Kaoru bit her lip and considered her options
Kaoru bit her lip and considered her options. Kenshin had
gone to another of those late night meetings. She wondered if she was supposed
to throw a fit and demand that he stick around. As much as the thought of
Aoshi’s reaction to her pitching a fit amused her, it was difficult to think
when she was balanced on the edge of her balcony. The muscles in her legs
twinged a little, but they didn’t hurt the way she had thought they had. The
bed behind her was smooth, but Cameral never stepped foot inside the royal
bedroom after dark unless requested.
It was time to see if the excruciating hours finding ways to stay in perfect
fighting shape in the Temple was
going to pay off.
Kaoru wondered how long it would take before someone noticed that she had
slipped out of the castle and was ridiculously thankful that Kenshin’s meeting
was going to take most of the night. She needed to do this. Something inside
her was driving her and she would have snuck out even if Kenshin had been as
close as the bathing chamber.
If he did beat her back to the room and asked her where she was, she would
answer truthfully. She wanted to say that he wouldn’t ask. She didn’t know.
The trek to the temple was uneventful. No one expected the Queen to be
wandering around the Capitols streets so late at night without an escort. The
fact that she was without a tangible weapon was something Kenshin was probably
going to yell at her about. However, none questioned her and she moved quickly,
putting purpose and determination in her step.
The Temple.
The Temple here wasn’t that
different as the one at home, no matter what Kenshin’s people might think.
There was a charge in the air that wasn’t at Triath’s goddess temple at home
but that could have been from the magic feeding the fires.
No slave-girls to keep them going here.
Kaoru walked on silent feet and settled in front of one of the little altars
that were strategically placed for the common people and settled onto her
knees, dipping her head. She had taken the hood of her cloak off in respect to
the place, and the tile was cool under her bare feet. Her boots were carefully
placed on the boot racks at the door.
She wished she had something to bring to burn in the little incense bowl,
but she had been uncertain of the religious practices here and hadn’t thought
to ask for some from Kenshin or Tae. Then she would have had to explain why she
needed the incense. For her, this was something she wouldn’t be able to do if
someone else knew about it. She didn’t want pity.
It had been such a long time since she had been able to mourn her father
properly that she almost forgotten what it was like. Closing her eyes, she
attempted to find something besides the endless anger and rage that continued
to block the tears that she had never been able to shed.
‘Hi, Daddy,’ Kaoru thought, wondering if he heard all the times she
reached for him. ‘I’m married now.” She could imagine the expression
that would have crossed his beloved face at such a sudden declaration and a
faint grin hovered on her lips. ‘His name is Kenshin. He… well, he drives me
absolutely batty most of the time, Daddy. Did you know that he originally
wanted to marry Tomoe instead of me?’ The idea of the lecture that little
statement would have caused her smug husband had the corners of her lips
turning up further.
Too bad he wasn’t around to do it.
‘What am I supposed to do? He knows I was a slave in my own temple, he
treats me like a child, and he still wants me to be his Queen. He has people
teaching me etiquette and I think even mother would approve of my teachers. I
feel like I’m made of glass around him. It’s all so confusing!’ She sighed
heavily and clenched her hands together. Carefully she placed the dried herbs
she had snitched from Megumi’s room into the little fire. Next year she would
bring proper incense. ‘I can’t talk to them about you yet. It hurts. I know
you taught me never to run from things that hurt, but I…’
‘Kaguya is here.’ She felt almost guilty for changing the subject,
but it was difficult to think as well as talk about. ‘He is chasing the man
who condemned you.’ Her jaw clenched. ‘I know that we will find him. We
have to find him. I promise, I won’t forget the vow I made the day they
executed you with such humiliation. The price for your death will be paid.’
She closed her eyes. ‘I just don’t know what I will do after that…’
The great bell that was set high in the bell tower of the castle began to
chime and it jerked Kaoru out of her thought processes. She had half a candle
mark to get back to the palace. If she was late, she would have to come up with
something to tell Kenshin. She wasn’t sure how she would bring up the fact that
she was mourning her dead father. She wasn’t even certain that he would care.
Which was completely unfair of her. ‘He has been trying, Kamiya. You’re
the one who can’t get over herself to talk to him about this!’ Kaoru pulled
her cloak back over her head and mentally berated herself as she clenched her
fists in her lap.
She wanted him to ask.
Something inside her wished he would ask.
‘Goodbye, Daddy. I promise I won’t wait so long to come and say hello
again. I love you. One day I will bring you the sword of the man who betrayed
our family. You have my honor.’ Placing her hand over her heart, she dipped
her head, thumb feathering across the scar that ran across her palm. ‘Tell
mother that I love her as well and that I am trying to make her proud.’
Kaoru slipped back to her shoes and pulled the supple boots Kenshin had
bought her recently and considered the words that her old friend had offered.
It had been wonderful to see Kagerou. He was older now, with gray peppering his
temples. His faith still remained youthful despite that, and his eyes were
still that mysterious gray-glass.
It had stung that the still nameless man was still unknown; that the Yukishiro
family had managed to whisk him away. Kaoru had always known that he wasn’t in
the country. That had become obvious early on. She had once managed to sneak
into the accounting room a month after her father’s execution and had
discovered several places where large sums of gold had been diverted from
various holdings. She had never been able to learn where that gold had been
spent. The Yukishiro’s covered their tracks well, and if the gold had been
carefully dispersed into foreign coin there had been no record of it.
The run back to the palace was done almost silently. She was forced to
sprint because it was far later than she had originally thought it was. ‘This
is what you get for letting your thoughts carry you away! Stupid, stupid…’
Skidding to a stop to catch her breath, she froze when she heard boots
crunching against the cobblestone roads.
“You know, I had hoped you would have inherited your mother’s penchant for
always being on time.” Kagerou’s voice broke through her tense silence and
Kaoru whirled.
“What are you doing here?” Kaoru demanded, breathing deeply between her
lips.
“I came to say goodbye, but you were sneaking out your bedroom window like
an adolescent. I wouldn’t have been able to show my face to your husband if I
had let you come wondering through the streets on your own.”
“I can take care of myself!” Kaoru informed him dangerously. “I do not need
protection.”
“It’s been four years since you have had anything more than a spar with an
old weaponsmaster. You haven’t brushed up on any of your training. How is it
that you are still capable of taking care of yourself?” Kagerou challenged
softly. “Explain it to me.”
Kaoru glared at his finger before sighing and raking a hand through her
bangs. “I wasn’t the only one who was banished. There were… others. We did our
best to keep each other in shape.” She clenched her fists. “I know what I am
doing.”
Kagerou stared at her for a long time. “Can you still hold a sword?”
“I can use it well enough that I might even surprise you.” Kaoru said
softly. “I cared for the fires late at night, Kagerou. I had access to wood and
lots of it.” She gave him a hard smile. “I made myself practice night after
night, hour after hour. If I wasn’t tending the fire I was doing sit ups,
crunches, and lunges with wood in my arms.” She met his eyes squarely. “I
promised myself I would be in the best shape of my life when I found my freedom
so I could hunt down my father’s murderer and kill him in cold blood. Stab him
in the back if I had to.” She closed her eyes and bit her lip. “I failed.”
“No, Lady. If you will have me, I will continue to look for him. Your father
saved my life once, and I have not been able to repay that favor.” Kagerou gave
her an elegant bow, his eyes grave. “We will find him. Until then, I will pass
word along where you can be found.” There was a long-suffering sigh. “I would
not be surprised if you heard pipes or explosions.”
Kaoru stared at him for a long moment before giving a curt nod and turning
on her heel.
Slipping back into the royal gardens without getting caught by the guards
took work. She figured the only reason she got away with it was because she was
keyed into the wards. It had taken her a week to locate a way out of the palace
without being seen, and she knew that if she wanted to have it later, she was
going to have to keep from using it except for emergencies. Besides, there was
no way she was the only one who knew of it. Shinomori probably left a few of
them open just to tempt spies.
The balcony door to her room was open and there were candles lit everywhere.
Biting her lip, she sighed and walked in. Her husband was sitting in front of
the fire, poking at the logs with a poker. He looked up when she came in and
Kaoru was startled by the expression on his face. His eyes were amber, but his
face was carefully neutral. ‘Oh dear,’ Kaoru thought in annoyance.
‘Couldn’t you have stayed in your meeting for another candle mark?’
Kaoru pressed her lips together and watched him, uncertain as to how he was
going to broach the subject. Unfortunately he seemed to have the same idea.
Kaoru mentally rolled her eyes and went and sat down on the low couch and
started to unlace her boots. ‘I told Daddy he irritated me.’ Kaoru
griped mentally. ‘I gave him such an understatement.’
“Kaoru,” he said finally and she looked up. His eyes were still that neutral
amber. “Where were you?” he asked, his tone quiet.
Kaoru stared at him for a long moment. She had expected him to be upset if
he had noticed that she wasn’t there, but she hadn’t really expected him to
ask. He got up and walked over so he was squatting in front of her and took
over the untying of her boots.
“I was at the temple.” Kaoru said quietly, keeping to her internal promise.
She didn’t expect him to look up at her with eyes that were burning hot.
“You went to the temple?” He asked in a deathly soft voice. “At night,
alone, when anything could have happened to you?” His eyes darkened into an
almost bronze color and she felt something shiver between them. It was the same
sensation she had caught once or twice and she wondered what it was.
“I went to the temple,” she returned in a low voice. “I had my reasons,
Kenshin.”
“Reasons,” he in that soft voice, wrapping his fingers around her ankle,
“Give me a good reason that you should be out wondering the streets at night.
Do you know what could have happened to you?”
Kaoru glared at him and lifted her feet out of loosened boots and brought
her knees up smoothly. “I would have hoped that you would have had a little
more trust than that,” she responded irritably. “I wouldn’t put myself in a
situation I couldn’t handle.” Kicking her legs outside of his body, she stood
smoothly.
“Kaoru.”
Kaoru paused at the doorway. She wanted to go and change into her night
shift and crawl under the covers; pretend that her father was alive; that she
and Kenshin weren’t having their first marital fight. Taking a deep breath, she
looked over her shoulder and swallowed the scratchy feeling at the back of her
throat. “Today was my father’s death day, Kenshin. I went to the temple to ask
for forgiveness.” She stepped into the bedroom before he could answer. As it
was, that curious little humming was still raging so that she could almost see
sparks out of the corner of her eyes if she tried hard enough.
~*~
It had been an awkward night. Kenshin didn’t come to bed
until it was very late and she hadn’t been able to sleep. Even once he had
drifted off she had lain there, wondering if she had done the right thing. She
had promised herself that she would never lie to her husband, but she didn’t
know if she wanted him to know about her father. It could have been assumed
that her parents were dead because she had been a palace slave, but telling him
was giving her a part of herself. Her father was something she kept in the
corner of her heart and cherished. She supposed one day she would have to
examine that wound his death had dealt her, but right now she didn’t want to.
Kenshin was back in those endless meetings. She wondered what it was that
took so much of his time? Had the weeks he had spent fetching his bride set him
that far behind? Kaoru sighed and continued her morning stretches before
slipping back down the back stairs to reach the royal garden.
The royal garden was beautiful. Someone had planted great towering trees to
block the private sitting area from the palace. There were also various paths
that lead even deeper into the foliage. Kenshin left early in the morning and
she normally got up after him and went and tried to do some light muscle
warm-ups and some muscle building exercises each morning. She liked being
outside when the grass was still damp. The small area she loved the best was
sweet-smelling and quite lacking rocks or sticks, allowing her to practice
barefoot if she wished.
This morning she had stayed in bed a little longer and climbed out only when
the maids arrived with breakfast. Tae had learned quickly she worked hard at
something, so breakfast was a large pile of eggs, two sausages, a biscuit and
an orange. Kaoru had eaten her fill and then disappeared down into the garden,
where she had meditated for an hour. It let her food settle, but it had also
allowed her to work through some of her feelings for her husband and the temper
he so easily sparked.
The glade wasn’t her destination this morning. She needed to practice, but
she needed steel in her hands. She wanted the smell of sweat on her skin and
the vibrations of her kata in the air. She needed the cold, unforgiving wood
under her feet.
There were emotions that needed to be exorcised because if she didn’t, she
would scream.
She knew the vague direction that she needed to go to reach the salle. She
had been asking polite questions about the castle grounds when Tae had
mentioned it, discussing the design. Apparently it was the private salle of her
husband and no one but him went there. It wasn’t a long walk down the carefully
groomed path, and she enjoyed the way the sunshine sunk into her skin. Opening
eyes she had involuntarily closed, she tipped her head back and enjoyed the sensations.
It had been a long time since she had been able to simply stand in sunshine and
enjoy it. Moving a little further down the path, she felt a smile curving her
lips at the perfect building that was in front of her.
The Royal Salle.
Opening the door she was assaulted with warms scents: wood, magic, oil, and
a lingering power that salles seemed to always have. Reaching down she unlaced
her boots and bounced onto the balls of her feet, letting the cool air brush
her bare calves. She had cut off the legs on a pair of breeches to allow some
air when it was hot under her breeches. The boots Kenshin had bought her were
soft enough and supple enough that stockings were always necessary. The light
over-shirt joined her boots as she stretched. Her undershirt was tight and
white and while a little immodest, the only person who would see her was her
husband and he wasn’t around. Her back crackled with her motions and she moaned
in relief.
It felt good to be herself.
Now it was time to see how much good all those repetitious movements with
the equivalent of a practice sword in her hands had done any good or if it had
all been in vain.
Gliding through a simple set of warm up motions, she moved until she started
to sweat. Breathing deeply for a moment, she popped her neck into place before
walking over to the large collection of swords that hung on the far wall. They
weren’t simple practice swords. That surprised her. Kenshin’s battle sword hung
on the wall in their bedroom when not in use, but these were polished and
exquisite as they hung, as if waiting. She examined several blades before she
found one that she liked. It had been created with a woman in mind and it fit
into her small hands like it belonged. The edge was sharp and the actual blade
was simple. The hit was small enough to be comfortable in her small hands and
she casually sliced the air, testing its balance.
Moving into the center of the room, she ignored the wooden swords that
caught the corner of her eyes. Her teachers had taught her with live steel and
that was how she would continue to learn. Wooden swords were only good if you
were never planning on using a sword in combat. A sword was meant to kill… this
was the decision she had made… this was what she was now.
The first cross-strike hummed in the air and she waited until the subtle
vibrations settled, a slow, bright smile curving her mouth. Setting her stance
she took a deep breath and raised her borrowed sword, beginning the basic,
simple patterns she needed to learn all the nuances of her sword: the depth,
weight, and arc of the blade. As she became familiar with its reaction to each
spin of her body, each flick of her wrist, each change of power; she felt her
father’s smile on her lips.
By the time she had slid into her real Kata, her blade was making the air hum
with the force of her movements; her body slipping from one pattern to another
without thought as she remembered her training. She was thankful that her hair
was pulled away from her face in her customary tail, strands clinging to her neck
and cheeks. Sweat beaded at her temples and rolled down her throat, down the
line of her back, her shirt clinging to her spine. She glorified in the
movements of her body, free and unhindered for the first time in months, lost
herself in the patterns of her soul.
~*~
Kenshin was getting tired of the same drivel over and over
again. He had forced himself to learn patience with the minor complaints that
came with his position but there were days when he didn’t have much patience to
have. Especially when he was running on no sleep and trying to find answers
when it came to dealing with his wife.
A low ache had settled at the base of his neck and was slowly moving up into
his temples. Gritting his teeth, he turned and stared at the man who was still
babbling and told himself not to glare. The way Aoshi was attempting to catch
his eyes suggested that he wasn’t doing a good job.
He was cranky and irritable and he knew it. His councilors knew it after
having dealt with him all morning. They all knew by now that he hadn’t slept
well last night. The problem hadn’t necessarily been the argument. It had been
the fact that Kaoru had scooted as far over on the bed as she could and curled
up in that horrible little ball and he hadn’t felt justified in reaching over
to hold her. It had cost him a night’s sleep but perhaps had saved him from
another argument.
She hadn’t stirred when he left for this meeting.
“Put the plans for the party on desk by the midday meal and I will look over
them afternoon and approve what satisfies me.” Kenshin said, standing. He had
interrupted the little balding man in front of him who Kenshin was reasonably
sure was one of his Count’s. If he remembered correctly the man had just
inherited the position. Aoshi could soothe ruffled feathers or give the man to
Saitoh. He didn’t particularly care. “I am going to find my wife and discuss
this with her.” He gave Aoshi a considering look. “Have Misao and Megumi clear
their schedules to being going over things with her tomorrow.”
He ignored the comment that came from Sano’s mouth. They needed to get into
the routine of discussing events like this with each other. It was no less than
the courtesy he would have given Tomoe. That thought sent something sour off in
his stomach and he sighed as he moved down the hall towards the back stairs.
Standing in the cool dark he sent out a few feelers for her, and frowned when
he caught a flicker of her in the garden.
What was she doing out there?
Enjoying the fresh air and the slow walk, he unconsciously mimicked his
wife’s enjoyment of the outdoors. He followed the teasing flickers of her Chi
and stopped dead when he realized where she was. What was she doing in his
salle? Moving towards the salle with quicker steps, he slid the door open silently.
As he shut it, he turned to see what she was doing, and suddenly, he was
thankful that he had the door behind him.
Kaoru was all grace and fire and tempered steel. Her bare feet barely made a
noise on the polished wood as her knees, arms, and body bent. She twisted and
turned so that the steel in her hands was just a blur. Her hair danced around
her back, highlighting the line of her shoulders and graceful curve of her
neck. The length of her calves flexed with muscle and her body moved in a glide
of controlled power.
There was very little fault that he could find to her style once his brain
managed to start working again, analyzing her sword style instead of her body.
She was fast and each strike was deadly, her style built on control instead of
speed. He had no doubt that she would be exquisite to watch in battle. Even as
his brain attempted to memorize her movements, it was sidetracked when she
shifted towards him; the rise and fall of her breasts and the flush of her
face.
Kenshin shuddered as she executed a perfect maneuver, something hot rolling
down his spine. The barrier between their bond shuddered with the force it was
taking to hold it in place. Her natural drive with a sword in her hand and his
own reactions to her were slamming into the wall he had carefully built up. She
paused mid-swing, her hair clinging to her sweaty face and neck. Dark blue eyes
met his and they were ablaze with emotions clearly burning in her eyes:
satisfaction, hunger, fire, adrenaline and a confidence with the weapon in her
hand that translated into power with each strike of her blade.
He was moving from the wall towards her panting form before he registered
his movements. He didn’t stop until the mixture of her tangy sweat and jasmine
perfume invaded his senses. He wasn’t even particularly aware that he had
called his sword until the cold steel was in his hands and her eyes widened in
surprise. Something else flickered through her eyes, wild and unreadable; then
her sword was up and she was sliding into a defensive stance.
Interesting.
The first strike of his blade was half-speed and if the way she shifted to
throw him off said anything, she knew it. Annoyance flickered through her Chi.
He made another pass and as if she was inside a fighters circle, she shifted
her weight again, gained her balance, and deflected. With each pass he picked
up his speed until he was fighting nearly with nearly three-quarters of his
strength. She never hesitated in her return movements but as he tasted her Chi
he recognized the strain, and settled into that pace. If he moved much faster
she would start to struggle and he only wished to test her.
He was shifting his weight to flare a counter-strike to a defensive move she
had thrown at him when she hit. Tossing her weight into the blow she deflected
his sword and spun into a pattern of strikes that forced him to use most of his
speed to deflect. Kaoru almost skidded as she regained her balance and flashed
him a feral smile.
“Perhaps,” she panted, holding her sword in steady hands, tossing her wet
bangs out of her eyes with a shake of her head. Salty drops slipped down her
face and splattered on the floor. “We can play this at a faster pace?” Her
words were spaced between breaths and he watched as sweat pooled at the base of
her collarbones, slipping down the hollow into the collar of her shirt.
Her eyes never left his as she tested his defenses. For a youngling it would
have been unnerving, but he kept pace with her strikes easily. Something in the
line of her jaw and the flicker in her eyes told him she knew he was better
than she and she wanted to test herself against him. Desire stirred low in his
belly and the bond between them fairly hummed with restrained emotions. It was
when he was holding her blade hilt to hilt that he realized that on the level
of combat she had to trust him. It was the way she came at him with no fear in
her eyes, expecting him to rip the sword out of her hands and trusting that he
would keep from hurting her.
It stunned him.
Kaoru used every trick and turn from her training as a child into her
strikes, changing patterns and forms as fast as she could, searching for the
limits she no longer knew as he led her across the dance floor. Sometimes he
let her lead, the strikes of their swords casting sparks; sometimes he pushed
her defenses until sweat poured into her eyes and ran down her body in
rivulets. Their harsh breathing echoed in her ears.
She wasn’t expecting the execution of power and control that he used to rip
her sword from her hands. He had never given her more than she could take. She
envied him his power and flexed her numb fingers, starring as his own damp
bangs clung to his forehead. They both stared at each other, chests heaving.
“Where,” his voice rasped as he breathed between words, “did you learn to handle
a sword like that?” Besides the uneven breath and darker hair, there was no
sign of his physical exertion. She wondered what it would be like to see him in
full combat with no reserves.
“I told you I could take care of myself,” Kaoru reminded him as she
struggled to catch her breath. She ignored the flicker in his eyes. “My father
gave me a sword when I was a child as a joke and when I never put it down, he
gave me trainers.” She shrugged. “It was the bargain I made with my mother.”
Unwilling to give away more information she turned to go and pick up her sword.
She didn’t need to see the amber-flames rising in his eyes.
Picking up her blade, she hefted it with tired muscles. Turning back towards
him she went to ask him a question, any question to break the sudden silence,
when the flame in his eyes caught her, as she was worried it would.
Those curious vibrations were humming between them again. Desperate she
blurted the first question that came to mind. “How long have you held a sword?”
She almost giggled at his poleaxed expression, but the heat never faded from
his eyes. He banished his sword with a flick of his wrist and Kaoru was envious
of that little spell. That had to be a handy little trick. “My master began
teaching me before I was ten,” he informed her as he paced towards her
thoughtfully.
Kaoru felt something like nervousness frizzle through her gut and she turned
so she could walk over to the sword rack. As much as she hated it, she needed
to put her sword back. The sword seemed to hum with aggression as she moved.
“Don’t.” His voice broke her thoughts and she turned to look at him. “She is
yours now, I suspect,” he told her quietly as he came up to her elbow suddenly.
Kaoru frowned at him curiously. The blade looked flat and dull now and she
bit her bottom lip. “I supposed it has something to do with the Chi and the
blade thing my old teacher used to blabber on about for hours.” Sighing, she
continued to abuse her bottom lip. “I don’t care to openly carry a naked blade
around, and there are no scabbards.”
A heartbeat later the blade was gone from her hands.
“Showoff,” she informed him without really looking at him. That would mean
turning towards him and he was close enough that she could smell the ginger and
sweat on his skin.
“Kaoru,” he breathed, wrapping his hand in her hair. Kaoru swallowed again,
berating herself for her nervousness. He was her husband. Taking a
breath she turned and tilted her head enough to meet his gaze; felt her world
narrow to the hot flare of his eyes as he took her in. Her teeth caught her
bottom lip in a nervous gesture she couldn’t help but before her tongue could
reach out to soothe the bite, Kenshin fisted his hand in the material above her
breast and pulled her forward. Her feet left the floor as she found herself
pulled against him.
His mouth pressed against hers almost at the same time his free hand curved
along her jaw, feathering against the delicate skin there, tracing the line of
her throat, before he buried his fingers in the damp hair at the base of her
neck. Freeing his hand from her clothing, he slipped it down the curve of her
breast and around her back to press against the small of her spine. Kaoru lost
herself in his touch and moaned as her knees went weak. Her parted lips were an
invitation he accepted, slipping his tongue along hers.
Kaoru’s hands slipped along his shoulders to grasp at the length of his
hair. She pressed herself firmly against him so that he made a pleased noise
against her mouth. The way he angled his head had her hands fisting as she
shuddered in pleasure; fire raced down her spine. For a moment it felt like he
had crawled inside her and melded with her so that she could feel the desire
inside him and she whimpered at the sensations. She had never felt anything like
that before. An echo of each stroke of his tongue slid down her spine to stroke
the bubbling heat in her blood and pooling in her stomach. She dug her nails
into his neck and never wanted it to end.
Kenshin pulled away sharply, his mouth leaving hers so quickly that she
almost stumbled. The only thing that kept her from such an action was how
closely she was pressed against his body and the hold he had on hers.
Kenshin buried his noise against her shoulder and she gasped against his
hair as she realized how empty she suddenly felt. The feeling of him curling
around, through her, was gone. She sucked in air through her mouth to control
her reaction to his body against hers.
Why had he stopped?
It was well within his rights to press her to the floor of the salle or to
take her to their bedroom to finish their activities. Instead Kenshin carefully
steadied her, keeping his arms wrapped around her. When he finally pulled away
her knees still felt like butter, but the stunned shock rushing through her
managed to keep her up.
It wasn’t just the press of him against her she wanted back. It was the
endless moment where there had been no difference between her flesh and his.
For a dozen heartbeats they had been one and… he had stopped. Even as hurt
curled in her stomach, something sparked only a little bit. Perhaps he had
failed to take something back… whatever that had been.
Kaoru stared at him, her lips still moist from his kiss. Kenshin didn’t say
a word as he stared at her for a long moment. Then he tilted his head in a sign
of respect and left.
Her knees gave out the moment the doors shut behind him.
~*~
What in all hells had that been?
Kenshin stopped his frantic flight and raised his hand to shove his bangs
away from his eyes. He could still taste her sweetness on his tongue and his
body fairly tingled everywhere her curvy little body had been. Certain parts of
him were rather insistently demanding that he go back and pull her to the floor
or carry her to their room. Taking an alternate path, he headed to a little pool
that was fed by an underground stream. There was enough bite in the water, even
in early summer that should have been enough to cool his ardor. He was left
with the problem of how he was going to keep his hands to himself when he was
in the same room with her?
She wasn’t ready.
‘That isn’t what her mouth was telling you.’ His inner voice reminded
him firmly. ‘She was telling you she wanted you just as much as you
want her.’
Kenshin chunked his pants almost violently before he peeled off his shirt
and dove into the water. The shock was enough to cool him, but he stayed in the
cold water as he tried to figure out exactly how the block had fallen.
‘Because her little body was molded to yours, and her sweet little moans
were hot in your ears, and all you could think about was the taste of her. How
much you wanted to possess her. How she was yours’ Kenshin told himself
softly. ‘Because she tastes like honey and apples and fire.’
He stayed in his little pool for a good half-candle mark before he had
enough control to leave the water without becoming uncomfortable. With the way
things had turned, he might need to have a pageboy walk about with a bucket of
ice for the next few hours.
His lips quirked. Sano would most definitely get a kick out of that.
~*~
Tomoe swirled the wine in her glass thoughtfully. It was her
second glass for the evening and she could feel the relaxation that was finally
hers to claim for the evening. Kicking her shoes off, for a moment she allowed
herself to enjoy her state, pulled her feet up and turned her head to watch her
brother.
Akira and Enishi were poised over a game board. Various chips and pieces
carved to equal certain point values were scattered along the board and
collected in little piles. “Who is winning?” she asked softly, taking another
delicate sip from her glass.
Enishi’s blue eyes flickered in her direction quickly followed by the
burning green of Akira’s. Her boys were glaring good-naturedly at each other
and a warm bubble of happiness welled in her chest. Settling her wineglass down
on a little table that Enishi had created for her out of bits of glass and
charred wood, she admired it again. The charred wood had turned into dark ebony
and the glass formed a smooth top and flickered in various locations through
the legs. It was her favorite piece.
“We’re at a bit of a standstill,” Enishi finally admitted, his voice
resigned. “One of us could win, but there would be nothing left to rule.”
“He is quite good at this.” Akira confessed as he stood and gave Enishi a
low bow and walked over to join her on the couch. “I haven’t had a challenge
like that in years.”
Tomoe’s smile was indulgent. “My brother is good at many things.” She
allowed Akira to tangle her fingers with his. Must have been the wine. “As are
you, my darling.”
Akira brought her fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles lightly. “Are
you satisfied this evening, my love?” He covered her cool hand with his other.
“Is all right in your world?” His eyes were forest green this night, with
slight flecks of gray.
Tomoe turned her head slightly as Enishi assumed his favorite position.
Relaxed against the couch, resting at her feet, his bright eyes burning into
them both, Enishi was the most content that she had seen him in years. “I have
so much to be thankful for,” she murmured, dropping her eyes away from them
both and twisting her fingers lightly against Akira’s hold.
“Something still has you disturbed.” Enishi said in a thoughtful tone. He
leaned forward and looked up at her. “What is it, sister?”
Tomoe sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying the attention. “It is our
cousin,” she said finally. She ignored the hiss from Enishi and lifted her lids
only when Akira growled.
“She is no relative of yours.” He accused, kissing the soft flesh on the
underside of her wrist. “She is an anomaly who will be destroyed like the filth
she is.”
“She poisons the land that we would have,” Enishi agreed. “She poisoned
Himura’s mind and cast you into shame.” His eyes flashed. “We should destroy
her.”
“I want her dead.” Tomoe agreed gently. “Because she will get in our way if
she is allowed to live. We do not know what the magic will do once she is
brought into the picture. She must be removed.”
Akira rubbed her hands. “We shall destroy her. How would you like her to
die?”
Tomoe gave a delicate shrug. She lowered her lashes again as Enishi spoke
up. “We shouldn’t bother my sister with such trivial details.” Enishi warned
Akira. He had sat up and was looking at him through his lashes. “She has a
delicate countenance that should not be strained.” The air hummed for a moment
with hostility and then eased.
“I will take care of it then,” Akira purred. His eyes gleamed. “The man you
sent me some years ago to hide is in the service of someone who might be
useful.” He tapped his fingers. “I will handle this situation.”
“Nothing can interfere with our plans.” Enishi warned. “We will only have
one shot at this.” Akira dipped his head in acknowledgement.
“Make sure, Akira.” Tomoe spoke gently. Her fingers tangled in her brother’s
hair in warning. Enishi was silent against her legs.
“Of course, my darling.” Akira purred. “Of course.”
Tomoe smiled.
~*~
Kaoru stared at her husband with a perplexed expression as
she followed him down a path she hadn’t been before. It was as if her trip to
the temple and their little sparring session had changed something between
them. He had always been nice, but now it was if he was going out of his
way to do little things. Touch her, small kisses on her temples and cheek and
spontaneous trips.
Like this one.
He had dragged her away from whatever Tae had been attempting to tell her;
she had been a little distracted with her memory of their sword-fight, and made
her apologies. Now they were continuing along the path they had been walking
for several moments, the warm sun welcome on her skin.
Up ahead she could see several wide buildings that had proven on closer
inspection to be the stables. She had stopped on a little rise that allowed her
to overlook most of the countryside in front of her and had gaped at the size.
She would have never expected for there to be so much open land in a city this
size. Yet there it was. It tumbled out in long patches of green fields and was
dotted with a rare building or two made out of what appeared to be smooth wood.
Fences scattered around, creating circular patterns where horses were corralled
and being ridden. Several clusters of grazing horses speckled the emerald
fields and she would have stood there starring for some time if Kenshin’s
chuckle had snapped her attention back. He made his way back to her with a smug
grin.
Kaoru managed to pull her eyes away and blushed at his expression. “How did
you get so much open land in a city this size?” she blurted out. The growing
blush on her face only made her fidget. Even with things starting to relax and
grow between them, it didn’t mean she liked blushing like a shy virgin in front
of him.
“The City wasn’t always so large, Kaoru.” He reminded her, his voice rich
with repressed laughter. “One of my grandfathers segmented off a few hundred
acres of land when it became apparent that the City was going to continue to
expand. Horses have always been a fundamental part of our survival.” His smile
stayed in place as he spoke. “We have rebuilt the barns and stables a few times
to update the facilities and to accommodate our growth. We do a lot of trading
with some of the other kingdoms so we had to have the room.” He smiled at her.
“I thought you would enjoy this.”
There was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that she was certain she hadn’t
seen before and she frowned at him. “You’re up to something.” She accused as he
reached out and threaded the fingers of his left hand with her right. Because
she was attempting to learn to enjoy the little touches he seemed to thrive on,
she allowed it. He rewarded her with that quiet little smile of his and pulled
her along.
“I am,” he agreed with out a hint of apology in his voice. “I think you will
like my surprise, so don’t think you’re getting out of it,” he informed her
smartly. Kaoru decided to let him have his fun and argue with him later. Surely
he couldn’t have had that much time around those endless meetings to get
himself into trouble?
“The buildings with the royal crest are our personal stables,” he told her
as they continued to stroll down the path. “The other two are for our visitors
in the fall and winter seasons. The two barns are for an assortment of
livestock and hold an extra supply of hay for emergency’s or for an unexpected
shortage. The two granaries are back behind them, you can’t see them from here;
they are large enough that we are self-sufficient for most of our needs. We
import as few grains as possible and it provides a steady and assured income
for our farmers.” He feathered his thumb along her knuckles. “Thanks to some
practical magic we can afford to store quantities that would be ruined
otherwise. Farmers know that if they need extra cash they can come to the City
and bring hay or grains to sell. That sort of assurance keeps them happy and
they produce better for it.”
Kaoru considered what her own people would have done with such an assurance
and she paused in the path and tugged on Kenshin’s hand. “Kenshin, when you
agreed to marry Tomoe, were some of these spells part of the bargain?” She
wondered if her people had even thought to ask for access to something like
this.
His eyes darkened into a deep purple and he gave her a considering look
before he shook his head. “No,” he said finally. “When we attempted to bring a
trade of spells to the table they refused. Yukishiro had already decided that only
Temple magic would be used in her country.” There were sudden lines around his
mouth she hadn’t expected. “We knew that flooding of granaries and diseases
were a problem for your farmers. It was jarring that her council would refuse
us but we had little reason to argue with them.”
Kaoru shut her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, his eyes
were again that shade between indigo and violet. “Thank you for telling me,”
she told him softly.
He brought her knuckles to his lips and then started down the smooth path.
“Brighten up, Kaoru. You’re supposed to smile today.” His tone was chiding and
she found herself fighting down another blush. He pulled her into the shadow of
a building and opened a man sized door she hadn’t even noticed.
Once inside the scents of horse and hay overpowered everything except the
faint hint of leather and oil; the scents were almost over powering as she took
a deep breath. It had been a long, long time since she had stepped inside a
stable. This one was particularly nice and well cared for with spacious stalls,
floors cut from big slabs of flat stone, and wide doors in the back that
presumably led to a coral. The stable was currently only half full and curious
heads stuck over the tops of doors and whickered greetings as they walked by.
There was a small stable boy almost smaller than she was using a broom to sweep
out stray wood shavings and course straws of hay.
Kenshin paused in front of a stall and Kaoru peered around him and felt her
eyes widen. A beautiful shaped head was set on a graceful neck, nudging
Kenshin’s shoulder as she sniffed for a treat. Kenshin muttered something and
several apple slices appeared in his hand and the greedy mare snapped them up
happily. Kaoru couldn’t find a single strand of color on her coat. She was a
deep black that lightened a little on her sides but darkened again against in
her legs. The mare tossed her head and when she discovered that he didn’t have
any more treats, ignored him.
“This is Rook,” Kenshin told her softly, running a hand down her neck. “She
allows me to ride her when I go out into the city or attempt to disappear from
some of my courtiers.” He gave her a sly wink. “She has quite the reputation
and many of them are scared of her. This little beauty has it in her head she
is a war horse.”
Kaoru laughed and offered the horse her palm, blinking in surprise when a
sugar cub appeared and was rewarded with Rook lipping it up and then reaching
over to slobber on her shoulders as she asked for more.
“She is beautiful,” Kaoru told him softly. She thought back to the horse
that Kenshin had ridden on his trip to fetch her. “This isn’t Stygnian,” Kaoru
suddenly asked, confused.
“Stygnian is a warhorse,” he reminded her gently. “He is one of two I
ride into combat. Thrash is the other.” He grinned. “Come here.” He grasped her
fingers and tugged a little further and he smiled. “We keep Thrash a little bit
away from Rook because she likes to bite.”
Kaoru blinked rapidly at the site of the stallion who was watching them with
bright brown eyes. He was a bright chestnut with a golden mane and tail. The
end of his nose was black. As Kenshin approached he arched his neck in welcome
and danced in place. He nickered a greeting and the offerings of sugar cubs and
apple slices was again given. “Thrash and Stygnian go with me on campaign. It’s
a good thing, considering the fact that both of us on Rook on the way home
would have been difficult for her.”
Kaoru was proud of herself when she managed to keep from blushing. “How do
you care for the horses? It isn’t as hot in here as I thought it would be.”
“The same spells that we use to keep the kitchen cool are used here. Instead
of sending the heat away, they store it and when winter comes they reintroduce
it to the walls and floors. It’s a little complicated but it’s worth it.” He
rubbed Thrash’s nose. “They also use the heat to keep the continuous stream of
water in their buckets and troughs warm. Magic makes our lives easier in many
ways but we have to be careful. Many of the spells have to be renewed and
watched carefully. An abuse of the magic can result in some nasty effects on
the environment and a spell gone wrong can create havoc. Most of the practical
magic is kept in check by our mage-students, and the larger spells are double
checked by the mage-court.”
Kaoru finished patting Thrash’s nose and smiled at him. “Thank you for
bringing me down here. I haven’t been around horses in a long time.” Which was
truth enough. She hadn’t been allowed near a horse since her father’s murder
and then she hadn’t really had time to enjoy them when she had been
half-unconscious and falling off of Kenshin’s horse.
“We’re not finished,” he told her softly, his eyes thoughtful. She squeaked
as he suddenly tugged her forward, a boyish grin on his face. “They’re ready
for you.”
“Who?” Kaoru asked, flabbergasted, as Kenshin continued to drag her forward.
They reached the large doors that had been shut and then opened in front of
him. Kaoru wondered if she asked, very nicely, if Kenshin would teach her some
of the spells he used as naturally as breathing. Some of them would be useful
to know.
The corral was full of horses. There were dapples, chestnuts, bays and
blacks everywhere. There were random handlers throughout the circular pen and
Kaoru stared at the horses in surprise. Turning, she looked up at Kenshin and
blinked at the expression on his face. “What…” she managed to get out before
his grin turned into a full-blown smile.
“Pick one,” he told her gently, his expression that of an eleven-year-old
boy pleased to have pulled off his surprise. “I suggest you let one pick you,
but it is ultimately your choice. Go on,” he suggested, still smiling broadly.
“You…” Kaoru squeaked, swallowed, and tried again. “You want me to pick out
a horse? Any horse?” She couldn’t quite get around that idea. Horseflesh was
expensive even for royals, yet here he was, acting like it wasn’t any sort of
issue. ‘He does ride three of them, Kaoru!’
Kenshin leaned forward so that his lips brushed her ear. “Hmmm,” he agreed.
“I expect you to pick out the horse that you want. Feel free to asked questions
of the men and women, they’re here to serve you.” He kissed the edge of her ear
lightly.
He pulled back enough that he could see the way her eyes stared at him
widely and the way her lips started to pull back into a smile. He was
completely caught off guard at the way she rose to her tiptoes and kissed the
corner of his mouth, before bounding to the fence and she swung over lightly
and leaned back, taking in the herd. He was thankful everyone was watching her
instead of watching him.
Kaoru watched the horses dance around each other and was tossed back to the
time her father let her pick out her first foal. Honey had been a beautiful
chestnut and even-tempered enough that she hadn’t minded a rambunctious
twelve-year old dragging her around, coming to visit and talking to her
whenever she got bored.
Honey didn’t have anything on any of this horseflesh. They were the
most beautiful things she had ever seen. Necks arched proudly, bodies rippled
with muscle; they pranced around each other. She took the time to ask
questions, because she knew her husband was watching her. He was leaned against
one of the fence posts, his arms crossed as she animatedly discussed the horses
with the handlers.
It didn’t take long for her to find the one she wanted.
It was a blood bay mare. Kaoru had never seen a mare with lines as clean as
hers or such a proud tilt to her head. Her main and tail were black and there
was a white strip along her nose. She had four stockings that rose into black
and then faded back into the gorgeous colors of her stomach and chest. Kaoru wanted
that mare. She rubbed damp palms down the sides of her thighs and shot a glance
at Kenshin, who simply smiled at her so that the corners of his eyes crinkled.
Right.
Moving forward she almost jumped out of her skin when a pair of sugar cubes
were suddenly in her palm and she glared over at Kenshin who was shaking with
silent laughter. Swearing to herself, she courted the pretty mare carefully
until she finally came over and accepted the sugar cubs from her palm and
gently butted her in her chest. The handlers seemed to take that as a sign as
they started rounding the other horses into a different corral and Kenshin
swung over to join her.
“Beautiful choice,” he told her softly. “I thought you might like this one.
Do you know what you are going to name her?”
“Tinte ealaíne,” Kaoru said after a moment. “In my mother’s language
it meant fireworks. Her people used to light the sky with colors during
festivals.” She gave him a shy glance. “It’s difficult to explain if you
haven’t seen it.”
Kenshin raised and brow even as he mentally asked Aoshi if he had ever heard
those words before. When he received a negative response, he ordered him to research
and to distract her from his silence, he reached up and brushed at her bangs.
“A very good name for such a beautiful mare, I believe she will treat you
well.”
Kaoru smiled brightly at him, as the mare grew bored with her search for
more treats and cantered off. “Thank you.”
“I have ordered several sets of tack for you,” he told her as they turned to
walk back to the castle, Kaoru sending glances over her shoulder to catch
another sight of her new horse. “They should be ready fairly quickly and then you
can take her out.”
“Several sets?” Kaoru asked as she attempted to remember how many she had
needed as a child.
Well, she'd need a kind of basic stock/campaign style long distance saddle,
a lighter dressage saddle perhaps, and a forward seat jumping saddle if she
thought she would be brave enough to jump the mare.
Kaoru wrapped her arms around his middle impulsively as they walked into the
stable. There weren’t any stable hands around so she didn’t feel bad about a
public display of affection. “Thank you,” she told him as she breathed in the
scent of his cologne over the pungent horse. His arms settled around her
shoulders and he squeezed lightly.
“My pleasure.”
