Tell Me You Love Me

Tell Me You Love Me 7

(This Chapter quite cheerfully enhanced by Sir Ken and Dedicated with love to his cousin The French One)

Breathe

Du-An stormed into his office he heard the horns blared and the bells toll. It was all wasted, he had spent years searching news from other towns listening for the announcement of Gorobei-San's death. He had carefully feigned regret that he had no news yet glad that he had no ill tidings. If Gorobei had simply died in the war, the town chief would have heard his suit and they would have wed. If she weren't so stubborn, Du-An thought furious tossing sheafs of papers as he searched for something, anything that would halt this mockery of decency. Stubborn chit should have accepted her brother's death after the war ended and he did not return home. They could have rejoiced his miraculous return together. Du-An's eyes lighted on a single sheet of paper in a long line of court reports and of a sudden he could see everything so clearly.

-

Kureha stood before Kyuzo wanting to smile but forgetting how. She trembled slightly and Kyuzo felt like a predator for the ravenous thoughts that ran through his mind as he looked at her. His wife. He smiled hoping to lighten the fear he could see in her eyes. Kureha reached up a hand. With gentle fingers she brushed his hair aside tucking it behind his ear revealing his face. Kyuzo's smile widened and Kureha found her own. “What do you wish of me?” Kureha asked her fingers still unable to look into his eyes. She then moved to toy with the sash of her kimono. When he said nothing she pulled the large tie. Her outer garment fell open exposing her inner and undergarments. Kureha shrugged her shoulders causing the the elegant silken effect to slide and pool at her dainty feet.

Kyuzo placed his large, war-roughened hands on her hips drawing her forward to feel her soft body pressed against his lean one. Her lips parted to his warm tongue. This she knew, he had done this to her before and she found it quite pleasing. Kureha let out a little moan wrapping her arms around Kyuzo's neck. He felt the loosening of her tense body and molded her tighter against him. He was so warm Kureha could feel the heat of his body through their thin garments. Kyuzo was lost on the sweet taste of her mouth his tongue dancing along the interior while his hands roamed the contours of her back. Kureha gasped when Kyuzo's long fingers grasped her supple behind.

“Kyuzo...” Kureha muttered her fingers clenching on his shoulders.

“Kyosuke,” Kyuzo murmured in her ear as his lips kissed the sensitive shells of her delicate ears.

“What?” Kureha asked trying to look at his face.

“My name, my name is Kyosuke Kyuzo.” Kyuzo said licking her neck. Kyuzo's fingers found the tie in her inner garment sending the silk to her feet. Kureha gasped when he lifted her in his arms. He carried her to the bed and deposited her gently. Kureha stiffened in his arms before she began to tremble. Kyuzo ran his hands over her sides. “Are you afraid?” Kureha could not answer, she swallowed with some difficulty. Kyuzo's hands traveled down to her small ones. He took the slim, soft digits in his hands bringing them to his lips. Kureha looked down and a single tear fell onto their joined hands. “I will not touch you, if you do not wish it.” Using a resolve he never knew he had Kyuzo backed away from her. His breathing deepened as his fingers clenched while he waited for her to speak.

“No,” Kyuzo's heart broke as she spoke. “I mean, I do want you to... I mean. I have never been touched in such a way, it feels pleasant.” Kureha blushed the deepest shade of red that Kyuzo had ever seen. “More than pleasant.” Kyuzo smiled his own cheeks heating. “I want to make you feel the same.” Kureha worked hard to meet his eyes. When she did he saw the banked fires of her young, untried passions raging.

“Then touch me,” Kyuzo kissed each of her fingers before sliding them inside his silk garment. Kureha gasped as her fingers slid across the toned contours of his smooth chest.

“You're so warm,” She whispered pressing her fingers. “And firm.” Kyuzo laughed kissing her forehead. He trembled when her slim digits went down his stomach. Kureha sighed when she felt his teeth nip her ear followed by his agile tongue. “Oh...” She breathed closing her eyes. Kyuzo smiled as Kureha leaned her head over giving him more access to her creamy skin. Her fingers tensed causing her nails to scrape against his well defined muscles. Kyuzo moved down from her ear kissing her neck, licking tender, sweet-smelling flesh. “Mmmm,” Kureha tucked her bottom lip between her even, white teeth moments before her own lips pressed to his neck trying to mimic his tantalizing moves.

Kyuzo gasped feeling heat course throughout his entire being his hands were shocking him with their unsteady rhythm as he reached for the tie to her last remaining garment. His eyes met hers in a brief moment that lasted a lifetime. The approval there caused him to lose his heart to her all over again as the sash fell free baring her to his hungry eyes. Kureha turned a deeper shade of red as his eyes traveled to and remained on the large globes of her breasts. “I never expected such.” He stared wondering why he never knew they were bountiful.

“They are too big, I know,” Kureha brought her arms up the loosening sleeves of her inner garment sliding over her skin. “I bind them everyday.”

Kureha gasped as Kyuzo moved her hands and leaned his head in close. He saw the marks from the tight linen that she used daily. “What you have done to these poor beauties.” He whispered pressing his moist lips to her warm body. Kureha whimpered at the heat coming from him as he rained kisses over her bosom. “Never again contain them.” He whispered Kureha nodded trying to find her voice to answer. Words and breath were stolen from her as he found a tender nipple and sucked it deep into his mouth. His tongue laved the sweet morsel as his free hand moved to the other. He switched position kissing and licking the other as his hand moved to replace his mouth. “Forgive me,” Kyuzo said pressing her back into the bed dipping his tongue into her navel. It had been so long since he had smelled, touched, tasted a woman.

“Forgive you,” Kureha placed her hands in his full-volumed hair when he came over her kissing her deeply. She was prepared for the assault and her tongue met his in a passion fueled duel that left them both breathless. Kureha looked down when she saw that his robe had opened leaving him exposed to her innocent eyes. “You're beautiful and...” Kureha's eyes widened. She had seen the village boys bathing and swimming in the river and so understood the difference between male and female anatomy, but never had she seen a full grown man aroused. “You're so big.” The fear of every virgin bride assailed her as he worried that perhaps he would not fit.

“I will be gentle,” Kyuzo promised his hands busy stroking her sides to calm the tremors of her nubile form. His fingers delved into the richly colored curls at the apex of her thighs. The fragrant gate to her womanhood. “Open your legs for me.” Kureha nodded spreading her thighs and cried out in shock as his fingers pressed forward into the slick folds of her most secret recesses. Kyuzo was shocked at the sweet smelling fluid that coated his fingers. “You truly want me?” he breathed the words Kureha was too shocked at how good his fingers felt to catch the words he spoke. Her only acknowledgment of his voice was a low moan as his fingers continued to caress her. Kyuzo found her entrance and rubbed his middle finger against it. Kureha gasped bringing her arms around his neck. She smelled so good, was the prevailing thought in Kyuzo's mind as he slipped from her grasp placing kisses along her collarbone.

“Kyuzo,” Kureha moaned when he went back to her navel before going lower. “Ah,” Kureha gasped as Kyuzo pushed her legs further apart. He placed kisses along the junction where her thigh met her pelvis. “Kyuzo...no... wait...” He wouldn't, Kureha thought and collapsed on a sigh as Kyuzo did. “Oh,” She cried out as his tongue bathed her moist flesh. Taking the new wetness as a good sign he pushed his finger inside. Kyuzo marveled at the tightness that encased his fingers as his wife writhed under the onslaught of his mouth. His name became a litany intermingled with sighs and moans. Kyuzo's tongue sped up in the frenzy of desire licking her deep inside. She emitted a strangled cry that was part fear of the unknown and seductive ecstasy filling his mouth with so much slick sweetness that he swallowed. “Oh... Kyuzo...” she muttered when he rejoined her at the head of the bed. He kissed her lips and she blushed to taste herself on his mouth.

“Touch me,” The simple command was followed by his taking her hands to his arousal. Kureha gasped feeling the hot, stiff manhood against her fingers. Kyuzo closed his eyes as her tentative touch inflamed him. Kureha's fingers curled around her husband learning his texture. Kyuzo captured her hands fearing to embarrass himself he interlocked their fingers and placed his body on top of hers. “Open your legs for me.” Kureha nodded and did as she was told feeling his weight settle between her thighs. His hardness lay heavy and hot against her moist heat. Kureha closed her eyes tight as he shifted his hips until he pressed to her. “Look at me,” Kyuzo whispered his lips still pressed to hers. Kureha peeked through her long lashes into his deep, amber eyes. As she stared he pressed his hips forward with excruciating slow patience. Kyuzo kissed Kureha deeply swallowing her cry as her maidenhead fell to his throbbing sword of manhood.

Kyuzo was gentle as he sank into her depths. He brought a hand up to wipe the tears that seeped from her eyes. “I'm all right,” Kureha whispered a brave smile lighting her face.

Kyuzo nodded his lips nibbling hers, “I'll move now.”

“Move?” Kureha opened her eyes. “But...” She looked away embarrassed. “I do like it. Don't... stop.”

Kyuzo laughed softly a pleasant sound that reverberated throughout Kureha's entire body. “Don't worry, I will go nowhere but deeper inside you.” Kyuzo gently thrust his hips enjoying the pleased gasped he wrung from his bride. Kyuzo's name had never sounded more like a song to him as he pushed in and out of the slim body beneath him. Her cries of delight spurring him and stirring his passions as nothing in his life ever had his own voice raising in salute to her tight encasement of his need. Kureha's dulcet voice rose as each of Kyuzo's movements struck a chord deep within her. Kureha held tight as her world exploded in a wild staccato of pleasure. Kyuzo felt her throbbing, massaging, sheath tighten against him in vibrant contractions his own release holding him tense in her embrace.

“Oh... Kyuzo...Kyosuke,” Kureha wept for the beauty of his tenderness as he had claimed her. Kyuzo lay beside his wife taking her into his arms. “I love you.” She whispered the drowsy tone of her voice nearly arousing him again.

“And I you, my beautiful dancer,” Kyuzo kissed his bride tasting the sigh she exhaled. “I love you.” And though the moon shone down on the sandy shores Kureha felt the rays of the sun shine gloriously down as sleep claimed her.

-

Kanna Village

Kikuchiyo came bumbling through the tall trees that remained of the forest surrounding the village a crumpled piece of paper in his metallic fist. “Katsu-” He called in his excited, child-like rumbling. “Katsu, we got a letter from Heihachi, it says that Kyuzo took a wife.”

“Kyuzo-Dono,” Katsushiro smiled his own eyes traveling to Kirara where she sat taking a break from the labors of rebuilding the town. “What woman has he wed?” Katsushiro asked going back to braiding the heavy twine that would be used to string together the rope of the temporary bridge. The men were making clay bricks for the permanent one, but this would do for now to reconnect the three farms that had been severed from the main town in the town's preparations for their stand against the Nobuseri.

“Would you believe it,” Kikuchiyo shook his head the sound of metal scrapping jarring among the sounds of hammers flying and voicing calling out amid the dust of the working villagers. “He married Gorobei's little sister.”

“Truly?” Kirara placed her hand on her husbands shoulder giving him water. “She must be some lady.” Kirara smiled thinking of her own former dislike of the silent samurai. “I do not think I could wed a man who barely spoke to me.”

“And,” Kikuchiyo continued his excitement palpable as steam emitted from his blow hole on his helmet. “He is only 24 years old.” Katsushiro gasped realizing that the great samurai was only a few years his senior. “Yeah, great stuff man, they say when we are done we might want to go visit. Let your wife meet his wife, you know.”

“Actually, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to travel.” Kirara said taking Katsushiro's hand. “Grandmother says that I should no longer help the villagers rebuild and that I should take it easy for the next seven months.” Kikuchiyo whistled more steam as her meaning became clear to him. Katsushiro sat his eyes wide as he stared at the lovely priestess that he had married not three full months ago. “Our line has ever been fruitful and we are rather young.” Kirara continued quoting her grandmother as the old woman had pronounced her with child.

“Considering how friendly we have been lately I am not surprised.” Katsushiro said offering Kirara a smile.

“Ugh,” Kikuchiyo muttered stomping off. “Too much information.” He grumbled crashing through the trees. He left the lovebirds alone to marvel at the beautiful life they had created with their love for one another.

-

Kyuzo lay in bed his arm suffering an unpleasant tingling sensation at the soft, heavy weight pinning it in place on the bed. He brought his free hand up to stroke the hair from Kureha's face. He glanced at her lips still red and swollen from his many kisses. She shifted rubbing her well-loved form against him. His interest on the rise he was careful as he disentangled himself. Laying her gently on the pillow he exited the bed careful not to jar her out of her deep slumber. “...Kyuzo...” Kureha murmured turning her head to the warm pillow that still held his warm scent. Unabashedly nude Kyuzo strode into the room that housed the clothes. Washing quickly in the bracing cold water left in the basin he dressed in his familiar black leather and red canvas. Stealing a kiss from his sleeping bride Kyuzo left the house and headed for town.

Several of the village men raised a hand in greeting calling out morning salutations to the husband of their dawn princess. Kyuzo nodded his eyes glancing over the wares in their carts. A jeweled scarf caught his eye it reminded him of the one Kureha had worn the other night. He took some of the money that Gorobei had given him as part of Kureha's dowry and purchased the scarf along with what looked like the same sweet paste filled pastries from their wedding feast. Kyuzo was just about to head back to his home when a snide voice hailed him. Kyuzo paused his eyes falling on Du-an.

Du-an paused feeling his courage fail him as he faced the calm, cold anger of the silent samurai. “I...I...I... well that is,” Du-an cleared his throat firming his resolve to see this through. “I propose, due to the fact that the lady in question spent a great deal of time living under the same roof as this man.” He cried out gaining the attention of the many people that milled about the town. Kyuzo frowned when a young boy ran towards the mansion on the beach. “I propose that she show proof of her honor, consequences being that she be stripped of her title as Princess of Dawn and further denied the honor of being the Future Queen of Dawn. Further more she will be denied the privilege of her marriage and given to any who would want her despite her loose ways.” Du-an recited the words as they had appeared in the ancient scroll of a similar trial of the Dawn performers. The ancient dancer had been rightly accused and thus stripped of her title.

Kyuzo drew his swords approaching the clerk with a look of bloody murder contorting his handsome features into a mask of ensuing carnage. “Kill me now and the stigma will stain your marriage forever.” Du-an held his ground.

“Withdraw your claim the lady was pure.” Kyuzo's fingers clenched around his weapons as he suppressed the urge to kill.

“If I withdraw under duress her fate is as sealed, her guilt written in the very blood missing from your marriage bed.” Kyuzo was at first confused by the clerks words then he paled as he remembered the blood he had cleaned from himself that very morning.

“Du-an,” Chief Li called as he approached the two young men. “Are you mad? Such a trial has not taken place in four generations.” Chief Li paused as he saw the young son of the baker running towards them Gorobei, Kambei and Heihachi at his heels. “Do you feel that your sister has been dishonored?” Chief Li asked not waiting for Gorobei to catch his breath.

Gorobei shook his head looking at Du-an he straitened piercing the clerk with a glare. “Has your jealousy truly pushed you this far?”

Du-An refused to meet Gorobei's eyes as he showed the scroll to the gathering town. “My accusations are legitimate let him prove her honor or my words will stand as law on this day.” The Chief sighed knowing he now had no choice.

“Would that I could prove her honor,” Kyuzo said quietly to Gorobei causing the older samurai to look at him oddly. “Gladly would I display myself but I bathed this morning there is no more evidence upon me.”

“Then I will inspect her person,” Du-an's smug grin left Kyuzo feeling ill.

“The hand you lay upon my wife is the hand I sever from your body.” Du-an backed away from the sword that pressed against his throat. He blinked at how quickly the weapon had cleared its sheath.

“Gentlemen this is not necessary,” Chief Li wedged his round body between the sword of the enraged warrior and the foolish clerk.

“Then I deny his claim to an honorable marriage and take Kureha as my whore.” Du-an yelled the words sure that everyone in the town could hear his claim.

“My challenge now follows his,” Gorobei pulled his sword with his remaining arm the sound of Kambei and Heihachi arming themselves could be heard in the tense silence that followed the words. Kyuzo growled low his sword coming fast towards Du-an's head. Kambei moved swiftly his sword coming between the two men. Kyuzo gasped to find his sword held against Kambei's and his free hand grasped by the older samurai in a move reminiscent of their first duel. Du-an stared up at the pristine samurai that had saved his life for he had fallen to his bottom scooting away on his backside trying to escape the blood lust he could see in Kyuzo's eyes.

“You can kill me but the dishonor will remain. The town will always wonder as she performs the dawn rites if she truly deserves it.” Du-an wept for even should he die he would never regret loving the beautiful dancer forever out of his grasp.

“The sheets should carry testimony of her virginity.” Kambei said sliding his weapon home with an angry clang. Kyuzo simmered with barely contained rage as the entire town made the trek to his home and his sleeping bride. Kureha awakened to the clamor of many bodies filing into her bedchamber. Kyuzo moved swiftly wrapping the bed covers secure around her body hiding her from lascivious stares. Kureha let out a pained gasp causing Kyuzo to look down worried for his lovely wife. “All is well Kyuzo,” Kambei assured the younger man with a smile. “She is only sore, as she should be.” Kambei indicated the crimson stains on the bed. Chief Li sighed a smile splitting his face as he bowed to Kyuzo.

Kyuzo stood with his wife in his arms as the entire town, those in his house and those on the beach who could not fit bowed to him. “Now can I kill him?” Kyuzo asked as he sat Kureha on the bed with all the gentleness he possessed.

“Now he may chose a weapon and meet you in the field of honor.” Chief Li informed Kyuzo. “I am sure that this part of the proceedings you never read, finding only an opportunity to steal this man's wife not bothering to go into the repercussions in case you were wrong. As it is you have insulted her honor and his with your words and must now stand responsible.”

“But..But he's a killer,” Du-An stammered getting closer to the door with each word.

“Well should you have thought of that before you dragged us all here.” Chief Li said with a wise nod of his gray head. Kureha sat on the bed holding her husband's hand as the chief continued. “As he could not ignore your claim, you may not ignore his challenge. Go retrieve a sword from town so you may accept.” The Chief ordered. Du-An ran from the room. He made it no further than his house where he hastily threw garments into a bag and left town running. Kyuzo received the news of Du-an's desertion with a grumble. Should he ever see the man again he would take his head, this he vowed.

To-Be-Continued.

I hope you enjoy the mad ravings from my mind let me know what you think.