Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply. None of the Rurouni
characters belong to me. They are all Nobuhiro Watsuki's creations. I am
writing for pleasure only.

Author's Notes: Just a fic on Saitou and his wife Tokio. The fact that
she is only mentioned and never shown makes for a lovely blank slate to
start on. Plus she seems to be the Miburo's only soft spot ... Anyways,
I read up on real historical information from the net and decided to mix
fact and fiction. Makes it more authentic, neh?


Chapter One

The young man was fuming and it showed clearly on his face. The sharp
angular lines seemed even more taut than usual and his yellow eyes
simmered angry amber. Scrambling up the grassy slope, he threw himself
down on the grass with careless grace. In the far distance, he could see
the faint silhouettes of the Edo pagodas before they faded from view, as
though they were wraiths mocking him, lurking out of reach.

"I don't understand why Otou-san sent me away," he grumbled aloud. He
was already eighteen--a man and he knew enough to believe that he was
skilled with a blade. He could've been an asset to the Bakufu, Hajime
sighed regretfully. Perhaps if things got really bad with the rebels,
perhaps then Otou-san might let him go back to Edo to fight.

"That, my dear younger brother, is wishful thinking." A second later his
sister sat down beside him in a swirl of silk and perfume. With her long
brown hair and wide golden eyes, Yamaguchi Katsu was the undisputed
beauty of the village. She was also the sneakiest person Hajime had ever
met. Had she been born a man, Katsu would have been just as deadly with
the sword as he. But though possessed of natural talent, she lacked the
interest.

"Katsu," he frowned, pleased yet not pleased to see her. His sister was
a welcome presence but he had wanted solitude.

"Hajime, you should stop sulking and just be prepared to settle down in
Okaa-san's village. At least they are letting us stay here while Tou-san
is off fighting the Ishin shishi," she said. Sensible words, Hajime
knew. All the same, they grated on his ears.

"Hn, that's what they say. In reality we are hiding here because Tou-san
is away fighting and he's afraid that we will fall into Ishin shishi
hands," he corrected coolly.

"Yare yare," Katsu yawned. "You men, always so concerned with honour and
bloodshed."

"Some of us have to show interest in the nation, not just our clothes,"
he replied, turning to her with a somewhat stern but affectionate smile.
It was then that he spotted the child standing at the top of the hill,
watching them. The first thing that struck him was her complete silence.
The second thing he noticed was her remarkably bright eyes and messy
tangled hair.

"Who is that?"

"Eh?" Katsu turned then smiled, holding out her arms. "That's the
village head's daughter, Tokio. She's eight years old, a good child and
very smart but she doesn't say much." Katsu waved her arms, beckoning
for the girl to come. But Tokio merely stared and then to the elder
girl's surprise, she turned and disappeared over the hill. "Nani? That's
a first time. She must be frightened of you."

Hajime snorted derisively. "As if that matters." Suddenly tiring of
Katsu's company and the distant shadows of Edo, he stood up and walked
off. Katsu apparently did not understand the hint or she refused to take
it because she too was on her feet in a flash and she dogged him the
entire morning. If he had to spend another year like this, he would go
crazy, Hajime groaned inwardly. It would be best if he had some excuse
to leave. But for the moment, he had none.


Chapter Two

Eight months came and went. Sometimes the days flew by and at other
times they crawled more slowly than he could bear. Today was one of
them. It was summer, the weather was muggy and hot and Hajime was
irritated by the swarm of young men camping outside their house waiting
for Katsu. His elder brother, Hiroaki, was not much company either since
he had Misato, a sweet meek young lady, to woo.

"Che, Misato would probably crawl over hot coals for Hiroaki if he asked
her to," he thought, taking care not to leave any footprints. A bird
less than three feet away continued to peck at the ground, unaware of
his presence for he made no sound either. Hajime smiled to himself and
continued on his way to the spring that he had discovered a while ago.
Roaming the countryside took his mind off the Bakumatsu a little and it
afforded him the privacy of practising his kenjutsu.

His gi was soaked through by the time he approached the spring. Running
water, like music, greeted his ears and so did ...splashing? Cautiously
he advanced, taking care to remain in the shadows of the trees and
bushes. Then his eyes widened. It was the child, Tokio. She was sitting
on a big rock that sat squarely in the a little pool that the stream
issued from and she was tossing stones. Occasionally she would smile to
herself and those pretty almond shaped eyes would crinkle up. Her hair
was a complete mess as usual, albeit wetter today.

Suddenly her head snapped up and she tensed, scrambling to her feet. To
Hajime, she looked just like a wild animal in flight. "Tokio," he called
softly, not wishing to frighten her. The pool was deep and the rock was
grooved with sharp edges. He didn't want her to hurt herself. When he
showed himself, she relaxed but something akin to annoyance flashed
across the child's face.

"Yamaguchi-nii," she greeted respectfully. Then with great show, she
deliberately sat back down, with her back to him! Torn between amusement
at Tokio's unabashed message to him to get lost and a reluctance to be
bossed about by a mere babe, Hajime waded in, hoisting his sword onto
his shoulder so that it wouldn't get wet. With ease he swam the length
of the pool to the rock and climbed up as well.

The girl stared at him, her pebble black eyes unblinking in the bright
sunlight. He had never been this close to her before. Always she had
watched him from a distance, this man who moved like wind with eyes like
a wolf's. However, this pool was her private space and she didn't like
intruders. But Yamaguchi-nii didn't speak to her. Instead, laying his
nihonto aside, he stretched out on the rock and proceeded to sun
himself. All of this while she was less than a foot away!

From beneath his lashes he watched and waited. She continued tossing the
stones and he actually became rather sleepy listening to the rhythmic
soft splashes she made. Then, Tokio turned around slowly and leaning
forward, she peered into his face. Certain that he was sleeping, she
then did what he had guessed she would do. Her hands went for his blade.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Hajime drawled the warning in silken
tones. Tokio's hands froze midway before she glanced at him.

"I only wanted to look," she whispered and he was a little sorry he had
scared her. Sitting up, he brushed the wet strands from his face and
picked up the weapon. Making sure his shadow fell over it, Hajime drew
out the blade. It shimmered softly, enough to entrance with its smoky
hue and not bright enough to draw attention.

Tokio ran her fingers over the blunt edge, then the saya. Curiosity was
written all over her face and a strange satisfaction as well. "Arigatou
gozaimasu," she bowed politely, her face closing up once again.

"You're a strange child," he remarked. "Have you been wondering about my
weapon all this time?"

"Sometimes," Tokio answered. "When I'm in the forests and I hear the
sound of metal against wood, I know it is you. Kenjutsu is the art of
sword-fighting. It's also an art of killing."

"Who told you that?" he asked, slightly startled.

"I can see that for myself, Yamaguchi-nii." And this time a cheeky smile
crept onto her face and Tokio laughed softly. Hajime smiled. He was
beginning to see why Katsu liked Tokio so much.


Chapter Three

[Four months later]

Hiroaki looked curiously at the little girl that sat in his younger
brother's shadow. By the firelight her hair glimmered a rich dark red
and she reminded him of a little fox or wolf. It was strange, how Hajime
allowed the kid to go everywhere with him and in some instances, Hiroaki
could swear that he encouraged it.

Katsu was humming to herself and gazing dreamily into the fire. She had
been carrying on a courtship with a young man called Eitaro who seemed
decent enough. He jumped when his sister dropped her stitching with a
dramatic sigh and then floated out of the house for her customary
evening walk with Eitaro.

"I must be going too, Hajime-nii." Tokio stood up and bowed to both of
them. "Aoi will want me to be at home for dinner." Hiroaki grinned as
she exited their house.

"I do believe her little sister is the only thing that makes her go home
each night. I think she'd sleep here if not for Aoi," he declared,
taking a sip of tea.

Hajime merely raised a brow at his brother and kept on reading. A letter
had come earlier in the day from their father and he was ravenous for
information about the situation at Edo. Besides, he didn't much care for
any comments on his and Tokio's friendship. A line caught his eye and
then he sucked in his breath.

"Where do Katsu and Eitaro go for their walks?" he demanded, fastening
his nihonto to his side. One look at his brother's flabbergasted face
told him that the latter did not know. Hajime hurried out the door. His
father's words burned in his mind.

"The Ishin shishi are on the prowl near your late mother's village.
Please be careful. There's no telling what abuse they may heap on lone
travellers or innocent villagers ..."

As he sprinted past the village head's house, he saw Tokio standing in
the doorway, watching him with a worried expression. Motioning to her to
remain where she was, he plunged into the forest and disappeared. The
wind rose in a howl, thunder cracked overhead. Something stirred in the air.

..........................................................

Katsu's screams were lost in the ensuing storm. Eitaro lay unconscious
and bleeding on the ground, his face a deadly white. She couldn't turn
and run; the assassin would outstrip her in a minute.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded hysterically, trying to do
anything to buy time. Instead, the man merely flicked his sword
forcefully, splattering drops of blood that mixed with the rain. Then he
smiled at her and she knew why he had attacked them. He wanted her.
"Young lady, this is what the Ishin shishi do to supporters of the Shogun."

Katsu couldn't believe it. From what she knew of the war, it was between
the Ishin shishi or 'men of high purpose' and the reigning Bakufu. There
were times when the ordinary folk suffered under the hands of the
Shogunate but this kind of treatment from the hands of a man who claimed
ties with a group that promised equal rights to all was unspeakable.

On trembling legs Katsu retreated as he sheathed his sword and advanced
on her. That she was going to be killed was a given. What he would do to
her before that terrified her more. He reached for her and she whimpered
helplessly.

"Let her go."

"Tokio-chan?" Katsu gasped. The man halted and turned, more in surprise.
He actually chuckled when he saw the girl, momentarily safe on the other
side of the glade.

"Is that your nee-chan?" he asked, turning back to Katsu. Then his eyes
widened as he stared over her shoulder.

Hajime unsheathed his blade and walked forward. "Katsu, Tokio, move
back." Katsu took one look at Hajime's face and did as he said. Catching
Tokio to her, she looked back at her younger brother one last time and
then fled with Tokio struggling in her arms. "Iie, Hajime-nii," the girl
whispered in agonised tones. Somehow, she knew that after this, she
would never see him again.

Lightning flashed and for a moment the air was still. Then the thunder
roared and under the driving rain, blades that sang with blue flame
clashed.

...................................................

The tempest outside increased in intensity and still he was not home
yet. Katsu cuddled Tokio to her, mechanically combing out the girl's
thick hair. Hiroaki and Fujimiya, the village head also waited in
silence. Katsu had told them everything and either way the outcome was
bleak. Either Hajime would die or he would live. But if he lived he
could not stay in the village anymore because the Ishin shishi would
come looking for him.

The door was flung open and Hajime came in, dragging Eitaro with him.
"He's alive, but needs a doctor," he said, laying Eitaro on the floor.

Fujimiya was about to say something when Hajime cut him off. "Don't
worry, I know what to do. He was an Ishin shishi assassin and I am well
aware of the repercussions. I'm not sorry," he continued, a frown
creasing his brow, "he was an ...evil man. I will be gone within the hour."

"I was about to thank you for saving Tokio," the village head demurred
gently. "I will write to the local daimyo and have him alerted to the
presence of the traitors. Take whatever you need and don't forget what
you go to war for."

The old man's black eyes gleamed knowingly and Hajime knew that the
latter had read his heart. Amidst tearful farewells and tense silence,
he packed a few items and was about to depart when he noticed Tokio
standing in the corner.

Her little face looked almost preternaturally serious and suddenly a
half-smile touched his lips. "Finally neat for once I see," he murmured,
touching her hair briefly. Then he was gone.


END
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