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.



Hello! It had been so long since I posted in here.

As I Had stated beforre, I made Aoshi in this fic a lot different from the usual brooding one we dearly love. ehehehe....

{ } - restless whispers


enjoy reading!




Chapter 4 – First Sleepless Night

{“Take me….I’m yours,”}

It was a total – yet sweet - torture, indeed. The sound of HER alluring voice kept echoing into his ears over and over again. Laying on his back and alone in his room, Aoshi couldn’t sleep even though his eyes were tiredly shut. For several hours, her lovely ‘invitation’ kept ranting on his mind, never giving him the rest and peace that he badly needed after the long journey he and his crew had ventured into the seas for several months. And let’s not forget to mention his latest trouble at the Sacred Zen garden of Shinomori Temple. It had been a long time since he had felt this kind of delusional emotion – the only emotion that he had promised himself not to risk everything of his own again. What the hell is he talking about? He had asked himself that for several times now and had lost count of it.

{“I’ve been waiting for you….to free me,”}

Eight shots of vodka hadn’t helped him forget his ordeal. It seemed that none could take him from this saccharine misery – if he was willing enough. Part of him didn’t want to but still….Still eyes closed, one of his forearms had rested above his forehead – close enough to hinder the passed moonlight in his room from the ajar shoji door which his other access to his own mansion’s vast zen garden. Speaking of gardens, he too loves being close to them. Like his crazy late mother whom he inherited most of his bewildering attitudes. Another round of seductive words was heard from his imaginary woman….or better to describe it - his dream girl. But how was he supposed to dream of her if he hadn’t gone to sleep yet? No need. The woman had already invaded him. He wanted to sleep but the woman’s tempting and arousing voice kept coming back into his senses which he didn’t like, making him act like a love-struck teenager boy he had been once in his lifetime, very eager to have his first time of bedding with an experienced woman. After tasting her lips, he doubted himself for having none of this craziness ever again. Oh! So this was all about her – the Nature Sprite he had encountered this late afternoon at his family’s sacred temple.

{“Give me everything that you’ve got. Teach me how to satisfy you……endlessly,”}

He rolled on to his stomach then his hands absently raked his hair as if he was trying to scrape out the illusion playing on his senses. But should he do that? Part of him wanted the maiden toying him into her own seductive way but part of him wanted to rest for tomorrow’s duty – his duty – at the Mansion of the Makimachi’s, straight to the maiden herself. Hearing one more seductive coaxing will likely drive him to the edge of insanity. How he liked to end this sweet pretence and get over with it! And the only way to do that was to take the source of his agony and make her pay by doing all the exact pleas she’d been enticing him to do to her. The only problem was that that mysterious maiden didn’t really ask any of these on him personally. Not in a million years after experiencing his lose on winning the upper hand on her. His conscience had stopped him for being the fiend – her fiend, that is.

{“Let me kiss you, darling. Let me pleasure you with my lips or my tongue perhaps,”}

A prolonged kiss on his nape was felt as soon as he heard another one of his dream girl’s seductive words. The hair on his nape rose, creating goose bumps. Had his delusions for the girl finally went into another level? No. This was not possible for the she was just a dream - a lusty one, that is. Logic hadn’t registered this time for his body didn’t react to stop for he had long to have those words turn to life, in real action. He couldn’t take it anymore of just doing nothing from all the inviting words that were said. But as he was about to make his turn to pleasure the maiden who was kissing the back of his neck, a slow lick was done to have his libido raised into a higher level. Oh lord! This was his slow death – one of his favorite parts of lovemaking. With her naughty tongue tracing his nape with the slowness yet accurate aiming, Aoshi’s emotion of anticipation was becoming ecstatic. The girl at his temple was doing everything right in a very dangerous way of this game. This is how he wanted her to do for the first place he had set his eyes on her at the garden. God knows how much he wanted her – no, actually needed her to be like that. His groin was aching. He needed to take her and then become one with her. This was the only remedy for the pain he was experiencing for several hours of sweet torture from her coaxing and many explicit images of her naked form appearing on his dirty mind. And also, it was for the remedy for his longing for her magical touch after being apart from her for several hours now. Oh Lord! He needed her that desperately that made him very weak and helpless…..until now.

Aoshi chortled as he finally took the bold maiden over his back that was plaguing him with those sensuous kisses and licks. The room was almost dark and he hadn’t had the time on seeing the temptress for his mind instilled that she, the nature sprite in his ancestor’s garden, was doing all of these things on him. And she had to pay for it. Then again, his logic was at lost for his deep need for the maiden.

He grabbed her shoulders, pushing her down to the futon like a predator built for a kill. A kill he would do just to have her now! Grinning, Aoshi took hold both of her wrists with one hand and raised it up above their heads. He was pinning the maiden with the heaviness of his lean, muscular body. He was half-naked, baring his sculpted muscles of his abdominal, chest and shoulder areas. Only his English trousers left to secure him from her. Actually, he prefers sleeping naked since his middle teenage years but tonight had been different. Damn! He is Mother Nature’s living work of art. With his knee, he deliberately made her closed thighs separate apart. Their bodies were twined. The angel below him was about to make a huge protest when he was about to suck the skin of her exposed white neck but she was silenced by his kiss right on her mouth. Old techniques work best!

“Don’t argue with me now. You wanted this and so you’ll get it.” Aoshi growled underneath his breath, reminding her of her dangerous and seductive coaxing earlier to him. Now that he finally succumbed into her bidding, what right does she still have to back down on the challenge that she herself had started.

He kissed her with such fierceness. He was almost devouring her mouth for his hunger for her sinful touches could not wait any longer. He needed her to become as demanding as him, to get back to the lust game she was instilling a while ago when he was not that attentive – letting her have all the fun. As his expertise on mouth-pleasuring trying to persuade the woman to give in, his other free hand moved into her upper clothing to open her twin babies to his view and explore. Oh. Something was definitely wrong. After assessing their roundness, hers had become larger than the last time he had cupped with. Or so he assumed.

“Something had definitely changed in your anatomy, my love, but I don’t give a damn on it. All I want is you, my little war minx.” Aoshi sexily mumbled those words close to her left ear then he continued his scouring into her mouth, and then to her upper clothing. How come that this woman didn’t wear her sleeping yukata at this time of the night? It will be much easier to take her on that kind of clothing but nevertheless, he continued his pursuit, taking all the pleasure he assumed she was freely giving unto him.

He could still feel her struggling though she knew it was a futile thing to do. Hadn’t she learnt before the pointlessness of her resistance towards him? Not on the second time around, my dear, he winningly thought. It’s too late for her to change her mind on this bedsport. Not for this half-breed rake who is obviously starving to have her! Her netted shirt parted as his free hand took the pleasure of entering one of her body’s forbidden terrains. Sensing the openness of her chest area, Aoshi took his mouth away from hers and immediately sucked one of her already taut nipples. The maiden promptly gasped as soon as she felt his lips and tongue worked its way to one of her big natural endowments. This shouldn’t be happening! She was just supposed to….

“Do you like this, my love? I know you would. Let me be the one to ‘punish’ you this time.” Nipping her left nipple with such intensity, Aoshi was playing it alright. He knew this was her first time. He had to be very gentle on her, deeply engraving all the details of their lovemaking to her memory. But after several seconds of tasting her taut pebble, he savored something milky out from it. Oh God! It took several additional seconds for him to realize the unthinkable. So the maiden was not a maiden after all!!!!

“Stop, Aoshi! Let me go, you stupid baboon!!!” the woman beneath him scolded him as she was trying to wriggle out from his hand’s tight clutch to her wrists, and also from his huge body’s pinning to hers.

At the hike of his burning passion, Aoshi had tasted milk from her breast. How was that possible when he knew that she’s….oh lord! He made a very big, damn mistake! It was so dumb of him for not checking first who was doing those things to him. He should have seen the culprit first before he took his liberties. So…..who was this woman beneath him?

Immediately removing his body away from her, he reflexively apologized but glared at her as soon as he realized that it was not his fault, most of his fault to take note. “What the hell are you doing inside my room alone? Who are you?”

Finally escaping from this awkward setting, she rearranged her clothes and her tousled strands of hair properly. After several moments of recomposing her whole image, she faced the startled Aoshi with much haughtiness. “Can’t you just take a guess?”

Her voice reflected no sexiness but smugness. Aoshi grumbled inwardly. “I’m in no mood for any game, woman. Identify yourself while I still have my sanity not to beat you. Now speak!”

The half-breed earl was very angry for several valid reasons. One, he was invaded into his room, disregarding his right of privacy. Hadn’t he made it clear to all his minions not to enter his domain without acknowledging themselves to him first? Same concept applies to the strangers, even double! Two, he was played/toyed with by making him go over to the edge with those sinful words whispered into his ears. His dignity was stepped on because of that! For him it was a crime needed to be paid and this time, there will be no sweet talking out of it. It had made him silly, for Christ sake!!! And three, the most important of them all, the great disappointment when he found out that the woman beneath him a while ago, the one he had fully caressed with all of his expertise, was not the very woman he badly needed. ‘His minx’ was supposed to be the one he had entangled with on his futon and sheets. He will have to vent this anger elsewhere for he might put it on with this female, milk-infested invader who had played him for a fool. And speaking of milk…..

“Where’s your sense of logic, Aoshi? You shouldn’t just take a woman like that.” She casually spoke as if they were being long acquainted. Aoshi took the notion to stand up and went to the shoji door – his room’s other access to his garden - to be able to open it fully so that the light of the moon would shower them enough illumination that will help him see the culprit.

“In the first place, you shouldn’t be doing ‘that’ to a man sleeping in his room. You played a dangerous game there woman so again, identify yourself or,” Aoshi warned her intently.

She knew for the fact that Aoshi sometimes couldn’t contain his temper. He could also do unexpected things that will make you suffer for mocking his pride. “Ok! I get your point. From the sound of your voice, you didn’t even know or remember me anymore. Had been 5 years too long, making you forget who I am?”

The shoji door went widely agape as Aoshi swooshed it with full force. His action showed his anger and the woman instinctively flinched as she felt his power from the swift breeze that went to her. The moonlight touched half of the room but not enough illumination was held to the female invader’s face. Aoshi turned around to see her and waited for her to answer his demand. The woman had sensed again his anger by looking straight into his cobalt-blue eyes that were now flaming somehow in red. How was that possible, the color of his eyes changed? Well, to stop this, she had to identify herself. She was lucky enough that she was not tossed away by his powerful arms.

“It seems you haven’t remembered me at all, Aoshi.” she sighed afterwards then continued, “Does the name of Sanada Misanagi ring any bell on your blasted brain?”

Sanada. Oh, he definitely heard that name. He isn’t that naïve in terms of his mother’s pending spying and securing affairs but the last one which involves his arranged marriage with the Makimachi maiden had left him so unguarded – naked to the last drop. But nevertheless, he needed to know everything that lurks into his mother’s family’s uncanny business. He knew for the fact that like the Makimachi’s and Shinomori’s, the Sanada’s shared the same bond of serving under the government of Tokugawa. The Makimachi’s had their part on spying network while the Shinomori’s had their bond of protecting the Head of the government who is the Emperor himself by using special technique of martial arts and sword fighting. The Sanada’s had their oath on protecting the hidden wealth of the Tokugawa family. But Meiji era came in and took them into another level. The Three Pillars still loyally served them even though they no longer held the power of the throne. It was their pride and honor that kept them bound to them no matter what. And about Misanagi……oh God! He remembered her, indeed! Damn him for not recognizing her at once! How could he forget her after all the things they have shared during the years of his ‘mending’ of himself?!

He groaned, shaking his head. “What the hell are you doing in my room, taking all those liberties on me?! I could have taken you with such great hunger if I haven’t….” Words trailed off as his cheeks began to reddened due to the thought of tasting one of his friend’s lovely breasts, taking note of the milk spurt on it.

Misanagi had never felt more embarrassed from her whole life until now. Her taut nipples still reacted to the heating touches of the damned half-breed earl left. So this is what his women suppose to feel when they are under his spell. Good thing she hadn’t had that notion to step beyond that. For her, Aoshi was just a friend – a close one indeed. But after knowing he had forgotten about her, it might not be the same case.

She only wanted to surprise her friend by giving him a kiss on his nape – which is one of his soft spots that he had revealed to her several years ago when they were exchanging few information about each of their ‘experiences’ at the time of his second visit here in Japan. They were both 17 years old then; too young yet equip with experience on matters of….Anyway, Aoshi still surpassed her ability to ‘associate’ with the opposite sex. Misanagi just used her alluring stance to tease and to gain control at a certain situation while Aoshi could bet it all the way, making the tables turn to his side. She only entertained them by kissing, caressing and touching – nothing more than that while the earl played his way to stardom of being a ‘connoisseur of women’ especially when he had reached the age of 20. That she remembered it well. Often times, she laughed at him for it. Men! She hated rakes, except for him for something in him was a lot more different from the others she had known. He has a heart but often times he ignores that fact, or even denies it.

Misanagi snorted. “It was supposed to be a joke, Aoshi. And still is! When I came in to welcome you, I saw you were alone in the dark, somehow brooding. Assuming your ladybird was out of sight for God knows where she went for her reprieve from your….ehem….. I thought I could do a thing or two that most of your mistresses do to you at your bed, surprising you that it wasn’t your woman but me – your best friend!” Misanagi explained as she scanned the whole room searching for his female companion for the night. She had drawled the last three words to him, to make him realize his mistake.

Aoshi brushed his bangs away from his face as his temper slowly drifted. He sat against the shoji door, far enough to the vixen who had played him for a fool. Misanagi is a prankster by nature and often times she isn’t bound to get punish from her mischievous deeds. Licking and kissing him went above his charts! She had deliberately disregarded her limitation on playing pranksters on him which had made him very much angry. And because she is his close friend – the only one during his second stay in Japan who had accepted him without any prejudices on his background of being a half-breed – he will likely have to forgive her insolence.

“The jokes on you, Misanagi-chan. You should be ashamed on what you did. I could have…”

“Yeah, yeah I know! You don’t have to remind me it all again, Aoshi-kun. Don’t wash your hands on me now. You, yourself, are also a prankster.” Both of her cheeks flushed. She never had expected that this joke of hers will backfire on her. This time, she had miscalculated her moves on tricking Aoshi to the top. She was stunned from the total reaction she received from him. The joke was indeed turned onto her!

“And you know that I hate tasting my own medicine,” he retorted, grinning to the top.

“Let’s just forget it, ok?! By the way, where is your ladybird? Judging from the way you reacted a while ago, you hadn’t had enough sex for one night, Aoshi. It seems to me your chit didn’t satisfy you well enough.” Misanagi’s voice had much tease, enough to drive Aoshi to the edge again. Then she laughed at him as she had instinctively palmed her shinobi netted shirt which Aoshi had previously played with.

He dreadfully wished he had made love with his beautiful minx! Everything he hoped for had gone crumbled after seeing another woman under his body instead of the very woman he yearned for.

“Isn’t it obvious that I’m all alone for the night? I wouldn’t allow my chit to roam outside my room even if we have our ease-fire in the sport. She won’t be able to flee from me that easily, very exhausted to the bones underneath me.” Grinning, he casually said it which did make her blush again from his blunt words about sex. It was a typical rake could ever say and boast for.

Somehow, she had forgotten how open Aoshi talks about with his ‘active affairs’ regarding his women to her and some of his trusted pals. It had been five years since they got this same intimacy of pure friendship. Well, after what had happened a while ago…..maybe….a little bit twisted that is.

“Thank you for correcting it for me,” she sarcastically said, giving him a glare. “Many did change in 5 years, you know. And this is one of them,”

“Speaking of changes,” It was Aoshi’s turn to play. A mischievous smile was seen on his face.

Misanagi could sense it even though the darkness had shadowed most of his strong physique. She missed him so dearly – her rakish friend. She genuinely smiled on that.

“So you too happen to change.” Something in his voice that made Misanagi a little bit worried. She was not expecting this from him. It had indeed made her grounds shake a bit. He chortled after sensing her wariness. “About your….”

Aoshi was about to tell Misanagi what made him stop from ‘rutting’ with her, half smiling and reddening. Then she caught what he was supposed to tell her. She cut in immediately. “DON’T EVEN ASK!”

“Why?” Now the rake had the tables turned to the beautiful, brown-headed Japanese prankster. “Is there anything to be ashamed of? I wouldn’t call it if you ask me.”

After looking at him through the darkness, she could feel his sincerity. This is the Aoshi that she learned to love – as a friend to clear that out – and still loving.

Instead of answering his indirect question, she just plopped down to the tatami mat in front of him and sat cross-legged. She hadn’t minded her shinobi shirt openness as long as she’s comfortable. Knowing Aoshi, she wouldn’t be able to raise again his ‘hungriness’ for several reasons. And one of them was that Aoshi didn’t desire her but respected. It was a misunderstanding before. After knowing that she was underneath his heating embraces, he immediately moved away, stating it clear that he doesn’t desire her as he normally would to the many beautiful women that had gotten tangled into his rakish life. He admitted that he’s attracted to her beauty, but in a different level. It was more to her wittiness and intelligence that caught his senses for her. He had that to her before and didn’t mind at all for the feeling is mutual. He respected her in some way that only the two of them could understand.

“I want to stay in your mansion for a couple of weeks, Aoshi. Would you mind if I…”

“What other options do I have? None. You’ve always been a trouble to me since the second time I came here in Japan. And it never stopped since then,” Aoshi sounded it for real but Misanagi knew better. “And besides, I know we have many things to talk about. Including your….” He looked at her big breasts and grinned roguishly.

Misanagi instinctively hid her breasts with both of her lovely hands to this earl’s meaningful stare. He will not stop his rakish nosiness just to satisfy his curiosity. “Hadn’t you had enough of humiliating me?” she snorted.

“After assessing what you’ve done to me earlier,” Aoshi intently stared at her from his comfortable seat near the wooden platform between his room and zen garden, forwarding his whole upper body towards her as his right forearm supported his weight. He ceased for a moment then drawled the intimidating words, “I don’t think so, Mademoiselle.” His cobalt-blue eyes had given her the confirmation she needed to believe with. Drats!

She groaned, loud enough to make him know that she’s irritated. For her, it was not the time to tell Aoshi what made her seek shelter to him instead of her other long-time friends and members of her family. “I need a drink!” She abruptly took one of the three last bottles of vodka Aoshi hadn’t finished drinking with his tiny shot glass near his futon bed. “You want one? Let’s have a toss for you homecoming, Aoshi-san.”

Instead of accepting her offer, Aoshi tried to annoy her one more time. “Nay. My mouth still loves to linger to its latest acquired savor.” And it worked like the old times. There are things in this world that cannot be change by time and space.

The brown-headed beauty harrumphed and glared at him. She drank the whole bottle of vodka straight to her mouth instead with the tiny glass at her other hand. “Kuso,” she then muttered.

“Why, thank you. It means everything to me.” Aoshi retorted and grinned.


*******

The chirping of the birds outside had took part of Aoshi’s attention from the meeting of the elders they were holding at Okina’s - the leader of the dreaded scums of his rakish life - separate quarter. From all the places in the Makimachi’s mansion, they had picked – assuming - the most probable secluded area and very unlikely for the Maiden of Oniwabanshuu’s strolling. They were talking about the issues rendered about yesterday, all about the troubles and follies unintentionally done along the way. Both sides had their excuses and forgiveness. But deep inside, Aoshi was not sorry one bit for his ‘yesterday’s misadventures’. Actually, he was glad everything that had happened even though he was told about the offered maiden’s attempt of escape from this predicament, leaving him shamed for this time around. He didn’t care one bit if he was happened to be jilted by the woman. He will fully thank her to that if she happened to try and be successful on it. Well, after thinking about it, he might want to help the maiden to get her into her senses on trying another plot of escaping. He laughed at himself for giving that bizarre notion. And about the mysterious beauty he had found in the Shinomori’s Sacred Zen Garden at his ancestral temple……

“Now that the odds are even, I think it is time for you to introduce yourself to the Maiden of the Oniwabanshuu, is it not?” Okina seriously spoke as he glanced at Aoshi, now knowing who the real earl and the ‘breeder’ for the offered maiden.

It was more likely that at first sight Aoshi’s features had convinced them well that he’s the real earl to be retrieved than of Shirojou’s. His half-Caucasian and Asian features had taken the notion, and also, a distinguished birth mark was seen on his nape telling them that he is the chosen one for the maiden. Aoshi didn’t know about its essence but the Elders did. His mother possessed the same mark so why wouldn’t he? He had reflexively flinched at them when Okina checked for the mark without asking him first. The old man saw a small, dark half-moon shaped birth mark at the spot that Hannya should have checked earlier to make sure his identity as the ‘breeder’. Guess that Hannya had forgotten that essential part for so many responsibilities he was shouldering lately, especially with the hard-headed maiden, had taken his mind.

Sensing all eyes were at the absent-minded earl, Shirojou - his lawyer and trusted friend - tapped him at his shoulder to get his notice. Aoshi immediately snapped from his reverie, taking the notion that he was asked of. But he hadn’t heard them. “I beg your pardon?” He spoke in English this time. He had suddenly forgotten that he was in his mother’s native land. Just thinking about HIS MINX made him forget plenty of things around him.

His friend leaned close enough to his right ear and whispered, “They were asking if you’re ready to face their maiden, Master Aoshi,” Then he immediately turned away, back to his proper state of seating.

Okina and the rest of the 6 elders grimaced at him. They were talking to him while his mind was elsewhere. The custom of the West had blackened some of his inherited good values from his mother. Or maybe it was the same thing that made him like that, having the blood of his obnoxious, hard-headed mother runs to his veins – the most-feared chief female omitsu spy and warrior of the Shinomori clan during her days.

“Are you with us, Master Marcus Malory?” Okina had called him to his English name for that was reported to him. He didn’t know about his other name. And if he did, he won’t step on that level of being acquainted so easily with this….bully. It will take time to make him get comfortable around him. That is for sure. There was this unexplainable aura of darkness emitting from him. “If you need time, we can give you more…”

“Nay!” Aoshi abruptly interrupted the old man’s speech. “I’m sorry for being such a bastard for not listening.” He unrelentingly grinned for all he cared. “There had been many more important things that had ‘disturbed’ me lately. But don’t worry; you haven’t wasted your saliva from talking and convincing me out. I had already caught your idea long before I came back here in Japan. After knowing the news from the letter you’ve sent several months ago back in England, it had turned my world upside down – literally! I have to accept my…..erh….fate, that is. But mind you, I will not be totally approve to all of its order for my life is mine alone and no one has the right to dictate what life I should choose and live by. And that concept applies also to my dead mother. I am doing this in her behalf, for her lost honor. I should clear to all of you that my freedom is for me to grasp, with or without your blessing. I’m here for one purpose only and that is to give life for the coming heir for the Shinomori and Makimachi – to seal the promise and acknowledge the prophesy of whatever you and your elders saw- and nothing else,” He sounded it very plain and emotionless but serious as if it didn’t matter to him anything of this when the truth, it was the opposite.

Sensing that that was not the time to have a battle of words with the obnoxious earl, Okina sighed. Two hard-headed and conceited people will only make a mess of everything – of their tradition. He had hoped that this marriage will be successful. And with it, the safeness of the coming generation of combining the families of the Shinomori and Makimachi will live forever. This is for the sake of avoiding the impending demise they earlier had predicted, preserving their tradition of choosing for the right ones.

“What is the meaning of this?” Swift gush of air passed to their direction as the shoji door of Okina’s quarter went completely agape. They could feel the intenseness of the person’s anger from the sound of the voice. God! There will be indeed a battle to tame.

All of the elders, including Okina, had been surprised from HER sudden arrival with rage. They hadn’t prepared from her ravenous wrath instilling on them. But whatever resistance she may still use upon them will be no good at all for the earl – the breeder – they had been waiting for so long had come to seal the promise, the oath that should have been done many years ago. She was now at the responsibility of another strong-headed person and that had raised some of their hopes and spirits.

“You don’t need to scare us like that, little one. There’s no need to be violent.” Okina finally had caught his tongue to speak to her. He loved this woman as his very own granddaughter. He loved her so to the extent of still pursuing the tradition no matter how much she disagree with it for this will only guard her safety for the incoming demise that they had seen before. This marriage will protect her life from being torn away. And she couldn’t see that clearly even they had already shoved it up to her throat!

“Don’t call me that, old man! And what in the world are you trying to do this time?” Then she looked at each of the persons inside his step grandfather’s room, examining their face expressions.

“We were just discussing some matters, my lady. Matters about the newest mission....” one of the elder’s took the confidence to thread lies just to make their mistress’ tempter lessen until they figure out what to do with the ‘breeder’ first.

But one had caught her eyes, the very man that hadn’t been startled of her dramatic, angered entry. She glared at his back and said, “So you were trying to push again your luck on arranging the marriage of mine with that blasted earl, I see. Well, take this, I DON’T WANT TO GET MARRIED EVEN IF HE IS THE LAST MAN LIVING ON THIS PLANET!!!”

Aoshi could sense the anger from her voice. She needed not to shout it all. Much energy was exerted in this futile debate, wasting. The feeling is mutual so she wouldn’t have to worry.

All of them stood from their sit, including the silent rake. The woman at the agape shoji door glared at each of them, making them know her wrath from being lead into this stupid tradition.

“She’s a feisty one, Master Aoshi,” Shirojou whispered to his lord’s ear. “It will take a lot of your effort to tame this one. If I am at your position, I wouldn’t be able to handle her. I don’t like her to my tasting.”

The two visitors hadn’t turned at their back as soon as they heard the arrival of the enraged maiden of the Oniwabanshuu. Only the elders faced her. They knew how to handle this woman’s temper.

Shirojou was tempted to look back just to see his master’s soon-to-be wife. Curiosity had ruled his head, wanting to know if she indeed one of the fairest in Japan that had took the country by storm. Nah! That would be so overdone. The elders must have had done that to please the earl, enabling him to come back to his mother’s homeland to fulfill the oath that had long been sealed between the parties serving under Tokugawa. Slowing turning his head towards the source of the commotion and trouble, Shirojou discreetly peered. His eyes saw a great beauty that none had captured his interest. She is what they had described. She got slender yet sexy enough to drive a man’s lust to the top. Though angered, her face still had shown some angelic sides. Her tousled hair from her long braid was very black, pure to its tasting. Finally snapping, he had stopped himself from admiring her like a love struck fool! Damn. So the elders were telling them the whole truth. God! His master is a very lucky man!

“On the second thought, Master, you should forget how feisty this maiden is. They didn’t lie about the intensity of her physical beauty, my lord. She is indeed an enchanting rose.” His voice reflected much of his own pleasure.

Aoshi still didn’t turn to his back. He didn’t care if this maiden’s beauty is beyond describing. There is one he had yearned for since he had firstly seen her. It was not just her beauty that had attracted him to her. It was more of the chemistry had that instantly built on the time they had shared that kiss. Oh yes. The kiss they had shared was still fresh from his mind and couldn’t get over with it. He will give everything just to have one of her smacks, and also, to be able to spend some quality time with her. Oh dear. What was he thinking at the time like this?

“So?” The earl could only utter, still not turning to his back to see the infamous maiden of Oniwabanshuu.

“You may now want to see the maiden, Master. It took us almost 10 months to get here so why don’t you turn around and have a look at your alluring soon-to-be-wife,” Shirojou cajoled him, shaking him this time at his shoulder to make him exert some effort to get to know the priceless gift awaiting for him. Had the woman knew who she will be wed with from the two of them?

An eyebrow twitched upon hearing his friend’s advice. Maybe it’s the right time for him to finish all of these charades and surprises by just looking at the maiden and be done with it. He could still hear the debate going on between her and the elders, convincing each other’s sides about this blasted arranged marriage. The woman got high spirits. He may not live a single day of peace if he gotten to get tied with this woman by marriage. She’s a good candidate of a nagging wife. But he had ‘several special ways’ that he could possibly use to lessen that hold of his bethrode’s tight temper and continue his exploits with his favorite hobby. He grinned at the thought.

“What do you say, Earl of Easterby? Let’s have it quits?” asking him without knowing who from the two visitors is the earl, the maiden waited for the answer. She knew upon calling his title will likely turn his head to her, acknowledging himself to her in the same process.

Quits? Oh. That was good to hear from the ears of the earl. Finally, some good sense had come up since after the arrival of the other involved party. The maiden wanted her freedom, and so was he. Shirojou’s eyes widened as he heard her. He too was about to face the maiden, same time with his master’s. Both men turned on their back.

It was a slow move, indeed. Misao was dying to know who the hell from the two of them will be her husband-to-be. The thought of being his wife will likely not to come for she had strongly demanded for her freedom to the blasted agreement. She knew it was for the best, knowing that the earl also had grudges with it. Who would want to get tie for the rest of your life to someone you don’t love and barely knew? And who would want to be the ‘broodmare’ just to have their wish of producing a successor out from the combination of their bloods? One thing for sure, she’s not one of them.

Aoshi’s cobalt-blue eyes searched for the source of the demanding voice. The intense light of the morning’s sun had his eyes stung, so as with his trusted lawyer beside him. It was like the maiden was shimmering from the light behind her. It took several seconds to adjust his vision towards her, squinting. Misao was patiently waiting who from the two of them will speak to her about the marriage. But as her eyes examined both of their features, her eyes had bored to the tallest and more handsome fellow – the one with the roguishness flowed on him abundantly - for several seconds and then snapped. Aoshi’s eyes finally adjusted from the light. He looked at the surprised maiden’s face…..beautiful face, indeed. Also shocked but not much to be seen on his face expression, he remained calm. He hated surprises but after encountering this one, well, this time around it might not be the case.

“What the?” Misao could only utter, more startled than him in every way. “By Kami-sama’s sake….!”

Hearing her swearing to him did make his insides funny. He cared naught for her foul words but her presence. His God had answered his prayer last night. He will never have to make any more effort to get what he wants from this woman for he will have it no matter how much resistance she will put between their futon. Oh yeah. He had forgotten his promise of not ravishing the lady in the same way he had done to her yesterday at his ancestor’s garden. He had to think some ways to make sure of her willingness to share the matrimonial bed with him at the first night of their marriage. But first, he had to check some of the important things before everything else – do all of it in fashion. He smiled inwardly at the thought.

“Nice to see you again for such a short time, my lady” No. It had been too long for him actually – to be apart from her. “I never thought of meeting you here, or more so, meeting you again.” Oh….that was a lie indeed. He will come after her no matter what or where she goes.

“Oh noh….” Misao’s legs were shaking. Her body had suddenly remembered his sinful touches that had taken her like a fool. Another touch from him will likely make her succumb to her defeat. She had gained enough power of resistance at that time due to her desperate need of escaping from her fate. She had nearly given herself to him if she hadn’t insisted to fight what is right. She looked at him with fierceness and asked slowly, “Are….you….the…?”

Aoshi knew what was about to be asked on him. Should he stop this charade and get over with it? For now, he hoped not. He grinned roguishly, flashing his damn pearly-white teeth. Misao grumbled. It was one of her weakness from a man’s charm. It was wide enough to make her see his pure satisfaction of making her very uncomfortable and a fool in front of everybody else. “Is there something wrong? If I were you, I shouldn’t worry.”

“Easy for you to say, you disgusting hoyden!” Misao yelled at him, enough to make them all shock.

Scratching his left temple, Shirojou asked him in whisper, “I see you have met the maiden by your own ways, my lord. I shouldn’t have doubted your ability one bit. But from the sound of her voice, it does appear that she didn’t like you – every single of pieces of you. Something tells me you haven’t behaved yourself properly.”

Aoshi wanted to laugh and tell his side of the story on how he had met this aggravating, tempting woman but he didn’t. Perhaps later when he finally got to settle the score with this chit. “Let’s not be so rude at each other, my lady.” He took two steps forward to acknowledge his presence to the room.

All of the elders were shocked and hadn’t had the clue what was happening in this scene until Okina spoke up for them. “So you two have met before? When?” Quizzically, he looked at Misao rather than the rogue.

Misao didn’t want to refresh her memories – those sinful memories of his….to her…..argh! She reluctantly explained what had happened but not all of its details had to tell.

“Ah. It was quite an adventure, I say. A very good one indeed!” Okina heartily laughed at what she had said. With a paper fan of her left hand, she threw it right on the old man’s gloating face. Her face turned crimson afterwards.

She is a lovely and lively young chit, indeed, both inside and out. He smiled genuinely at her but Misao didn’t accept his apology. Instead, she just glared at him and cursed. “Maniac!”

“Maniac?” Okina inquisitively asked as soon as he stopped laughing. The rest of the elders also did.

Then again, her face grew more flushed and very much flustered. She could not just tell them what had really happened inside the walls of the Shinomori’s sacred ancestral temple. No. She will not do that!

“She meant nothing of it, I’m sure.” Aoshi only uttered, saving both of their necks. But he didn’t care anyway if they did insinuate to strangle him when they happen to know about its real story.

“From all the people….”Misao continued to grumble but was immediately interrupted by the English rake.

“As I had said before, my lady, you don’t have to worry.” His lips carved lop-sided and his hands sleekly snaked inside to his trouser pockets. “For Christ’s sake, I am not the one for you to be married with.” Aoshi’s blue eyes glimmered with mischievousness. Oh dear. Trouble is on the way and his making a big time this time around.

The rest of the people inside Okina’s room were stunned at what he had just said! What the hell was he talking about? Okina couldn’t move his jaw to utter some words of rebuttal. Shirojou was as shock as the old man and only scratched his head out of mannerism. The rest of the members of the council were also in that state, waiting for him to continue his speech. And Misao could only hope for an explanation.

“I’m here to ‘personally’ help insinuate your arranged marriage with this cousin of mine, Shirojou.” He yanked and pushed his shocked friend forward to face him to the offered maiden of Oniwabanshuu. His cobalt-blue eyes had spare a glance to the elders making them known that he knew what he was doing, securing that they should let him have his way of calming the maiden. Okina, not dumb as he was frequently described by most of his old acquaintances, caught his unusual tactic and discreetly explained it to the rest of his co-members. Calmed now, they all nodded. Aoshi’s gaze went back to the confused maiden of Oniwabanshuu.

“What?!!” Shirojou snapped from his sudden shock. He tried to look back, turning his whole body towards his master but he was nudged by him.

“Just play with me this time and I will explain ‘everything’ to you later.” Aoshi discreetly mumbled to him, still locking his gaze to the beautiful maiden in front of him who was trying to assess all of this mayhem.

Eyes rolled, Shirojou sighed in defeat and grumbled. “That is what I am afraid of, Master Aoshi – to be one of the pawns of your conniving games…..AGAIN. When will you ever learn?”




Oic-

Thank you for reviewing this fic. Sorry for not updating it soon enough for I am still having my work done in other fields of my life. I’ve been so busy at work and stress is still my mate every now and then. Drats!

Ct – thankies for the review. I didn’t know that this could make your day brighten. Ehehehe. I’m glad. ;)

Rikku – I am also working for the other fic that I had left. God! It must have been almost a year since….or so….I should have updated it first. Yes. Now I’m working on it.

Sesshy – Oh! The demanding one. Ehehehe (laughs). Sorry about your grandma and I hope she’s doing fine now. I couldn’t just update this fic abruptly for I had tons of work to do. Sometimes the inspiration of doing the fic withered…..ehehehe….when many things have to be done in short period of time. Lately, I’ve been engaged on drawing Aoshi and Misao in deviantart. Yes, I am guilty on that part. That had taken some of my interest and got it away. OK. I’ll make the next chap a little bit….wilder…ehehehe…jus to compensate. Ehehehehe….

Thank you, guys for reviewing. I may not be the best in writing fics but still I like to entertain people, giving them ‘pleasure’ by this. Chow!!!!