Capturing the Butterfly

STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLY: I ABSOLUTELY DON'T own any of the characters from Rurouni Kenshin. And I DON'T make money out of this. This is for entertainment purposes only.



Author's note:
haven't check things out in here so sorry for the rush posting and editting. ;)

Thank you for the reviews, guys! You helped me to gain some insights and ideas for this fic's chapter.

gomen for the grammar.

Chapter 2 – Taming the Wildness Inside

Their travel had been a good and prosperous one, as the captain of the ship – Lord Malory of Easterby – satisfactorily described. They had made several stop over to some Middle East Asian countries where most of Aoshi’s merchant ships ported for trading business. And along with those inevitable circumstances of long sea travel, the aristocrat lord had accumulated several business trade deals with some of the most influential and rich Indians politicians and merchant men in New Delhi. Not only that, he also had captured the interest of the Sultan of Arabia to invest into his trading of Silver and China wares which were highly valued in the market that time. In matters of months, he would be able to able to count his added riches into his lucky hands. He had become a friend to them and welcomed him, along with his comrades at his ship named ‘Maiden Rose’.

Trading business among the diligent and honest Asian merchants had made the Lord of Easterby a very busy man again. He was back to his younger days – specifically age 16 - as a skilled trader of both East and West, like what he had with his late earl father on his side training him. It brought back several memories of his youth. Gone with the good, old days with him.

Busy as he was, it didn’t stop the young earl to take a pleasure of discovering the new, juvenile beauties of each country he last visited. Most of his long time business partners had welcomed him and instantly served him his ‘favorites’ to satisfy his weary body and same treatment was given to the lord's men except Yahiko of course. Even the sultan had obliged him to choose and used some of his priced jewel maidens in his own inner harem as a payment of introducing him this English-Arabic trading business that had opened his country to the world, and teaching him some new Western ways on how to pleasure a woman in bed for several days without penetration. The Sultan and all of his business associates were very much amused by his service. And by giving him gold coins and beautiful women - experienced or virgins - all were running smooth between their sides. Yes, it was indeed a very satisfying and delightful event. Experiencing the gift women at his bed had been a great time and way to take his mind quite sometime about the offered maiden of the Oniwabanshuu – the spy group his mother had worked with when she was still single and most feared female omitsu leader of the Fareast.

“What is the matter, Master Malory? Am I not satisfying you enough? Have my skills of Kamasutra had been withered out?” the young, exotic Indian beauty worriedly asked the suddenly pre-occupied earl. She could speak English; one of the skills must learn inside the Sultan’s inner circle of the harem – the most gifted and priceless maidens of pleasure and knowledge, next to the status of the precious chosen wives of the Sultan. She was given the young earl as a sign of a new friendship – a bond that will strengthen their ties.

“Huh?” he instantly recomposed himself to face the girl who was on top, straddling him on their love bed. Her shapely brown tights and legs were widely apart. “Nay. I was thinking of ‘something’ else.” The word ‘someone’ should be more appropriate.

“Then I am not really satisfying you, my Lord,” the woman grimaced, leaving the young earl’s delicious body and stiff shaft. “Your mind is so busy roaming elsewhere while I give you all of my secrets on pleasuring a man’s body. Never did I have experienced that with the Sultan. You have insulted me dearly.”

As the woman rose from him, Aoshi took her left wrist to stop her from leaving. “Yes, I see that I am very guilty of the crime and I am sorry, Sharifa.”

She examined the young earl’s face, seeing his half submission to his words. “You were behaving strange, Master Malory since the last ‘17’ sex couplings we have. The first and second time you have shared my bed, you are fully attentive and ‘assertive’ in many ways, surpassing my stamina," a blush came out to her brown cheeks. Although she must not react like a newly tried virgin teenager on love making, she just couldn't help it. All the action he did to her had been very, very worth time spending for, "but as we progressed, your mind had been traveling somewhere that I do not know. Does another woman involved into your musing?”

The harem woman bluntly spoke her views about his hostility on their lovemaking. Aoshi was not quite shock on the maiden’s action but instead, he smiled as he rubbed his over worked member with his free hand.

“So you have noticed. I have been doing some thinking about my future on the coming days.” He absently revealed some of its truth to the beautiful, witty pleasure maiden of the Sultan. “A woman has nothing do with this musing of mine. It was purely on trading business back to my homeland then to several countries that my other captained ships making progress.”

She knew the fact that he was lying. No man will ever think of business while making love into an expert of lust and pleasures. She sensed a woman behind this man’s suddenly yearning and he was just afraid of knowing the truth. Sighing, she gently jerked her wrist away from him to have a drink of wine near the wooden table. “I just hope it is what you claim, my lord.”

Aoshi didn’t impose his excuses further to the whore’s jealousy. He could not see the profit of it. He did sense the maiden’s analytical mind towards his sudden musing, separating himself to his most favorite hobby – rutting with the most beautiful women on earth. He lay relaxingly in to soft cushions; his hands were at the back on his dark head. His lean, muscular body was too exposed to the views of his love entertainer. His cobalt-blue eyes were looking at the wide openness of the arch window near his lust servant, seeing the fullness of the moon instead of her nakedness.

Sensing the earl’s lost of rutting interest, the Indian woman searched for her forbidden erotic perfume which she only used for increasing the Sultan's stamina and interest on making love when she needed something from him, transforming him into a dangerously sex addict. She wanted to take away all things that were bothering his mind. She missed the man’s vigorousness on the bed, looking forward for the climax of their union. Never had she experienced that kind of intense penetration on her whole life of serving the Sultan. Yes, her Moslem lord was an expert of pleasuring a woman – women actually – in bed, and is perfectly handsome on his own ways but none came close to Lord Marcus Aoshi’s performance of lovemaking. It was like she was the one being blown to heaven instead of the one she was serving to.

She sprayed a little amount of perfume at the back of her ears then into the hallow part of her slender swan-like neck. Though he was 3 meters far from her standing side, Aoshi could smell the erotic perfume. He knew about the forbidden essence of the perfume and what it does to a man.

“Are you still musing, my English lord?” she huskily growled at him, seductively massaging her rounding twins into his view.

So the woman wanted another round of pleasure from his expertise. If she wants it, she’ll have it just like what he had always tuned for the flirting women he previously seduced. There is no need to use the erotic perfume to make him do the excitement in bed.

Who was he kidding? He knew for the fact that the offered maiden of the Oniwabanshuu had somehow washed-out some of his interest of rutting. He cursed himself for being weak to her charms even though he hadn’t seen and touch her yet.

"Let me take you to another realm of pleasure, my English lord. Let me take you to the place where you could forget everything that bothers you lately." Sharifa slowly approached, her naked curvy hips swayed along the way.

Instead of being aroused at her seductive action, Aoshi just smirked. The forbidden perfume hadn't done its work on him. It should have been but there was this certainty that jogged him away from the maiden's intention of turning him into a sex addict. Even if it didn't work, he played as a wanton lover to make her believe that he was indeed transferred into the state she wanted from him. And with this, his dirty, lusty thoughts about the Maiden of the Oniwabanshuu could subside.

“It is and you should not worry any more of it.” Aoshi said as he mischievously winked at her. "I should be the one who firstly initiating the action. I find women very satisfied with my service."

Sharifa genuinely smiled, very happy of the outcome of her forbidden perfume she used. It's time to get some real action from this English man, like the ones she had firstly received from him a week ago when the Sultan instructed her to entertain him using all the love knowledge she acquired. "It's about time, my English lord!"

Aoshi took her offered hand and gently laid her to the soft cushions. He kissed her nape, slowly burning her senses. A manly hand of his had the opportunity to capture one of her breasts, cupping it. It was so soft and bouncy. And with that hand, his thumb had toy her brown nipple to make it aroused. The woman huskily groaned. Her hands entrapped the lord's moving head into her kisses. She instinctively opened her thighs to the man now that she was beneath him. Aoshi moved his whole body between her offered flower, taking on his hand to initiate the pleasure of sex from several orgasms she dearly wanted.

"I should be the one to make you forget....Ah....." she absently admitted as she embraced his hot, already sweating body above her. "Not the other way around...."

"Hush!" Aoshi exclaimed as he played with his wet lips one of her brown nipples. "Just pleasure me, woman and you will be deeply compensated with all of the actions I have to do to you."

"I can't.....wait.....my....English lover...."

That had taken Aoshi quite a bit. So she was thinking that she was his lover instead of a master on serving her flesh. He really did turn this Sultan's lust maiden's heart on hoping anew. Aoshi grinned at the thought, somehow gloating. He slowly inserted his thick shaft inside of her already moist folds, plundering her with his strength. They rode into gradual stirring of senses, taking the fun of the rhythm. Aoshi had been a very persuasive man on pleasuring the woman on a slow process. The whore was sweetly cursing, digging her nails into her lord's broad back. Gasping, she embraced tightly at his massive body. She also wrapped her legs into his hips, urging him to take her deeper. Her lord's movement had been exciting. Each of his thrust was worth dying for. He knew when to strike after gaining some of her moments of rest. And before the moment of climax came, he gradually increased his speed of thrusting his lance into the lust maiden's ravage flower. In and out it robustly went; Sharifa could not contain herself anymore. She almost screamed at the sweetness of her English lord's perfect strokes of his shaft into her womanhood. She heard him groaned. Yes, he did and was about to come into to climax of their union. Sometime before spilling his seed into her womb, he had to remove his strong shaft from her. No, she wanted him all the way even it could cause her banishment into the Sultan's inner circle of harem for siring a babe out of this English lord's abundant seed. She could ask for his assistance on taking her away from this palace - from this country, and in return, giving all the free time of lovemaking. Having a babe, blue eyes inherited, on his name and blood will change her whole life.

Aoshi almost forgot to ease himself away from her. Her legs was deeply entwined into his tapered waist and hips as if she didn't know what will happen if she continued to cling herself from his engorging shaft any longer. He could sire a babe from her and the Sultan would surely be very angry to him with that. He had to release her or suffer the consequences.

Reaching into his climax, he abruptly released his hold to her body as he stroke his shaft outside of her womb to spill his seed. He was satisfied that he had done that at the right time. The woman on the hand was a bit disappointed but somehow happy that her lord had indeed participated this time around into a more enraging sport of sex.

Both breathing aggressively and exhausted, they hugged each other. After some moments of silence, Aoshi spoke, "Next time, my little Indian minx, don't use that perfume to make me arouse on you. It was an insult on my part." He wickedly grinned.

So he did know about the forbidden perfume being used. "How did you...? At least it worked." She returned his smile by caressing his broad, sweating back.

"Not this time, my little exotic minx. I happen to be 'naturally born' with this lustful persona. You need not to use it. All you have to do is ask." Aoshi uttered then playfully licked one of her brown nipples.

"Even so, I am very much happy with the outcome." Her hands started to roam over his jet-black hair.

"Want another round?" Aoshi mischievously asked as his two fingers reached her slimy hole of her sex and abruptly thrust it inside. It was more of a challenge instead.

Sharifa only smiled and hugged her lord's dark head. She thanked all of her gods on giving this man to her even though his action before his release had proved to her that he will not take her to be his. She guessed not to expect so much from this debonair - the notorious rake of England. She had to face its reality so that the hurt will be lessening a bit. “I was made for this, my English Lord. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Yes, you are my dear. Yes, you are so quit giggling." Aoshi huskily murmured as gathered her into his muscular arms. But a brief picture of faceless Japanese woman had disturbed his mind and senses as he looked at the Indian woman's weary yet very happy face. That had stopped him a bit, shaking his head to regain his sanity and control. He was imagining, or more so hoping that the woman beneath him now was the young Japanese chit in Kyoto. This is insane!


*******

Alas! The day of reckoning had come for the Lord of Easterby to meet his soon-to-be Japanese wife. He and his crew aboard on his ship 'Maiden Rose' had finally arrived at the Osaka shipping docks after 8 months of searing the deeps and vastness of the blue seas. Osaka had been a busy town like he had left 3 years ago. What more of Kyoto? Kyoto. That was his beloved late mother's hometown. A sense of pride came over him as his cobalt-blue eyes imagined the whole perspective of the area on his mind.

"We have finally arrived, Captain Malory! It's nice to be back into our mother's soil, isn't it?" Yahiko excitedly announced as he hurriedly came beside his lord. The young earl was leaning against to the brass railing of his ship, silently staring at the busy, old town.

Another male person came into the picture. A young, brown-headed, fair-faced Japanese man, not far from Aoshi's age of 25, came beside to his master's right side and said, "I agree with the young boy. It's nice to be back in Japan. It had been a long time since I left the country along with you, Master Aoshi. I can't imagine what I had become if you weren't take me and my brother Kurojou under your wing. We were being outcast by our cold-hearted families, acknowledging our birth from one of their black sheeps. They assumed that we have the same bad blood flowing into our veins inherited from our father for being an assassin and a thief. How cruel of them to think as if we are some low-lifes!" The young man had unconsciously gripped at the brass railing, tightly securing it into his palms.

Aoshi heard his friend’s - his newly grad lawyer’s – sentiments. His eyes looked sideways to him without turning his whole head. He genuinely felt his pain of being an outcast of his family. "It's long been over, Shirojou. You don't have to open your wounds again."

"But still, I want to thank you my friend for giving me this good future as a lawyer for you and my brother as your steward based on Japan." Shirojou still insisted.

Aoshi only nodded then secretly smiled. It’s good to know that he has loyal friends on his side.

"Lord Aoshi, what are you going to do when you finally met the offered maiden of the Oniwabanshuu? What if she isn't as comely as you were expecting, very far from what is said from the letters sent?" Yahiko had to ask that delicate matter to his lord. He was just like of the other young lads he met - very, very nosy!

Aoshi thought for a moment. That hadn't come into his mind actually. He was busy assessing his thoughts on what he might do to the maiden at their first night of love making. A mischievous smile was carved on his lips. Yahiko and Shirojou had seen that look of his many times and didn’t doubt what it meant. It was their earl’s only look of a preying notorious rake to take a woman in his bed. Yahiko laughed while Shirojou coughed uncomfortably, turning his view away from his master.

"I guess I have to introduce myself into a different, more exciting way. And about her beauty, I doubt the Makimachi’s will sire a hag out of their blood. But if that happens, I’ll just do what for I was forced to ‘toil’ and be done with it." That is cruel. Aoshi often times scolded himself of that bad attitude of his about ranking and bashing women’s beauty.

"And what 'way' is that, my lord?" Yahiko had to ask for more; happy to see his naughty master was up to.

"Enough, dear boy. You don't have to know. It is very personal. You are too young for me to confide with 'those' things."

"Drats! Al least, you could simply tell me the appropriate ones."

Aoshi heartily laughed as he shook the boy's dark head. "As if you don't know already what I am about to do with the Oniwabanshuu's maiden! You little hoyden!"

"Yeah, now I feel sorry for the maiden," Shirojou remarked.

"Hey! Where are your loyalties now, Shirojou-kun? To me or to the Oniwabanshuu's maiden?" Aoshi playfully threatened my Japanese lawyer friend. He knew deeply what Shirojou was talking about.

"I could not help it, Lord Aoshi. Well, seeing that you will be her husband - the unreformed rake of England - Geez! I could imagine the face of the maiden if she happens to see one of your Japanese whore minxes betwixt on you."

Yes, he knew that also. But he will still not change his rakish ways just to honor the stupid agreement of marriage made between their families. Why does he have to abide just to please them? They were the ones who forced him to do this. They were the ones who badly wanted his seed to spill on their Maiden's womb just to create an heir or heiress out from their family union!

The anchor of the 'Maiden Rose' was settled down into the waters and the bridge plank was drawn to be placed to link the ship to Japan's concrete ground. As the captain and lord, Aoshi bid some of his trusted men to take care of his ship while he does his business in Japan along with Shirojou, Yahiko and 4 of his crew. They also bid him good luck and meaningfully looked at him knowing what business their lord had to execute in the grounds of Oniwabanshuu headquarters. But before leaving the ship, Aoshi saw 2 distinguished family carriages waiting below. And one of them was known to be coming from the Oniwabanshuu's maiden's family. They indeed had expecting him this day. What a good timing!

Aoshi momentarily called for Shirojou though he knew his 23 year old lawyer friend was pretty busy assessing the baggages - including the magnificent gifts brought for the Maiden – they will bring.

"What is it, Lord Aoshi?" Shirojou asked as he arranged his bow tie on his collars. He was wearing a suit English men commonly use - a plain, white shirt and black trousers.

"I want you to take my responsibility and role as Lord Marcus Aoshi Malory for this day only, Shirojou. I want you to present yourself as that man before their eyes, my friend." Aoshi plainly said as if the thought had been very simple.

Shirojou was taken aback! What on Earth that this young earl had been thinking? This was no time for making pranksters at this delicate situation.

"Am I hearing it right, Lord Aoshi?! You want me to act as you in front of them! You want me to pretend to be the Earl of Easterby which I doubt they will take it. Look at me! I have no essence of breeding English royalty. Take my word for it.” He drawled his last sentences as shook his head absently. “I think this is insane! I am about to fool one of the most feared spy group of Japan. You are not very eager to cut my head, are you master?!" He exclaimed out of consternation, somehow forgetting his place as his employee.

"I know you will react this way if I tell you about my plan, Shirojou. I have someplace to go before I present myself to the elders of the Oniwabanshuu." Aoshi's cobalt-blue eyes were twinkling with mischievousness.

"I, I don't know, my lord. It is way too risky. Why don't you present yourself tomorrow after we have rested? At least, you are honoring them by presenting the 'true' you." Shirojou desperately coaxed him into his bright idea.

"It is because I have to, my friend. I have a more important issues to attend before I present myself as their 'Maiden's breeder'. They have waited for me for so long." Aoshi's narrowed eyes guide his friend's vision towards the waiting carriages below - one marks a Makimachi emblem distinction. "And knowing that my ship had already docked into Osaka's waters, they will really expect me to pay a visit to their lands in Kyoto as soon as I step into Japan's soil."

"Well, I could be a 'representative' instead of being you, Lord Aoshi." Shirojou still protested. He has a good point. "I will just tell them that you are still indisposed for a moment."

"No. That will not do any good. I want to know the Maiden by my own ways, not from out-front introduction from the blasted elders." Aoshi shook his head, finally revealing his true other half intention.

Slowly, a wicked smile was seen on Shirojou's face. "So you are 'indeed' interested with the precious Maiden of Oniwabanshuu." He chortled as he friendly clasped one of his Master's shoulders. But he briefly took his hand away as he sensed his master's hostile gaze towards him after hearing those words of his. "Ok. And how will you do that? How will you know the maiden if you will not going to be there along my side? You could act as my page or assistant in front of them. Or better yet, my lawyer!"

"I have my ways, Shirojou-kun. Don't doubt that. I have no time for those settings." Then Aoshi turned his body, starting his walk on the bridge plank to reach the Japan's soil. "I will explain to them personally about this folly of mine afterwards. Don't you worry!"

"Yeah, you have to! You should be! How I wish I could still have my head intact into my body when you happen to still remember to return in time, retrieving me from those omitsu spies' daggers and kunais."

Finally stepping into the concrete ground, Aoshi only waved his hand as he threaded himself into the busy crowd of Osaka's pier.


*******

"Are you Lord Marcus Malory, the earl of Easterby from England?" A strange, looking man wearing a demon's mask approached and asked Shirojou as he scanned with his inquisitive eyes his whole persona. He was somewhat not afraid of being seen like that into the public streets of Osaka.

"Well, yes, I am." Shirojou lied for the sake of his master's whims. He had already talked to Yahiko and the rest of the crew about their Master's wish. Not all of its reasoning was told them except to Yahiko.

"Then you and your acquaintances should be quickly delivered to the Oniwabanshuu's mansion in Kyoto. You must be very tired from your long journey at the seas, my lord. By the way, I am called as Hannya - the chief guard of the Maiden's security." He introduced himself to Shirojou and was a bit suspicious on knowing the young earl's personally. It was reported that the young earl of Easterby possessed black hair, not brown ones. Also it was said that he was much taller, about more than 6 feet tall while this man had only about 5 feet 9 inches, assuming to count it by his close evaluating stare alone. And to top it all, this man’s whole physique showed more of Japanese - no, it was entirely Japanese than having some blood of English running into his veins. Somehow it should be right to see some foreign features on this man but none was visibly shown. Something indeed was missing and he could feel it into his bones.

Shirojou gave him a warm smile, sensing the chief guard's keenly sight on assessing him. He abruptly took the man's hand and shook it as a sign of friendship like English people do. Hannya was taken aback a bit but continued with the effort of making friends to the earl anyway. No harm will come in knowing other customs from these people.

"So when do we leave?" The edgy Shirojou asked as he looked through Hannya's demon mask to seek his eyes. He wanted to see if he indeed had convinced him that he is the earl they were waiting for.

"About now, my lord. The elders are waiting for you at the main hall of the Oniwabanshuu mansion." Hannya calmly replied. He instructed the rest of his minions to help them to set their belongings and gifts into the carriages while he secretly studied the earl's actions.

Finally ready to leave, Hannya then instructed the start the drive. He was inside the first carriage with Shirojou and Yahiko. He had not asked of the boy's purpose for this journey but he remained as silent as he should be. Maybe he is the earl's personal page or squire, like all title rich English brat have.

"I believe that it is not your first time to step into the soil of Japan, my lord. Since when was the last time you visited your mother's homeland?" Hannya's gaze narrowed, examining the earl's sudden change of reaction. Was the young man beginning to get nervous on this kind of questionings about his mother? Why should he be?

"Ah! Yes, yes." That is what Shirojou could only say for that time. He had to think fast or this scary looking man will see into his disguises. "It was 3 years ago when I had some shipments delivered from the West Indies and China." He nervously explained.

"Oh, so you are a captain of your own ship. The elders would be very pleased to know that their only heiress will marry not a royal spoiled brat but a man of his own - if you happen to know what I mean, my lord. Forgive my bluntness." Hannya said as he crossed his arms above his chest. "As you know, my lord, if they will happen to ask my point of view about this arranged marriage, I am very against it but after seeing what a good and 'honest' man you are, I would gladly abide to pass the Lady into such good hands."

"Yes, yes..." Shirojou replied uncomfortably. Sweat starting to roll off into his pale forehead. Yahiko tried with all of his might not to laugh.

"Take care of her, my lord. She is very special to us, more than the value of being the sole heiress of the Oniwabanshuu. I might even kill the person who will hurt her." He calmly shared his thoughts to them even though he was not realizing that it sounded more like a threat to the earl.

Shirojou instantly gulped and then coughed, feeling a bit wary from his released words. "Why have the strong affection towards the lady, Hannya-san. Surely, the chief guard had some reasons behind it, right?"

"It is not what you think, my lord. I genuinely care for the Maiden for I am her older second cousin on the side of her mother's. They gave me the privilege to seek for the maiden's care. She is like a little sister to me." So that was it! The blood family relation comes into the picture.

"So you are! I'm sorry for thinking it otherwise." He was quite shock on knowing that this strange looking man was somewhat related to the Maiden. How he wished that she will not turn out to be as scary looking as her weird cousin! His Master Aoshi will be greatly disappointed!

"No harm has done, my lord. At least we have cleared it already."

An hour passed by, they finally arrived in the rich city of Kyoto. Many beautiful scenes could be viewed from their windows. It's good to feel the rich, old heritage of Japan again. Suddenly, the carriages were stopped. A group of 3 unusual looking men was blocking the carriages' way. One of them yelled, calling the name of the chief guard.

"What is it that you want, Beshimi?" Hannya cocked his head out into the open window of their carriage. "I thought you and the rest will be guarding the maiden while I'm gone to retrieve the young earl from the pier. Why are you here?"

"Well, there had been a small problem, that is." Shikijou, one of his trusted guards, had to answer for Beshimi who was momentarily out of words to say.

"How small it is to the fact that you can't wait into the Mansion just to tell me about it?"

"That I cannot say publicly from here while you were in there with the earl."

Hannya took his cue, asking his sudden leave to talk to them .He understood well of his subordinates intention of not making the earl hear what report had to deliver. When they were far enough not to heard by the titled man, Hannya gathered them close to him.

"Then what is it?!" Hannya impatiently asked as he rubbed his right temple. An impending migraine was coming into his head.

"It is about Misao." Now, it was Hyotoko's turn to speak.

"What about Misao, Hyotoko? Is she alright? Did something happen to our Mistress?"

"Well....we hope not.....She, she, she escaped AGAIN." Beshimi nervously revealed the predicament as he bowed his head in shame of being out-witted by the Lady of Oniwabanshuu from his strict guarding.

"What?!" Hannya couldn't contain his calm composure. "She escaped?!!! Did the elders know about this?"

"Yes.....it was pretty damn of me of not knowing her plot but we are looking ways and help to find her as quickly as possible, Hannya-san, so don't you worry."

Hannya shook his head. Counting all of Misao's escape from the mansion, this was her fifth time. It was very clear that the girl didn't want to be married into a guy she haven't met or got personally acquainted with. She was totally against with the arranged marriage her late father had obligated her to do before he died. It had trapped the maiden's honor for sometime then after thinking it closely she ended up choosing the other path, choosing her own destiny instead of following the old ways of her group. Hannya always hear from Misao's lips that she wanted to do what other independent women do. They have their freedom to choose, to think, to decide, and even to love. Why can't she be same with them? Hannya had always reminded her about her responsibility of being the heiress and the marriage she will do to the other clan is sacred. And always, Misao's only excuse to escape Hannya's reasoning was setting an example of life she wanted like her soon-to-be-husband's late mother who had chosen the other path and was reconsidered by their clan as time had healed it. But what was done should not be done ever again. It was a great disgrace on their part of the deal and who would like to live a life like that on your conscience, staining your family's name. That was why the late countess' only son had to agree with the proposal. He had to regain the honor what his mother had lost upon running away then marrying an English earl instead of Misao's father.

"And what if she didn't run away, Hannya? Mayhap, you would not have spoken to someone as naive as me right now," Misao had ended their conversation with that blow of thought. She left him afterwards to ponder with those words. The young chit has a good point. He loves his young cousin as his own sister.

"What are you going to do now, Hannya? I know that the earl is expecting the Maiden waiting back on the Mansion to meet him. It will be disastrous if….if….if…" Shikijou was anxious to know Hannya's plan.

Hannya thought for a moment as he rubbed his other temple this time. The earl should not know about what foolishness their young chit had done or else they will be branded on not honoring the truce this time around. "Take the earl somewhere else and entertain him while we search the whole Kyoto. Haiyaku! Haiyaku!"

*******

Aoshi arrived in front of his ancestral temple in Kyoto. It was a refreshing feeling to see a part of his heritage again after being absent in Japan's soil for so long. A long-time business friend of his in Osaka had lent him his personal carriage to deliver him to Kyoto. Aoshi was thankful for his genuine generosity. Traveling alone without any of his acquaintances and servants was a great deal of freedom for him to have. He wanted to spend sometime with himself as he visited some of his mother's cherished places in Japan. He loved remembering her smiles as she proudly toured them into her some of her favorite spots and hide-outs when he was a little. His mother had been a naughty and active one, indeed. So there's no question what kind of blood lies flowing on his veins.

He had instructed the carriage driver of his business partner to wait for him at the corner of his ancestral temple. He will visit his mother's ancestral temple and have a little contemplating. As he entered the torii, he sensed the whole place's serenity. This is what he came for - peace of mind. He wanted it dearly and none of his sex with his women had given that notion. None.

His strong legs and feet had brought him at front of the old temple's receiving platform. He left his leather shoes at the foyer. Then he had touched one of its huge pillars and paid his respect as a family member of Shinomori's - her mother's clan - when suddenly he heard a woman's shouting voice. His senses were alerted as he looked around his surroundings for the impending danger. He silently listened again, hoping that the woman will give another yell for him to be able to find her area. Then she did. Aoshi immediately strode on the outside platform of the temple, hoping nothing was done to hurt the woman.

"Baka! Baka! Baka!" the woman yelled but she was somehow foxed. In her right hand held a small ceramic cup with liquior. While on the other hand, a big jug of Sake was held wobbly.

Aoshi was sure where to head after hearing her voice again. She was in the Zen garden of the temple. What on earth made his relatives allow a woman to wonder in their private ancestral temple? Maybe the woman is a relative to him so that is why she's inside.

Finally arrived in the Zen garden, Aoshi halted at one of the wooden circle pillars of the temple. A hand of his searched for support on it as he scanned the area for the woman. It didn't take long to locate the female who disturbed his senses. The woman was laying openly at the very special platform of his mother - one of her favorite spot. And somehow, he could see that she's foxed.

"What the?" Aoshi inwardly cursed. He slowly approached the foxed Japanese woman to his mother's special platform. The lady had been laying there as she continued to gulp Sake - a Japanese rice wine.

"Oh why?! I am what I am and no one has the right to take that away from me! I hate what my life being directed with! I hate all of them!!! May Kami-sama take them now!!!!Curses!"

Aoshi could understand her native tongue. He was taught well by his Japanese mother about their language, to speak and read with it - a necessity must learn for he is a half-Nihon-jin.

The young woman softly cried after that. A white, slender arm was seen out from one of her pink kimono sleeves to cover her eyes. She wept as she released the Sake jug and her tiny ceramic cup. Somehow, she had fallen asleep.

Aoshi came close to the woman's sleeping body. He was now in the platform also. He bent his knees to take a closer look at the foxed maiden. Narrowing the distance between them, Aoshi could sense something diverse about this woman. First, her obvious physical features knocked his attention. Her black hair strands were disarrayed on her flushed, porcelain face. He could judge that she is of medium built, typical size for the Nihon-jin girls. Her skin was a bit pale and maybe if she recovers from her drunkenness, rosy pink features will be shown into her. Her pink kimono had captured her beautiful womanly curves, including the swell of her chest area which did highly jolt Aoshi's insides. Her kimono's collar was widely agape, freeing half of her luscious, healthy breasts into his view. He reflexively gulped afterwards as a tear of sweat rolled off of his forehead. No doubt that this young Japanese chit is very comely and surely could make one hell of a temptress if she ever to realize her power of black beauty. Aoshi was very glad to see an enchanting woman like her - alone - in his temple. He was very happy to make his choice to leave his comrades for sometime to travel alone to this temple then found this unknown beauty! His heart started to pump faster as he had seen the open temptation of this little minx was offering. None of his previous encounter with comely women had ever done this to him. Oh God! His insides, including his precious tool of lust, were going berserk!

As if there was an unknown force pulling him towards the maiden's welcoming rosy lips, he let go of his restrain – weird as it was - as his presence was closing their gap. Yes, she smelled like Sake yet it affected him totally the opposite. It was more of an aphrodisiac than a repellant. Slowly, he bent his head towards the maiden for he wanted to kiss her. That he extremely knew! But as he was on his way to kiss the raven- haired sleeping drunk beauty, the woman had instinctively opened her eyes for she had sensed someone - a male person - beside her. Her vision was quite a blur caused by her crying. A dark form was above her, slowly closing his head against her.

"What the? Who are..." She was about to ask the man's identity, forcing herself to sit. But she was halted when their lips joined.

The feeling was beyond description. She could feel her insides going wild as the man's lips take hers. She could also sense the man's eagerness to part her lips with his tongue. His hands and arms were supporting himself against the floor of the wooden platform where she currently laid. She was between those strong arms of his, somehow half accepting her fate of no escape. Never did she experience something like this on her whole life! Shameful to admit, she wanted something like this - one of her fantasies!!!

No! This should not be happening! This should be stop for else!!!! Beautiful feeling as it is, this should be stopped!!!

Disengaging from the kiss, she abruptly slapped the dark prince's face as she was about to regain her composure. "Help!!!! Help!!!!" She moved away from his caged embrace.

Aoshi was stunned upon the comely woman's reaction after his sweet, charming kiss. No woman in his whole life had ever done that to him. She had insulted him dearly!!!

"There is no one here but us, my lady. So stop wasting your voice and energy!" Aoshi angrily scolded her as he massaged his slapped left cheek.

"Get away from me, you beast!!!!" The woman yelled. She clumsily gathered her things - the Sake jug and her tiny ceramic cup - for her to bring.

"You maybe right about that, woman. As I may recall, my previous chits had huskily called me that at our love bed many times. I almost lost count of it." Aoshi was mocking her. He was taking this strange encounter with her very interesting.

"Don't come near me, or else!!!" The woman threatened Aoshi by raising her Sake jug into the air to throw it upon him. Some of its content was spilled above her head but she didn't mind. Her breathing pattern was fast.

Aoshi heartily laughed at what this beautiful maiden was doing to defend herself. No jug of Sake will stop him to capture this Nature sprite if it ever comes to that. "I think you are wasting your breath again, my little white minx. It would be better if we have this conversation into a more ‘comfortable’ and ‘civilized’ manner." A mischievous smile came out to him afterwards.






OOC

Now there's the conflict. In the next chapter, I promise you, kit, they will be together. ;)

oh yeah.....I've edited some lines and spellings. I hope I did it right. Yes, sonia, we will make the rake bend on his knees! eeheheheh. I think. so the mischievous courting begins next chaper.

but this time, it will take a little longer to make for I am doing the next chapter of my other fic.


Thanks for the reviews again. You all are very helpful. ;)

Please review this one so that I could assess the next move for them. ;)