Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Dangerous Alliance ❯ Problems with Hiko ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

Hiko looked up as the hawk landed, message in claw. He reached out and took it.

"Never a moments peace. Guess she figured out how to get a hold of me." The hawk cocked his head sideways and blinked dark black eyes. "Ha! She figured out she needed my signature. Oh no, not that easily my girl." He pulled out a paper. Minutes later he handed the message to the hawk, which flew back off into the night.

"Honestly. Young people today. Think they can get something for nothing."

Kaoru was dressed for bed when the hawk came flying into her room. That was fast. She sent the message right before dinner. Hiko must be close by. She carefully took the message in hand and read it.

Kenshin was getting dressed having just gotten out of his bath. He managed to get pants on and pick up the shirt he was intending to put on when Kaoru came bursting in. She was really pissed now. God she looked gorgeous with her hair down in a single braid and eyes blazing. Even though she was only in her nightgown and outer robe she looked like a true Queen. He stood there stunned, taking in her appearance and the fire blazing in her eyes, speechless.

"HE sent this reply!" she said, throwing the message down on his bed and began passing furiously. Unsure of what she was talking about Kenshin picked up the message.

**I'll only come back to that palace if a royal is getting married or someone important dies. Best regards, King Hiko.**

"Shishou, always was brief. Are you sure I cannot just sign for him?"

"The treaty is magic bound. It won't bind if you sign it. Even if you put an X it would change to say Prince Himura."

"Must everything with you be magic?" She stopped pacing to glare at him. Obviously that was not what was in question. "Well, we could try and marry Sano off," he suggested.

"That's just it! Sano would never marry! Even if he was willing Megumi would never get off her high horse to say yes."

"How did you know he was after her?" Kaoru looked at him with the isn't-it-obvious look.

"Which leaves you, me and King Sagara."

"I don't think King Sagara is inclined to remarry…and neither am I."

"Which means he means me!" Kaoru began pacing again. "The nerve….ooh! I remember he was a pompous ass when I was a kid, but oh how that pisses me off."

"It's not that surprising. You should probably be married before you try King Saitou anyway. Everyone knows he dislikes extremely independent women….funny he married one."

"Kenshin, this is no time for jokes!" she said. Kenshin looked up, shocked. That was the first time she'd called him by his name. Not that he minded.

"Look at it this way. If you did have a wedding you could invite all the royals. It is an unwritten law that royals come to another royal's wedding. That would get King Saitou and King Sagara and Shishou all here on the same day. One day, three signatures and the treaty is reaffirmed."

Kaoru stopped and thought. Kenshin took that time to pull on his shirt. He was still fairly undressed by proper standards. Not that Kaoru seemed to mind. She was here in her nightgown and being by the candle light showed how lightweight the material was on her. She was not wearing anything underneath. Kenshin suddenly wanted a very cold bath. Did women have no idea what they did to men in enticing outfits? And he hadn't had a woman since Tomoe's betrayal.

"Great, so now I have to come up with a husband. It would probably take less time and hassle to find King Hiko and ride to the other two kingdoms."

"Although you might get killed in the process." That got Kaoru to think. She hung her head.

"What am I going to do? I'm doomed if I don't get that treaty signed and I'm doomed if I try."

"Why is the treaty so important?"

"The Mountain range keeps most of you safe from the Empire but we are in its front yard, wide open. The women of my family have always been the keepers of the barrier that was set up between Edo and the Empire. We keep them out. My father wasn't supposed to marry my mother. He was supposed to marry some nice highborn girl from the south. The mages who keep the barrier have never been a part of the royal family. Too much is at stake if something happens. If I die the barrier falls."

"And the Empire runs over Edo like a plague," Kenshin said with a nod. "But why the treaty?"

"The treaty changes that. If I die the power transfers to the three other rulers. They either have time to build up the armed forces for an attack from the Empire or time to find another mage powerful enough to take on the burden. It takes the three kings though."

Kenshin pulled up the other chair.

"Shall I send out an edict telling all eligible men to come to the palace?"

"KENSHIN! This is a serious problem!" she said, hitting his chest. He went flying off the back and landed with a thud on the floor. She immediately regretted it.

"Oh I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" She knelt down beside him, pulling him up.

"Then again," he said with shaking shoulders. "You might be too strong for the men of Kyoto!"

"Mou! I come to you for help and you're laughing at me!" She pushed him back down and he caught her wrists. Unbalanced she came flying down. Not to be undone she pulled away, only to succeed in rolling them over. Now she was under him, her wrists pinned and he was still laughing.

Now they were in a bad position. Kaoru was pinned under him, breathing hard as Kenshin leaned over her. Violet eyes looked down into blue.

"I cannot help it if you did not like the proposals I offered," he said breathlessly. His face was only about an inch from hers.

"Maybe I should come back at a better time," a voice said from across the room. Aoshi was standing at the door Kaoru left wide open. Kenshin quickly rolled off of her and pulled her up.

"What is it?"

"We caught another assassin entering the palace." Kenshin frowned.

"And I need to know this now because…?"

"I need Queen Kamiya to call off Lady Misao. She hobbled down to the dungeon to torture the man."