look all that bright. I mean, she’s just standing there silent,” the blonde man replies back to Kenshin.
Infuriated, I try to break free of the other man’s grip. What nerve the man has to call me stupid in front of my face. Just because I can’t talk doesn’t mean I can’t understand anything!
“What did I tell you? She understands perfectly well. I am happy that I won’t have to bother speaking in Gaelic with her,” Kenshin says relieved with a smile across his face.
“Not as happy as we are. Last time you used Gaelic, you ended up interpreting him wrong,” the blonde man says with a smirk on his face.
Kenshin looks down at his hands and says, “I’m sorry that I had to drag you two into this.”
“I’d rather be here with you, even if that means circling Ireland another three times,” the man holding me replies wholeheartedly.
“You are too good of men for the likes of me,” Kenshin replies smiling.
“You’re probably right about that,” the blonde man beside him retorts.
“As touching as this little scene is, we really should be concerning ourselves with the lady you saved. She needs medical treatment,” Kiyoshi replies seriously.
Leading me to a tent, Kiyoshi says, “Poor girl looks like she has been beaten up.”
In fear, I try to run away, but I can’t. I had spent more energy than I already had and collapse in the man’s arms.
“Jiro, how is the girl?” a familiar voice asks in concern.
“She’s not well. It looks like she was beaten up severely. I’m surprised she was able to travel in the condition she is in. From the looks of it, I suspect that she might have been raped,” one of the other men responds.
I open my eyes slightly to see the blonde man talking to my rescuer. Pretending to still be asleep I continue listening to their conversation.
“Well then, I guess we’ll just have to stay here a little longer then,” Kenshin responds firmly.
“Are you sure? This will set us back from ever finding your brother. If we wait much longer, what tracks of his there are will soon be covered up,” the man named Jiro replies.
“I am sure. I would never be able to live with myself knowing that I did nothing to help her. I can’t just turn my back on someone in need. You should know better than that,” Kenshin states firmly.
“I understand, but what about Kiyoshi? I know it’s your decision to make alone, but he does have a pregnant wife waiting for him back home,” Jiro says in a sad voice.
“I’m sure that he would agree with me. We will not stay here long and will be back before she gives birth to their child. I’ll make sure of it,” Kenshin replies compassionately.
Turning his head towards me, Kenshin says, “You can stop pretending to be asleep now. We won’t hurt you. I just want to ask you a couple of questions. If it makes you feel better, I’ll talk to you alone.”
With that, Jiro walks out of the tent.
“What’s your name?” Kenshin asks in a soft voice.
I silently bow my head in response.
“You can’t talk, can you?” Kenshin replies in concern.
I shake my head no in shock. I expected a lot of different reactions, but not this. Why was he being kind to me?
“Finally I meet someone in Ireland who can help me find my brother, and they can’t answer back,” Kenshin states slightly irritated. “I’ll ask you a question and you’ll nod yes or no. Can you do that?”
I nod yes in reply.
Picking up my bag of possessions, he lifts up the crest that Akira gave me. “Who gave this to you? You know my brother, don’t you?”
I look back at Kenshin in shock. This man can’t be the brother in the tale Akira talked about! It didn’t match up with the character Akira painted. He was much too concerned about Akira for it to be true.
“Do you know Akira?” Kenshin says calmly.
I just sat there silently in bewilderment.
“I know that this belonged to him. I have never sent a man to join Northwood’s campaign. My kingdom prides itself on remaining neutral. The only person that disobeyed me was Akira. I need to know right now if you met him!” Kenshin says in irritation.
Hesitantly, I nod my head yes. What are the odds that I would be saved by the very brother Akira resented?
“I will ask you again, have you seen my brother? Everyone back home misses him. I won’t give up until I find him, do you understand me?”
I nod back, not knowing how to respond. I can’t tell this man that Akira’s dead, but at the same time, I can’t let him continue searching for someone who no longer exists. If Kenshin found out that my family killed him, I might be killed as well, and my brothers would live the rest of their lives imprisoned as swans.
“Answer my question!” Kenshin yells.
I slowly nod yes while looking down at my feet.
“Did he give this to you?” Kenshin asks in slight agitation.
I nod yes in defeat.
“Is he still alive?” Kenshin asks firmly.
I couldn’t reply. I just sat fearful of what might happen if I answered his question.
“How would you feel if you lost a brother and information was being withheld from you? I need to know what happened to him, even if it’s bad. I would at least like to put his memory to rest if that’s the case,” Kenshin says angrily looking me in the eye.
I looked down at my feet trying to avoid his glance. His eyes had turned a haunting shade of amber that struck fear into my heart. This was a man that you didn’t play with, of that I was certain.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. I’m sure that you’re frightened enough as it is. We’ll be here for a little while longer. I’ll wait however long it takes for you to speak up, even if it means taking you back home with me,” Kenshin says firmly.
I can’t help but fear the man as he walks out of the hut. This man may seem to be kind and protecting, but I can’t let my guard down. I cannot trust him so easily; he’s a man after all. All men are possessive and lustful, even my brothers. I seriously doubt that this man will prove to be any different.
1.Brighid (bree-yid) - Celtic Goddess of spring. She is often associated with youth, fertility and nurture.
2.Tuatha De Danann (Fair Folk) (too-a-ha day dann-an) - The people of the Goddess Dana (Danu). They are the last race of the Otherworld creatures to inhabit Ireland. They fought against the Fir Bolg and Fomhoire and won the right to rule over the land.
3 Fomhoire (Old Folk) (fo-vo-reh) - They are one of the earliest inhabitants of Ireland and originated from the sea. They were defeated by the Tuatha De Danann and exiled to the dark recesses of the earth.
4. Lugh (loo) – Celtic sun god said to bear the blood of both the Tuatha De Danann and Fomhoire.
Sorry for the late update. My new beta, chibi oniyuri, and I have been really busy with schoolwork. I also would like to apologize for the short chapter. If I didn’t stop the chapter here it would be way too long. Next chapter will be longer and will provide more answers.
Thank you for all the reviews and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Make me happy and review some more : )