Broken

Chapter 3:

Like A Mirror Revealing

Kaoru bowed before each of the three headstones and said a quiet prayer. This time, tears were in
her eyes and stained her tanned cheeks, leaving salty trails to the lush carpet of grass at her feet. The
gravesite was simply breathtaking. It was a break from the mundane, drab green found in the forest.
It seemed a little creek used to run through the area, explaining the grass and abundance of flowers.
It was the only place she saw fit to bury her loved ones. She couldnt bury them in the dojo
cemetery, for it had been defaced and destroyed. Kyoto was also out of the question. Kaoru stumbled
across this place quite by accident, searching for medicinal herbs Megumi had sent her to find when
she was too injured to search herself. Only a few days later, Kaoru buried her here. She had never
liked how Megumi always hung on Kenshin’s arm. She had never liked how she seemed so
sophisticated, so feminine, so much like the woman a man would really want. She was mild-tempered, was great at cooking and wonderful with children. Surely Megumi was more Kenshin’s
type, Kaoru always thought. More like his first love. But, he loved her, or so he said. But that didn’t
matter…

"I am sorry," she whispered to the towering stone, kissing its cool surface. She placed her hand at the
top and used it as a brace to stand. Her right arm was bandaged tightly. Kenshin had cut her during
their fight, she did not realize it until she went to her room in the inn. Her shirt was ripped, the cut so
clean she didn’t even feel pain. The sensation was actually warm and tingly as the blood began to
gush out. She used some of the extra linen to bind her wound. She also dressed it with an herbal
mixture Megumi had taught her. She had contributed so much to herR/spa/span>they all had.

Kaoru ears perked as she heard an unfamiliar sound coming high from the trees. It was too big to be
a monkey, but the branches only rustled a small bit. The limb creaked from the weight it was
holding. Whoever was following was not one for stealth. She stood tall, holding her hand over her
katana, waiting for the invader to show themselves. And, without delay, a young man dropped from
the trees and landed a few feet away from her. He grinned devilishly, his yellow teeth full of grime,
his eyes wide. She then heard more men…one, two…five others, surrounding her. Obviously, they
were a band of robbers, and they would not stand down without a fight. The men circled her, all
quite scrawny and ordinary. To her, they were faceless. Victims of her blade didn’t need faces. She
unsheathed her sword and all the men jumped back, but only for a moment. They began to chuckle
and poke at eotheother’s side.

"Oh, this one thinks she can take us on. We all should probably teach her how to take us when we’re
done robbing her," one man said, his eyes scanning her body. Before he could blink his eye, he saw
his hands fall to the ground. He then dropped to kneeknees, in shock. But, that didn’t last long, for his
head soon followed his hands. The other five men were silent, their racing hearts the only sound
coming from their bodies. Sweat formed at their brow as they witnessed the deadly beauty execute
their leader. The band trembled in fear before her and they ran away in the same direction. Kaoru
smirked and gave chase to her prey. They were only able to run a short distance before feeling a hot
slash across their backs, then feeling absolutely nothing. Their screams cause birds to screend fnd fly
away, the normally peaceful woods now a bloodbath. After Kaoru completed her task, she bent
down before the bodies and searched their pockets. There were carrying a decent amount of money
and she pocketed it all. Dead men don’t need for anything. She then returned to the gravesite and
removed the leader’s body from the ground she considered sacred. She had not pillaged him, only
moved him to where the remains of his men were. Her clothes were now bloodied, but her pockets
full. Would she always face a distraction when she came for a visit?

"You are merciless," a voice called out from the distance. Kaori turned her head to see a figure with
bright, red hair approach. She narrowed her eyes and threw her hands up in the air. Would he never
give up? He was like a shadow.

"You must care to share the fate of these thieves," she yelled running towards him, preparing to
strike. Then she remembered her rule, never attack in anger, and stopped only several feet in front of
him. He looked almost exactly the same as the day before he left. A part of her wanted to smile,
wanted to be thrilled to see him. The other half wanted to rip him apart and toss his body to the
crows. Why was she torn? She hated him.

"Who is buried here, I must know," Kenshin asked, lowering his head. He already knew. It was
Megumi, Sanosuke and Yahiko. They were dead and Kaoru blamed him for it, he could tell. Her
eyes seemed to glow at his question, a blue fire wanting to burn through his soul.

"It is none of your concern," she hissed, lunging after him, not caring anymore. Tears streamed down
her face and she punched him continuously in a blind rage. How dare he ask? How dare he! Where
was he when they were dying? Did he care then? Why does he care now? He has no right to care!
Kaoru beat on him until her arms burned and she felt faint. She grabbed her injured arm and fell to
the ground on the opposite side, sobbing. Kenshin did not strike her back, he took all of her blows.
He sat up, rubbing his body. He looked down at her broken form, memories of pain and sorrow
flooded her tortured mind. Kenshin frowned, fighting back tears of his own. Had he really done this
to her?

"Tell me…please," he pleaded, picking her up off the ground, shaking her. Kaoru stopped crying the
second Kenshin touched her. She then pushed him off and stood with her own power. Suddenly, the
woman who had just slain six men seemed helpless and lost. Her eyes wandered about just as she
wandered through her emotions. Why was this happening? Why did he have to come back?

"You are DEAD to me," she screamed withdrawing her bloodstained katana, lunging after Kenshin.
His expression became deadly serious as he skillfully sidestepped and stuck Kaoru in the back as she
stumbled past. She fell to her knee and coughed in pain, but she did not stay down long. She pivoted
on her knee and swiped her leg under Kenshin’s feet. He fell, but quickly righted himself, one knee
on the ground, his hand on his hilt. He was more focused than their previous encounter the week
before. He had asked around about Kaoru, asked what had she been doing in the towns, when she
started frequenting them. Her profession truly startled him.

A mercenary.

No life was worth more than the price she demanded for her services. It didn’t matter why they were
being killed. She didn’t care if the were guilty or innocent. She didn’t care of they were of old age,
or the very young. She did her job and that was that. She was only loyal to the shopkeepers and no
one else. She revealed her heart to no one and her past to even fewer. He had wondered who was the
person that had taken the "Hitokiri" portion of his name. He had actually heard fables about her
power, her strength, her appetite for blood. He never would have imagined the woman capable of
such fury was his Kaoru.

"I see you have brought your game face," Kaoru mocked, standing tall, going into proper stance.
Kenshin stood as well, but did not get into a fighting stance. Kaoru cocked her brow and stood
down. She ran her fingers through her raven hair, keeping her eyes on Kenshin. He looked as cold as
death. Was the great Battousai disturbed by her actions? She rolled her eyes and assumed an
annoyed look. She was tiring of their meetings.

"Is there a reason you are here, Himura-san? If not, I will return to my business," she said plainly,
walking past him. But, a hand at her wrist stopped her. She looked at him, his cross-shaped scar
staring back her. He then turned to meet her, his eyes softer this go about.

"Kaoru-dono, who is buried here? Is it who I think," he asked, using the name her used to call her.
For a moment, she swore her heart sank. But, that was impossible…impossible.

"If it will cause you to leave me alone," she said, snatching her hand back, "Megumi, Sanosuke
and…someone else."

Kenshin’s eyes grew wide as he felt tears well within them. Megumi and Sanosuke…dead? How
could it have happened?

"What about Yahiko," Kenshin nearly demanded, remembering the headstrong youth. He was so
young, so stubborn. What could have become of him?

"Yahiko is alive and well, though I don’t know where he is now," Kaoru stated, just waiting for him
to question who was in the third grave. Kenshin just could not figure it. Who could she care about so
much to bury with Sano and Megumi and he not know? His mind searched and searched, but found
no answer. Then it hit him. He grew pale as he had looked at her now fuller figure. Her entire frame
had matured, her hips full, her breasts ample, her waist still tiny. He then remembered their night of
passion, when he gave himself to her, loved her like he had never loved before. Finally he looked
into her eyes, them asking what his mouth could not fathom to form.

ANDDDDDD then there’s a cliffhanger. I had written one long chapter, but what’s the fun in
that? I made it two, HAHA! Better get reviewing!