Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Back Home To You ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 8 )

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. The premise for this story is from the book The Wedding by Julie Garwood.

A/N: Finally, the next chapter of BHTY! I know…it's been so long since I've last updated this story and I'm sorry! I hope this chapter makes your long wait worthwhile. To those who have already read The Wedding, it's a good book neh? And I am deviating from the plot already…so don't expect some of the stuff that happened in the book to appear in this story. /smiles/

Thank you so much for all those who reviewed. I'll post my review responses later on in the next chapter because I didn't want you guys to wait any longer for this next installment. I hope you like it.

 

Chapter Seven:

 

Kaoru signed the letter she'd written to Megumi with a flourish. So far she had already written eight letters in all and she still hasn't been able to send them to her cousin. She made a mental note to talk about it to Kenshin once he'd returned.

She hoped it would be soon.

She stood up and sighed, starting to pace once more to relieve the restless energy brewing inside of her.

It was boring.

Even though she'd been raised as an aristocrat, Kaoru had always had something to occupy her time and keep her busy.

It was the fifth day since Kenshin had left, not that she was counting or anything, and Kaoru was positively going out of her mind with boredom.

At least back at her home, she'd had Megumi to talk with as well as the other servants. She might not be allowed to help in the kitchen because of her penchant for ruining the meals, but at least she could stay there and talk with the others.

She felt like a leper in this inn.

No one treated her badly or ignored her. It was actually the opposite. Everyone was nice to her, always asking about her welfare and making sure her needs were met even before she realized what it was she needed or wanted.

It was a stifling.

They were fawning over her too much and it made her feel like an outsider.

It was almost as if they were scared of making her mad. Everyone at the inn were all bowing and scraping and rushing to do her tiniest bidding.

Even the other guests gave her wide berth and no one ever really approached her other than to greet her and always they would leave as fast as they could politely manage.

Once Kaoru had smiled at the footmen who had brought her the bathwater and thanked them for their trouble.

They had looked horrified to see her smile and had averted their eyes, bowing their heads and hurrying off from the room as fast as they could.

She'd always thought she gave off a rather friendly air and no one ever accused her of being terrifying or snobbish before.

Okay so maybe she had a penchant for being slightly violent when she lost her temper but people here didn't know that.

So what were they so afraid of?

It wasn't like she was in the habit of waving her hands in the air and shouting “Off with their heads!” while randomly pointing to unsuspecting peasants.

She glanced over at Tsubame who was still happily knitting on. “What are you planning to give him? A blanket?”

“It's a scarf mistress, but he's so tall he's probably going to need something longer than usual, don't you think?”

Good point. Kaoru smiled, amused by Tsubame's devotion to the stoic man. “Was he nice to you when you went to his bedroom?”

Tsubame nodded. “He slept on the floor and I got the bed. It was very nice of him and he wasn't scary at all like those other men at home.”

“Hmmm…”

“Shall I get you tea mistress?”

“No. I'm fine,” Kaoru said. “Tsubame…”

“Yes, my lady?” Tsubame asked as she looked up from her knitting and concentrated on Kaoru.

“Have you noticed how odd people are treating me?”

“My lady?”

Kaoru bit her lip and shook her head. She didn't want to worry the child. “Nothing…it's nothing.”

Tsubame sat motionless as she looked at her mistress.

Kaoru smiled at the younger girl. “Never mind Tsubame, I'm just being silly, that's all.”

“Would you like me to have your bath drawn? Perhaps it would relax you, my lady…” Tsubame suggested excitedly. She knew how Lady Kaoru enjoyed the luxury of a long hot bath and she'd been tense now for the last couple of days.

Kaoru smiled and nodded, noting Tsubame was already halfway out the door. “Okay, that would be nice. Thank you…”

 

O

 

After her bath, Kaoru went out and sat by the small garden outside. As usual, she was left alone, no one even daring to come near her or get within her sights. Those who had the misfortune of stumbling into her line of vision would offer her a very formal greeting and run off to the opposite direction while trying to hide the fact that they were doing it.

Kaoru gritted her teeth.

It was really starting to grate on her nerves.

Unfortunately, throwing her usual temper tantrum would probably upset the situation even more.

And she didn't have any one specific to blame. She couldn't very well bash all their heads in now, could she? Not that she actually wanted to or anything but the frustration was making her hands ache to hit something.

It was all Kenshin's fault anyway because he left her.

Oh my god, were the people talking about her?

How after only one day of marriage, her husband had left her at some inn?

Kaoru's face heated up in humiliation.

She became all too aware of her situation. She was in a strange country in a strange town with only her young maid to accompany her.

People at home were probably worried and by now she was sure her Uncle had found out about the ruination of his plans.

Once again, Kaoru found herself unable to control the course of her life. It was a position she'd never liked and always tried to rebel against. Her life was hers and not anyone else's.

And yet here she was in this situation, brought there by the whims of others and not her own doing.

Then again, she did ask Kenshin to marry her…

Lord...she was married now.

To Hitokiri Battousai of all people!

So far the only parts of him she'd seen were tolerable, she even liked him a little when he wasn't driving her out of her mind, but she knew there must be something a lot darker inside of him to merit the name Manslayer.

Did that have something to do with why people were avoiding her?

 

OOO

 

“Jou-chan!” Sano greeted convivially as he sauntered over to the bench she was seated in. He grinned down at her, “Haven't seen you in a while. It's good to see you out of that room of yours.”

Kaoru glanced up at him, wondering what it was that kept his hair up on end like that. “Oh is that you Sano? I didn't recognize you without the cup of sake in your hand and a dice in the other.”

Sano grinned as he sat down beside her. “A man's gotta find amusement somewhere. Life's too short.”

Kaoru was quiet as they both looked at the empty garden. “Why did Kenshin marry me?” she asked suddenly.

“It was time for him to marry.”

Kaoru glanced at him, knowing there was something he was hiding from her and all too aware of the fact that he wasn't going to say anything more on the subject. It was a trait common to the three men she'd met so far in this country.

Aoshi.

Sano.

And of course, her husband, Kenshin.

“Where did he go? Do you know?” Kaoru tried again.

“There is some business he needed to settle.”

Kaoru opened her mouth to ask what business but thought better of it. She would only be wasting her breath.

There were times when she felt exactly like a pawn.

Like some entity with no mind of her own, unable to make any decision about the course of her life.

How dare they treat her like she was nothing?!

If her mother could see her now, she would surely weep!

But Kaoru was different from her mother and all her frustration and energy finally found a target she could pound.

She drew back her arm and hit Sano as hard as she could.

 

OOO

 

He felt a slight thump on his bicep followed by a sharp intake of breath.

Sano glanced over to Kaoru in surprise.

Uh-oh.

He didn't like the fact that Kaoru had cried out and was cradling her hand.

“Did you hit me?” he asked incredulous. Didn't she know better by now?

She growled at him, holding her hand in pain.

Lord, if she was injured on his watch, Battousai would surely cut of his arm and Sano was very attached to his arm, thank you very much!

It wasn't his fault she hit him but Battousai probably wouldn't care.

Sano was glad Kenshin was somewhat attached to his new bride but that meant if the redhead so much as found a miniscule scratch on Kaoru's pinky, it was Sano's hide on the line.

“We should go get some ice on that and ointment too!” he suggested as he scooped her up.

“Stop it! It's my hand that hurts not my legs! I can walk fine!” Kaoru protested as he ran towards the inn, carrying her.

Sano was having none of it. “I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for me!”

Kaoru blinked at the slight panic in his eyes.

 

OOO

 

Tsubame was busy brushing Kaoru's long black hair after she'd cooed and fussed over her lady's `injury'.

They both looked up when they heard footsteps approaching before someone spoke from the other side of the door.

“My Lady…”

“Come in,” Kaoru said, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sensation of someone brushing her hair. She opened her eyes when she heard someone enter. “You're Asuka, aren't you?”

Asuka nodded, surprised that the noblewoman remembered her. “Y-yes my lady…”

“What can I do for you Asuka?” Kaoru asked turning fully towards the girl.

“Sagara-san had thought you might enjoy some tea and pastries,” she said as she held up the tray she way holding, “The tea is a special bled said to have soothing properties.”

Asuka was thoroughly intimidated by Kaoru's presence.

It was obvious that the girl was of noble-blood.

Her fair skin, her features, her hair and bearing all spoke of aristocratic-lineage.

Her kimono alone cost more than a year of Asuka's wages.

She was also married to one of the most powerful lords in the land.

Lord Kenshin Himura: a nobleman who was also rumored to be one of the greatest fighters in history.

Asuka wasn't sure if Lord Kenshin Himura was indeed the Battousai, no one was, but there were rumors that the lord was indeed one of the legendary swordsmen of the wars.

He was said to be a cold and merciless killer and no one at the inn would dare incur his wrath.

It was also true that no one would dare anger his wife.

Asuka kept her eyes trained to the ground as she laid out the pastries and tea set on the small table inside the room.

Tsubame stood up to help Asuka.

“How nice of Sano,” Kaoru said as she glanced at her bandaged hand. “He is overreacting a bit though.”

In Kaoru's opinion, Sanosuke had overreacted when he'd asked the doctor in town to lather her hand in ointments and bandage it. The doctor said that the pain in Kaoru's reaction was just a normal reaction and that it would be fine but Sano had insisted. He had gone after the man to get more medical supplies and left Kaoru alone for a moment with Tsubame.

Kaoru studied the assortment of pastries on the platter and smiled. “Oh look Tsubame, they have the one that you really like,” she said as she picked it up and handed it to the girl.

It was not the first time Asuka had noticed the closeness between the girl and her lady.

It came as a surprise because in her years of working at the inn, Asuka had always seen a distance, a line drawn between servant and master.

Kaoru turned to smile at Asuka. “Would you like to join us?” she asked. “There's plenty here and I'm sure you're mistress could spare you for a few moments.”

Asuka was startled. A noblewoman eating with a slave as if they were equals? It was unheard of.

Kaoru thought nothing of it. She and Megumi had always preferred to eat at the kitchen with the servants other than dine with Kanryuu and his friends. She smiled expectantly at Asuka and noticed the other girl's hesitation. Kaoru's smile dimmed a little. “Unless of course, you don't want to…I understand,” she said. Maybe people here did dislike her for some reason.

Kaoru found the idea hurtful.

At the sight of those sad blue eyes, Asuka forgot her worries and agreed to have tea with the noblewoman.

Kaoru smiled. “Great. You can tell me all about your country, I've been here only a few days and I don't know a thing!”

 

 

OOO

 

The bandage on Kaoru's hand had finally come off and Sano was pleased to see that there were no bruises on scratches. Having noted that, he turned his attention on Tsubame who was busy knitting for Aoshi who was not as deserving as he was of a gift. “How about me? Aren't you going to make me something?” Sano asked as he studied the growing length of Tsubame's knitting. “I'm feeling a little left out here…” he whined as he gave her his best puppy-dog impression.

Tsubame gave him a small smile and hid her face behind her bangs.

Sano grinned. Well, at least the little girl was actually looking at him right now unlike before when she'd just stared at his hand like it was a monster or something.

Kaoru had said it was because the girl had seen him smash that boulder the first day she saw him.

In his opinion, the ladies should be swooning at his show of strength, not cringing in fear.

“You know what we should do? We should go out and buy something. Asuka told me that the shops in town are wonderful.”

Sano glanced over to where Kaoru was sitting by the window, running an ivory comb through her long hair.

Sunlight streamed from the open window, invoking violet highlights in her deep black hair and making her blue eyes shimmer like liquid pools.

It wasn't any wonder why Kenshin couldn't keep his eyes off of her!

He winced inwardly, anticipating the feel of Kenshin's katana slicing his head off.

“Sano, are you listening?”

“Huh?”

Kaoru caught her head up in a ribbon, the shorter tendrils falling to feather gracefully over her face. “I said, we should all go out and do some shopping. It's boring in here and Asuka's day off is today so we can all go. It'll be fun.”

Oh joy. From his earlier experience, there was nothing pleasant about shopping with females. “Yeah, sure Jou-chan. Whatever you want,” he muttered dejectedly.

Kaoru blinked and bit her lip, “Oh I forgot…I don't have money. Oh hey, maybe I can pawn one of the rings my uncle gave me. I never did like his tastes in jewelry.”

“No. You can have the stalls charge it to the inn under your name and Kenshin can have someone take care of it,” Sano suggested.

Kaoru glanced at him, “Is my husband so rich?”

“He gets by.”

 

OOO

 

It had been several days since Kaoru had first arrived in town and she noted that she was right when she first noted what a busy area it was.

It was a metropolis to be sure, with a menagerie of races compromising its inhabitants. Large buildings rose towards the sky as the streets was crowded with smaller stalls draped with all kinds of goods from cloth, jewelry to exotic animals. The sheer variety alone was staggering.

The streets were filled with a mixture of different manners of dresses and you could hear several languages being exchanged and shouted as people haggled over the prices of certain goods and merchants tried to call attention to their wares.

Kaoru glanced down at Tsubame and smiled. This was the girl's first venture outside the lands surrounding the estate and must surely be as excited as she was.

Kaoru had chosen the simplest of her kimonos to wear for today at Asuka's urging.

 

“I'm sure you don't want to be bothered my lady, a lot of those merchants, if they see that you're a lady of means, would go after you like a pack of rabid wolves…”

 

However, it was still pretty expensive and a lot of merchants were quick to note Kaoru's presence and offer her their products. `At a very reasonable price.'

Before long, Kaoru had bought several things for herself as well as Tsubame and a kimono that she insisted Asuka take as a gift. She would have bought more for the girl but she sensed that the kimono was all Asuka would take for the moment. Sensing an impulse buyer, the merchants and their assistants swarmed around Kaoru like bees, saying their stall was better, their products cheaper and so on.

Kaoru was startled and backed away, surprised at their vigor.

Finally fed up, Sano growled at them and they dispersed as quickly as they came.

“Thanks,” Kaoru replied, blinking. Whenever she and Megumi had gone shopping, it was always with guards surrounding them, so this was the first time something like that had happened to her.

 

A few minutes later, a slim young girl approached them carrying a beautiful tapestry and said that her sister made it. They had a stall that sold different kinds of materials, like yarn, thread, cloth and beads that could be used to design dresses. “Even this kimono I am wearing is our own design.”

Tsubame loved to knit, stitch and embroider and her eyes gleamed in excitement.

Kaoru was interested in the kimono.

They followed the young girl but got distracted by a stall with brightly colored birds. Asuka, Kaoru and Tsubame clapped as one particular bird the merchant called a `parrot' said that `you are pretty, you are pretty, squawk!'.

“What an intelligent bird! Don't you think?” Kaoru laughed.

Sano rolled his eyes at the girls' giggles.

“Are you girls going to be long? I'm hungry,” Sano complained as he stretched. He was already carrying a lot of their packages and they had been shopping for the better part of the morning.

“How about you go off and we'll meet you at the inn later?” Kaoru suggested.

“No way. I'm not letting you out of my sight. Kenshin would murder me if something were to happen to you.”

Kaoru blinked, surprised at the pleasure that statement brought forth in her. She smiled and glanced at Tsubame, “You go on ahead with Asuka while I go with Sano to get something to eat.”

“I can wait until later, Mistress.”

“No, you on. Buy whatever you want and charge it to the inn. Have fun okay? I'm expecting an embroidered handkerchief from you,” she teased the girl. “You too Asuka, have fun and take care of Tsubame for me.”

Asuka blushed and nodded still unused to the attention of a noble treating her as an equal.

Tsubame smiled and nodded before she and Asuka went off.

 

OOO

 

Kaoru watched as another tempura disappeared within the depths of Sano's mouth. The man sure could eat. She fiddled with her chopsticks and glanced back at Sano. “Would Kenshin really do that?”

“What?”

“Murder you if something were to happen to me.”

“Don't sound so hopeful,” Sano muttered. “But, yeah. I believe his words went something like, `It's better you die protecting her than have me kill you for failing to'.”

Kaoru ducked her head and smiled.

“You seem happy about that.” Sano observed.

“No I'm not,” Kaoru said as she picked up a rice ball and popped it inside her mouth.

Sano smirked. “You know, he isn't so bad. Kenshin. I knew him since we were kids. He always did have a fondness for you. Your memory always made him smile.”

“Really?” Kaoru said blinking. “He was fourteen when he met me…and I was only three…”

“Yeah. He said you were the bravest girl he'd ever met,” Sano said. “You seem to bring out the protectiveness in him. He might seem a little hard and harsh to you sometimes, but a lot of things has happened to him to make him the way he is.”

“Why is he called the Battousai?”

“Because he's very good at a particular form of sword-drawing technique. It's called the batou-jutsu. It's a movement of the sword is the art of drawing the katana-”

“Cutting down the opponent, flipping the blood from the blade and re-sheathing katana in one fluid movement.” Kaoru cut in.

“Oh so, you know your sword techniques.”

“My father was a noble but he was a warrior and a fighter as well. He had his own sword-style, Kamiya Kashin Ryu and he taught me the basics. The Batou-jutsu's emphasis is on drawing the sword and attacking as quickly as possible. Starting positions can be from combative postures or from everyday sitting or standing positions.” Kaoru had a quick flashback of seeing Kenshin sitting against the tree with his sword in his arms.

 

“Didn't you sleep?”

“I sleep this way.”

“Because we're outside?”

“All the time.”

 

“Practitioners could expect a surprise attack at any time, and the ability to react quickly from an everyday starting position was considered essential…” Kaoru whispered, more to herself than to Sano. She felt something inside her ache at the knowledge that Kenshin was so used to expecting danger that even in sleep he could not let his guard down.

Another memory flashed through her, it was of the last night they'd spent together.

 

“Now come here and sleep.”

Kaoru hesitated only for a moment before she crawled over to where he was. “You will sleep with me like this tonight?” she asked when she felt his arms around her.

“Yes…”

“You said before you always slept sitting down…remember?”

“If you'd rather I leave…”

“No…” she said softly. “I'd rather you stay…”

 

And he did.

Kaoru found herself beaming from ear to ear as she played with her food. “Tell me about my husband Sano, tell me how he was when you were kids.”

“Well Kenshin was an orphan and he fostered under Seijuuro Hiko's care. That's how the three of us met, Aoshi, Kenshin and I,” Sano began.

Kaoru could well sympathize with that.

She had also lost her parents at a young age.

She thought back to her conversation with her husband.

 

“It's no use crying for the dead. It won't bring them back to life.”

“I'm not crying for my parents…”

“Then…whom are you crying for?”

“Myself, I think tears aren't shed for the departed. They are shed for the living. To help those of us who are left behind to release the pain,”

“Tears are a sign of weakness, you dishonor the memory of the departed when all you can do when you think of them is cry.”

“I wasn't crying because I was thinking of my parents. I told you I was crying for myself because I lost them. When I think about my parents, I feel sad…but I also feel lucky because I came from two wonderful people who loved each other so much.” Kaoru had said. “Are your parents in love too?”

 

He hadn't answered.

Instead he had embraced her from behind and kissed her.

Kaoru suddenly felt herself aching to see him again and shower him with kisses. She didn't understand it but her arms were practically aching to be wrapped around him.

 

OOO

 

Kaoru blinked and concentrated on Sano. “Foster…so you mean Aoshi and you are both orphans as well?”

“Well no. In our country, people send their sons to foster on other houses so they can learn skills of battle and form alliances.” Sano explained.

“That's seems a little harsh,” Kaoru said with a frown. If she had a son, she would never allow him to be sent away to grow up in some other house just for the sake of politics.

“Well, it's no less harsh than sending a young girl to be married to someone she doesn't know or love, just for the sake of connections,” Sano pointed out.

“Good point,” Kaoru muttered. “But I don't want to discuss politics. Tell me about Kenshin…” Kaoru said impatiently. When she realized what she'd said, she blushed and started to stammer, “I mean…I…”

Sano held up a hand, grinning in amusement. “Hold you horses Jou-chan. We were always getting into trouble. Kenshin could never say no to anyone, he was always very helpful.

One time, we came upon a man whose daughter was getting married. He was very worried because he didn't have anything special enough to bring as a gift for his supposed in-laws.

In this country, you see, you're expected to give a bridal gift for the parents of your son-in-law.”

“Sort of like a dowry?”

“Yes,” Sano nodded. “Exactly so. And his in-laws come from a very good merchant family and the man was a poor farmer only. He didn't want his daughter to enter their house shame-faced but he had no money or anything special to give.”

“Kenshin helped him, even though he didn't know the man very well.” Kaoru interjected.

Sano nodded. “Yes, he did. He got Aoshi and I to help as well. You see there is this type of sake that is very rare and expensive that it is said to be worth its weight in gold. Lord Seijuuro Hiko, that the man we fostered under, happened to be very fond of this sake and kept a stock in his wine cellar.

So that night, Kenshin, Aoshi and I sneaked into the cellar and got some of the sake and gave it to the farmer to give as a bridal gift.”

Kaoru beamed, “What a nice thing to do!”

“Yeah, you'd think we'd be praised for it,” Sano muttered. “But Lord Hiko was very displeased with us. He was a man who loved his sake, you see and he was very aware of how many jugs he had stocked at any given time. When he discovered that three were missing, he called us in and berated us for our stupidity and blamed us for being born.” Sano laughed. “He pointed at Kenshin and said `Somehow, some way I know this is all because of you, baka-deshi. I would just like to know how you could justify this in that convoluted brain of yours!'

Kenshin explained that he was only trying to help out the farmer and thought the sake would be a fine gift. By this time, Aoshi and I were already halfway out of the room since Master Hiko's attention was on Kenshin.”

Kaoru was smiling and imagining a young Kenshin. He sounds so cute and precious…! “So then when he heard how noble Kenshin's motive was, he forgave all of you…” Kaoru guessed.

“I wish!” Sano said. “What he said to Kenshin was. `You should have gone to the treasury and taken a pearl necklace, asked for money, steal my cape! Never, and I mean don't you EVER, EVER, take my sake again! Do you understand baka-deshi?' and then he pointed to me and Aoshi and said, `It goes for the two of you too! Especially you Aoshi, I thought you had a brain! How come you never use it?' Unlike this baka-deshi of mine whose head is empty!

We had to clean the lavatories for a whole month before he even deigned to acknowledge our presence again!”

Kaoru frowned. She didn't think she liked this Hiko very much. Why was she calling her Kenshin baka-deshi all the time?

Sano saw the frown on her face. “Anything wrong Jou-chan?”

“Does Kenshin feel bad at being called baka-deshi when he was younger?”

Sano smiled slightly at the protective tone in Kaoru's voice. “No. Hiko is like a father to him. He took care of Kenshin when his parents died and he didn't treat us unfairly.”

Kaoru smiled, “Oh, I guess it's like Megumi calling me Tanuki then!”

“Tanuki?”

Kaoru rolled her eyes. “It's a long story…” she picked up another rice and ate it slowly, thinking.

She should buy something nice for Kenshin.

Something to welcome him home

 

OOO

 

A/N: Finally! I finished it! At last! Did you guys like it? Please review! I hope you guys weren't disappointed. As for review responses, guys I'll post it tomorrow as a separate chapter okay? I didn't want to crowd this chapter too much. I hope this is long enough for you! Oh and for solid Kenshin/Kaoru fans, I also have another fic Only With You. Give it a try. Anywayz, I hoped you like this and as always REVIEW, please!