Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Happiness In Slavery ❯ chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

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

Date Started: January 9, 2006

Usually, I go in a type of order when it comes to writing, making a cycle for my stories. However, I am really into Happiness In Slavery right now... I am just itching to keep on writing this one. So, rather than giving updates to Rivers Run Dry and Butterfly Kisses, you get a double dose of Happiness In Slavery. I need to do homework but I am not. I might put some fluff in. MIGHT. Here is Chapter 10!

Happiness In Slavery

Rating: Older Teens

Chapter 10

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters in shape or form. I do own this plot and any changes I make to characters, as long as its legal, and this includes Himitsu damnit! You steal you die.

She picked up his katana, and held them out to him.

His golden eyes rested on them, and then her pale hands that held them. He took them from her, and went to a corner of the room. Kamiya Kaoru lay down and covered herself with the warm blankets she had awoken to only a few hours before. Hitokiri Battousai sat, one knee brought up, his back against the wall. And the two simply stared, sleep not coming to either.

Brilliant colors of red and pink bled across the night sky as the sun began to rise. Neither of the two had slept. They had simply sat where they were, not saying a word. Battousai's mind was full of confusion. Kaoru's was a mind of tranquility.

The red head was staring fiercely at her lying figure, watching her chest rise and fall as she breathed. Who was she to say that he didn't remember something she possibly couldn't know of? He didn't understand what she had meant by, “That is something you don't remember.” It was impossible that they could have met when he was a child. He had been raised by Hiko, before that, in the palace by his mother. `In the palace…' But she had been a commoner really. The only way she could have ever been given access to the palace as a child was if her parents had been needed.

He stared at her a few moments, and then finally looked away, `What do I care.'

One arm lay over his knee. His profile very hard, but handsome in its own way. She knew he had been watching her. The moment he looked away, Kaoru had looked over at him, but without moving her face. The girl saw that he was very tense, that he had been seriously confused by her actions. It would all make sense to him eventually, he was just a blind man afraid to open his eyes.

Taking her attention away from the manslayer, Kaoru began to think about herself. All those years, those six long years, she had driven herself farther and farther into the back of her mind, until Himitsu had just taken control. She had been just as blind as him. Just as desperate as him to find a way to hide from her problems, and to hide the guilt of her bloodlust. One thing that Kaoru knew she could not do, was kill. Not while she was present. She had killed far to many in her servitude to Hiko, and unless Himitsu intervened, then Kaoru would only use her sword to cause the least amount of injury possible. With her feared, but unknown, reputation, she could not go around defenseless.

While Himitsu had been there, Kaoru had been aware of what was going on. She knew everything that had happened. It was Kaoru who had been the one to carry all the guilt, the one to have nightmares about the assassinations. She wanted to atone. Kaoru looked back over at the Battousai, who was staring at her again. She wanted him to see, and for him to try and live as well. The tawny eyes stared at her hard, and then she looked away. That would be work.

Battousai stood up. He reached down, and placed his two katana securely at his hip. He looked over at Kaoru, and saw that she was making up the futon she had rested on the night before. They needed to get back to the dojo and give Hiko a report. He didn't care that Himitsu wasn't there anymore. The assassin merely wanted to get back, talk, and then get out of her presence. She had already put on men's garments, and carefully folded up her kimono the night before. She stood there, waiting for him. Her dai katana was secured at her side, and her pale hands gripped her bundle in front of her.

Without glancing back, the two left and went down the wooden staircase to the main room of the inn. Both nodded at the lady whom they had paid the day before for the room, and then went out into the street. The assassin walking beside her said nothing. However, Kaoru tried to start up a conversation, "I wonder what Hiko will say when he realizes the difference between me and Himitsu." She laughed lightly. The blue eyes stole a glance to the side, and noticed that he was silent, and looked as though he wasn't going to acknowledge her words. Despite that fact, she continued anyway, "It has been a long time since I have been able to see him out of my own eyes." The red head twitched slightly.

The pair were outside the main district of the city, and back on the road that they had taken the night before into the city, "And the dojo!" Then the cheerfullness left her voice, "The dojo..." He looked over at her and saw her eyes were no longer cheerful; they were filled with sadness and a far off look, "My home." She noticed his gaze, and immediately went back to her more happy self. She wanted more than anything else to make Kenshin wake up. She could not allow herself to be sad over something so long ago. She of course wanted the emperor to pay for his actions against her family. But, now she was no longer filled with the blood lust that Himitsu had. She wished for the emperor to pay in a different way. Though she wasn't sure how else he could.

She was surprised when the red head stopped, and he gripped her shoulder with one of his strong hands. She then stopped, like he had, a few inches ahead of him, "What?"

"You don't have to fake what you feel you know." He sounded slightly annoyed, "If you are sad, be sad damnit."

Kaoru turned around to face him. His hand still rested on her shoulder, but his grip had lightened. She stared up at him the few inches it took, with her blue eyes. His golden eyes were fierce, but not an intimidating one. She couldn't think of anything else to describe them as, except for a soothing fierce. If there were such a thing. A few red strands of hair escaped from underneath the hat he was wearing again.

"I am not faking. Sure, I am sad. But, I would rather be happy." She untied the strings that kept his hat secured upon his head. Her slender hand pulled the hat off, revealing his full head of red hair, "We aren't in the city any more you know." A small smile rested on her lips and then she turned around, and continued on her way. 'The bitch did it again!' She had confused him. In a simliar way to the way she had done the night before.

"What is your problem?"

She paused and turned back around, "Oh, I dunno. Maybe I just want you to realize something." Her blue eyes were very beautiful when they were filled with small amounts of fury and irritation.

Kaoru stood where she was, several yards away, "Maybe, I want you to fight the blood lust, like I did." She took a step forward, "Maybe, I want the Hitokiri Battousai to go away, and for Himura Kenshin to come back."

Those golden eyes continued to stare at her petite form. She knew his name. The name his mother had given him. The name he had gone by, and thrown away when he felt to ashamed to live by it.

"Tell me something, Kaoru." She continued her gentle glare, arms crossed, "How do you know my name?"

Her eyes became tranquil, "I told you, you don't remember. But, perhaps I will tell you another time. A time when you have come to your senses." The assassin walked towards her. She stared back at him, "But, I understand what you feel right now. I felt it too." They were as close to each other as they had been the night before.

"'Come to your senses' you say." He stared down at her, "I don't think that can ever happen. I can never go back to who I was. You may have, but I can't. I will always be this slave." He reached a hand out to her chin, so that she could not look down, no matter what, "Now tell me. How do you know it?"

"When I was a very young child, my mother was called to the palace by the emperor. She had a skill that was rare, but had run in her family for several generations. At the time my father was away on business, and my brother had gone with him. I was left in her care." Battousai had moved his hand from her chin, to her cheek, "So, when she went, I would go with her. She would go two, maybe three times a week. Soon, it became daily. I don't remember everything, nor why the emperor needed her, but I remember you." Kaoru looked a little worried. She looked left and right. The red head noticed something as well.

The girl whispered, "We are being watched." She brought a hand to her sword, ready to draw it if she needed to. He did the same. Both heard a rustle in the trees to their right, and looked up just in time to see a black clad figure land next to them.

Whoever it was pulled down a black cloth from his mouth, "Hitokiri Battousai, your presence is known in the city." Then he spoke to the girl, "Himitsu, your's as well. The Imperials know that both of you are here to bring them down. You are the only heir, Battousai. Use that wisely." And then, as quickly as he had been there, he was gone.

Battousai glowered, "What are the ninja doing in Kyoto?" He looked at Kaoru, "You will finish telling me later. I intend to finish our conversation. Let's get back to the dojo." She just nodded. The young woman knew the severity of things. Whenever the ninja showed up, it meant that things would eventually get nasty.

By the time they were back at the dojo, it was almost time for the noon meal. Kaoru and Battousai entered the main building, and walked towards the room that they had first met in with Hiko. The red head knocked once, and then entered, quickly followed by the blue eyed girl. They were greeted by a quite cheerful boss, "The two of you didn't kill each other? Amazing." He was sitting comfortably on a small cushion in front of a low table. One sliding door was open, allowing fresh air and light in, "So, how did the mission go?"

The two sat down, and Kaoru spoke, "I wish to say hello Hiko. It has been a while since we have talked." The large man nearly choked on his drink. He leaned forward over the table, and studied her closely, "Well I'll be... our little Kaoru has come back." He was inwardly smiling. She nodded, "True... but I don't know if the one named Himitsu is gone for good."

"No matter. You are here now." Hiko was very happy now, "Alright, how did the mission go?"

"It went without to much incident." Battousai answered, "She spoke with the emperor. I assume she read his mind as well. She came out, got a headache, and when she woke up again, Kaoru was the one lying down, not Himitsu."

"And what did you get from the emperor's thoughts, Kaoru?"

She nodded, "Well, he didn't tell me outright, but he knows who I am by my blue eyes. He was wondering why I am with the Chosu clan. He figures by the Imperial guards being killed, that his son, Battousai, is with us, and acquainted with me." She kept the fact that he had continued to compare her to her mother, "That is all."

Hiko rubbed his chin lightly, and then said, "Well, it's not a whole lot. But he has all of his assumptions correct. I'm surprised that he hasn't figured out why you are with us. I think that it would be quite obvious." Kaoru gave him a quick, sharp look. It disappeared as soon as it had appeared, "Well then, both of you can have a vacation for a few days. Just don't stray to far from the dojo in case we need you." The man and woman nodded, bowed slightly, and left, making their separate ways.

Kaoru went to her room. She looked around it happily. It had been a long time. Like everything had been. Something Himitsu had missed, was that there was another sliding door in the room, next to the closet. The girl walked towards the place, and then slid open the previously unknown door. Light poured into the room. She smiled gently, her eyes closed, loving the warmth that the sun draped over her shoulders. A cool breeze blew her bangs out of her face. Summer was coming to a close, and she knew this was a sign that Autumn was near.

She opened her eyes, and stepped out onto the walkway that ran around the building. From the outside, her door was easy to miss. She saw the dojo off to her left. A few men were hanging around outside of its doorway. A few birds chirped here and there. Closing the papered side of the door, so that some light could enter her room, she went to the closet, and took out the yellow yukata with its red flowers. Unlike Himitsu, Kaoru liked wearing clothes suited for a woman, except when she was training.

Battousai had left the main building and walked past the dojo. He kept walking. There was an unkempt garden he had discovered, and that is where he was headed. He needed to be somewhere calm. He needed some time alone so that he could think. The girl had begun explaining what had transpired between them when they were children, but they had been cut off by that ninja.

He was curious, to his annoyance, as to why the emperor had needed to see her mother so often.

The red head found his destination. It was a small rock garden. Time had caused it to become overgrown at its edges, and the designs that once were raked in the rocks, to be marred. He walked out to the middle rock, and sat down upon it, staring at nothing. When he started to think again, he remembered the night before, when she had kissed him, "Damnit! Why do I keep thinking about that!" He was trying his hardest not to, but he couldn't help it. The man wasn't going to deny it, but he was tempted to kiss her next time he saw her.

He murmured to himself, "How do I go from despising her one minute, to desiring her the next?"

She had put on the yukata. The material was a bit light for the weather, but she ignored it. The girl let loose her hair, and allowed it to tumble down her back in its thickness. She intened to go and visit a place she had long since been to. She slid open the paper door, and stepped out onto the walkway. Turning around, she closed both parts of the door, and then lowered herself to a sitting position, and slipped on the sandals that she had been holding.

Standing up, she looked about to make sure there weren't any bystanders, and then headed out on her way. It was about mid-afternoon, and that gave her an hour or two to go where she was going, and come back.

He heard footsteps. Whoever it was, he had disturbed him. Battousai moved from his place on the rock, and moved to the gate. He unsheathed his short blade. THe red head was to distracted to take his time and sense who it was. The gate opened, and he brought his sword down, stopping it just inches away from Kaoru's pale face.

She seemed quite angry, not afraid, "And what might you be doing here in my garden Himura Kenshin?" Her eyes glared at him, an eyebrow raised. He twitched slightly at the mention of his other name, and lowered his sword, putting it away. She shut the gate behind her and awaited an explanation.

"Hmm... let me think: I WAS HERE FIRST."

Her other brow shot up, "Oh. So now you are going down that route?" She smiled in amusement, "This garden belongs to me. So, either share or leave."

Hitokiri looked at her, his jaw nearly dropping, "You own it? Since when?"

She stepped forward, "Since I made it."

That seemed to interest him, "You made this huh? Fine. 'Share' it we shall." And he returned to his spot on the rock. Kaoru was following right behind him, and the two ended up sitting back to back on it.

"Care to finish that story that you were rudely interupted in telling earlier?"

"I don't know. I might."

"You might as well finish something you started."

He felt her take in a breath through their backs, and then she didn't speak, "I win. Now talk." He stood up and walked around to face her. She looked very pretty sitting on the rock, dressed like a woman should be. 'Stop thinking like that.'

"Well. There isn't much left to say." She narrowed her eyes as she looked up at him, "You would not believe that you would ever do such a thing."

The young man leaned down, hands on either side of her. His warm breath caressed her cheek as he said, "Try me." She looked into his golden eyes, and finished, "I was alone, being watched by the guards after my mother told them to do so. The first time we met, I told you I was afraid of the guards. You told me not to fear them, because they would protect me. And I asked you, 'Will you protect me?'" She stopped, and noticed his face an inch before hers. She shivered slightly as a chilly wind blew up. He asked, "Are you cold?"

She simply nodded, and said, "You promised you would protect me. Forever."

I LOVE YOU MY DOLLS. DO YOU LOVE ME?

Ok, I cut it off there! Bahaha. A cliffy of sorts, if you wish to call it a romance-cliffy, if there is such a thing. I spent a lot of time writing this chapter so you better have liked it! School. Oh my god. It's such a killer! I have to write a paper this week. I promise you guys my next update will be Butterfly Kisses. I need to finish that story anyway, because it is nearly done, and then I can spend more time on this one, and my lame SM fic. OOOH! Go read my original fiction, From Enemy Lines at . That is part of the reason I didn't get this done sooner. I was editing it and dividing some chapters up. Well then, until next time!

-Hotaru

Date finished: January 24, 2006