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Flight of the Wounded Dove	By : ShaeyaSedjet Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 3101 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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A
Note From Sedjet: Hey, kids! I would just like to say
that I HAVE THE BEST REVIEWERS EVER!!!
Ok. So, I am going to try for responding to feedback this time.

Gypsy-chan:
Thank you for the encouragement! I love your workJ

TanukiGirl22:
Thank you for your enthusiasm. I did take a few liberties
with the story. Unfortunately, I have not seen RK in its
entirety. I have seen miscellaneous episodes here and there and
rarely in sequence, so my story will, no doubt, deviate from the
series.

Koishii
Sweet: Thank you for your praiseJ I am planning on
a wedding scene, but not for some time. I knew that would have
to come, inevitably. However, as an author I am not yet ready
to jump straight into it. (Writing a wedding scares the crap
out of me! Hehe!)

dark-luv-dove:
Thank you! I’m getting there, I promise. Thanks
for the ideasJ

deity
of death1: You crack me up. Thank you so much for
your hilarious comments. They make me laugh. A review
from you brightens my day!

Nostawen
Allesiel: Thank you!

Valese:
I am glad you are enjoying FotWD.

GoldAngel2:
Thank you! I am glad that you appreciate where I was coming
from with my metaphor.

I
wanted to explain about the awkward…ness of some of the
sentence structures. I have admired Shakespeare since I was in
the 6th grade, and I tend to use Shakespearean sentence structures at
times. Just so you know that when you come to one of those
awkward sentences, it is most likely one of those and not me being
grammatically retarded.

I
would also like to shamelessly promote a new fic I am working…So…on
with the shameless promotion! I am currently working on a new
concept that is a little edgy and a bit controversial for many
people. If any of you know the musical Rent, then you
will understand where I pulled the story from. The fic is
entitled, Rent, and it is going to be gritty and sad and waffy
and tragic and…wonderful, I think. I have the very short
prologue and the first chapter up, so please check it out. A
word to the wise, however, it will be lemony and limey. There
will be language and violence as well. Just a warning.
Anyhoo, check it out! I would appreciate any feedback you might
have for me. And now, on with the show!

Dislaimer: I
still don't own them! Do you have to keep rubbing it in my face?!

Flight
of the Wounded Dove

Chapter
Eight:

Excursion

Kenshin
waited for Kaoru to return from bathing, biding his time by browsing
through her closet. When she had left, she had not taken a
change of clothes with her, because Kenshin bade her let him choose a
kimono for her to wear. So there he was, parting the kimonos to
look at each one carefully.

He
noticed, with interest, that none of them looked familiar.
Every one of the kimonos was new! The kimonos that lined her
wardrobe were more mature than the ones she had worn in Tokyo.
They had been chosen to compliment her skin tone, or her eyes.
Most of them were dark, rich saturate colors. There was a
kimono of emerald silk with a creamy rose colored obi. There
was a deep blue kimono reminiscent of the one she had worn the
previous night, but this one large, Japanese goldfish.* The obi
for this particular kimono was it's complimentary color--a vibrant
orange. Next to the blue, was a rich, creamy pink kimono with
white sakura petals and cream colored obi. He smiled softly as
his hand stroked the silk. She will be lovely in this one.

He
carefully removed the hanger from the wardrobe, and laid it across
the bed. That done, he went back to the wardrobe to look at the
other kimonos she had acquired on the trip. One particular
kimono caught his eye. It was a crimson kimono with a vibrant
yellow obi and a beautifully embroidered phoenix on the back. A
possessive smile curved Kenshin’s lips as the Battousai nudged
him out of the way. This will be her wedding kimono.
Kenshin did not argue. The kimono in question would be stunning
against his bride-to-be’s pale skin. It seemed to fit the
bride of the Battousai.

Kenshin’s
acute hearing caught the sound of small feet padding against the
wooden floor of the hallway, and he sensed Kaoru’s chi before
the door knob began to turn. In mere moments, the door open and
she appeared, dressed in her yukata. Her hair was left down and
left damp patches on the thin yukata, causing it to cling to her
skin. She was delectable. She looked up at him and smiled
beautifully.

“Tadaima,”
she murmured softly, and Kenshin chuckled.

“I
have chosen a kimono for you to wear today,” he smiled softly,
beckoning her to join him near the bed. “I have never
seen these kimonos before.” He gazed down at the soft
garment on the bed, then up at her, “They are more mature.
They fit the woman that you have become.”

Kaoru
blushed. She seemed to be finding herself blushing a great deal
as of late. “Arigatou. Tae-san helped me choose
them. She said they would—“

“Compliment
your skin tone. Hai. Every one is perfectly suited for
you.” He smiled down at her, “While browsing your
wardrobe, I found the perfect wedding kimono for you. The—“

“Crimson
with the phoenix?” She smiled smugly. “Yes, I
knew that would be your choice.”

His
brows knitted in confusion, “Would it not be yours, koishii?”

“No,
Kenshin. It is perfect. I think it suits our union
beautifully, ne?”

“Hai,
koishii,” he murmured, his eyes smoldering with appreciation
and something else Kaoru wanted to ignore for the moment. Her
ability to read him pleased him. In anyone else it might have
been an annoying quality, but the Battousai wanted his mate to be in
tune with him.

Kaoru
looked down at the kimono he had chosen. “We should
probably collect the others for lunch, don’t you think.
They will be wondering what happened to us, and will probably come by
like the Spanish Inquisition. I know Tae must have jumped to
the most embarrassing conclusions!” She laughed at that
but noticed that Kenshin did not.

“If
Battousai had his way, it would not be mere speculation. It
would be a full truth.”

Kaoru
blushed from the roots of her freshly washed hair to the tips of her
toes. She picked up the kimono, handling it with the utmost
care, and made her way to the lacquered dressing screen in the far
corner of the room. “You may stay if you would like, or
you may go. I will be done in a few minutes.”

Kenshin
opted for staying. Now that he had her, he wasn’t going
to let her out of his sight, unless it was to sleep in his own room.
After all, Kaoru was still a respectable woman, no matter how the
town might talk about her taking on two male borders when she was
without a guardian. He refused to dishonor her before they had
said their vows. It was a pledge that he had forced the
Battousai to adhere to. He had agreed grudgingly, but only
because he wanted no harm to come to Kaoru in any fashion, whether it
be from the hand of an enemy or the tongues of the town
gossipmongers. However, all three personalities had to restrain
themselves from peeking behind the screen to catch a glimpse of her
pale, creamy flesh. The Rurouni’s nose began to bleed
from the mere thought of Kaoru’s naked body, and he was out
cold. Battousai just rolled his eyes and kicked the Rurouni out
of the way.

As
promised, Kaoru returned minutes later, dressed in the kimono with
the obi tied expertly in place. She smiled shyly at the proud
look on Kenshin’s face. For Kenshin’s part, he was
bursting with pride for the beautiful, strong young woman he saw
before him. She was carrying herself with a grace she never
knew she had. The pink kimono was just the right color to
emphasize the natural pink highlights in her cheeks. She looked
like a porcelain doll, but Kenshin knew it was a ruse. He knew
the power behind that slim frame was a match for his darker half, and
it thrilled him to his very soul to know that she was finally his.

He
reached for her hand, and she offered it to him, gracefully.
“Before we gather up the others for lunch, I would like to take
you shopping,” he murmured.

“Oh,
Kenshin. I have already bought so many beautiful things.
I honestly could not want more without feeling guilty.”

“Would
you deny me the honor of buying a gift for the woman who will be my
wife?” He teased.

Kaoru
blushed, “No, I just—“

“Good.”
He pulled her gently toward the door. “I have a specific
shop in mind for our first stop.”

She
smiled. It was nice to be pampered and cared for by the man she
loved with all of her heart. Kami, I could get used to this.

~*~

Kenshin
was a man on a mission. He led Kaoru through the crowded
streets of Yokohama at a swift pace.

She
laughed out loud, “Kenshin! Where are we going?!”

He
turned to look at her, smiling mysteriously, “You will see when
we get there.”

After
a few more minutes, they arrived at a small shop with glittering bits
of glass and jewels in the widows. There were metal frames with
large pieces of glass in various shapes dangling from them.
They winked and twinkled in the morning light. There were
necklaces with large pendants of precious stones. There were
rings displayed on a soft cloth in one window.

The
tiny, quaint shop made Kaoru smile. She looked up at Kenshin to
find him staring at her expectantly. “This is lovely,
Kenshin!” She gushed.

He
smiled at her, a brilliant, dazzling smiled that lit up his eyes,
making them sparkle like jewels. Kaoru’s breath was
stolen from her as he smiled, for he had never smiled at her that way
before. It was a smile of pure, unadulterated joy and mischief.

“You
have yet to see the most breathtaking of this man’s work,
koishii,” he murmured. “Come,” and he tugged
on her hand a little, leading her inside the dimly lit jewelry shop.

A
young man, probably a few years older than Kaoru greeted them as they
entered the shop. “Ohayo, gosaimasu.”

“Ohayo,”
Kenshin smiled, noticing how the young man’s gaze drifted to
Kaoru. You better put those eyes back in your head before I
rob you of them, was the Battousai’s wicked thought.
Please don’t scare the boy, Battousai, he is young,
and our Kaoru is beautiful, the Rurouni reasoned. Besides,
Kenshin added, He doesn’t stand a chance!

“Ohayo!”
Kaoru chirped cheerfully.

“How
may I help you today, good gentles?” The young man bowed to
them.

“We
are looking for an engagement ring worthy of my fiancé,”
Kenshin replied, noting the slightly crestfallen look on the
star-struck boy’s face. He chuckled inwardly, Eat
your heart out. The woman belongs to me.

Kaoru
looked up at him in shock, “Kenshin! I told you, I do not
need a ring. A traditional ceremony is fine with me.”
She placed a hand on his forearm, “All I need is you,
koibito.” She blushed a little as she tested out her new
pet name for her beloved.

Kenshin
smiled a smile that was purely possessive and every bit male. “But
I want the world to know that you are mine, koishii,” he
murmured softly, nuzzling her hair.

“If
that is what you wish, koibito, then it is what I wish.” She
replied demurely.

“Well,
then, sir. Let us see what you have to offer that could
possibly rival this woman’s beauty.” He winked at
the young man who blushed and scurried behind the front counter.

He
disappeared beneath the counter’s surface, and the couple heard
him rummaging around down there. After a few moments, he popped
up with a triumphant smile on his face. He motioned for them to
come to the counter and offered the small box he had produced.
Inside were the most beautiful rings Kaoru had ever seen.

She
gasped, her hand flying to her chest. She looked up at the
young man, “May I touch them?”

The
young man smiled, brightly, “Of course! That is what they
are here for.”

Kenshin
watched as Kaoru picked gingerly through the collection of rings.
He enjoyed her every smile. He was enthralled with by the joy
in her. She would pause, holding a ring up for inspection,
comment on its craftsmanship and return it to the box.
Suddenly, she gasped, pulling out an exquisitely crafted ring from
the pile. She turned to Kenshin, offering it for inspection.
It was, indeed, a lovely specimen. The Marquise-cut sapphire
matched the blue of her eyes perfectly. The band was delicate
with flourishes engraved around it. It was simple, yet
exquisite, much like the woman herself.

He
smiled up at the young man, “I believe we have found the ring
she wants”.

“Ah,
that one is the finest ring we have. The stone is flawless and
the band is white gold.” He smiled wistfully. “It
is my favorite to work with…”

“It
is beautiful! It is absolutely perfect!”

He
winked at the young man who was stuttering under Kaoru’s
gushing praise, “Your craftsmanship is excellent.”

The
young man looked up at him, questioningly, “What do you mean?”

“I
thought I spoke plainly enough,” Kenshin grinned. “Your
work is wonderful.”

“How
did you know it was mine?”

“Only
the creator of something so beautiful can look upon it with the pride
with which you look at these rings.”

The
man blushed, “Most people think they are my master’s.”

“Most
people are fools,” Kenshin said simply. “How much
would you like for this ring?”

“Oh!
Umm…”

Kenshin
grinned, shoving a fat roll of bills into his hand, “Here.
Mayhaps it can be put toward getting your own shop.”

Kaoru
looked at the sputtering young man, and smiled her dazzling smile.
“Arigatou! You have made my day!”

The
young man was blushing profusely at her praise, and Kenshin winked at
him one last time as he steered Kaoru out of the shop, “Good
luck!” he called out as he and Kaoru stepped out into the
street. From inside, he could hear a muffled, ‘Arigatou,
gozaimasu!’

TBC….

*I
do not mean koi. You know those gigantic goldfish with the big,
bubbly eyes? Yeah. Those.

I
almost wanted Kenshin to have a Loki (from Dogma) moment. I
honestly considered having him pull out his sakabatou, sharp side
out, and threaten the poor lil’ jeweler’s apprentice
until he peed his pants and Kaoru had to drag him out. Sadly,
that was only the delirium talking, and I realized that it just
didn’t work for this story. Perhaps in Rent…yeah…maybe.
Anyhoo, I finished this at 2:45am because I felt guilty for having
writer’s block. Please do not hate me if my grammar
sucks. I’m so sleepy, and I honestly don’t want to
take the time to proof it! I know that is horrible, and I am
going to author hell…but…*whines* I’m
sssssssssslllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeepyyyyyyyyy! Goodnight, minna!
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Flight of the Wounded Dove