Remembrance
Chapter 2
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Wow! You
guys are really amazing… Thank you SO much for the many wonderful reviews!!!!
Yes! Your
questions should be answered in time with the development of the story. And ask
for some Kenshin/Kaoru loving: Of course! That is the
heart of this little tale of mine, and it will come in not too long.
So thanks
again, and I really hope you will enjoy this new chapter too… (Tell me! Tell
me! Tell me!)
Love,
~Sara~
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style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>Remembrance
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Chapter
2
Kaoru’s eyes opened wide at the sound of fine wood
working as the door to the small room was pulled aside. A
sound waking her from a short dance with sleep which had given no peace.
She had curled up on the bed; tried as she did every
time, to forget that it was made for two, but failing always. The sickening
scent of smoke already lingered too deep... The smell alone bringing newborn
tears to her eyes.
Bowing her head down while pulling
her legs as close to her stomach as she could, she had let the black, silky
curtain of her hair hide the tears as they fell.style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'> And Kaoru
had bit her lip as she cried; cradling the little life she felt reacting to her
sorrow; moving uneasily within the protecting circle of her body.
She had heard as one voice raised in anger broke
through the silence she had fought to retrieve; only one voice…
speaking too; could not hear the words, but the sound as he spoke had reached
her as a soft vibration mixing with the rhythm of her heart.
Calming not only one soul, but two…
With a vision blurred by the teary veil, she had
watched the two shadows to be seen through the door’s thin barrier.
drew his sword and the sakabató’s silhouette
inflicted an invincible wound on the air before her eyes.
Had felt the vulnerability in her Rurouni
even then; knew that he needed the shield only she could give.
But as she reached out, the barrier was there in shape of a closed door, and a limit
separated her suddenly from her beloved swordsman. A limit marked by Saitou’s
body and his sharpened blade.
“Kaoru!”
She heard his voice and fought to sit up straight as
quick as she could in a battle with her body which protested at the sudden movement.
She moaned as pain shot up her spine then, but kept fighting alone.
long time ago.
“Yes…” she answered him finally; voice strained from
the feelings she tried so deeply to suppress. Pain.
Yes! Love.
She waited for his questions; the interrogation which
always followed one of Kenshin’s visits.
after their gentle but brief liberation by Kenshin’s
hands.
pause the worried cry from her mind.
“I-Is Kenshin still here?”
she whispered, trying to make out Saitou where he stood still in the shadows.
Already knowing the answer to her own question.
make som-“
“Your Rurouni has left!” A
ring of smoke floated passed her face, and Saitou seemed to emerge from it;
suddenly so near… “He has abused my hospitality more than enough.” Those dark
eyes narrowed and Kaoru whimpered before he even touched her. “My…
possessions…”
-
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“May was
such a beautiful month this year… I’m surprised your dear Kaoru-
blood tickle the skin of his palm; holding his sword with a shaking hand and
battling with his killer-instinct as Saitou urged it to rouse with his gleeful
and taunting words.
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“But who
knows? Maybe it’s for the best… What could a poor Rurouni
like you give her anyway? Nothing that I can’t do better!”
Saitou smirked
while he let his eyes run across Kenshin’s body from
feet to glowing golden eyes; as if measuring him for a mental fight in waiting.
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“Much
better…”
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“You don’t love her…” he’d answered; those few, simple
words holding all his strength…
And his gift for Kaoru and her unborn child; something
Saitou could never give…
With that he had turned on his heel and left the
house; knowing that that door would never be open to him again, unless he broke
it down. But Kenshin also knew that to cross the
limit and break the invisible barrier he would need something stronger, more
powerful than even a reverse blade sword.
-
“Don’t look so scared, Kaoru… Kenshin
has not gone wandering again.” Saitou leaned in and brushed some locks of long,
soft hair out of his young wife’s face. The gesture was almost gentle, but from
the hold on her wrist a bruise was blossoming, and his eyes told that he fed on
her despair. “I just don’t need him around to take care of my wife…”
Kaoru just sat there; her eyes lowered beneath long
lashes while her free hand rested on the precious bulge. If she tried she could
still feel the warmth where Kenshin’s hands had been.
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“…He has done more than enough already!” She gasped
and her eyes sprang open when Saitou’s other hand suddenly pressed against her
stomach just lightly while those words left his lips.
“S-Saitou-san…” She stuttered; trying in vain to back
away. “W-What are you doing?”
“Mmmm…” Saitou hissed, only
holding her tighter. “You look so divine when you’re scared.” His voice was
sickly sweet; so soft he was almost humming. Then he grabbed a handful of her
hair; pulling her head closer with a sharp jerk so he could sniff it. “And you
smell of spring-flowers… blooming in… May…”
-
Kenshin
paused outside the house; stood in the sunshine while his feet gave him the
chance to change his mind before they would carry him away.
Once, he turned his head and saw the closed door; saw
Kaoru; beautiful and smiling in his mind…
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“She
doesn’t remember…”
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He closed his eyes tightly, but Saitou’s voice, his
words resounded over and over again until they took shape as a shadowy opponent
only visible in the mental battle within his mind.
The sword cut through the fresh autumn-air followed by
Kenshin’s anguished cry…
-
Tears filled Kaoru’s eyes once more; this time falling
unhidden. And Saitou watched, smiling… Each droplet turning
crimson in his mind.
In her eyes
he could watch Battousai in agony. And as long as he kept
Kaoru trapped within his self-made web weaved from power and cruelty, his
torture and defeat of Kenshin would be endless…
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-
The branch descended to the ground killed by a single
stroke from a reverse blade sword; the orange and yellow leaves falling slowly;
sliding from the sky like tears from a man who didn’t even have the strength
left to cry himself…
---
Kaoru paused and placed the two filled buckets of tofu
down on the ground beside her feet, and her hands now being free, she pressed
them against the small of her back. Sighed deeply at the dull
ache which had taken up permanent residence there.
Lifting one hand, she wiped the sweat off her brow,
and taking another deep breath she willed herself to continue the journey to
her home… No. Saitou’s
house. Home was still at the dojo… She wished that her baby could be
born there; (where she had been) near her friends, her grandfather…
Kenshin
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She had not seen him since the day he came to visit
her at Saitou’s house, and that was over 1 week ago. She had wanted to go
search for him; wanted to follow him and bring him back… home. As she always had in the past.
Before Saitou…
Before, in a time which now seemed lost forever…
These thoughts overwhelmed her, and the sorrow they
brought shook her body and made her head swim. Suddenly she could no longer
feel her legs and the loud thump when the buckets fell filled her ears while
her hands went to shelter her stomach and the life inside.
Dry lips moved; forming words but no sound came out:
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“Kaoru-dono…”
And that was the sound that reached her when reality took
her back; not the sound of her own body hitting the ground, but the sound of a
voice reaching for her with tender softness and a wonderful familiarity.
“Kenshin…”
The Rurouni held Kaoru in
his arms; for just a moment he allowed himself to do so; could sense that her
feet had not found their right place on the ground quite yet.
He smiled as he found her slightly heavier than he
remembered; could feel the fine curve of her bottom and growing bosom as she
leaned into him. The wonderful weight of a Mother to-be… But
“Kenshin… W-What are you
doing here?” She looked up at him with an expression that was far from
grateful.
He smiled at that, this
was the Kaoru he knew; no need to look like a pregnant woman in distress
even if that was the case. He tilted his head to one side setting the ruby
locks in motion, and lifted one hand to brush a dark lock of Kaoru’s now
ruffled hair out of her eyes before answering.
“I was on my way to see you…” he answered in a tone
that spoke like they had never been apart. “But now you have spared me the rest
of the walk…”
stepped back out of his arms, but with those glowing eyes he still held her…
if only she would let him. Together they could find and share that memory once
more.
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>A memory
that could maybe set her free…
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only…
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“Kaoru-dono are you
alright?” His worry for her was stronger than even his own dreams. “I saw you
stumble-“
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>
“Yes, yes. I’m fine. I was just clumsy…” She stood up
straight in front of him; so graceful!
ground.
Kenshin
frowned; lifting first one bucket then the other. “You should not carry these
things at all, Kaoru-dono…” He tried to make his
voice stern, but failed as always with her. And moments later he was smiling
again; nodding towards the bulge on her stomach which seemed to have grown even
bigger in the short time since he was last near her. “You are already carrying
enough…”
“Well now, Kaoru-dono…”
Suddenly Kenshin let the buckets drop again, and
instead reached out to grab hold of one of her hands. “Since you’re outside the
houn yon your own in your condition, I take it that Saitou isn’t home today…?”
Kaoru giggled; the wonderful sound sending vibrations
through their entwined fingers and settled as a pleasant
warmth in Kenshin’s chest. “No…” she said while
pursing out her lips; her cheeks blushing stronger than the finest cherries.
another place, another time…
“He isn’t home, but I think you already know that, my
dear … Isn’t that why you chose
fine brow in question.
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>
Kenshin
nodded without a word.
“I have something for the baby…” he finally said. “But
I can only show you if you come with me now…”
An eternity seemed to pass as he waited for her
answer… And it came; in her smile bringing them light
on an otherwise cloudy autumn-day. And in the way her hand tightened around his
as she followed him; let him lead her away…
The first raindrops fell slowly into the half-filled
buckets they left behind.
-
Together they wandered; passed familiar places, but
many times Kaoru felt like she was seeing it all anew. The light rain also
found them, and the wet ground gave Kenshin a chance
to carry his Kaoru-dono; helping her safely over each
place where her feet might giv given way.
And each time, Kaoru felt a soft rush through her
body; memories hidden deep within her heart knocking on the door to her mind,
but Saitou’s lock of fear still held it closed tightly, she couldn’t open it
yet. Not alone…
Finally they reached their place and
sit down in the damp grass; let her use his body to lean against, so she could
at least forget about the physical pain when she was with him.
And he could relish in the feel of just having her
near…
“Close your eyes…” he then whispered to her, brushing
his fingers across her eyelids just in case.
And moments later the sound reached for her; a melody;
a wordless song of love; a lullaby to a child not yet born…
She dared to open her eyes then, and Kaoru saw him;
her Rurouni… Kenshin sat
with closed eyes, gently blowing into the small, wooden flute; the nimble
fingers of one hand playing each tone, while his other hand had dropped from
her eyes and now rested near her cheek.
She watched him, and from the flute came the voices of
a Spring not long ago. Flowers,
birds, feelings which could never be denied. A Freedom now lost…
She watched as his hair fell around his face; like
soft, crimson feathers gently tousled by the wind… “My wild, wandering bird…” she thought as he continued to play his
song to her and the child within her.
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“When you
do fly, please take me with you…”
she didn’t say anything…
“It has grown.” Kenshin
smiled as he felt the movement beneath his palm; felt the heat of Kaoru’s skin
through the fabric of her kimono. He seemed to think for a moment,
in her palm; closed her fingers around it. “In 5 months this baby will come
into the world… Soon I will be able to see its eyes when I play.” He hugged her
hand tightly in his own bigger one.
“You keep this for me, Kaoru-dono…”
he whispered, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Give it to the baby if I’m not
there when it is born…” He put a finger gently to her lips before she could
form words for any protest. “Keep it, and know that I will always come to play…
for you both.” In his eyes lay a promise not spoken with words. “Always…”
Kaoru felt happy tears well up in her eyes when she
accepted Kenshin’s gift. He was so sweet and
considerate; Saitou had not given her anything for the baby, had not spoken of
her pregnancy unless it was in anger. She shivered as he entered her thoughts
unbidden; violated the sanctuary created for this moment in time, with the help
of a beloved Rurouni.
cla class=MsoNormal>She felt as Kenshin’s hands
sought her stomach once again, and she let them rest there; felt as they calmed
the little one inside… Could it feel the
happiness he brought her?
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A happiness
devoured by worry and fear when Kenshin spoke again;
whispered softly against her ear as he dared to hold her to him.
“…And know… My dear Kaoru-dono…
that this baby is mine…”
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>TBC…