Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Desire ❯ Auguries di Ecstasy ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter III: Auguries of Ecstasy

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly:

I perceived that this also is vexation to the spirit.

--Ecclesiastes

Cherry blooms floated in mid-air and hovered around her frame. It was so white and so calm, like heaven's day has finally arrived. The light was so blinding, yet so comforting.

"Mother, come. I am waiting." The sounds of flowing water and honeyed voice rippled through the atmosphere. It tantalized Kaoru into pursuing. The ground seemed to be opaque yet lucid enough to make it appear as if she was walking on water.

"Who are you?" she called out to no one. She searched, squinted every moment or two because of the luminosity of the place. She took soft steps towards the source of the voice, but every time she came close, the voice had already moved farther.

"You know who I am, mother, you've known me even before I was." The resonance again.

"Where are you? I am not your mother," she replied. It seemed that she was walking forever. There was no sign of her progression amidst the location she was in. Nevertheless, she didn't feel the slightest bit lost.

"Yet." The sole confirmation.

Her eyes broadened. Warmth suffused her whole body and elation grew inside her. "Am I…" she trailed off, astonished. Her hand moved to her womb and stayed there. When no answer came, she repeated herself.

"You are my child. And Kenshin's too, aren't you? Please, tell me. Show yourself," she called once again.

"Do not be afraid, mother. Happiness is yours and father's. You are brighter than any star in Paradiso…" it trailed off.

"Stay, please, come back. Talk to me," Kaoru pleaded and ran after the sound. She stopped in her tracks when another voice she distantly knew called out before she came into consciousness:

"Come to me."

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"Genzai-sensei, thank you so much for being here today."

The older man nodded and calmly sipped his tea before replying, "I should have known this would happen. I have been with her ever since she could remember. There is definitely no wonder why she almost went into a state of breakdown."

"Do not worry, Genzai-sensei. Kaoru is strong, she is as resilient as the bamboo; no harm will befall her," Megumi replied. After Kaoru had fallen asleep, she immediately sent for the wizened man, and told him about the situation. Kenshin didn't leave his wife's side for the entire duration of the evening, and still remained eerily quiet for his companions' liking.

The old man fished out from his pocket a gleaming piece of jacinth. He cradled it in his palm for several seconds and added, "What is the use of being a Sage if I can't help my master and mistress in the hour of need? I think my `wisdom and honor' have been seeping out of this stone from lack of good use. I shouldn't have been the one to be the harbinger of bad news," he mused then continued, "that is Yahiko-kun's job." That earned a feeble laugh from Sano and Megumi.

"Do not worry yourself too much, Sage. You were the only one there after Hiko had ascended. I'm sure Kenshin's dealt with it by now," Sano assured. This earned him a smack from Megumi.

"Don't be so crass, Sanosuke. This is a very delicate issue. We can't afford to upset the Equilibrium and we also can't afford to let Kaoru slip away."

Sanosuke just scratched the back of his head and stared at the recuperating form of Yahiko. He vividly remembered the Handing of the chrysolite to Yahiko. The poor boy had been terribly afraid of the voices that were speaking to him. He knew exactly what they told Yahiko for his own ears had heard it.

"Observe, Messenger, the fate that has been carved for you." The bodiless voice crept through Yahiko's spine. "For the Insights you would partake, your Tongue you must forsake…" and a horrible shout pierced through Sano's ears as the pendant was passed through the teenager's neck and proceeded to take away his speech. The boy's hands flew to his mouth and made small gargling noises. He felt complete empathy for the young man because Yahiko is one of the two Pillars who would suffer because of their gifts. The acumen he would carry is too great for any tongue, may it be mortal or immortal, for it is capable of burning through the vernacular. He witnessed as tears mixed with the blood from his mouth and he collapsed. Megumi rushed to the lad and proceeded to heal him. The whole process of Healing is very therapeutic for anyone who is auspicious enough to witness it. The chalcedony burned temperate light around Yahiko and Megumi, doing its curing effects.

But what they met inside the house was beyond the chalcedony's curative capabilities. They all knew that Kaoru felt hurt and betrayed, but the working of the Fates is usually difficult to thwart. They left their faith to their Lord and hoped that the one they love would be able to find it in her heart to forgive them, if only to feel her warmth once again.

The three of them left their thoughts to the wind.

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Kenshin watched her with keen interest and mild longing. Normally, they would curl against each other and whisper wordlessly things that they had already demonstrated to each other. It was constantly blazing inside of him, this affection, this near-obsession. In her arms he experienced utopia, a river's drink to a wandering hermit. Tonight, she slept alone in the futon, her rest deep but troubled. A lonely frown creased her forehead and her mouth parted in luscious invitation. He shook his head over the thought. Somehow, he didn't think his reactions were automatic. He only has eyes for her.

And it was those eyes she feared when she looked at him before she slept. She didn't completely cower away from him when his eyes, with blatant disregard with what had happened moments before, devoured her susceptible stature. He felt so much for her, that even in times of doubt, it wouldn't wane. She settled to rest after some time, looking over her shoulder to see that he was still there. He smiled at that. Only Kaoru. He nodded knowingly to her and sat beside her and touched her forearm lightly.

As he saw the situation at hand, there is only one way for him to go about it. The throne would be his at any rate but coaxing his wife to do the same would seem unfair to her. In truth, he wanted to relieve her of hesitant thoughts about him - for he is entirely capable of doing so - but he so wanted to always give her a choice. He had waited so long for them to be together, that was her choice; he had restrained his true side for her, that was up to her choice; he would relinquish heaven, if that was to be her choice. Such restaint to hand the harnesses of control over to her was impressive, but rapidly severing.

Her moans snapped him out of his trance. He looked at her cautiously, lest he wakes her. Remnants of sleep passed through her lids and she rose from her prone position. Kenshin tried to soothe her back to sleep but she refused.

"Go back to sleep now, Koishii, you need to rest," he murmured and draped the blanket around her frame.

"Iie. Kenshin, listen to me, I had a dream," she explained, "a very weird dream," she added as an afterthought.

He winced at that. He supposed that she thought everything that had happened was a mere dream. It would be nice to deny reality, but it always catches up to you, he reflected wryly.

He shook his head and proceeded to clarify. "Kaoru, it wasn't a dream. What you heard is true. I am the God…"

She cut him off. "Kenshin no baka, I'm pregnant!"

"…of the Twelve Pillars," he continued as if he didn't hear. But the look on his face expressed otherwise.

She nodded knowingly. "It came to me in a dream. Our child, he - the voice suggested so - told me. Isn't it wonderful?" she rejoiced.

He remained immobilized by the news. It was like a blow, a magnificent blow, and made his senses reel. A great smile eased his lips and he laughed in jubilation. He looked at her as if to ask and when she nodded, he placed his palms to her womb and closed his eyes. What met him there was splendid and glorious and gladdened him to no end.

"Is it true then, is it?" she asked in excitement. He kissed her in affirmation. How could he have not known? How could he be unaware the entire time?

Perhaps Kaoru had sensed his thoughts because she purred slyly, "Perhaps he was created this afternoon, by the bathhouse."

He grinned at that. Of course, his desire was so overwhelming, so distracting. But there was something else that loomed, like a great nimbus.

They were interrupted by an eruption of noise from their friends who thought that their clamor was caused by overwhelming grief. Kaoru proceeded to enlighten them and a hoot of euphoria and greetings of delight came from the three.

"Oh, Yahiko is going to be quite pissed when he hears he can't malevolently insult his busu," Sano cackled. Kaoru laughed nervously at that and started talking to Genzai-sensei. With this distraction, Megumi pulled Kenshin to the side, a grimace showed in her porcelain face.

"I should have sensed that and so should you," she started, hitting the mark. Her chalcedony hanging from her fingers.

"I know. But she said it came to her in a dream," he replied.

"She conceived the child in a dream?" Megumi gasped, incredulous.

"Hey, come on you guys. Maybe Tae would let us in for a special celebration," Sano cheered.

"Coming! We were just discussing about Yahiko," Kenshin called out. He noticed that the Sage was conversing with a teary-eyed Kaoru. Megumi followed knowingly on his gaze.

"Maybe we should ask Genzai-sensei about this, if he doesn't know it yet," she suggested. Confused thoughts and wavering delight coursed through her. Oh please let it be…

"Once Yahiko wakes up, send him to the Judge," he enjoined, gaze unfaltering.

Megumi blinked at the sudden shift of his tone. She bowed deeply and said, "As you wish."

"And so it would begin." An omen of rapture.

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EbonyFox's Tales (no pun intended):

First of all I would like to thank the people who have been kind enough to read this story and to an even greater extent, review and leave notes of honor and questions. I am quite glad that a number of people are keeping posted on this and are intrigued by the words the scribe in me weaves. I am truly grateful and humbled for that.

Two is a good number but I want to have a third. =) No, seriously, I wanted to ask anybody who is interested if they could beta-read for me. My former adviser and editor is out of the country and wouldn't be able to help me much because she has more important things to accomplish. I need one or two (at the most) who is willing to work with my crazy schedule and impromptu writing. Thanks a lot.

Lastly, Happy Holidays, wherever you are.