GAH . my bad for not reading the rules. I'll have to repost this story again L sowwie but for those who have read the first 13 chapters, sorry but you have to bear with the re-uploadings again .  if you want stuff on the latest chapters feel free to drop me a mail :D

Don't worry I'm still alive! Hah.

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The Tale of A Proper Marriage : Chapter 1

by white seraph

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This is a story set in eleventh century Japan; a story of the preincarnations (past lives) of our favorite… well my favourite couple, Kenshin and Kaoru!

Life then, wasn't anything like the Meiji era, with liberal rights, equality, technology etc. Instead, Heien Japan was very much a patriarchal society, where half the country was dominated by nobles, aristocrats and wealthy people.

Of course, the society was structured mostly by family laws, reputation, and discipline. Arranged marriages were just as common as male domination, for marriages were often a process that bonded two families to one, a process to enhance power and status, weather the protagonists agreed upon the marriage was another issue that was cared less for.

But does such a society preclude true love? Are women destined to submit themselves docilely and silently to their husbands? Are men only to find illusionary love in an illegitimate affair outside marriage?

This is a story about how two young couples, with a well planned fate ahead, manages to break through these barriers to find true love.

Kyoto; 1086 Mid-spring

Lord Himura furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing his wife report of their son's week while he was away to the imperial court to do some business. As the royal highness' left hand minister, Lord Himura was quite cautious and emphatic about good family reputation.

And having been told of his only son's promiscuity; the nights he spent in Teahouses and the money he spent on geishas, Lord Himura sighed heavily, lets just say it didn't make the happiest man. How could he? His son, his only heir is out there, playing with woman, and ignorantly ruining their family's reputation. He does it, again and again! Even when he knows that one day, he will be succeeding his position in the courts. People will talk behind their backs, spreading rumors about his past playboy life. Perhaps he had indulged his son too long, and innately he felt, that , if he didn't have this settled soon, rumors will spread and their reputation will be put into jeopardy.

Lord Himura had decided. He was going to arrange a marriage for his son. This would definitely tie him down.

He wasn't pleased at his wife's little report, not at all. But when he looked at her again, he smiled, recalling their early times together. Being the immature young couples they were, they did not start off well, constantly bickering and arguing over small things. Yet as time went by, they learnt to respect each other, and it wasn't until he had a son himself that he fully understood the ideas of arranged marriage.

Nothing was more important to him than reputation, status and power, no, nothing was more important to *anyone* than reputation, status and power. What was the purpose of marriage he used to believe in? Ah yes. Love. He scoffed feeling nostalgic and childish that he ever had such ideals.

He really needed to have a talk with his son. "Dear, please ask Kenshin to come in, I need to talk to him." He reached for a warn cup of green tea on the low table, and sipped, hoping the hot liquid can sooth his headache.

Even before he put his cup down, the thin rice papered door slid open, and his wife, along with their son entered. Although he wasn't a person who liked to flatter, he had to admit, his son was quite good looking, inheriting all the pretty traits from the couple, with his wife's deep red hair and soft amber eyes, and his own masculine features.

Lord Himura waited patiently for his wife to refill the tea before leaving the two men alone. "Good night." She bowed, conveying respect that a wife should for her husband.

"Kenshin, Your mother has told me of you're life lately, and shall I say, I am greatly disappointed upon your actions" He sighed heavily, stressing his anger, "How many times must I say, what you are doing now will greatly hinder your status and reputation in society. I understand that sometimes we men need to release our sexual frustration. But please, for the sake of the family name, do it allusively." Yes, he had to be blunt and to the point, he had to, it was the only way to get the message through his son's thick skull, plus it wasn't something to be shunned and ashamed of anyway. "Now, now kenshin I have something to tell you, I have decided….."

The younger man gazed at the bamboo tea tray, no longer paying attention. It wasn't that he didn't care about their family name, but sometimes, he had to allow himself the indulgence of spending some money on the luxuries and entertainment, on having a few women keeping his bed warm at night. It wasn't that he neglected his duties; he still practiced calligraphy, still read a lot, still practiced the sword. He really didn't see the point to stop to do what every other man in his peer group does, including his father, just because of the family's reputation.

"Is that clear?" His father asked again, raising his voice, as if knowing his son wasn't really paying attention.

"Yes!" Kenshin snapped fiercely, he was loosing his patience, geez, this was one of the times when he wished his father was away from home. No fussing, no talks. Every time, he just repeats the same things, does it not get boring? God.

However, unbeknownst to him, this was how he got himself tied to marriage. If only he had listened to his father intensively he would have realized that he didn't just lecture him about his promiscuity, but also introducing decisions on marriage…

And from this "Yes" roots all the problems and struggles that will continue on and on obstinately until his day of judgement.

* * * * * *

True to his own words, Lord and Lady Himura very diligently looked for good matches for their son the following week. There was nothing to be ashamed of to do this behind their son's back, Lord Himura, in a sense *did* have Kenshin's approval, weather he said is by heart or not was another matter. He knew, if everything was arranged and sealed before any protest, there was no way out for him. But until then, he and his wife would have to be silent about the matter.

Out of the many offers sent from the matchmakers, many of which were very eager for their daughters to marry into the Himuras, who had close connections with the imperial court, but there was only one that they truly put consideration to, mainly because of the acquaintanceship forged between the two families generations ago, the power they have in society, and the lands they owned, stretching across south east Kyoto. With their aristocratic lineage, the two families were mutual in power, wealth and status. It would be a perfect match. Yes. Kaoru Kamiya, the youngest daughter of the Kamiyas would be the chosen one to marry their son.

The Baron Kamiya was quite keen on the proposal, not that he cared much anyway, forever busy with other subjects, he rarely put thought to his children's future, unlike the proposing family. He probably agreed because they were the first to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage? It wasn't that he cared little for his children. No he loved them, it's just that being the very religious, spiritual man he was, he believed everything was fated to be, that there was no point in elaborating life anymore than it is already.

His wife on the other hand constantly berated him for his neglect to life, she was overjoyed when the Himuras dropped by the other day and asked for their Kaoru's hand in marriage. Her youngest daughter was the most troublesome one, and maybe because of that, no one took much notice of her when it came to marriage. All her other daughters were married off after having been promised since toddling age. Yet Kaoru remained, and if they didn't' take this chance, she was afraid her dear Kaoru would die a spinster. 

However, despite the agreement and promise made by the parents, the ones to be married weren't particularly happy upon the news.

Kenshin saw the marriage as a threat to his flowery, willowy life of promiscuity, this Kaoru, was nothing more than a tool for his father to enhance his position in the imperial court, and because of this, he himself was also put into the whirl. She'd probably be some plain, dull little girl who his father choice just because of her status. Dammit, how can he let his father manipulate him like that? Kenshin narrowed his eyes, thinking of ways to break this marriage. He still had a few months to find a way out. A few months before the end of the world… Well, the end of his world.

Unbeknownst to him, however, a certain girl at the other side of town was also having her own rants about the same subject. Kaoru didn't like the idea of marriage at all, not to mention her fiancé was the town's most notorious playboy. Ugh. The mere name of him already made Kaoru shudder. Yet worst of all, her parents don't believe her! No matter how many times Kaoru tells them of the reputation that Himura dude has in town, they'd just think she wanted to find a way out of marriage! God. Such stupid parents.

But it doesn't matter. She smiled smugly as she thought of some really nice pranks to drive her fiancé away. Who needed a stupid man in their life? A stupid man that'd tie her life to his domain? 

And so, by an arranged marriage, two young people were pulled together. Will things work out when the two are equally stubborn and mutual in repellence? Or are things to never work out ?

Heheh pweez we'view :D

BTW many thanks to liberty dragon hehe helped me with the idea…

Actually I was gonna write sthn on geishas but since that idea is gone…oh well :D

Hope you guys like this story as much as you liked the other.