Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Back Home To You ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 2 )

Title: Back Home To You

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all its characters do not belong to me. I am just borrowing them for a little while.

A/N: I was going to do an Aoshi/Kaoru fic but I wanted Battousai. I am currently writing three fan-fictions for RK, one's already posted, it's `Belonging' and my Aoshi/Kaoru `Perfect Fit' will hopefully be out soon.

Premise: Kaoru asked Kenshin to marry her when she was three? And now the Battousai has come back, fifteen years later to claim his bride.

P.S: I just read somewhere that Kenshin is only 5'2, is that true? /5'6 me cries/ Awww…anyway since this is AU let's just pretend he's a little taller, okay? ^_^

Chapter One:

There were three of them in all as they waited for her to arrive. Aoshi, Sanosuke and Battousai.

All three men were formidable in battle.

The bond between them had been forged in the heat of war.

Their loyalty to each other was absolute.

"What about Master Seijuuro? You promised him you would end the feud between Shishio and yourself." Aoshi pointed out.

"Yes. This will be my last insult. It will eat at Shishio for a long time. He's always clamored for connections in high places from other kingdoms. My marriage to her would surely be a thorn in his side for a long, long time."

"It isn't too late to change your mind. There are still other ways to gain vengeance," Aoshi reminded him. "There is no need for you to tie yourself to this woman for a lifetime."

Sanosuke suddenly burst out laughing. "I can't believe it turned out to be her. Do you remember yet?"

"How can I forget the first proposal I ever got?" Battousai said dryly. "It worked out better than I expected. Now I have a reason to give."

"Master Seijuuro is going to be furious just the same." Aoshi said. His grandfather, Okina, was a close ally of Seijuuro Hiko and Aoshi had been sent to foster in his care when he'd been a young boy. It was where he'd met Kenshin and Sano. For some reason Seijuuro had always deemed Aoshi to be `the voice of reason' and it was always him who got the worst scolding when they got into trouble.

`I don't expect anything from these two lamebrains but I thought you were better than that! Okina said you have a brain, why not use it?'

Damn, he just knew the old man was going to blame him for this.

"The woman is mine. I've come to claim my right to her," Battousai said his eyes burning with amber fire. His hatred for Shishio knew no bounds. The man had denied him his chance at happiness and Battousai had vowed that he would make Shishio's life a living hell until such a time that he could send him to the real hell that waited in the afterlife.

"So what will you tell the old fart?" Sano asked, stretching. He was bored and needed some action.

"She asked me to marry her. The two of your should remember, you laughed all the way back home."

Aoshi lips twitched. "She asked you five times, but I would remind you that it was fifteen years ago. She's surely forgotten all about it."

Battousai smiled. It wasn't comforting. "I remember. That's all that matters."

OOOOO

Kaoru sensed that someone or something was watching her.

Oh what she wouldn't do to be back in her own lands, in her house right now, with her own family surrounded by four walls with guards posted at each entrance.

She had been kneeling beside a shallow stream, drying her face and hands with a cloth when she felt a presence behind her. She pretended that she felt nothing was amiss, continuing what she was doing and making sure not to show her agitation.

It there was a wild animal out there it was sure to sense her fear and make her more prone to it's attack.

Right?

Just to be safe, she drew a jewel-encrusted dagger from the scabbard resting at her hip. She turned slowly and waited with a ready stance for the danger to appear.

Nothing moved, nothing happened.

And yet she waited still.

It was stupid of her to venture so far from the camp built by her uncle's guards. He had sent them with her to ensure her safety. She tried to feel grateful to him but couldn't. She wouldn't be in this situation if he weren't such a power hungry lout.

Her Uncle had assumed the lands that belonged to Kaoru's father when both her parents died in an accident when Kaoru was eleven. He had become her guardian and he had chosen to marry her to some foreigner from another kingdom.

She'd heard that Shishio Makoto was a Hitokiri, a legendary killer who was merciless right up there in the ranks with Hitokiri Battousai, the legendary Slasher. Even though she was a woman and had no place in the wars, she had heard enough talk among the men in her own country to know about the war going on in this one.

Now there was a treaty of peace but it wasn't sure how long it would last.

Shishio Makoto had a lot of enemies hence she'd had to have several armed knights to escort her to his home in case of an ambush.

His enemies might enjoy ravishing and killing his future bride to be.

Kaoru gulped. "Oh God, Oh God…" she mumbled her eyes darting around for some sign of danger. What was making her so twitchy all of a sudden? Her father had always said she had good instincts and Kaoru believed him.

So what was wrong?

Maybe she still felt nauseous. She still was not prepared for this.

It was only last night when her uncle had come to her room, shaken her awake and told her about his plans to marry her to Shishio. The king didn't know of course but he was confident that the stodgy monarch would give his blessings in the end.

Megumi had come later, her eyes red. Kaoru could tell she'd been crying.

"Just take care of yourself Tanuki…" Megumi had whispered, clutching at Kaoru like she would never let go. "Don't forget to write me…"

Kaoru was afraid because of the tales she'd heard about her betrothed.

Kaoru wanted to go home.

Not with her uncle but the home she'd grown up with.

Re-sheathing her dagger, her shoulders sagging in melancholia, Kaoru started to make her way back to camp. There was no use worrying about her future now. It was all set and she'd find out soon enough what kind of man she would be marrying. Her head shot up when she heard someone call out a warning to her. She picked up the hem of her skirt and started to run back towards camp to see what was happening.

Tsubame, her maid, intercepted her and tried to pull Kaoru in the other direction.

"Tsubame-chan, calm down!" Kaoru ordered the young girl even though she felt chills running up and down her spine at the terror in the child's eyes.

"Please Mistress, we have to go…we've been attacked my monsters. This man, he just walked into the clearing and he punched a large boulder and it exploded my lady! It was crushed to tiny pieces! He didn't even look like he had a hard time doing it! What they say about this kingdom is true! It's dangerous here. They're going to kill the soldiers and come after you…please we have to get you to safety…" Tsubame threw her arm around Kaoru and sobbed. She loved serving her lady and didn't want her to die. "They asked the soldiers where you were hiding…"

Kaoru hugged Tsubame, "It's alright…they won't tell where I am…"

"They did," Tsubame said, taking Kaoru's hand and tugging her forward. "They threw their swords down and was telling them you whereabouts when I ran to find you…I'm sure they'll be killed. Those men had weird eyes Mistress…they looked cold…"

"Were the soldiers still alive when you left Tsubame?"

Tsubame nodded still trying to pull Kaoru but she was too young and too small. "Please, they're going to come soon…they were only waiting for their leader. Please Mistress…"

Kaoru shook her head and hugged the child. "I can't go Tsubame, but I thank you with all my heart for trying to save me," she said to the child. "If the men have come for me, perhaps I can persuade them not to kill my uncle's men."

Tsubame's eyes widened. "No…" she said shaking her head.

"Please Tsubame-chan. Save yourself…I am their Mistress. They are in this situation because of me. I have to do what I can to save them."

"I'll come with you…" Tsubame said bravely even though it was obvious she was terrified.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "No Tsubame. I want you to be safe. Try to make it back home alive. I want you to live Tsubame and that is an order." With another quick hug Kaoru told her to go. When the young girl disappeared around the bush, Kaoru finally started to run back to the direction of the camp. So her fears had been right, Shishio's enemies had come to kill her.

She unsheathed her dagger and hid it behind her. If she were to die then she would rather die fighting that cowering from the enemy.

She would not dishonor her father's name in that way.

OOOOO

They had been waiting for her.

It was obvious because they were all facing her when she broke though the clearing.

She blinked and looked around for more but there was none.

There were only…two?

Outrage shimmered in her eyes as she glared at her uncle's men who were down on their knees in the middle of the clearing with their hand clasped behind their necks.

They laid down their weapons for only two?

Well…maybe there were more people hiding or something…

And then she remembered what Tsubame had said.

Her eyes went to the place where the boulder had been. Tsubame said that a man had punched it and it had exploded. Kaoru gulped: if they can do that to a rock…what would it do to human flesh?

Oh God…Lord…Please…

She studied her uncle's soldiers. They looked unharmed and she was relieved.

She forced herself to face the enemy and tried to look unafraid even though she was quaking. Lord help me…they're huge! There was really no way she could defeat any of them in a fight. The two of them were both tall and lean and they looked strong enough to pick her up and break her in half without getting winded. She couldn't see their eyes very well because their hair obscured them. Tsubame said that they had cold eyes…

God…oh Lord…

Why didn't they just kill her and get it over with? The suspense was making Kaoru more miserable if that were possible.

Kaoru looked at the meaner looking one, the one with the black hair and dark clothing.

"It's me you came here for, isn't it?" she demanded.

He tilted his head a little and raised an eyebrow at her.

Was that supposed to be a yes? Why didn't they speak? She glared at him and tapped her foot.

He merely stared at her blankly.

"Don't mind him Jou-chan, he's always like that."

Kaoru turned to the one with the funny spiked hair. He seemed friendly enough and he did call her `Jou-chan'. "Who are you people?" she asked.

"My name is Sanosuke but you can call me Sano…" he said giving her a grin.

Kaoru frowned at him. This situation seemed utterly surreal. "Are you going to kill me Sano?"

He looked horrified. "Of course not Jou-chan!" he exclaimed before he looked off into space as if thinking about it, "Well…unless of course I was ordered to but I only take orders from one person and I doubt he'd want you dead…"

Okay, so she was to stay alive for now. "What about my uncle's men. Are you going to kill them Sano?"

"No. We're here to protect you. That's all. We're not going to kill them…not yet anyway."

"Why in the world would you want to protect me?"

"Because we've sworn fealty to our lord."

Relief washed over her. "So you've been sent by Shishio to escort me to his Estate?" she asked. For the life of her she could not understand what was wrong with what she said and why the two men had stiffened and growled.

"We would never swear filthy to a garbage like him," the tall quiet one said, glaring at her.

Kaoru wondered if she should be offended. She was the future wife of the `garbage' after all. Still, that might not be a good idea with him glaring at her and holding the hilt of his sword and all.

"We've sworn fealty to Himura-san Jou-chan." Sano said. "That's why we want to protect you."

"Who in the world is Himura-san and why would he want me protected?" Kaoru asked pinching the bridge of his nose. Oh what she wouldn't give for her bokken and time alone with these two strapped down and tied to a chair. She'd bop them in the head until they were both unconscious. "I don't ever recall meeting Himura-san."

"Well you should. You asked him to marry you," the quiet one said.

Kaoru peered at him. There was something odd about his eyes. Was he laughing at her? Impossible, he didn't seem capable of normal human emotions. His words finally penetrated her brain. "Are you insane?" she demanded walking right out to him and poking him in the chest with an index finger. "I never asked anyone to marry me before." She emphasized each word with a poke.

He glanced down at her his blue eyes meeting hers.

Uh-oh…Kaoru took a hasty step back. "Sorry," she mumbled. Megumi had been right; her temper was going to get her killed one of these days.

"You asked him five times," Aoshi said, taking pity on her finally and giving her a small smile. "It was a long time ago…"

Kaoru's head had shot up when he mentioned `five times'. Oh no…she had a vague memory of doing exactly that but it had been ages ago! Megumi had teased her several times about it in fact but Kaoru had never really remembered totally what had happened.

She'd only been three for goodness sake! "He…he denied me…I can remember that much…" she said to the tall quiet one and also to Sanosuke who was smiling at her.

"He sent you his refusal three times but to our understanding, you are still waiting for a response for your last two requests." Sano said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not waiting for his answer!" Kaoru insisted. She addressed this to the quiet man who was mean and would probably glad to be rid of her.

"Yes you are," he said.

"That's why we're here, because our master has come to claim you as his bride. As his followers we are sworn to protect you with our lives."

Kaoru took another step back. They seem to whole-heartedly believe what they were saying to her. "You're jesting, right?"

They both stared at her. Sano shook his head.

Kaoru felt the beginnings of a panic attack start. Okay Kaoru! Think! There must be a way out of this mess… She glanced at Sano. "You said you're my follower, right?"

He nodded, "Of course Jou-chan."

"Okay…since you say I will be the bride of your master, then you must obey me as well?"

Sano nodded.

Kaoru stared hard at the quiet one until he inclined his head in assent.

"Okay then, I order you to leave and go back to where you came from." Kaoru said making shooing motions at them.

They stared at her, not moving a single muscle.

Kaoru tapped her foot. "You're still here…"

"We cannot leave you until our master has returned," Aoshi decreed.

"You did ask him to marry you Jou-chan. I was there…" Sano interjected.

Kaoru frowned at them both. She could vaguely recall a man with funny hair and amethyst eyes saving her from a mother pig's wrath but she didn't recall ever seeing Sano. "Yes, well I've changed my mind. You may tell him that I said `No, thank you'. He must already be old by now and it might take him a few days to reach us and really gentlemen, I have to go."

"Don't worry Jou-chan, he's coming."

"Well then where is he?" Kaoru demanded.

"Right behind you."

OOOOO

Kaoru felt more than heard the words as she felt his breath tickle the hairs at the back of her neck.

He was standing very close to her then.

Why hadn't she sensed him come? She usually was very aware of her surroundings!

Oh why oh why didn't she go with Tsubame?

Oh yeah…the soldiers.

Kaoru tightened her grip on her dagger and turned around telling herself not to swoon or stagger back or wince even if she was faced with the vilest looking man in all creation.

She found herself staring at his collarbone.

That meant he wasn't as staggeringly tall as his other companions were.

His gi was colored pink for goodness sake! Not very menacing there.

Kaoru's eyes traveled slowly upward and the scar on his face caught her attention. She vaguely remembered him and she saw herself as a young girl capturing his face in between her hands. He hadn't had a scar then…something had happened to him in the last fifteen years since she'd last seen him.

She finally looked up and met his gaze. She almost gasped aloud.

His eyes.

They were different.

They were golden amber.

A-aren't they supposed to be violet…?

OOOOO

Battousai had just about reached the edge of his patience when she finally looked up and looked directly into his eyes. He was pleasantly surprised at how pretty she was. Oh he'd seen her by the stream earlier but he hadn't really taken the time to notice her. He had remembered her as that tiny little girl with the piglet in her arms but she'd certainly grown up since then.

He found the rather disheveled fall of her bangs to be charming.

He frowned.

Looking at her like this with her face upturned to him made him want to dip his head and give her a kiss.

The reaction surprised him.

Still, he was pleased with her.

Her escorts had been pathetic. None of them had even offered a slight resistance. The rock that Sanosuke had smashed hadn't been overly large at all but it seemed to terrify them and they'd thrown their weapons down and surrendered.

He wondered vaguely how they would react if they realized they were in the presence of Zanza, Okashira of Oniwabanshu and Battousai.

They were sent here to protect his intended and they didn't even try to get her to safety. His eyes glinted gold in the light.

The little girl Tsubame had been braver than all the other men in her escort were.

Battousai had been keeping watch over Kaoru while she lingered near the stream. He had seen how she'd sensed something was amiss and unsheathed her sword to be on the ready. He'd thought he would have to run after her when she'd encountered her little maid. It had surprised him that the girl was trying so hard to save her lady instead of just making a run for it.

Kaoru had even had to order Tsubame to leave; the little girl was so devoted to her.

He had been confused when he heard her say that she'd trade her life for the life of her Uncle's men. The fools didn't deserve her loyalty. He had been surprised by her actions. The look on her face as she hurried back to camp told him that she thought she was going to die.

The fact that she was brave enough to continue on surprised him.

He chose to remain silent and wait for her to speak.

OOOOO

He wasn't vile looking.

Oh no.

Not at all

He still had the funny colored hair she'd found so pretty. Like it couldn't decide between either gold nor red so it was just a cross in between.

His face was still almost to pretty for a man but now he had that scar and his eyes looked more slanted.

She vaguely remembered him as having violet eyes.

Like mama's amethyst jewels…

Why were his eyes a different color?

Or maybe her memory of him was just so long ago that she didn't remember it accurately?

His face was the same and yet, different.

He'd smiled at her then.

He wasn't smiling now.

She remembered as seeing him with a kind expression on his face.

His expression right now could be called a lot of things but not kind.

Why was he staring at her like that?

She felt like a mouse squirming to get away while a cat held its tail trapped in its paws.

She jerked back a little when he reached behind her and took her hand. She glanced down and saw that she was still gripping her dagger. She watched as he opened her fingers and took the dagger from her, replacing it back in its sheath by her hip. "Thank you," she said automatically. What was she doing fraternizing with the enemy? Her uncle would kill her for this. Oh no…so would Shishio! She'd heard he was a Hitokiri so he might go to her home and kill everyone there for revenge!

Her uncle she really couldn't work up enough worry over.

But Megumi-chan! Oh no not her cousin Megumi…or the servants who had been her friends for so long.

This man would probably get killed to.

For all their lives' sake she had to make him understand.

"There's been a mistake. I don't even remember you anymore. I'm not waiting for you answer to my last two requests for your hand in marriage" Kaoru said. "Besides that I was only three! Surely you won't hold a child's words against her."

He just stared at her with his yellow eyes his expression unreadable.

Kaoru's hands fisted with the need to hit him over the head with her bokken and shake some sense into him. Think Kaoru! Shishio will kill them too if they take you…and he'll kill your uncle's men because they weren't able to protect you. That would be to many men dead because of you!

It isn't right!

That is of course assuming Shishio cared enough about her.

Of he does moron. Not about you but your family connection! That's why he wanted to marry you in the first place! Think Kaoru! You've heard about your betrothed's reputation. These men live in the same country that he does! They must know that he's a very skilled fighter and their lives will be at risk! Kaoru took another step back, "I have to leave now. My betrothed Lord Shishio Makoto is waiting for me. I don't want to see anything bad come to you all because of a little misunderstanding that is admittedly, my fault." She tried to back away but Golden Eyes' hand snaked out to grab her shoulder, effectively holding her in place. It didn't hurt but his grasp was firm and Kaoru realized she wasn't going anywhere as long as he didn't let her. She frowned at him and remembered that the quiet man with the dark hair had growled at her mention of Shishio.

"We would never swear filthy to a garbage like him."

Okay so apparently there was no love lost between these men and her intended. They didn't even seem to fear him. Something wasn't quite right. Kaoru could sense it. Her blue eyes flashed as her temper flared and she forgot that she was supposed to be scared. "You're not here because of my proposal are you? You're here for an altogether different reason…" she accused.

Nothing. He just stared at her with those golden eyes that were really starting to freak her out. How can someone's face be so impassive?

Oh where was her bokken?

Kaoru fought the temptation to throw her hands up in the air in resignation. She lost. "Why can't you understand that I don't remember? Okay fine, I remember but I was a little kid back then and Megumi said no one would ever want to marry me because I had unladylike inclinations or something like that. Wait, no it was Nana who said that…Megumi-chan said I was a tomboy and my father was going to have a hard time finding someone to marry me…but anyway, I didn't want to give my father the trouble of finding me a husband so I asked you, but really that was such a long time ago its not even VALID anymore."

"How did you propose if I might ask?"

It was the mean one talking. The tall, mean, quiet one with straight black hair.

She would have turned to glare at him but Golden Eyes still hadn't let go of her so Kaoru contented with twisting her neck a bit so she could give him quiet one a nasty look. "How should I know, that was years ago!"

"Can't you even make a little guess?" he asked with a lift of an eyebrow.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I don't know…I suppose I said `Will you marry me'."

Battousai smiled and nudged Kaoru's face towards him with one hand, leaned down and gave her a kiss. It wasn't an overly long kiss, he just pressed his lips against her but it seemed to stun her to silence.

He looked into his eyes and leaned closer so their foreheads were almost touching, just as he had done all those years ago.

"Yes Kaoru, I will marry you."

OOOOO

A/N: I loved writing this chapter! Did you guys like it? This story is sort of an adaptation of one of my favorite stories. It doesn't follow the exact storyline but the premise is the same. Please review and tell me what you think. It inspires me, it encourages me and it helps me get chapters out as fast as I can! ^_^. Please review…thanks!