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 notes:
Sorry for the delay. i have been busy for the past several days and sonia knows that. I have been busy doing other stuffs such as working and thinking lines. Oh yeah....Lately, I have been engage to try my drawing skills again. I have been sketching Aoshi and Misao pictures lately and I posted it in a certain art webbie.

enjoy!

gomen for the grammar.


Chapter 3 – Misunderstandings

There were two reasons of Aoshi’s sudden visit to his mother’s ancestral temple, so important that he could deliberately leave his responsibilities just to achieve it. First, he terribly missed his mother’s favorite place. Their ancestral temple strongly reminded him so much of his late, devious mother. Many fond memories of him and his late mother were instilled within the four huge concrete bolder walls of their family shrine. Aside from missing the country, his mother’s hometown and the temple, he had missed her presence – as a friend, a mother and a guide. And with just visiting the said sacred place, his confused and wary heart will be contented somehow on seeking her spiritual guidance. He loves her that deep like an unknown drive of respect of a son to his mother. Second, he wanted a break from all the madness he had recently accumulated from his so-called ‘wise and ever beloved’ late mother who had planned everything secretly from him, engaging him since birth to the heiress he barely knew. He even did not want one! If he hadn’t love his mother that much, he would have possibly - without any doubt - walked away from the arranged marriage and left the poor girl hoping something in his decision will change. Change? It will be for the best for the maiden left alone, Aoshi assured. Surely, the offered maiden will greatly thank him for it.

But he could not escape his fate. If it not for his mother’s honor and pride, he would not have to step into to this bloody bargain. Damn it! Even in her death, she could still make some days of his life very miserable. Wishing for the same treatment of peace he wanted for himself to his upcoming inevitable introduction to the Oniwabanshuu’s offered maiden, he solemnly prayed. It will be a matter of time for Aoshi to see the maiden by his own views, not with what the elders of both sides wanted him to see. Checking the goods first without flowery words to back it up will make him satisfy his curiosity about the woman. He had chosen this perfect place for him to formulate his ‘devious’ plans on getting to know the woman but after encountering this beautiful maiden in his family’s garden shrine, oh dear, it will take all of his energy and will to not to succumb into the temptations this foxed woman unintentionally giving.

“Who are you and what are you doing in here?!” The drunken woman hoarsely demanded, still not lowering her grip from the Sake ceramic jug. This time, its content was not spilling.

Aoshi ignored her harsh question at first as he silently examined the gorgeous, foxed enchantress right in front of him. Her willowy back was leaning against the huge Sakura tree which trapped her from further retreat. Her legs and thighs were drawn together to her, a typical reaction of a victim/prey like her would do. Her kimono was in disarray. He also noticed she had worn her kimono incomplete for the inner clothing was not worn, exposing her smooth flesh to his unwavering, hungry eyes. A sleeping yukata fitted more to the calling.

Still, no words had escaped from his lips as his cobalt-blue eyes continued to scan her precious, natural endowments. The blackness of her long, straight hair showed perfect contrast to her white features. She got full breasts; enough size which his large and manly hand could cup with and play. He could picture it clearly in his mind as he inwardly grinned. Her shoulder blades looked strong and slender, somehow inviting him to peck a kiss – or maybe yet to lick it slowly until she groans out of beseeching. As the collar of her yukata slipped further down to her elbow without her knowing, Aoshi saw the creaminess of her white skin. It looked smooth and silky. No! It is smooth and silky, that’s for sure. His insides were going wild as his eyes reached down to see her half-exposed shapely, long legs and thighs. Out of the blue, he had wished for those legs wrapped against his hip then make her whimper from the ride of her life with his….’friend’.

Many of his women had those kinds of beautiful features yet none of them made him more excited like this. For him, it was simple. He wanted this woman no matter what the consequences even it will jeopardize his marriage to the offer maiden of the Oniwabanshuu. He had not promised to remain loyal as a typical perfect husband should be. If they want to make this union works, they have to abide one of his needs as a rake. From that time, he decided that he will make her belong to him as his Mistress and no person from his side or elders will argue on him on that. Well, then it settled.

“I am supposed to be asking you that,” brushing his bangs away from his face, he genuinely smiled as he drawn his long legs to him. He sat across the agitated woman, cross-legged.

“And why should you be?” The raven-haired woman retorted haughtily. “Unless if you are,”

“A family member of this old temple? Oh please, the answer is so obvious, isn’t?” Aoshi cut in, his eyes shined deviously. “I thought you will never guess it right.”

The woman was taken aback, her green eyes were unstable. Should she believe this stranger? None of her memories recalled seeing this handsome, ebony-haired prince belonging to the family of Shinomori’s. There were many evidences of good-looking men coming from their clan presented to her yet none of them caught her eye, especially her heart. Only this devil broke through her guard. Damn it! And if so, maybe he is bluffing for one obvious thing; his tone of speech was kind of different from the usual one in her society. It was a funny accent coming from the foreigners, actually. And his eyes - those cobalt-blue eyes – marked the huge definition of being very distinctive from the rest she had known.

“I think it is best for you to put down that ceramic jug. You are acting foolish. Promise I won’t hurt you.” Aoshi continued to talk her out. He wanted her to be comfortable around him. It is one of his techniques on making the lady get acquainted with his natural charms.

With diluted green eyes beginning to be fierce, she blurted, “Now you expect me to lower my defenses after you have desecrated me! I won’t be falling on that stupidity!” Slowly, she stood on her ground by her back’s gaining support from the massive Sakura tree trunk as she was preparing her escape from this devilishly handsome man. OH GOD! Why does she have to do these crazy things on a man she instantly got tingled with? She sorely admitted there was an immediate attraction sheared through her defenses yet somehow, deep down it was not right. She had to fight for her dignity.

“As far as I remember, I haven’t done anything to tarnish you, my little white minx. Well, not yet,” Aoshi’s gaze followed her suspicious movement. She was indeed escaping from him, without seeing its futility. He would like to have this chase of her to excite his blood again. “A simple kiss will not deflower a woman that instant.” Then he grinned.

Remembering the kiss - his kiss - had reddened her cheeks. How rude this man could be! One thing for sure, this man had no manners, a typical male Shinomori would do most of the time especially if it concerns with women in sex. Wait! Maybe he is telling her the truth that he belonged to them. Oh noh! A Shinomori?! From all the places in Kyoto, she had hidden herself from the place owned by her enemy! Now her security will know that she’s here! Nice, stupid move!

“Say everything you want, you disgusting hoyden! I want out of here.” She quickly slipped to the other side of the huge Sakura tree trunk and was about to flee the area but she accidentally tripped, having thrown the Sake jug and tea cup away from her to the ground as she collided on the wooden floor. Her mind was not that stable for the Sake had finally taken some of her body’s control. She felt vomiting and sick. Her vision was somewhat blurred and dizzy.

Aoshi saw it coming. He didn’t laugh this time. The woman will not be able to flee from him that far. She was too foxed to move further, escaping. “Silly tactic, my dear,”

She groaned from the pain she received from falling to the wooden platform with her shoulders accepting the force blow. “Ouch,” that was all she could utter, groaning. She had humiliated herself in front of her assailant’s eyes. If she hadn’t drunk too much of Sake, she could have teach this insolent, gorgeous man a lesson or two of her special omitsu kenpo moves and then she could laugh hard on him. But after evaluating her situation, the idea will not come to that for obvious reasons.

Taking his time a little longer to ponder her poor state, Aoshi deliberately gloated and smiled. Strange, he was happy seeing the whole comedy of her useless escape as he took pride of what this enchantress was showing her valor to protect her virtue from him. This lady has great spirit. She fights for what she believe is right and he knew only few female from his realm that has that kind of strong attitude. He truly respected them for that. That he liked to a woman to bed with, or even to marry. Marry? What in the world that made him think of that at this awkward state?

Shaking his head, Aoshi stood from his sit and went beside her. It was not pity he felt but something else. Compassion is more appropriate, and…. He knelt down and slowly cupped her up into his warm embrace, securing her to him. “Enough of your playing, madame.”

“Where are you taking me? Let me go! Help!!!” The woman forced herself to free from his strong yet gentle embrace. With all her left power, she punched him to his broad chest yet the impact didn’t inflict any damage or pain on him. The Sake must have weakened her from performing her defensive skills of martial arts. She continued to jerk like a wild bird, her shapely legs and slender arms fought to regain her body’s control yet all was in vain for the mighty cobalt-blue eyed Knight securely cupped her into his warm chest and arms.

Her kimono collar went widely agape after all the struggling she made and Aoshi had accidentally gazed beyond their openness. She saw him grinned and mischievously winked at her. Sensing her humiliating disposition, the woman abruptly closed her collar and slapped him again on his face.

“Pig!”

The pain was there again but Aoshi had only laughed on it. “I could get used to this ‘wildness’ if you still continue fighting me.”

Realizing her fate of being tarnished of this unknown, handsome man, the woman tried to think of other ways of escaping from him. It was very obvious that force was not the answer for her freedom from this Shinomori. She had to escape before this man could take her back to the Oniwabanshuu’s headquarters, or simply ‘take her’ as….Oh noh….

“I know what you are thinking.” Aoshi coldly stated as he stopped from walking back towards their original space. “It is better not to fight. You could only injure yourself by doing that.”

Even after hearing his words of concern, the woman still shoved Aoshi’s chest away from her as she kicked high. No man will ever humiliate her so low.

There was one thing left for him to do. Aoshi’s patience was running short and this little war minx wasn’t getting any easier to handle. If she had not gotten drunk by Sake, he would be sure have a hard time on controlling this babe. He had to make her listen that fighting him will only make things worse.

The woman was about to scream for help again but was stopped by Aoshi using his special method to calm his tensed women – his kiss. Yes. He had kissed her again. But this time, it was more demanding. It had coaxed her all of her attention and energy to focus on him. His kiss. Yes. The woman could no longer have those high jerking kicks and struggling as his lips and tongue tried to open her tender mouth to him. He was almost ravaging her young, innocent lips upon taking hers forcefully. Never had he kissed a woman like this just to gain her attention. He was more of a gentle side, cajoling women to drool over him without any much effort exerted. But with this young, Japanese chit, it was hard from him to believe that he had to do this savageness just to have her whole interest on him. Oh God! This was completely making his mind out of control, including his member just below – not far from her cute little buttocks.

Moments after, he heard her moaned ecstatically as his experienced tongue further explored the wetness of her mouth. She was so sweet and very inviting like a home he wanted to dwell with. There was this peace within her that he wanted. He had performed the French Kiss so perfect, making this woman’s defenses succumb. He could feel her arms and hands beginning to coil up around his strong neck. They were so smooth and silky, just like he had ardently predicted or dreamed it. He thanked his dead ancestors for leading him to this Nature Sprite to be his Mistress on-the-making.

Aoshi knew from that instant sharing of their lips that that was the woman’s first kiss of passion. After so many women he had played with, it’s a child play on calculating her state. He had felt that part of her had wanted him to do the sweet ravaging like a sleeping princess who had long waited for her dashing prince to rescue her from a certain villain. And that villain of hers was somehow, according to his estimates, shattered along the process of his kiss on her beautiful, rosy lips. Her innocence no longer existed. He will teach her many ways on pleasuring them both being as an expert or ‘connoisseur of women’ as he claimed to be. Many ‘satisfied’ comely women had proven to him of that.

At the hike of his passion, his hands and arms reached for the slit of her yukata. One of her smooth thigh was exposed for him to caress. Slowly, his hand searched on her inner folds. He could not do this by standing while cupping the beautiful maiden with his two occupied hands. He needed to lay her down the wooden floor and start the game he had dearly wanted from the start. Bending his knees, he gently laid her on the floor as they continued to kiss each other. Her long, black hair had touched first the solid plank then her tempting body followed. For him she was like a goddess of beauty ready to unfold under his nose and eyes. He liked that. He will have her no matter what the consequences even if it arrives on choosing the right woman for him to live with for the rest of his life. That thought had Aoshi ceased his actions a bit. How come he always ends up to that conclusion? It was always putting this woman above all else! Damn it!

As she was finally laid on the wooden platform with him above her, she had instinctively opened her delicious thighs from him. Oh noh. This is too much, too soon. Something was amiss. She was now offering herself to him as if accepting her fate of being tarnish by this man – a notorious rake from England. Her current attitude was far from what she had previously shown. Where did her spirit of fighting go? Something was definitely wrong.

Aoshi was between her creamy thighs, sensing his shaft going stiffer as he continued to elude himself from abruptly corrupting this woman’s price gift. Suddenly, a thought of taking a woman against her will had berated his malicious mind. Conscience had somehow stroke into his kind of moral defenses. What is profit or good to gain when you had sex with a woman who isn’t willing to give herself to you? Rape is all that shouted on his mind. He should not take advantage of the woman’s weakness from drunkenness. He should have been more patient and forgiving when it comes to this kind of situation. It was not his breeding to force a woman to make love to him even though she had finally had opened herself up out of force love- coaxing. He wanted her to come to him as a wanton lover and…..

That was the right time to do her devious plan of escape. Now that she had the hoyden’s full lustful attention, she could kick his priced male pride and get the hell out of the Shinomori’s ancestral temple as quickly as possible. She cursed herself for being too foxed on knowing the right premise for her to hide from her blasted security. Creating no more mistakes, she had to abide with this kind of tactic. It had worked for plenty of women so why wouldn’t she?

Too bad. This handsome devil had gotten deep into her nerves, chilling and jolting her senses severely awakened her womanly sanity to the top.

Sensing his moment of withdrawal to her, thinking that it was one of his moves to open her further from lustful touching, that was the perfect time to make the progress for she had gained enough space to kick his….

Aoshi was letting her go. Even though he is a rake on his handsome and rightful form, he would never take a woman against her will. It was his first time to be drawn into such a lowly act. And in the first place, he had just kissed her again just to make her stop from struggling against him. Kissing her had taken almost all of his control and he was deeply ashamed of that. Never again will he force himself to her. Never but he will never stop from getting what he wants from this woman, not to the extent of defiling her pride and dignity. He will make her come to him, that he deeply promised. As he was about to tell her his apology, he was kicked with the rock of her right knee into his tool of lust by the foxed maiden. An instant pain was shearing his groins. Oh Kami-sama! It hurts like hell! Aoshi crashed beside the lady’s body as he was trying to sooth the pain inflicted to his pride love-tool by the rascal minx. Damn her!

This time, Aoshi was mouthing the ‘ouch’ word.

Though drunk, the maiden tried with all her left might to get far away from her assailant. She had like what she did but even more like his kiss to her no-longer innocent lips. It was her first kiss. No. Technically, it was her second kiss from him as he had firstly took benefit out of her weakened state. No man alive in Japan had successful claimed her lips just like that for she had wished her ‘rightful prince’ will come to claim that price, not some lout who had just taken advantage her weakened disposition. If he could have been milder and kind to her, maybe…maybe she would have…..

“Tell your family that I won’t become a part of you! Never! I won’t allow myself being offered just to sustain both of our families need!” The angered and exhausted woman shouted at Aoshi as she was on her way outside the platform, staggering.

With those kinds of words, Aoshi’s senses rolled up after hearing it. Ignoring his groin’s pain, he forced himself to stand and strode after to capture her. He wanted to know what she was talking about. There was something in what she said that caught his entire attention.

“Come back here you…” Aoshi was gaining his pace towards the foxed maiden.

“You have to kill me first before you get what you want from me!” shouted back by her as she continued to control her staggered fast walk towards the temple’s main platform hallway to the front entrance.

Running with that kind of her current state, it will be a lot of hardship to escape from this dark guard’s pursuit. She will be lucky if she finds herself close enough to the main foyer of the temple, screaming help to the people walking by from the nearby streets.

Alas! Aoshi had finally reached her and harshly taken her wrists unregretful. Though he still felt the pain of his manpride, he made her looked at him and asked, “Who are you and what are you doing in my ancestor’s temple?” He was hoping he could get a straight answer from this vixen….or better yet, a tanuki.

“You don’t know of who I am?!” She snorted, full with disgust as she tried to free herself from his tight grip. “You are hurting me!” She had lost her temper and energy to withstand him.

But not all was at lost. She gathered again what left strength she had and punch him right in his gorgeous face. Serves him right! Blood rolled down at one side of his lips. Instead of returning what she did, he wiped the rolled blood, seemingly tasting it as if he was mocking her. He showed it to her that none of her actions did seriously damage his persona.

“A Shinomori by blood, hah!” she cursed, still trying to jerk away.

What is she talking about, he mused. Why is she so angry, he asked. Was it because of his kiss? Oh yeah…Who would not be?

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he seriously warned her as his grip on her wrists tightened yet after sensing her instant fear from him, he gradually moderated his hold. “And sorry if I already did. My lust senses had gotten the best of me.” Aoshi asked for forgiveness, lowering his voice. He owed her that much. He should not have acted like a boy who eagerly wanting to try a woman to bed with for the first time. He should have been more mature this time. “Please accept my apology.”

Suddenly, the woman’s eyes began to moisten. Tears were starting to form from her green eyes, taking her sight away from him.

“I’m so sorry.” Aoshi mumbled as he loosed more of his tight hold on her wrists. But she needed his support so he softly grabbed one of her arms and led the way back towards his mother’s special meditation platform. The woman didn’t want to cry yet tears broke out involuntarily from her eyes. She was so exhausted from all the struggling and fighting she made from this man. She wanted to rest - a normal, burn-out person would do when one was being continuously pestering by plenty of problems and hardships in life. Her mind and body began to melt. She wanted to free herself from all of them yet fate demanded her otherwise. Slowly, her slender body lessened its hold of defense, unknowingly slumping herself to her enemy.

Aoshi felt very awful on making her cry. He did know one thing he had done to make her sob and it pained him so dreadful on seeing her like that. Part of him wanted to console and befriend her. It was so stupid of him on almost….raping her.

“Trust me. I won’t hurt you this time.” That he genuinely assured. His eyes began to be serious. He ignored his acquired pain from the maiden for soon it would subside. It was more important to see the need of calming this woman than his own....friend.

As soon as they arrived from the platform, he gently laid the minx next to his sit. She continued to sob while Aoshi patiently waited her anger settle away from him.

Moments past by, the woman’s sob gradually subsided. Aoshi silently listened and felt to the calm breeze that was been offering to him and his lady companion.

Then the silence between them shattered.

“Will you let me go?” sniffing, she asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes and flushed cheeks. “I have to go.”

Aoshi continued to muse about the fresh feeling of the smooth breeze. Then he took her hand, gently massaging it without any malice on its content. “Slap me. Slap me again and again until you finally get the satisfaction you need.”

What nonsense was he thinking? It was a good offer but she will not step down to that level. She smiled at his effort of making her laugh. But she won’t. He hasn’t gained her trust entirely so why should she be? Meeting his serious gaze, she felt her senses were starting to reel again. How could a madman like him make her feel this weak? She wished she hadn’t met this man. He would do no good on her.

“Escaping from your fate, is that it?” Aoshi spoke after several moments of their silence. “Is that why you went here in the first place?”

The foxed woman unsteadily nodded. She had assumed this man knew about their families’ situation. He was still holding her hand close to his heart. It was so close that she could almost feel his heart rampant beating.

“Of course, it is.” Somehow, he could relate his own to this poor woman.

“And leaving again is what I must do. You must understand.”

“You are leaving again because of me, because of what I did?”

She just snorted, one of black eyebrows raised. The situation was kind of obvious and this man had the nerve to ask such nonsense.

“I can’t blame you. I sure have scared you that much. I’m so sorry.”

She was still looking to his eyes. He surely was an adorable, good-looking man, close to the dark prince she always been dreaming of. The only difference was that he had this devilish attitude, too unpredictable for her taste. And by examining him, he’s the kind of man who will never render his heart for the sake of love but lust. That she could not gamble her heart with. Suddenly, dizziness came over her. Her headache been more intensified after all the force action been done and made. Eyes flickering, her vision began to blur caused by dizziness. She had moaned out of the pain experiencing from her head.

“Please,” that was all she could say.

“Are you alright?” Aoshi checked her temperature. She was beginning to have a fever. “You drank too much of Sake. That had triggered the rising of your temperature. Tell me, where is your home so that I could take you there.”

Part of her dilemma was his fault. He shouldn’t have gone out of his control, pursuing what he physically needed from her. He acted so low. Now it was his responsibility to take care of her after what he had done. She needed help and his help will free her from the new burden she was having.

Again, he asked for her residence. The woman, out of her sickness, could only utter the word “Aoiya”. So he assumed that was where she came from. Without any moment to waste, he cupped her almost-lifeless body and took her out of the Zen Garden. He will never forgive himself if anything happens to his beautiful Sprite. His? It was so nice to say and hear. Then again, Aoshi quickly searched for his carriage outside his ancestral temple’s premise to start their travel.


********

“Take us to…to….Aoiya, Shinkaku-san,” Aoshi sternly ordered to his Japanese associate’s coach driver. They were finally inside the carriage, making haste for their leave.

The driver hadn’t had the time to ask any questions upon his master’s disturbing arrival. He saw him carrying a lifeless woman with all the worries seen on his not so happy-go-lucky face.

“You know where that is, right?” Aoshi asked as he secured her at his lap and embrace her to enable for her to receive the right amount of his body heat. Yet he had also given him enough space for her to breathe in.

“Hai!” That was all the couch driver could say to him. By the looks of it, the woman in his arms needed medical attention and bringing her to “Aoiya” will only save her.

“Then step on it! Haiyaku!” Aoshi harshly commanded. He instinctively cupped the woman’s chin, raising her flushed face to his view. How could he been so harsh from her.

He saw her moist lips. Those red lips of hers made him a weak man. It was the first of her many tempting features that lured him from being a madman of lust. Realizing that that same moment he had experience with her a while ago was beginning to rant him wild, berating him to kiss her again. He shook his head fiercely. That was no time for fooling around or satisfying his ‘hunger’ especially when she’s at this kind of poor state. No gentleman will do that to HIS woman.

Then suddenly, he heard her mumbling. She was unconsciously telling something to him, or any related to that. He bent his head, his ear near to her mouth for he wanted to hear it clear.

“Don’t hurt me….I want to be free…..Please….let me go…..I want to live my life as I want it to be….I need to stand on my own…my freedom…..Please don’t hurt my….heart….”

At the moment he heard her whispering pleas, Aoshi’s eyelids closed as he gave a short kiss to one of her flaming cheeks. Guilt had shattered his strong defense of pride as soon as those words reached on his mind. “Sleep now, my beautiful Japanese minx.”


********

Aoiya was said to be one of the most famous, leading restaurants in the city of Kyoto. Not a single serving day had this place gone out of customers and patrons. Various, rich Japanese food delicacies were their main attraction for them. Many people – locals and foreigners – had gone to this place and tried lavishly their prided stuffs.

“That goes here!” A tall, curvy woman called out one of her misguided waiters. Plenty of orders were lined up for the taking and few hands were handling the dining chaos. As she was wiping her sweat from her forehead by the back of her hand, she saw a carriage abruptly halted in front of her restaurant’s entrance. Curiosity took the best of her interest. She peered while another woman appeared - shorter than her and had her brown hair tied up with Japanese sticks – and then asked what she was doing.

“There’s a carriage outside, Omasu,”

“You say as if we don’t receive such wealthy people everyday.” She grinned as she clasped one of her slender shoulders. “Our work must have had exhausted you so much, Okon.”

“No, something is different this time,” Okon said as she kept on peering.

“Ok then,” Omasu replied as she withdrew her hand from her. She went on her chores as the manager of the kitchen, ordering her chefs to cook faster for more customers were demanding their food service.

Instead of standing there to wait, Okon walked towards the entrance where the mysterious carriage was parking for some moments. Half way there, Okon saw the carriage’s door opened. She quickened her pace and went outside the establishment. Then she waited there.

A tall and roguishly handsome fellow climbed down the carriage with a small figure of woman occupying his well-built arms. Okon couldn’t see the face of the woman because of the man’s quick movements. Her face was tugged close into his chest, covering her from Okon’s inquisitive view. But her silky, black hair caught her attention. As the young man carefully carried her lifeless body, he immediately asked for the place “Aoiya”. After hearing the word, Okon abruptly offered her assistance.

“This is Aoiya, Mister.” Okon greeted him and then her attention was tuned back to the woman in his arms.

“I need help. This woman needs your help. Will you please lend us a hand?” Aoshi asked demandingly at her, taking no notice of what great beauty this woman has. She is more to the likes of the young earl yet none of his senses of lust realized that.

“Yes, yes….” Okon saw little panic on this man’s eyes. She gazed back at the unconscious woman and after examining her features, she gasped loudly. “Misao?!!! What the?”

Okon was so surprised! She never had expected Misao being held in the arms of a stranger - a foreigner whose looks could melt a woman’s cold heart. It was not Misao’s character to be easily given in into physical beauty. The little tanuki prefers men of full spirit.

“You know her?” Aoshi’s eyes had held suspicion to the strange woman.

“Huh?” Okon responded, seemingly left unguarded.

“Of course you do! She won’t be able to say this place’s name if she hadn’t got acquainted with the people working in here.” He snorted right after. “Ah! I heard you call her name.”

“Huh?” Okon replied with the same word.

That time, it was hopeless to just stand there and ask and talk to the Japanese woman of Aoiya. The lovely bird in his arms needed help. Talking further to this woman would endanger more of her health. Time is precious.

“Can you help her or not? She had uttered the word ‘Aoiya’ on her sudden sleep so I assume she lives here.” Aoshi was loosing again his patience. He tugged his woman securely this time for his arms were getting numb because of the long time of carrying her.

“Oh…Hai! Hai! Sorry. I was just shock. Misao, in the arms of a…” She unknowingly uttered some words that should have kept to herself. “She was supposed to be at the Mansion right now and…”

“Spare me the details, Madame! Can you please help me to tend her?” Aoshi snapped.

“Oh yes! Yes! Sorry about that. By the way, my name is Okon. I am one of her cousins.” She immediately answered. She then called 2 of her man servants to help Aoshi to bring Misao inside her house by entering the main gate.

Omasu heard the confusion outside as soon as she was out of the kitchen. She saw her older sister’s abrup movements with a man carrying an unconscious woman. She began to be curious and went on her way to check on things, following them.

Aoshi insisted of still carrying Misao in his arms. He asked for the way inside their house and to the proper room where she could be treated. He felt her fever. Tears of sweat were appearing on her forehead. She needs a doctor for crying out loud!

Confusion and worry had taken the best of him. It had somehow molded a new person out of him after experiencing them towards the unconscious, sick maiden. He had never experience that kind of fear or even intense care for someone like that before. He had forgotten to leave the room as soon he had laid her to the futon. No doctor was needed to call for they were about to take care of that field. They knew how to handle this kind of emergency and this type wasn’t new for them. Omasu arrived with a bowl of water and a fresh towel to sooth her fever down.

“Let us do the mending this time, Mister…..” Okon assured. She still didn’t know the stranger’s name after all that had happened. “Kindly tell us your name so we could thank you properly for bringing our angel back to us.”

In their eyes, he was an angel who rescued the poor soul out from her acquired misery. Truth is, it was totally the opposite. Part of his ‘evil’ deed pushed her off to her limits. But that is not important to talk about now for he was too busy worrying about the young chit’s health. He could explain all the details – well, not all that is – about their unexpected meeting at the shrine and ‘rescuing’.

“Aoshi. My name is Aoshi.” He didn’t give his real full name for he felt it was not needed to. His eyes were still watching the tending for the unconscious woman.

“Don’t you worry, young man! A fever won’t take Misao away from us. It’s natural for her to have this sickness after taking so much Sake into her body.” Okon patted him on his arm and turned to leave.

“She usually has this when she’s over drunk?” One of Aoshi’s black eyebrows was raised.

“Oh yes, so don’t worry now. You can leave us. By the way, thank you for your kindness, sir Aoshi. How can we ever repay you? She VERY IMPORTANT to our family for now is her DAY.” She was now entering the domain of Misao’s room.

“Day for what?” Aoshi could not just leave things as they can be.

But he was not heard by Okon for she had finally closed the shoji door behind her.

The young earl took his notion to leave the premise and promised himself to go back here tomorrow to visit her. His conscience will not rest until he learns that she’s alright. But hey! Didn’t he just hear what Okon told that part of system does that to her when she gotten to drink excessively.

Walking back towards the entrance gate, he mused. Nothing harm will do to them if he waited there a little bit longer. He wanted to be on her side, even though this far, as she coiled herself on her comforting futon and blanket. He will wait. Everything on his business back to his ‘sacrificed’ mates and the Oniwabanshuu’s maiden will have to linger for this is far more significant than anything else in his world right now. Oh yes, he will wait.

*******

“So I was right,” A man in a demon’s mask demanded Okon, “she is here.”

Okon slowly nodded. She was afraid for her cousin’s fate to the man they will about to force marrying to her. Seeing that her chief guard is already there to the taking, she guessed that Misao’s fate had to stretch out on the table. “Hai.”

“You can’t take her yet,” Omasu warned as she took out the materials used for treating Misao’s fever. “She is still resting.”

“I can’t have that excuse and you know it,” Hannya retorted. The meeting had to begin before the sun sets. The elders back at the Mansion were sickly worried about this young chit and the agreement of sealing their families bond with the Shinomori’s. Good thing that he had thought of taking the young earl to other ‘comely’ places before to be presented to the Maiden, stopping the spread of dishonoring their clan from them.

“Try bending your pride and dignity for once, Hannya-san. It won’t hurt.” Omasu said and smirked.

“I’m sorry. With sickness or not, the ceremony of their meeting have to start before the sun sets. You know the rules. If she hadn’t run away and drank Sake lavishly in the first place, we would not have this kind of dilemma.”

“Could you blame her for that? The girl is so confused of being lead by different voices from her realm.”

“It is for the best, Okon. Can’t you two see that?! We have to follow the tradition.” Hannya wanted to end their discussion but the two women kept on giving their sides of reasoning against his plan of taking the sleeping Misao back to the Mansion. Tension and anger will only bring back her previous state.

“Traditions, traditions! Blasted it all! Good thing we are not blessed under that ‘privilege’. I would have to kill myself just to gain my freedom.” Okon cursed.

“Don’t talk nonsense, Okon! It isn’t that bad.” Hannya’s voice was a little weaker this time.

“So you think that it isn’t bad, huh?! Then why don’t you take your ass back there and marry that hoyden for yourself! At least you could help Misao with using without any brute force on protecting her – protecting from her impending inglorious fate with that man she doesn’t love!” Omasu finally snapped.

Then suddenly, a tall, raven-haired guy appeared at the main shoji entrance of the wide receiving room of their house. He heard noises of discussion but not that clearly. Hannya’s senses began to be alerted as soon as he saw him enter for never had he seen such man full of fighting aura calmed in an idle state.

“Konnichi wa. I would like to ask about the woman I brought in earlier? How is she? Is she alright?” The tall man politely asked Okon for she was the only one he knew here by name.

“You’re still here? I thought you finally left. I’m sorry.”

“And who is this man, Okon? Kindly introduce him to us,” Hannya spoke in a low voice. Behind that devil’s mask, Aoshi could still feel the ranking of his eyes towards him, like a stalker ready for a kill.

“Ah, oh yes. I believe his name is Aoshi-san. He came here with Misao in his arms. He took her home from the Shrine and….”

“In his arms? Shrine?” Hannya’s voice grew more suspicious. “To whose Shrine?”

“Why the Shinomori’s? From all the places in Japan for her to hide, she was easily been captured by her enemy. A very bad decision and move, indeed!” Omasu couldn’t help to comment sarcastically.

Hannya’s attention was back towards the tall man as he continued to examine his features. Something is definitely not right from this stranger called Aoshi.

“Only a Shinomori by blood is allowed to enter that Sacred Shrine. I could see you are one of them. Am I right?”

“Yes, and what is it to you if I posses the same blasted blood?!” Aoshi wanted to end this strange-looking man’s charade.

Black hair, height of more than 6 feet, complexion of a Caucasian appeared most from his skin coloring, eyes as cold as dark blue sea; this man strongly possessed all the reported characteristics of an aristocrat he should have to retrieve from the pier of Osaka earlier. Something is definitely amiss. Was this man the real…..? And who the hell were they babysitting at the Tavern?

“May I ask your whole true name, sir?” Hannya bowed his head, a gesture that had surprised Aoshi a bit. Now this man was being so gentle to him, full of manners.

Will he give his whole true name to the man they called Hannya? Who is he anyway and why is he asking it from him? Is that so vital to this part of discussing the unconscious woman’s health?

“Shinomori, Aoshi.” He coldly replied. He couldn’t see any good of revealing his real identity to these people, to these strangers.

“I know that you are from a Shinomori line but I still sense that at some parts you are lying, sir.” Aoshi hadn’t convinced him well.

“And why is that?” Aoshi snorted and grinned. He admitted that this masked man had brains.

“I can see it in your cobalt-blue eyes. You can’t hide it.” Hannya mockingly replied to him as he walked across the room to retrieve the sleeping Maiden of Oniwabanshuu.



Ooc
Ok, there had been no lemon thinggie in here....just lime.
We have to save Misao's....ehem....for the....you know....
edit! edit! edit! again!!!!


Thanks for the reviews.:) It really helped. ;)