Control

To my dear readers I owe an apology. I’m sure you all thought I’d abandoned this story. I have not and I apologize for the long time between updates. My carpal tunnel has gotten better, but I’m now preparing to move 2000 miles from where I am now. So this will be the last update from the “not-so-sunny-at-the-moment” West Coast. I hope you can forgive me and I hope this will tide you over for now.

“dialogue”

‘thoughts’

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and I in no way make any money off of this endeavor. I just enjoy torturing the characters. :)

Control
Chapter 18

The group waited for Kenshin to regain consciousness and then began the journey back to Kyoto. Aoshi led the group with Kenshin following. Both Kaoru and Misao stayed close to Miyori’s side. Hiko followed, bringing up the rear. No one spoke the entire trip. In Kyoto, Kaoru and Misao moved in closer to Miyori, it was as if they could sense her nervousness with so many people around.

Aoshi led them through the city to the Aoiya without incident. Okon greeted them at the door. Her eyes widened when she saw Miyori and her condition. She quickly led the group to a private room and left to bring Okina in. A few moments later the former leader of the Kyoto group opened the door.

“You’ve returned!” shouted Okina, trapping Misao in a tight hug.

“Hai Jiya. Now let me go!” Misao shouted back.

Miyori took it all in with wide eyes. Okina let go of Misao and greeted the newcomers.

“Master Hiko, it is good to see you again,” the old ninja said.

Hiko nodded in response. Okina’s eyes settled on Miyori.

“You must be Miyori,” he said, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

Miyori shook at the contact but forced herself to remain seated. Okina released her hand and looked into her eyes.

“I’m sorry for the tragedy that has befallen you,” Okina said. “You must be exhausted. Misao, would you show our guest to the bathing house?”

Okina smiled at Miyori.

“A warm bath and some rest will do your tired body wonders,” he said.

Miyori nodded and followed Misao out of the room. Okina waited for them to leave before he continued.

“Obviously things were not as you expected them to be,” Okina said, looking at Kenshin.

Kenshin stiffened slightly.

“No,” he said. “Things were different than we’d hoped.”

“Did you have any trouble getting to her?” Okina asked.

“No,” said Aoshi.

“You didn’t have any trouble thanks to my skills you mean,” Hiko said.

Okina quirked an eyebrow, Kenshin sighed.

“There was a secret passage we were unaware of,” Aoshi said. “However we would have caught up to them. Master Hiko’s assistance was helpful, yes, but not necessary.”

Hiko snorted.

“Either way, what matters is that Miyori is no longer in that terrible place. I can’t imagine what she went through…,” Kaoru said, her voice trailing off.

“Hai, it’s evident she’s been through a lot. Will she be returning to her family?” Okina asked.

“No,” Misao answered, rejoining the group. “Her family sold her, those good-for-nothings! She’s returning to Tokyo with Kaoru and the others.”

“You’re taking her in?” Okina asked.

“Hai,” Kaoru said. “She has no place else to go. It doesn’t seem right to rescue her and then let her fend for herself, especially with a baby on the way.”

“You are very generous Miss Kaoru,” Okina said, smiling. “Okon noticed she was improperly dressed. She’s run to get her something to wear.”

“On Miyori’s behalf, I thank you,” Kaoru said. “Master Okina, we thank you for your generosity. Tomorrow we will set out for Tokyo.”

“Allow me to assist with preparations,” Okina offered.

Kaoru bowed. “I am in your debt,” she said.

“Come,” said Okina. “Let’s make those arrangements.”

Okina, Kaoru and Misao rose and left to prepare for the trip back to Tokyo. Aoshi made a comment about the temple and left. Only Hiko and Kenshin were left in the room.

Kenshin squirmed under his master’s steady gaze. He made as if to rise.

“Sit,” Hiko commanded. Kenshin dropped back to the cushion.

“So what do you plan to do about Miyori?” the Hiten Mitsurugi Master questioned.

Kenshin shook his head.

“I’m not certain,” he said.

“You can’t let it go for long. Soon her child will be born and I doubt there will be any question as to the parentage,” Hiko said, his eyes bearing down on Kenshin.

“I…,” Kenshin began.

“Hey Kenshin, we’re back!” Yahiko said, slamming open the shoji. Kenshin turned surprised eyes to the kid samurai and his lanky friend.

“Yahiko, Sano! I wasn’t expecting you so quickly,” Kenshin said. ‘Thank you for returning when you did!’

“You didn’t give us a big job. Go tell the police what happened. That’s not hard,” Sano said. “What you didn’t tell us was why we had to go do it.”

“Yeah,” Yahiko said. “Why was it so important that we had to go tell the police?”

Kenshin took a deep breath.

Hiko rose and with a glare at his apprentice, he swept past the two newcomers and left.

Kenshin watched him go.

“So Kenshin, why was it so important?” Yahiko questioned.

Sano looked thoughtful. “Kenshin, did we interrupt something with your master?” he asked.

Kenshin shook his head.

“I apologize for not explaining why it was so important at the time, but time was of the essence. The man who held Miyori threatened Lord Yamagata. It was necessary to fake Lord Yamagata’s death until we could get Miyori back,” Kenshin said.

Yahiko’s forehead crinkled in thought.

“But how could he threaten Lord Yamagata? Lord Yamagata is the leader of the army. There’s no way someone could get close enough,” the boy said.

“No one could get close enough, unless they were trained for it,” Sano said. “A hitokiri has those skills. He blackmailed you, didn’t he, Kenshin?”

Kenshin hung his head. Both Sano’s and Yahiko’s eyes widened.

“Kenshin! How come you never said anything?” Yahiko questioned.

“Simple brat, they threatened Miyori. Since Kenshin was held for so long in that prison with her, he had to get to know her. Am I getting this right?” Sano asked.

“Hai,” Kenshin confirmed. “They threatened to kill Miss Miyori and I could not let that happen. She was innocent in all this. Her death would have been on my shoulders if I did not do as they asked.”

“There you go, being all noble again. I gotta admit though, it would have been a sad thing to have her and her baby die. Just promise me one thing Kenshin,” Sano said. “Next time, let us in on this and let us help you out. We’re friends, so secrets aren’t necessary.”

“Yeah,” Yahiko said. “Friends are there to help friends in tough times. You should know that Kenshin!”

Kenshin smiled wanly.

“It is a new thing for me to have friends. I’ll keep your words close to my heart,” he said.

“Good,” Sano said. “Let’s go raid the kitchen, I’m hungry.”

“Not without me you don’t!” Yahiko shouted, following the fighter from the room.

Kenshin sat alone and mulled over his friends and his master’s words. Such a simple thing to say what was going on. But what of his relationship with Kaoru? How would she react?

As if drawn to his thoughts of her, Kaoru popped her head in the room.

“Kenshin, what are doing sitting all alone?” she asked, a warm smile accompanying the question.

“I was just thinking for a moment, that I was,” he said, smiling back.

Kaoru reached out and caressed his cheek.

“Is everything alright? You’ve been very quiet,” she said.

Kenshin captured her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm.

“Everything is alright. I was just thinking of you and how much I love you,” he said.

Kaoru’s smile beamed brighter as she threw her arms around Kenshin.

“I love you too, Kenshin,” she said. “You mean the world to me. Now that we’ve rescued Miss Miyori, we can marry.”

Kenshin felt his heart drop into his stomach.

“Kaoru, given the circumstances, don’t you think we should wait?” he asked.

Kaoru pulled back, alarm echoing off her entire body.

“Kenshin, do you not want to marry me?” she asked.

“That’s not it!” Kenshin cried. “I’m just concerned about Miss Miyori and her condition is all. If she is to be staying with us, it might be very difficult for her to see what she cannot have.”

Kaoru mulled over his words.

“You’re right that it would be terrible for Miss Miyori to live with a married couple, when no one will want her. I can’t imagine what she must be feeling. I don’t want to make her unhappy, but you and I have waited for so long already,” Kaoru said.

“Yes, we’ve waited for some time, but just think of how much sweeter that will make it when we are married,” Kenshin said. “I promise that it won’t be for long. Let’s just wait for Miss Miyori to have her baby. Then she will be so overjoyed at her child, our marriage will not cause her any bad thoughts.”

Kaoru smiled.

“You care so much about others that you would deny your own happiness. Kenshin, someday you’ll have to accept that what you did in the past can’t shadow your future,” Kaoru said, caressing his scarred cheek. “However, I don’t think I’d feel the same about you if you were any different.”

Kaoru rose.

“Come on Kenshin, they’re preparing some food and a bath would do your tired muscles good,” she said.

“Hai,” Kenshin said, rising. “You are right.”

Kissing her hand, he left the room for the bathhouse, his heart troubled. As he passed the hallway next to the room he’d been in, he thought he felt a presence, but could sense nothing there. Continuing on, he never saw his master step out of the shadows, a scowl planted on his face.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I’m going to try to wrap up another chapter. I leave day after tomorrow for Northern California to spend two weeks with my family. After that I’m home for 5 days, then I move. I’ll do my best to update as much as I can in the short time I have. I promise this story will be finished soon!!!

Thank you again for reading and please leave a review to let me know what you think!