Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ What You Don't Know ❯ Chapter 8 - In the den ( Chapter 8 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter 8 - In the Den

Kaoru slowly became aware of being incredibly sore. Her muscles ached, and pins and needles played their way up and down her limbs. She was sitting on and against something very hard, which added to her discomfort.

Something was covering her eyes. Still in a daze, she tried to move her hand to brush the soft darkness away. Confusion gave way to a stroke of panic when she realized she couldn't move.

Her wrists were bound behind her back with some kind of rough fiber. Her elbows were bent at a tight 90-degree angle, hands pressing against the middle of her back. Something wound around her torso just below her breasts, further immobilizing her arms. Her ankles were bound as well, the fibers cutting into her bare skin above her tabi. Kaoru groaned a little at the discomfort, and tasted a thick cloth in her mouth around her dry lips.

Kaoru's heart began thudding as the helplessness of her situation sunk in. She struggled a little, fear driving her to attempt escape. The bindings were too tight, she couldn't see anything, and couldn't call for help. She didn't even know why she had been taken.

Rational thought clawed its way past the panic, urging Kaoru to calm and assess the situation. Still on edge, she tried her best to gather some information about her surroundings.

She was sitting on the floor, a wall at her back and side. It smelled dusty, the faint scent of salt in the air. Muffled sounds of men drifted up from below her, and thudding footsteps on the hard surface occasionally hurried by in the near distance.

Where was this? Did they know she was here?

Kaoru settled back a little, trying to shift her shoulders to ease the soreness. She didn't have much choice but to wait.

The sound of a door sliding in its track jerked her upright. Two sets of footsteps, one hard, one soft, entered the room.

“She's awake.” Kaoru stiffened at hearing the cold voice of the man who had taken her at the dojo.

“Leave us.” That voice . . . a foreigner?

The soft footsteps retreated, but the door did not close. Hard clicking steps approached her slowly. She jumped at the soft thump of a cushion, and tensed as she felt a presence sit nearby. The quiet stretched for a few minutes, Kaoru nervously clenching her fists.

“Kamiya-san, I'd like to ask you a few things.” His voice was deep, cultured, and business-like. His clipped and precise way of speaking reminded Kaoru of the Europeans who occasionally frequented the port and merchants nearby. His voice was achingly familiar, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

“But first,” he continued, “you need to hear some conditions.

“You will tell me what I want to know. Do not try to lie to me. It will just make things more difficult. I know your injury caused you to forget some things, and that you are beginning to remember.” Kaoru stiffened a little at his knowledge of her.

“Do not hope for rescue. Your friends have been warned not to come looking, or you will be killed. I do not like bloodshed, but I keep my promises. If what I suspect is true, then they will be told where to find you tomorrow.”

She started shaking. Her life was in the hands of this dispassionate man, and Kenshin wouldn't be coming. She jumped a little as fingers stroked the cloth over her eyes.

“Last, and most important. This blindfold is what protects you from death. If you see me or my associates, you will be killed. Your ignorance is what protects your life.”

Kaoru shook even more as moisture gathered at her eyes. She was beyond terrified.

“Do we have an understanding?”

She nodded jerkily.

“Good.”

Hands traveled behind her head and loosened the knot on the gag. Gloved fingers pulled the cloth from her mouth, resting it around her neck. Kaoru coughed a little and swallowed, glad to be free of the restriction. Something touched her lips and she started.

“It's water. Drink.”

Fear and thirst overrode her mistrust. She was allowed a small gulp to wet her mouth, and the cup was taken away.

“You recognize my voice.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“It's familiar,” she said quietly, voice high and trembling.

“Why is it familiar?”

“I don't know, I can't remember.”

“But you've heard it before?”

“Yes.”

“What do you remember from the day you were injured?”

Kaoru paused.

“Nothing much.”

The gloved hand grabbed her chin painfully.

“I told you not to lie to me.”

“I'm not lying, please! I don't remember anything useful.”

Hot breath brushed her face.

“Let me be the judge of that. Tell me.” He shook her a little, emphasizing his words.

“It's like a dream, half images and feelings. All I see is darkness and running towards a light, and all I feel is fear, like I have to get away from something.”

“That's all?” Malice was evident in his tone.

“Yes, please, that's all I know! Something is keeping me from remembering.”

Her face was released, and the man's presence retreated from her. Kaoru shuddered and held back a sob, blindfold dampening with a few rouge tears. She took deep breaths, trying to get her emotions back under control.

“And the policeman, he's told you nothing of his investigation?”

“You mean Saito?” Kaoru was confused. “He didn't tell me anything.”

“Good.” Sounds of rustling cloth and the scrape of his shoes signaled his standing. “You will remain here until tomorrow. Your friends will be notified of your location. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but this is necessary for my operation. I intend you no further harm at this point.”

Someone cleared their throat at the other side of the room.

“Boss, the cargo is ready for your inspection. All but the last wagon is complete.”

“Good.”

Footsteps retreated, and Kaoru sighed, slumping against the wall. Ironic that the same memory block that caused her so much frustration happened to be keeping her alive. Something about his presence was intimidating, beyond the fact that he was her captor. He had an aura of power about him, not unlike Sano, but not quite like Kenshin.

At least he hadn't put the gag back on. Somehow she didn't feel as helpless.

She had no idea of what time it was, or when tomorrow would come. All she could do now is wait and pray she got through this unharmed. She settled her head back against the wall and tried to relax.

………………………

Kaoru was jerked to awareness a long time later by two sets of footsteps entering the room. Sounds from below had increased, and fewer people had passed by her doorway.

“Well, well, look who we have here.”

Kaoru froze at the unmistakable voice of Scar. This could not be good.

Footsteps came nearer, and Kaoru unconsciously huddled into the corner.

“Looks like the kitten has been collared.” Long Hair was here too.

“So, what do you think?”

“I think it's a good thing the boss is busy.”

One of them crouched over her, hoisting her up by the collar.

“You caused us quite a lot of trouble, kitten,” Scar growled. Kaoru could smell sake on his foul breath.

“Let me go,” she replied, strained at the odd angle.

“Not a chance. You owe me some payback for breaking my nose.”

“And for making us look like fools.” Long Hair was behind her now.

Kaoru struggled, trying to twist from Scar's hold. He laughed cruelly and threw her back into Long Hair, who sat down with her in his grasp. Kaoru gasped as rough hands grabbed both breasts from behind.

`Please, kami, not this.'

“No, stop!” she cried, trying to avoid his hold. One of Long Hair's hands grasped her jaw in response.

“You asked for this, bitch. You should be careful who you piss off.”

“Hold her still. I have something to keep that mouth occupied.” Kaoru struggled more as the hand on her jaw tightened and the hand on her breast crushed her to the man behind her. Kaoru paled at the feel of a heavy hardness against her rear.

`No, no, no.'

Hot flesh was pressed into her mouth, and Kaoru gagged at the intrusion. Two hands grabbed her head, forcing her to comply as he began hard thrusts. He tasted awful, and smelled worse. The hand left her jaw, and started pulling at her hakama ties. Long Hair roughly pulled open her gi, and stuck his hand under her bindings, squeezing her breast. Scar kept pressing hard into her mouth as hands wandered over her form.

Long Hair's hand slipping into her hakama jolted her into action.

`Stop!'

Kaoru did the only thing she could do. She bit down, hard.

A loud howl rang through the room, and the hot rod was torn from her mouth. Searing pain blossomed across her right cheek and she flew across the floor. She wasn't sure if the blood in her mouth was his or hers. A heavy foot kicked her several times in the stomach, and she coughed and moaned.

“You bitch!”

A set of hands pulled her onto her knees, pressing her abused face into the floor.

“If that's how you want it, I'll give it to you.” She wasn't sure who was speaking around the pain. A hand was tugging at her remaining hakama ties, trying to expose her to them. Kaoru was having a hard time staying conscious from the shock and blows.

“What is going on here?!”

Hands jerked away from her as footsteps pounded into the room. Kaoru rolled to the side and curled in on herself.

“Boss, we—”

Clicking footfalls approached, and the crack of striking flesh sounded.

“You have enough to do without engaging in this kind of filth.” Contempt was evident in the foreigner's voice.

Filth. Kaoru curled closer in on herself, wanting to shut everything out.

“Get to your positions. We move out in a few hours.”

Hard footsteps moved closer to Kaoru, and she cringed. She heard two men leaving, one stumbling. Opening her eyes, she saw that the blindfold had shifted by the barest fraction. Looking downward, she saw part of a western-style shoe, crowned by a cream pant leg. She noted distractedly that the shoe was oddly colored, both white and brown. Kaoru closed her eyes, fearful of the slip being discovered.

“You, bring the map we were discussing downstairs. We will continue here.”

“Yes sir.”

Kaoru could only hear her own harsh breathing in the quiet that followed. She flinched as hands closed over her shoulders and lifted her upright. Her whole body shook at being touched by strange men.

Hands clumsily retied her hakama, obviously unfamiliar with the garment. The same hands pulled her gi closed as much as possible, gloves brushing against her bruised skin. She was placed back in the corner, blindfold tightened over her eyes.

“I did not intend for you to be harmed.”

Kaoru did not respond, lost in her pain and shame.

Someone entered the room with the shuffling of papers.

“Sir.”

“Yes. Give me a moment.” The sound of liquid hitting a cup came close to her ear, and something was pressed to her abused lips. “Drink.”

Kaoru didn't question, and accepted the liquid. It was bitter this time, and a gloved hand clasped over her mouth to keep her from spitting it out.

“It is just a drug. Sleep now.”

Kaoru swallowed, and allowed herself to slump back against the wall. She just wanted to leave this place, to get away from this hateful room.

Her awareness began to dim.

“Is she out?” This from the other man.

“I believe so. Show me the map again,” the foreigner replied.

“Yes sir. If we take out this bridge here after we pass, the government will have to send forces down the ravine and up the mountainside. Our position will be easily defensible.”

The voices were getting quieter, but she struggled to stay awake.

“How long until we get to the bridge?”

“Because men will be pulling the wagons, eight hours. Using horses would compromise our disguise.”

“I see. Tell me. . .”

Blackness overwhelmed her, and she heard no more.