Chapter Three

*************

She opened her eyes slowly. She was so tired. She hadn’t been able to fall asleep after last nights’ dream. She yawned again and thought maybe she should get up. Kenshin was probably up already. She was slow to rise this morning. She felt an ache all over her limbs. She folded up her futon with sluggish movements.

She looked at her face in the small mirror she kept. She looked awful this morning. With a heavy sigh she left the room. She straightened her yukata as she walked down the hall. Cold water. Cold water, she thought as she made her way to the bathhouse. She entered the bathhouse, closing the door right after. She could hardly see where she was going. She dropped her yukata on the floor and decided she should just jump into the water.

“Aahhhh,”

Her shriek was long and it was loud. Water splashed on all sided as she rose above water. She hadn’t realized how cold the water would be.

The door snapped back and Kaoru froze for a split second before she dropped back into the tub.

“Kaoru-dono?”

But her shriek cut him off.

With a red face and sputtering apologies he left the room. He stood outside the door breathing heavily. His body had begun to tremble. He brought a shaky hand to his mouth, wiping the bit of saliva from the corners of his mouth. It would be hard not to acknowledge her physical growth, now. He made his way back to the kitchen and stood in front of the rice, just staring at it.

Kaoru walked into the kitchen along time after. She was fully dressed now and despite the embarrassment she walked into the kitchen. She came in to find him just standing there. “Kenshin.” She whispered.

His head snapped back. He seemed caught off guard for a moment and the color of her face began to deepen from a rose to a crimson. “Did you need help? She sputtered.

“No, thank you. Sessha will bring breakfast in just a moment.” He said as he began to move around. Serving plates and stirring vegetables.

She walked out with another word. She didn’t really glance at him during breakfast either. It had been a while since he’d walked in on her but he seemed to do it about once a year. ‘Hmm suspicious,’ she thought.

“Oi”

“Oi, Kenshin. Kaoru.”

Kenshin and Kaoru turned to look at Yahiko and Sano. “We brought lots of fish.” Yahiko said as he handed it over to Kenshin.

Sano sat down and took Kaoru’s plate. She opened her mouth to protest but then Yahiko took it away. She waited expectantly but she waited in vain. He started to eat while he kept Sano off his back.

Kenshin came back into the room and they dropped the plate. He gave them a stern look. He sat down and handed Kaoru a new bowl before he served the other two.

“So what did you do while I was gone?” Yahiko asked with his mouthful.

Sano leered at Kenshin.

“Nothing Yahiko, it was pretty quiet with out you.” She answered truthfully.

Sano gave Kenshin a disappointed look while Kenshin continued to pretend Sano wasn’t there.

Breakfast finished and she decided she needed to talk to Tae if she was going to attempt to seduce him, though the thought still seemed like a bad one.

“Kenshin, I’m going to go visit Tae. I’ll be back for dinner.” She said from the porch. He came out and walked her to the gate. “All right, I’ll have dinner ready.” He smiled at her and she smiled back. They did that a lot. Smile that is, but things never went beyond that.

Kaoru began walking down the road. What should she ask? I mean she couldn’t ask how it was done. Her imagination had obviously taken her there and further if probable. She needed the steps before that. How to get him. Binding him like in her dream sounded like a good idea, the problem was she was not as skillful as she was in the dream. Now the first one with the battoussai that one was plausible. She’d been able to get him to act after she’d done something but she wasn’t sure what she’d done. The dream started after the fact so she wasn’t sure what to do. She sighed again and kept on walking. Why did things have to be so difficult? Why couldn’t he just . . . she sighed again and walked inside the Akabeko.

*************

“I can’t believe ya. One whole day. Ya could have done it.” Sano’s exasperated voice carried over the yard.

Kenshin continued his laundry trying very hard not to listen to him.

“I swear ya have shit for brains sometime ya know that.”

Kenshin continued to ignore Sano.

“So really nothing happened?”

Kenshin felt his back stiffen but he continued to wash.

“Kenshin.”

He wasn’t going to play, he refused to play. What ever may have happened it wasn’t Sano’s business.

“Kenshin.”

No, he wasn’t going to say. Kenshin felt Sano draw near. He let go of Kaoru’s yukata and stood up to stare at Sano. His temper had been on edge lately through no fault of his own. “Sano sessha has a lot to do today. Please can you go and help Yahiko.” He smiled a casual rurouni smile.

Sano spit on the floor and left.

Kenshin gave a sigh of his own and turned back to his wash. He still had a lot to do. If he didn’t hurry he wouldn’t be able to pick her up from the Akabeko. He didn’t trust for her to walk around alone anymore.

*************

“Maybe you should try and dress in something more revealing.” Tae suggested.

"Tae how more revealing can you get in a kimono?” Kaoru asked.

Tae continued on as if she hadn’t heard. “Hmm, I wonder how he would react to that."

Kaoru a took a drink of her tea. She wasn’t too sure about this new plan Tae had. I mean to suggest it is one thing, even to go as far as planning it. But to go through with it. That was a totally different set of circumstances. There was no way she could deal with the battoussai. He scared her. The real one did at least. There was no proof the real battoussai would be anything like her dream one, yet Tae insisted that he would be. Kaoru wished she hadn’t opened her big mouth. At least she’d edited the events in her dreams.

Tae grinned as the plan formed in her mind’s eye. “You’ll set it in motion tomorrow, won’t you?”

Kaoru nodded hesitantly.

Tae smiled. ’Things were definitely going to be more interesting. Whether both participants were willing or just one . . . that would yet have to be seen. “Hmm," she said with a smiled.

*************

“Kenshin?” She was surprised to see him.

“Kaoru-dono, sessha came to buy some spices. Sessha thought it best to wait for you.” He said as he stood up to walk out with her.

She gave him a shy smile.

“How was your visit?” he asked after some time.

“It was nice. She asked me about my birthday and we went into town to look at some new kimono’s.” She turned slightly as she spoke to him.

He took the first part fine it was the second part that didn’t settle too well with him. She’d been in town all alone. He squashed down the feelings rising up and smiled at her. “Chief Uramura came to the dojo today.” he began as he glanced at her. She was frowning. “He wants me to go to the next town and see if I can read something into his case that will help him figure out who’s behind it.” There he’d told her about it without giving her the details. It took a lot of work to tell her things while omitting the gruesome details.

“How long will you be gone?” she asked him in a softer tone.

“I’m leaving at dawn but I should be back by lunch time.” he said as they reached the dojo. He opened the door and she stepped in. She waited off to the side while he closed the gates.

She was very quiet during dinner. Kenshin noted she hardly ate as well.

“I think I will turn in early.” She said as she rose from the table.

“Good night Kaoru-dono.” He said giving her a small smile.

“Yes good night everyone. Oh, Yahiko. Tae asked me ask you if you wanted to help at the Akabeko tomorrow. She really needs the help.”

“Sure I’ll go.” Yahiko said in between bites.

“All right. Well she wants you there early in the morning.” She said before turning and leaving the room.

Kenshin stared after her. He looked away only when he felt Sano’s gaze.