Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Dream Weaver ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

AN: It's been far too long since I updated this story. My sincerest apologies. I could give you a litany of excuses, but they don't really matter. Thank you to all of your readers who waited so patiently for this next chapter. Your endless support and encouragement have been wonderful. I sincerely hope the next chapters won't be nearly so long in the making.

Special thanks go to my betas, Shrouded View, Possessed1, and LC Rose, for their insights. Thank you also to Ravyn for her willingness to let me tap that wonderfully imaginative talent of hers. This chapter would not be here if it wasn't for these wonderful ladies.

Warning: Violence and torture

xxx

Dream Weaver

Chapter 5

Deep within the mountains of Ardhon, tortured cries echoed throughout the labyrinthine caverns.  In one of the smaller chambers which served as a prison cell, a black-skinned creature was curled at the feet of his master. Dark flesh hung in ribbons from the open, flowing wounds exposing both muscle and bone.  The scent of blood, slick and metallic, hung thick in the air as the liquid pooled under his huddled form. No matter how much he longed for the release of death, the servant knew he would be granted no such mercy.

He had failed and now he was paying the price.  With great effort, he rose and knelt in supplication before his master.  He could already feel his wounds healing thanks to the ancient curse that had been laid on him centuries before. 

“My lord Enishi, forgive me,” the creature begged, his voice raspy from the screams ripped from his throat only a few moments ago. 

Towering over the piteous being was a man, tall and powerful.  In appearance, the man was as bright as his servant was dark.  Skin so pale it virtually glowed, was stretched over taught muscles. Splattered with the blood of his victim, the luminous flesh was scarred where the runes of dark magic had been literally carved into its surface.  Shock-white hair framed compassionless, turquoise eyes.  It was there, within those eyes that glittered with malice, that one could truly see the twisted evil that lived within the heart of this seemingly bright man.

Slowly, the white-haired man moved until he was squatting in front of the misshapen creature, elbows resting on bent knees.

“Forgive you, Akira?” Enishi spat, incredulous.  A bark of mirthless laughter escaped before a heavily booted foot sent the creature sprawling again.  “You really are even more naïve than I thought.  You dare to return here without the girl and yet you beg forgiveness?”

“Lord Enishi, the girl is—”

“Not here!” Enishi snarled and before Akira could blink, Enishi was on his feet again and Akira felt the cold, sharp edge of steel pressing against his throat.  “Such a worthless creature; why my sister keeps you around, I will never understand.  Perhaps I should just put you out of your misery, eh?”  The blade pressed tighter and Akira felt drops of blood trickle down his neck, falling to join their fellows on the stone floor.  “It would be so easy - a simple flick of the wrist, really.”

“Enishi, that is enough.”  The tone was soft, but the ice-cold voice cut through the air like a knife.  Immediately, Enishi relaxed the blade, but didn't lower it completely as he looked toward the newcomer.  Akira looked up to see woman dressed in flowing robes of midnight blue and deepest black entered the cell, dark eyes taking in the pool of blood under the cowering darkling.  A circlet of intricately woven silver crowned her ebony hair and even in the dim light of the torches, the metal sparked brightly against the dark tresses.

“Tomoe.”  Enishi straightened as he faced his sister.  “You don't need to concern yourself with this.  I was just—”

Enishi was cut short by the look in her eye as she moved to crouch before Akira.  Unable to meet her gaze, the dark creature hung his head in shame before the beautiful woman, his lank hair falling to shield his face from view.  Sweeping an assessing look over Akira's bared skin, she could see the lines of Enishi's ruthlessness. Pale, gray lines of new flesh outlined what had recently been open, flowing gashes even as the wounds knit themselves back together.

“Yes, I can see what you were doing,” the woman replied coolly, slanting her fathomless eyes up toward her brother.  Enishi flinched inwardly at the look of displeasure there, but outwardly he showed no sign of emotion, his bright eyes steady as he met her gaze.

“Look at me, Akira,” Tomoe commanded, not altogether unkindly, as she turned her attention back toward the piteous creature.

Swallowing thickly, Akira raised his head, afraid to look upon her beauty, but even more fearful of what would happen to him if he disobeyed.  “My lady?” he whispered.

“What happened?  Why did you not bring the girl with you?” Tomoe asked, her eyes boring into him, searching for the answer hidden behind his gaze.

“The red one took her, but—” he replied. 

“Himura.”  The name spat from Enishi's mouth like a vile curse, cutting Akira off.  “If he was there, then… Tomoe?”

Tomoe's eyes narrowed and Akira began to tremble again under the weight of the Great Lady's dark gaze.  For a moment he'd almost forgotten that, despite her cool beauty and graceful demeanor, Lady Tomoe could be as ruthless as her brother.  Akira had failed to complete his mission and he knew that she would not hesitate to punish him for his failure. 

“You will show me everything.”

Voice low and gravelly from anger held just barely in check, Tomoe reached out pale hands to cup his chin, thumbs resting below his eyes.  Fingers gripped and curled until long nails broke the blackened skin.  As blood blossomed beneath her fingertips, Tomoe chanted her dark spell, calling the fine lines of crimson liquid to wrap around her fingers, snaking their way up her hands.  Hidden tattoos materialized on Tomoe's pale skin, a complex network of glowing, scarlet knots and runes covering her arms and neck, tracing a bloody path to her temples.

As the sound of Akira's screams filled in the dungeon caverns once more, the dark of Tomoe's eyes engulfed the white until all was consumed. The cavern around Tomoe faded as images flashed across her mind's eye.  Sifting through the memories for the one she sought, she finally focused on the image of a village, the square erupting in chaos.

Tomoe watched through the eyes of her servant's memory as humans scattered in every direction, their eyes filled with terror.  And there, in the middle of it all, she saw him stalking toward a woman whose face Tomoe could not see.

`Kenshin.'

Myriad emotions welled within her at the sight of the red head - once lover, now enemy - but she clamped down on them as she watched the scene before her unfold.

A tall, lanky youth foolishly charged him and was quickly cut down.  The girl fell to her knees in fright, staring at the fallen form of her would-be defender.  Even from this distance, Tomoe could see the amber glow of Kenshin's battle magic shining through his eyes, and once again she marveled at the power his kind possessed. 

`He's a fool to restrain it… to deny what he truly is.' 

But fool or no, Kenshin was only part of the reason she had invaded this memory, his presence all but confirming what she suspected about the unknown girl's identity.  Tomoe turned her attention to the woman-child who was confronting him.  The power of the magic growing around the girl pressed down on everything around her, distorting the images of the buildings.

And then Tomoe heard it, a voice deep, guttural - one that belonged to neither Kenshin nor the girl he called Kaoru.  She watched Kenshin bind the girl's magic to keep her from destroying everything around her, watched as he carried her through the gate back into the realm of the Fey.

Tomoe knew the implications of what she had seen could turn the tide if only they could get the girl in their possession.  As the blood-red markings receded from her temples and the whites returned to her eyes, she looked down on Akira's slumped, panting form.  Gently, she cupped his darkened face, raising it so that she could look into his eyes. 

“You have done well, Akira,” she crooned, brushing hair away from his face as though she were soothing a child.  “You have done well.”

Akira bowed his head, murmuring his thanks.  Over his head, Tomoe smiled at her brother, a look of triumph lighting her eyes. 

“There can be no doubt.  She is the one,” she told him, a plan already forming to shift the situation to their advantage.

xxx

Yahiko had hidden in the shadows of the curtain surrounding the door when Kenshin and his companion entered the room.  Muscles coiled and poised for attack, he hoped the element of surprise would buy Sano enough time to escape the room they'd been locked into and find Kaoru.  Neither of them had much hope that their plan would succeed.  After all, who the hell knew where they were keeping her?  But, futile or not, there was no way they were just going to sit around and do nothing while these people had his sister imprisoned somewhere in the fortress.  He waited until the red head's focus was back on Sano before launching himself at Kenshin's back.

“I'm right here, you son of a bitch! What the hell have you done with my sister?!” 

With ease, the red head side-stepped the boy's attempted assault before easily restraining him. Though Yahiko's arms were pinned effectively behind his back, Kenshin kept his grip loose enough not to hurt the boy.

“Your sister is safe, Yahiko.   You have every reason to distrust me, but know that I would never intentionally hurt her or allow harm to come to her.”

Yahiko scoffed darkly, a sound that seemed too old to come from one so young.  “And what do you call stealing her from her home?” he spat and he struggled against Kenshin's grip.

“I have only done what is necessary,” Kenshin replied evenly.  Aoshi alone could hear the regret subtly lacing his tone.

“Bastard!”  Sano sprang from the bed, moving with surprising ease despite his injuries, but was brought up short by Aoshi's sudden appearance in front of him, twin swords brandished.

“Enough!”  The single word reverberated through the room.  Taking a steadying breath, Kenshin released Yahiko with a gentle shove in Sano's direction.  The younger boy stumbled a few steps, catching himself on the bed post before turning to glare daggers at his captor.  A motion from Kenshin in Aoshi's direction had the taller man sheathing his swords, but his posture clearly told the other two they wouldn't be going anywhere.

“Sano, Yahiko, I didn't bring you here to fight you.  If I'd wanted to, you'd already be dead.” Kenshin slanted a telling look at Sanosuke.  “You're here because Kaoru needs you.  We need her, and I believe she will be more… cooperative… if you're here.  Whether or not you will help us is up to you, but understand this,” Kenshin's eyes narrowed and sparked with amber, “Kaoru will not be returning.  Her place and her destiny lie here.  If you ever want to see her again, you'll listen to what we have to say.”

Yahiko and Sanosuke looked at each other.  Finally, Yahiko looked away, his expression clearly showing they knew they had no choice. Sano slanted suspicious, dark eyes in Kenshin's direction, but cocked his head slightly in a gesture that Kenshin took as assent.  

In silent invitation, he gestured toward the room's small seating area, but was not surprised when Sano and Yahiko crossed their arms in identical shows of refusal.  In fact, Kenshin might have found the show of solidarity amusing if the situation wasn't already so tense.  Even so, he had to admire them.  It was clear they loved Kaoru and he was counting on that unwavering loyalty.

Crossing to one of the windows, he looked down the cliff face to the river valley below. 

“I suppose the best place to begin is with names.  I am Kenshin Himura.  That,” Kenshin said, gesturing to his companion, “is Aoshi Shinomori, my second in command.  The second thing you should know is that you are no longer in the human world.”

“You don't say,” Yahiko scoffed.

“Things don't work the same here as they do there.  The sooner you learn that, the better off you will be,” Kenshin continued, slanting golden eyes toward the boy over his shoulder.  “I'm sure that I don't need to tell you that Kaoru is… different.”

Sano snorted at the understatement before he could stop himself.

“It is because of those differences that I've brought her here… brought her home,” Kenshin corrected.  “She needs protection.”

“From who, exactly?” Sano snapped.  “Because the only person around here that's hurting her is you.”

“From herself,” Kenshin replied evenly, “and from others who would use her.”

“What do you mean you brought her `home'?” Yahiko asked, latching onto something that Kenshin had said.  “She's—”

“Surely, you must have realized that Kaoru is not like you… that she's not… human,” Kenshin interrupted.  “She was born of this world and it is here that she belongs.”

That fact had been staring them in the face for the past few weeks, but to hear it said so plainly brought Yahiko and Sano up short.  Both were silent for a moment, Yahiko's brows furrowed as he warred between angry denial and acceptance of the truth about Kaoru.

“Somehow, I always knew… things that didn't make sense.  All those old kooks in the village we just thought were crazy…” Yahiko's eyes met Sanosuke's in a look full of unspoken meaning.  Dark eyes closed and hands fisted at the younger boy's sides.  “Why?  Why couldn't you have just left us the hell alone?  We were happy.  What's so damn important about her that you had to go and destroy that?”

Kenshin sighed.  He could feel the throbbing of another headache beginning to thread its sharp fingers across his temples.

“When Kaoru resurrected the infant horse, the power of her spell reverberated beyond your world into ours.  It nearly killed her as well.”  Yahiko flinched visibly at the memory of Kaoru lying in her bed, flushed with fever.  “Few races among the fae have magic powerful enough to have that kind of effect.  A race called the Eladrin were among them.”

“So you believe Kaoru is one of these `Eladrin'?” Sano asked.

“Yes,” Kenshin replied, his eyes meeting Aoshi's from across the room.

“But you're not sure, are you?” Sano asked, his temper rising again as he picked up on what was left unsaid.  “Damn it all!  What else is going on?  What aren't you telling us?”

“Sano, she needs training.  She doesn't know how to handle to power she wields.  If I hadn't stopped her, Kaoru would have destroyed your village along everyone in it, including herself.”

“And none of this would have happened if you hadn't been there in the first place!” Sano yelled.

“Right now, that it beside the point,” Kenshin replied with a calm that only served to infuriate Sanosuke more.  “We can teach Kaoru what she needs to know to control herself and her magic.  You are here to help us do that.”

“And why in the hell would we help you?”

“Because if you don't - if she can't learn to control her magic - she'll die.”  Dark eyes darted over toward the room's fourth occupant.  Aoshi, who had chosen to stand as a silent sentinel until that moment, stood stoically, icy eyes meeting Sano's enraged glare.

Before Sano could respond, Yahiko spoke, his voice more steady and sure than he actually felt as he turned eyes on Kenshin once more.  “I want to see her.”

 “Soon,” Kenshin replied, turning to leave.  “Think about what we've said.  The best way to help Kaoru is for you to help us.”

Aoshi closed the door behind them, its thick wood not quite muffling the string of profane epithets Sano hurled at their backs.  A quick spell lock ensured that their guests remain put.

“That went well.”

Kenshin snorted.  “You have an amazing knack for understatement, Aoshi.”

“So I've been told,” the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

Kenshin fought the urge to rub at his throbbing forehead as the two men walked down the corridor.  He made a mental note to find Megumi as soon as time permitted.

“Let's just hope Misao is having better luck than we are.”

“Indeed.”

xxx

Kaoru gripped the bedpost, sweat pouring from her brow as she battled for control, the room spinning around her.  Gulping deep breaths, she fought to keep down the bile rising in her throat.

She'd awoken shortly before, disoriented and spent.  All she wanted to do was curl into a ball and pretend that she was in her own bed, Yahiko snoring in the next room.  It was all just too much, too fast, the emotional onslaught overwhelming her until something inside her just… stopped… leaving only numbness and exhaustion.  As much as she had longed to escape reality, to succumb to the darkness of dreamless sleep, the memory of her abduction had pulled her from the covers. The knowledge the she needed to find a way out was the only thing that had allowed her to do even that much.   

But she was tired… so very tired…

Stumbling forward toward the door, she hadn't taken more than three steps before she fell to the stone floor, bruising her knees in the process.  She managed to crawl her way back toward the bed, pulling herself upright with the help of one of the posts.  Leaning her head back against the edge of the mattress, she closed her eyes willing the room to still.

“What is wrong with me?” she gasped, gulping down deep breaths in an attempt to keep the contents of her rebellious stomach in place.

“It's the after effect of the spells,” a bright, energetic voice answered from next to her.  Rolling her head sideways, Kaoru was met with bright green eyes set into a youthful face.

`I… know… her...'  The thought managed to squeeze its way through her muddled brain.  Blinking slowly, Kaoru tried to focus on the girl, but couldn't remember where she'd send her before.  

“C'mon, let's get you off the floor,” the other girl said, wrapping one of Kaoru's arms around slim shoulders.  With a strength that would have surprised Kaoru if she'd been a little more alert, the girl helped her to stand before sitting her on the edge of the bed. 

A part of Kaoru knew that she should probably be feeling more troubled about the appearance of this girl, but she just couldn't muster the strength to fight back.  Closing her eyes, Kaoru leaned heavily on the bedpost to remain upright. 

“I figured you'd be in bad shape, so I brought something that should help.  Just give me a minute.”  Somewhere across the room, she heard what sounded like the rattle of dishes before an unpleasant odor permeated the room.

“Here, drink this.” the girl said suddenly close to Kaoru again.  Kaoru cracked an eye open to discover a cup of some smelly concoction had been thrust toward her.  Wrinkling her nose, Kaoru turned her face away.  If anything, the stink made her want to retch even more.  “I know it smells horrible, but it really will help with the dizziness,” the girl urged.

With shaking fingers, Kaoru grasped the clay vessel, slowly bringing the foul brew to her lips.  The taste of the liquid was difficult to describe, but if forced to, Kaoru would have said it tasted like earth and fire, and, to Kaoru's surprise, was not wholly unpleasant.

`Once you get past the smell that is… blech!'

It slid easily down her throat and the moment it hit her stomach, warmth spread through her, gradually banishing the dizziness.  Kaoru looked up at the green-eyed girl with slightly widened eyes and was met with a brilliant smile.

“I told you,” the girl chuckled.  “Now go on, finish up.  You need to drink all of it to get your strength back.  That bastard Saitoh hasn't given us much time to whip you into fighting shape… one week.   Just what the hell was Kenshin thinking when he agreed to that?  You don't even know how to use your magic yet…”

Over the edge of her cup, Kaoru watched as the girl flitted around the room - there really was no other way to describe her movements; the way she moved bordered somewhere between walking and hovering.  Kaoru continued to slowly drink from her cup, letting the warmth soak through her as she tried to absorb the torrent of words that tumbled continuously from the strange girl's mouth.  As she continued to drink the tincture, the tangle of Kaoru's emotions slowly began to unravel… and she wasn't entirely sure she was ready for it.

“Stupid, drafty old fortress.  It's never warm eno—… you mind if I light a fire?” the girl asked interrupting herself.

Kaoru shook her head silently, wishing she could return to the numbness, wishing this overly happy girl would just leave her alone.  Her constant chatter was overloading Kaoru's already taxed nerves. 

And yet, Kaoru couldn't help but feel a bit at ease around this girl.  In a small way, the girl's hyper, one-sided dialogue reminded Kaoru of Tae, leaving her more comfortable than she should have been.  Kaoru's face contorted at the thought of her beloved friend, but she quickly hid the expression behind another long, slow draught. 

“I'm Misao, by the way,” she said kneeling on the stone hearth.  Muttering a few words, Misao stretched hands toward the cold grate.  Instantly, flames appeared, licking the logs happily, spreading heat and light through the darkening room. 

“How did you…?”   Kaoru started before she could stop herself.

Misao laughed lightly, the bright sound filling the room as she turned toward Kaoru, who only glowered back in her attempt to hide her curiosity.

“I keep forgetting that even though you are one of us—”

“I'm not like you.”  Kaoru's voice cut across like a knife.  If Misao was startled by the interruption, she didn't show it.  She just hummed thoughtfully, staring contemplatively at Kaoru before continuing on.

“Magic in this world is as natural as breathing, Kaoru,” she said, her tone losing some of its girlish quality.  “Everyone here is born with some measure of magic.  Some are stronger than others; most favor a particular talent.  For instance mine, is fire…”

With a flick of her wrist, Misao pulled a dozen or so tiny flames from the fire, smiling serenely as the flickering light danced around her fingertips without burning.  Another whispered word sent the flames floating toward the ceiling, igniting the candles overhead.

“…while yours… well we know at least one of yours is a restorative, or healing, talent, don't we?”

“At least one?”  Kaoru asked, curiosity winning out over silence.

“Yes,” Misao replied, turning to face Kaoru fully.  “There are some - those among the strongest races - that wield many, and sometimes extraordinarily dangerous, talents.  Fae of that caliber are rare, extremely powerful.  We won't know until we test you if you are one of them.”

“Test me?”  Kaoru's tone was wary, the thought of being “tested” leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

“We have to know, Kaoru,” Misao answered, her tone placating and sympathetic.  “It's for your own safety as well as ours.” 

She didn't mention that her already-demonstrated level of power was the reason Kenshin had bound Kaoru's magic.  It seemed like Kaoru was opening up, or at least willing to listen, to her and there was no sense in damaging the tentative curiosity that seemed to be forming.  Instead, Misao came to crouch in front of where Kaoru was sitting on the edge of the bed.  Looking up into the other girl's blue eyes, Misao asked quietly, “Don't you want to know who you really are?”

“I thought I knew.”  Kaoru grew quiet and contemplative, staring at the now-empty cup resting in her lap.

Magic... 

No matter what words she'd spoken, Kaoru could no longer deny its existence, nor her possession of it.  Mai's foal was living, breathing proof of that.

Kaoru stood and walked over to one of the room's narrow windows.  Her room was high, looking out over a courtyard and wall surrounding the keep.  Looking out into the distance, she saw a forested valley, not unlike the one in which her farm rested, the trees colored with the same autumn hues of home.  In the distance, she could just make out a cascading waterfall.  The similarities between this place and the valley of her childhood home made Kaoru's heart ache. 

A single tear fell and was quickly brushed away.

`Stop it, Kaoru!  You're stronger than this!' she mentally chided herself.  She needed to pull herself together if she was going to get out of here.

“Kaoru?”

Misao's voice was tentative and concerned.  The quick swipe of Kaoru's hand had not gone unnoticed.  Kenshin had sent her to Kaoru as an emissary of sorts, hoping that she would be more willing to open up to another woman. 

“I know you've been through a lot and this must be so overwhelming.”

`Now there's an understatement,' Kaoru thought quietly, smiling ruefully as she continued to stare at the vista out the window.

“You must have questions.  You can ask me anything you want,” Misao gently prodded, hoping she could coax Kaoru back into a conversation.

The problem was, Kaoru wasn't sure she could express her jumbled thoughts as any kind of coherent question and so she continued to remain silent.  Movement drew Kaoru's eyes to the courtyard below and she instantly recognized the flaming red hair of…

`Kenshin Himura.' 

He was deep in conversation with a much taller man, whose ebony hair was so dark it seemed to swallow all light.  As if sensing her eyes upon him, Kenshin looked up and, for a moment, time froze as she stared into the eyes of her abductor.  Kaoru's hands fisted at her sides even as tears leaked from her eyes, anger returning to overcome and banish the lingering emotional numbness. 

“Why did he bring me here?” Kaoru bit out through gritted teeth, eyes still locked with the red head. 

Moving to stand next to Kaoru at the window, Misao stared down at the men below.  She opened her mouth to reply, but Kaoru spoke before she could.

 “The magic - my magic - is why I'm here.”  Kaoru didn't ask - she knew.  Her heart recognized the truth of the words as soon as they passed her lips. 

“I have searched for you too long…”  His words from that fateful night echoed in her memory.  Whatever magic she possessed, Kenshin Himura wanted it for something, but what?  

Kenshin's eyes flicked toward Misao quickly before he turned back to his companion.  Despite her distance from him, the movement was not lost on Kaoru and she instantly became wary of the companion with whom she'd allowed herself to become too comfortable.

“That's part of it,” Misao answered seriously.  “Kaoru, there are things you need to understand, things that—”

“Understand?” Kaoru spat, lashing out as she marched back into the room, away from Misao and the sight of the man who had thrown her life into such turmoil.  “What could there possibly be to understand?!  He kidnapped me, murdered my parents in cold—”

“No!” Misao cut her off with a ringing shout.  “Don't you dare blame Kenshin for that!”

“You weren't there… you don't know!  He butchered them!”  Kaoru shouted as she rounded on Misao, shaking with the force of her anger, hot tears streaming down flushed cheeks.

“Kenshin never meant for…”   Misao cut herself off.  Breathing deeply, she willed herself to calm. Picking a fight with Kaoru would not do anyone any good and time was just too short.  No amount of words would convince the girl.  Kaoru needed to be shown she was wrong, that Kenshin was not the man she thought him to be.  He wasn't responsible for the tragedy of that night, though Misao was well aware of just how much the red head blamed himself for the deaths of the humans.

“Come with me.”  Misao's tone was not unkind, but it was clear that she would brook no refusal.

“Why?” Kaoru asked, folding her arms across her chest defiantly.

“You wanted answers didn't you?  Let's go.”

Misao crossed the room and went out the door without looking back.  When Kaoru didn't move to follow immediately, the other girl reappeared. 

“Let's. Go.”  Kaoru couldn't help but blink at the fierce expression on Misao's child-like face and for a moment, Kaoru could have sworn she saw faint, translucent flames surrounding the other girl.

Kaoru grudgingly moved to follow.  They walked for several minutes in silence, Kaoru mentally taking note of interior landmarks.  Hung upon the walls were every manner of tapestry and painting, more than a few containing images of creatures Kaoru had only heard of in stories.  As they walked, Kaoru tried marking where they turned and in which direction.  If she was going to stay here, even if only temporarily until she could find a way to escape, she would have to know how to find her way around the place.  It didn't take long, however, before Kaoru was completely turned around, and she knew she wouldn't be able to return to her own room without help.

Eventually, Misao led her outside to a door set in the curved edge of a tower.  The small girl heaved open the thick wood, the sound of the door's rusty hinges reverberating in the darkness on the other side.  Kaoru recoiled at the sight of the inky black void, forcefully reminded of the darkness of the garandou.  Even so, she followed Misao, her legs moving of their own volition.  As they descended a flight of winding, stone stairs, the heavy door creaked and thudded closed. The bright light of the late afternoon sun was obliterated only to be replaced with the dimness of torches, and unlike the dry chill one usually expected to find in underground places, dampness permeated the space making the air thick and oppressive.

“Where are you taking me?”  Kaoru cringed at how unnaturally loud her voice sounded as it echoed off the stone.

“To the one who was really responsible for your parents' deaths.”

“What do you mean `the one really responsible'?  I know who's responsible.”

Misao paused on the stairs, turning to face Kaoru.

“Kaoru, how much of that night do you remember?”

“I don't know, maybe everything?  I've had to relive it my nightmares nearly every night.”

Misao quirked an eyebrow at Kaoru's scathing sarcasm, but responded calmly.  “Can you tell me what happened?”

“My family was sitting down for dinner when we heard screams from the village.  We rushed out the door and saw the houses burning.  Yahiko and I ran toward the forest to escape, but my parents…”  Kaoru choked on the words, wiping at the tears that had begun to leak from her eyes.  “Kenshin Himura butchered my parents in their own yard before trying to take me.”

Misao hummed thoughtfully, but said nothing as she turned to continue her descent.

“What, `hmmm'?! You don't believe me?” Kaoru demanded, following Misao's quickly retreating back.

“No, I don't.”

“Oh really, and why is that?”  Kaoru could feel her temper flaring even higher.

“Because, if that were true, this man wouldn't be here.”

Misao stopped in front of a barred cell, its deepest recesses clinging to shadows the dungeon's torches couldn't dispel.  Kaoru looked from the dim chamber to Misao, brow furrowed in confusion. 

“I don't see…”

“Kaoru, do you remember anyone else with Kenshin that night?”

She started to shake her head, but a flicker of remembered fear made her pause.  “Someone else?”

A whispered word from Misao and the shadows were chased away by her flickering fire light to reveal the large bulk of a man, face so covered in hair that he more closely resembled a bear than a man.  Beady, black eyes glittered in the dim light as he stared back at the two women.  The creature - Kaoru wasn't entirely sure he could even be called a man - hefted his bulk off the hard floor of his cell and lumbered toward them. 

Kaoru instinctively stepped back, not entirely convinced the iron that caged the giant could hold him.

“So, Shinomori's sent his little bitch, huh?  Bring me something to play with, little firefly?” he drawled, turning those beady eyes on Kaoru, who took another step back as his maniacal laughter filled the dungeon.

`Oh, gods.  I know that voice!' Kaoru thought, her blood frozen in terror as the laughter echoed off the stone around her.

"You should have known better than to run, sweetling." 

Bile rose in her throat as she remembered this giant of a man splattered with blood and the stench of gore towering over her, pressing close, until…

“You have no need to fear me, little one. I will not harm you.” 

Soft, kind eyes… a deep voice and a gentle touch…

Flooded by an onslaught of forgotten memories, Kaoru fled.  In the darkness, she stumbled on the dungeon stairs, crying out as her knee struck the corner of stone.  Ignoring Misao's shout, Kaoru picked herself up and kept going, bursting into the late afternoon sun.

Kaoru didn't know where she was going and in that moment of terrified remembering, she didn't care.

She just… ran.

xxx

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