Standard Disclaimers Apply. The rights to Rurouni Kenshin are exclusively owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Sony Entertainment, Shueisha, Jump Comics and other associated groups. Do not sue! I am writing this to satiate my urge to write.

Be Still My Heart

Chapter Sixteen

Kenshin remained inside the dojo, patiently waiting for his love’s return. He kept himself busy by practicing his katas to warm up for their nightly training session. Just then, he turned around, catching a kunai aimed at him. A note was attached. He unfolded the paper to read its contents.

Himura,

I have your woman. Do you still want to decline on my challenge?

Meet me by the Dragon’s Lair.

Kenshin crumpled the paper on his hand, throwing it on his side. He placed his katana on his side and ran with his god-like speed to their rendezvous point.

With narrowed amber eyes, he search the area.

“I see you have obliged me,” Jin’eh smiled.

“Where is Kamiya-dono?” he asked calmly, masking the panic he felt that moment.

“You’re woman? Don’t worry Himura, she is fine.” Wanting to enrage him some more, he smirked “Actually, she is great if you know what I mean.”

“How dare you!” he growled.

“That is right, be angry,” the madman smiled. “I want to fight you in your fullest so that I can prove myself.”

Gathering his remaining composure, Kenshin sneered, “Even if you defeat me, Hiko Seijuro will never teach you Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu after you have desecrated this shrine. That is… if you beat me.”

“I will and the moment I do I’ll just tell him what I know. That is, I found you here, fornicating with your whore and I had to punish you for your dishonorable act.”

“Do not call her a whore!” Kenshin snapped, unsheathing his katana that instant. ‘She is the daughter of an esteemed daimyo!”

“Oh, really? All the more interesting. Let’s hear it for the scandal and shame you have brought unto this school and unto her name.”

Kenshin knew his opponent’s psyche and he wouldn’t let him provoke him some more with his trivial talk. He didn’t needed that anymore. He was already pushed to his limits. Jin’eh’s yapping was just a waste of time for him. “Enough bullshit. Let’s fight.”

“I thought you had no intention of fighting me or anyone else for that matter,” Jin’eh mocked as he unsheathed his own katana.

Preparing himself for a battou-jutsu stance, he snarled, “I will fight you for her honor, bastard.”

And so the challenge was met.

Upon hearing the battle cries on the nearby cliff, Hiko and Saitoh bolted to the source. They found themselves in front of the dragon’s lair, surrounded by deathly silence. With mutual understanding, they barged inside.

Both stood still on their position, unable to contain the stunned look of their faces. There on the floor, laid Jin’eh body pooled in his own blood. On the other side was Kenshin cradling a half-naked Kaoru on his arms.

“What’s going on in here?” Hiko Seijuro demanded.

Kenshin regarded both his masters with cold reverence as he removed his partially bloodied gi in an attempt to cover his beloved. He carried her in his arms and said, “Shishou, Saitoh-sama, I can explain everything.”

“Alright, let’s talk about it in the office,” Hiko Seijuro nodded, leading the way

Kenshin stepped aside, motioning his other master to precede him.

Saitoh blew out his cigarette and said, “Go ahead, I’ll just make sure that he is dead.”

Kenshin nodded in understanding as he followed Hiko close behind.

Upon seeing the endearing look the red-head samurai gave the blue-eyed landlady, he smirked, “Ahou…” Saitoh shook his head in disapproval, turned to the fallen swordsman and stabbed his katana straight into his heart. He swung the katana in the air, ridding it of the blood before returning it to its sheathe. With that task done, he walked back, interested to know what really happened.

Kenshin and Kaoru need not explain much during their talk with Hiko and Saitoh since both had an ample amount of idea what was going on. They weren’t as dense and oblivious as the former. Probably, they were the first to detect that something was going on before Kenshin and Kaoru’s closed hearts even noticed.

In any case, what had happened had already happened. Nothing could be done to repair the damages.

As Hiko walked Kaoru, Kenshin stayed with Saitoh, preparing himself. He had already taken full responsibility for what had transpired and he was ready to face the full impact of his actions. Lowering his head, he sighed deeply.

“Ahou!” Saitoh scolded in a voice fiercer than usual.

Kenshin kept his face down, hand clenching on the edge of his gi.

“You are more stupid than I think you were. What were you thinking?”

“I…”

Losing his composure, Saitoh clutched Kenshin’s gi, leveling with his eyes. “Answer me!” he demanded.

Looking at the wolf straight in the eyes, he stammered, “I don’t regret anything, Otou-san.”

Author’s Notes:

I have to confess that I am not really good with battle scenes. I didn’t want to write a lame one so I just left it blank. I am reserving and gathering all my brain juices for the final battle with Shishio.

More revelations to follow!

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