Control

“thoughts”

‘dialogue’

I don’t own Rurouni Kenshin nor do I make money off of this fanfiction.

Control
Chapter 19

The next morning the group assembled at the front of the Aoiya to bade farewell to their friends. Misao, Okon, Omasu, Okina and Aoshi smiled and gave their Tokyo friends a fond goodbye. Miyori stayed back, feeling apprehensive at what was to come. She would be going to Tokyo with Kenshin and his friends and none of them knew the truth of what had happened. She’d seen Miss Kaoru talking with Kenshin and she could see that something was happening between them. Where would she fit in? A strong hand on her shoulder shook her from her reverie.

“You don’t want to fall behind,” Hiko said, indicating the group walking down the street.

“Oh my! Thank you,” Miyori said, bowing as much as her thickened middle would allow.

“No problem, come along. I have a feeling Tokyo holds many things,” Hiko said.

Miyori puzzled at the comment, but said nothing. Following the Hiten Mitsurugi Master, she resigned herself to whatever fate had in store for her.

&&&&&&&&&

The trip from Kyoto to Tokyo was over fairly quickly. Okina had assisted them in procuring train tickets and aside from Sano grumbling about the steam power and everyone worrying over Miyori’s comfort, it was a typical trip. Arriving at the station in Tokyo, everyone got their bags and got off the train.

Standing on the platform, they stretched sore muscles from sitting as a resounding, “Ken-ni, Ken-ni” kept getting closer and closer. Kenshin turned in time to catch a laughing Suzume and Ayame.

“Uncle Ken!” the girls cried out.

“Ayame and Suzume! Why you’ve grown at least two inches while we’ve been gone,” Kenshin said, swinging the girls around and laughing.

“I swear, Sir Ken, you indulge those girls!” Megumi said, running up in a huff.

“Miss Megumi! What are you doing here?” Kaoru asked.

“Okina wired us and said when you’d be arriving. It’s been a slow day at the clinic and Dr. Gensai thought it would be good to get the girls out for a bit. So we came to meet you,” Megumi said. Her eyes quickly looked over the group, coming to settle on Miyori.

“You must be Miyori,” Megumi said, her eyes quickly scanning the girl.

“Hai,” Miyori said, taking her eyes off of the joyous site of Kenshin and the girls.

“How far along are you?” Megumi said.

Miyori touched her stomach self-consciously.

“About six and a half months,” she answered.

Megumi gave her a warm smile.

“I’m a doctor. When we return to the dojo, I’ll give you a check-up. We’ll make sure everything is alright with your bundle of joy,” Megumi said. ‘And I want some answers.’

“Hai,” Miyori said, unsure if she should refuse or not.

“Come on Miss Megumi,” Kaoru said. “We’re all anxious to get back.”

“Alright. Miss Miyori, after you,” Megumi said.

Miyori smiled and walked toward the waiting group. Megumi noticed Kenshin’s master fall into step beside her.

‘Hmmm…that’s interesting.’ Megumi noted.

&&&&&&&

Back at the dojo the group quickly settled in. Kaoru set Miyori up with her own room. She was located two rooms down from Kenshin, who’s room was next to Kaoru’s. Master Hiko was placed in the room next to Miyori. Miyori scanned the room. It was comfortable enough, yet somehow the room felt more a prison than the rooms she’d had previously.

A gentle knock brought her back from her thoughts. Answering the door, she saw Megumi on the other side.

“I was thinking now was a good time to have that check-up,” Megumi said smiling.

Miyori nodded and opened the door further. Megumi stepped in the room and Miyori shut the door. Walking past the doctor, she tried to quell her fears. Lowering herself onto a cushion she wrung her hands as Megumi settled across from her with a bag.

Megumi noted the nervousness coming off the girl. She was shaking so! Megumi saw the fear in her eyes and decided to question her.

“You seem very uncomfortable. Is there something wrong?” Megumi asked.

Miyori’s eyes shot up to Megumi’s.

“I…no,” Miyori said, trying to stop her shaking.

Megumi’s eyes softened.

“I will not hurt you. I’m going to ask you lie back. I will need to feel around your stomach and your breasts. I just want to be sure that everything is where it should be for a woman who’s six and a half months along. If I’m doing anything that makes you uncomfortable, please tell me,” Megumi said.

Miyori nodded. She followed Megumi’s instructions and laid back. She could hardly control her shaking and nearly lost it when Megumi touched her stomach.

“Miyori, what happened to you?” Megumi asked.

“I…,” she began. Tears were forming beneath her closed eyelids. “There was a doctor at the places I was kept. He was…he was h-horrible. He would t-touch me and make me feel dirty. I’m sorry, I know you probably mean well, but I’m so scared.”

The tears flowed freely from her clenched eyes. Megumi shook her head.

“Miyori, what’s happened to you is awful beyond compare. Please look at me,” Megumi waited until the girl was looking. “I won’t hurt you and I promise you, whatever you tell me stays between us. Part of being a doctor is keeping your patient’s confidence. You can tell me anything.”

Miyori’s eyes widened at Megumi’s words.

“Do you mean it?” Miyori asked.

“Hai,” said Megumi. “I will share something with you. I believe I already know who’s child you carry.”

Miyori’s eyes became huge.

“Y-you do?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Megumi. “Sir Ken came to me shortly after he’d been returned to us and asked me several strange questions. He wanted to know what certain symptoms were indicative of. I explained that based upon the information he was giving me, that the young woman was pregnant. He then explained how he’d been drugged and forced to have sex with a young woman. You are that young woman, aren’t you?”

Miyori sat still. Megumi’s words struck her heart like spears. She could not control the tears.

“Hai,” Miyori said softly. “Please Miss Megumi, I never meant for anyone to know. I know how Sir Ken feels about Miss Kaoru. He would talk of her often while we were imprisoned. This child is an abomination and will cause nothing but heartache. I should have tried to end this pregnancy.”

Megumi shook her head.

“You foolish girl! Of course, you had no hand in this. As for Kaoru and Kenshin, that is for Kenshin to worry about. You didn’t do this on purpose. Be thankful that you didn’t end the pregnancy, you could have killed yourself in the process. Things will work out,” Megumi said, taking a hold of Miyori’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

“I wish I could believe that,” Miyori said. “All I can think about is the doom that this child will bring. But I still can’t help but love it. Is that wrong to want something that should never have been in the first place?”

“You are a mother. You feel love for your child, as you should,” Megumi said, reaching out and lightly touching Miyori’s stomach. “No matter how this child came to be, it is your child and it is not wrong of you to love it! The current mess of things is Sir Ken’s doing and something he’ll have to fix. If he’d been honest to begin with, none of this would have happened. Don’t doubt your innocence in this. And please, calm yourself if you can. None of this is good for the child.”

Miyori nodded, taking Megumi’s words to heart. Pulling herself together, she allowed Megumi to complete the exam.

Megumi finished and smiled at Miyori.

“Everything looks good. I believe both you and the child are in good health. Dinner will be ready soon. Rest until then,” Megumi said, rising.

“Miss Megumi,” Miyori said. “Thank you for everything.”
Megumi smiled and left. Miyori sat in silence in the room, praying that all would turn out as it should. In the room next to her, Hiko thanked the gods for rice paper walls.

&&&&&&&&&

Dinner was a quiet affair with everyone exhausted from travel and events. As night deepened, most of the inhabitants of the dojo were silently sleeping. Miyori could not find entrance into the land of dreams no matter how hard she tried. Giving up she moved her awkward body from the futon and donned a robe. Sliding open the door to the garden she stepped outside. Padding silently down the porch she walked down the steps onto the cool grass. Above the full moon bathed the world in a pearlescent glow. Miyori stood and looked up at the bright light, smiling at the simplicity of it.

The sound of another door opening alerted her to another’s presence. Ducking behind the trunk of a nearby tree, Miyori watched as the door to Miss Kaoru’s room opened. Kaoru stepped out onto the engawa and she turned her face to the moon for a moment. Miyori could see the smile on her face.

Kaoru turned and after a few steps, she slowly opened the door to Kenshin’s room. As she stepped inside, Miyori felt her heart drop. However the voice next to her caused it to jump up into her throat.

“I see they’ve come together at last,” the voice said.

Miyori spun to see Master Hiko leaning against a tree trunk across from the one she was hiding behind. Clasping her hand to her heart, she tried to calm her breathing.

“Master Hiko! You frightened me,” Miyori said.

Hiko smirked.

“Given your present condition, that is probably not a good thing. I apologize,” he said.

Miyori’s eyes widened.

“Thank you,” she said, bowing.

“There’s no need to bow to me, girl. It would seem that I’m not alone in having trouble sleeping this night. Would you like to walk?” Hiko asked.

Miyori nodded.

As the pair stepped away from the trees, the wind carried a soft moan to their ears. Miyori felt her heart clench. Suddenly, she felt an arm over her shoulder.

“You seem somewhat cold,” Hiko said simply.

As he led her out of the dojo yard, Miyori stole glances at his handsome features, bathed in the moonlit glow. She’d never really looked at him closely and she was drawn in by his strong features. Yet she could see something else too, she could see a lonely soul behind those glittering eyes.

Hiko smiled at the looks the girl was giving him. Even in her present condition it was apparent that she was a simple beauty. Her looks were ordinary but behind her eyes was an intelligence few possessed. He’d been impressed with her handling of the changes in circumstance she was going through. She had reacted bravely when he came across her in the woods. Most women would have screamed their fool heads off. She did not. There was something about her he was drawn to.

The pair walked in silence. Somehow words were not needed. For the first time in months, Miyori felt comfortable in another’s presence and Hiko felt something he had not felt in years-truly content.