Author's Note: For Ruroken Week 2016, I wrote seven different AUs. I'll be releasing each one over the next few weeks. Depending on the responses/reviews, I'll decide which ones to continue and prioritize. (This does not mean I'll abandon the rest, just that they'll be tackled later.) Thanks in advance for reading!

This one was inspired by a theory that Kenshin was at least part Ainu (because of his red hair) and that intermarriage happened to encourage assimilation. You can see where this is going.

It was a cold winter afternoon, when strangers came to the dojo. They were a middle-aged couple, her uncle and his wife. Even though her late father was estranged from his younger brother, they were still blood and so Kaoru welcomed them.

She did not know that it would be a mistake.

It started in small ways. Her aunt cooked meals and cleaned each room to a surprising degree. Her uncle commended her kenjutsu teaching. And they talked to her.

"When Koshijiro died, we were worried about you." Yae reached over the table to clasp her hand. "Living alone by yourself, it's not safe for a young woman."

"I've been fine on my own." She dismissed her aunt's concern with a smile. "But it has been a little lonely eating by myself. I'll miss you when you leave."

Kunitake cleared his throat. "In any case, we're happy to see that you're well."

Then, it began to be suspicious. Questions about where her father's possessions were located. Asking about the house's dimensions. It became annoying, and she started to keep their conversations short. Soon enough, she would go to bed straight after dinner, to escape their intrusiveness. She had enough stress dealing with the recent rumors about her dojo, about how weak it had been since her father's death.

She didn't have a chance to relax until Setsubun, the day before spring began. The festivities were a pleasant distraction, and while enjoying the market's liveliness in a blue kimono, she encountered Maekawa-san. After they exchanged greetings, he said something strange.

"So, what do you plan to do this year?" There was something in his tone that made her wary.

"Nothing apart from the usual. I'll find more students so I can keep teaching."

His eyebrows drew together. "But haven't you given up the dojo?"

"Give up the dojo? What do you mean?"

"Your uncle has the deed to the land now. He wrote a letter to me and the others, explaining the change of ownership."

Immediately, she felt sick to her stomach. "I-I'm sorry, I have to go." He didn't stop her, and she hurried away from the crowds.

Their kindness had only been a façade, and they must have thought they were clever for taking advantage of her. She considered brandishing her shinai at them, but that wouldn't solve anything. No, she had to confront them.

She stormed through the streets, trying to hold back her rage. She didn't look up, until her shoulder bumped into something. That something knocked her over, and she yelped as she fell to the ground.

"Orororo!" A voice sounded from near her feet.

Who on earth was this clumsy person?! She lifted her head, scowling. "Hey, you-"

A lump of ragged clothing shifted on the dirt. "Oro…" It meekly said as it stood in the form of a man. A short man, adjusting his conical hat over curiously red bangs. His violet eyes fell to her, and he bent at the waist to offer a hand to her. "Sorry, this one wasn't minding himself. This one hopes you aren't hurt."

She glanced over him before answering. "I'm not." She tentatively grasped his fingers and he pulled her up. He didn't look like a foreigner, although his accent was a little odd. "Thank you. Did you move here recently?"

"No, this one is only a rurouni passing through."

"Then, what are you doing with a sword?" Her gaze fell to the sheathed weapon at his side.

"This is a sakabato." He unsheathed it to show her.

"The blade's on the wrong side?"

"It is."

"That's good. Life should be protected." Repeating her dojo's motto made her feel irritated again, and the rurouni must have noticed.

"Let this one make it up to you." He led her to a dango stand at the end of the road. "Two, please." He handed her a skewer as he rummaged in his pockets for money. At length, he found a few coins, but it wasn't quite enough.

She couldn't help but laugh a little, as she added her own coins to get the right total. "Geez, there you go."

He scratched his head, looking suddenly embarrassed. "Ah, thank you. This one will pay you back."

"No, it's fine." She took a bite of the dumpling, dripping with syrup. The dango was sweet, and it mollified her. "Mm, delicious. I should be the one compensating you."

"No, not at all. Your happy face is enough, so this one will take his leave. Have a good evening." He smiled at her, creasing his scarred cheek. He really was too nice.

"Good night." She answered in kind. "And thank you for the dango."

However, her good mood only lasted as long as the dessert did. As she approached her house, she sobered up. She marched inside, calling out for the traitors, and sat down at the table. Nausea swept through her at their faces, yet she kept her chin high. "I have to talk to you. Both of you, right now."

They exchanged glances, but they joined her.

It was completely silent, as she stared down her uncle and her aunt brought tea. She quickly downed the bitter drink, wondering where to begin. No one else seemed willing to breach the subject, and while she had to, her thoughts were still in turmoil.

After an agonizing span of minutes, her aunt spoke first, in a barely audible murmur. "It's for your own good, Kaoru-chan."

Now, the dam broke. "What are you even saying?! I'm the assistant instructor, it's my dojo!"

Kunitake spoke this time. "It is not. A woman cannot inherit Kamiya Kasshin."

"But I'm the only teacher!"

"And who would learn from you? Where are your students now? Not here."

"T-that's because of the rumors. It'll blow over soon-" A chilling possibility came to mind. "Uncle, you're not the one who started them, did you?" He said nothing, and she whispered. "You're ruining the dojo's reputation. Why would you do that? Even if you want the dojo, you wouldn't have students either."

"Who said I planned to continue Kamiya Kasshin here? I wanted to relocate the school back to Chiba."

"After all the work my father put into opening it here in Tokyo?"

"Yes. We don't belong here, even you were born in Chiba."

"That doesn't mean I'll move with you. I'm staying here, and give me my dojo back." Her head hurt from dealing with them, and she pressed a palm to her temple. She could feel the pulsing blood under her skin. "I won't leave; this is the only home I remember."

"That's not your decision to make." Yae said. Then her face distorted.

Kaoru clutched her pounding head, and the walls suddenly rippled around her. Her tea had been drugged, she realized.

"It's our decision, Kaoru-chan, and we've made the best choice for you."

"You…you can't..." She managed to say, before darkness welcomed her.

Time might have passed in hours or days; she wasn't fully conscious and her head felt like it was full of cotton. There was too much swaying and moving about, but she couldn't muster enough energy to resist.

Finally, the cloud of numbness lifted, and Kaoru woke in an unfamiliar bed. It was freezing, but she pulled herself off the mattress. The floorboards were cold as well, and she gritted her teeth when the door wouldn't budge. The window was barred too.

She scanned the room. It was small, and the only other furniture was a chest of drawers. It was full of soft kimonos, most of which weren't hers, and near the bottom, her kenjutsu uniform was wrinkled. She pressed the fabric to her face, to breathe in the smell of her laundry soap, and ignored how it dampened around her eyes.

Night fell, and she did not see her uncle or aunt. Her sole visitor was a very young girl, who opened the door enough to slide in a tray of onigiri and water.

"Wait!" Kaoru tried to stop her, but the door slammed shut. She pounded on it with both fists. "I won't eat unless I talk to someone!"

Then, very quietly, the girl replied. "It's not drugged." Judging by the following patter, she ran off.

She was right, for despite the sudden comfort of rice in her belly, Kaoru was kept wide awake by how stranded she felt.

The next morning, a woman was pushed inside, before the door closed again behind her. Tossing her long black hair over her shoulder and pursing her red lips, she handed Kaoru a thin white robe. "Let's make this quick."

"And who are you?"

"I'm Takani Megumi, a doctor. Now, put that on so I can report that you're in full health." The woman said, turning her back to Kaoru. "Hurry, I'm pressed for time. The marriage meeting is in two hours." When she didn't move, Takani-san clicked her tongue. "It's yours, silly girl. Or did they not tell you that either?"

Kaoru backed up to the wall, searching for support. "No. I don't even know where I am."

"The port city of Otaru."

"Hokkaido?!" She gripped the white robe. "Damn it! If I see them, they'll wish they never came to Tokyo."

"I agree, your relatives were foolish." Takani-san grumbled. "At least they didn't overdose you."

"But…why?" Her voice nearly broke.

"To marry you off. Your uncle works with some officials, who want to promote an alliance. Don't ask me about your intended husband, I don't know he is." By the way the doctor faltered at the last phrase, it was a lie. "Change, or I'll have to force you."

Her hands shook as she unfolded the cloth. "I didn't ask for this."

"You and me both." The examination was brief, and before Takani-san was escorted out, she pointed to the drawers. "Your aunt wants you to pick a kimono in there." As she turned to look, the lock clicked again.

You took my dojo, drugged me, and brought me here against my will. As if I'll obey you! She fumed, reaching for her navy hakama. Within minutes, she adjusted the sleeves of her white gi and tied her hair up high with an indigo ribbon. If this 'intended husband' wanted a demure lady, he would be sorely disappointed.

When she was dragged out by a servant, Takani-san's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh ho." Kaoru ignored the laugh, focusing her gaze ahead as they approached a large room. The door slid back and she barely registered apologies for the bride's late arrival. She almost forgot about her uncle and aunt, staring at her in dismay, because out of the rest of the strangers, there was one familiar person.

Because that person was the rurouni, sitting across from the only empty seat.

He nervously looked down at his hands, as the officials introduced him. His name was Himura Kenshin. He was half-Ainu, from his mother's side, and he was known for working with the army. He had been married before, but it had ended with his wife's death more than a decade ago. He had no children, which was why the Ainu were invested in his marrying again. Ainu children with a Japanese mother would assimilate more.

At some point, Yae reached for her hand, but Kaoru jerked away. If she was to be a pawn, she would not accept it so readily. She made that clear enough, wearing her kenjutsu uniform, but her actions had consequences. Kunitake and Yae spoke of her history, and that she had no other options, being an assistant teacher unskilled in housework. Despite herself, Kaoru felt her face grow warm with humiliation.

After an hour, they left her and Kenshin alone, presumably to acquaint themselves with one another. She glared at her soup spoon, thinking of where to start, but he beat her to it. He shifted in place, before carefully saying. "This one didn't expect to find you here."

"I didn't expect to be here either, rurouni." She clenched the loose fabric around her knees.

"Oro, this one was stopping by Tokyo on the way here. This one has had his fair share of traveling, but this one's home is in Hokkaido. Kaoru-dono?" At her name, she looked up and he gently asked. "Was this what you upset you?"

"No, I was angry because they took the dojo from me. Then, I was brought here against my will; I didn't find out about the meeting until this morning." She broke off, when he suddenly pressed his forehead to the table.

"Forgive this one." He murmured. "It is partly this one's fault. This one said that he would only marry a girl with samurai blood."

"I see." She crossed her arms. Her father's family belonged to the samurai class, although he didn't care for his background and had raised her humbly. Even if she never thought of her bloodline, the law thought otherwise. Such a union would never be allowed under normal circumstances.

"But this one didn't mean it as a suggestion." He said hastily. "This one knows that a half-Ainu would never be worthy of a samurai's daughter, so this one thought it would be easier to ask for something impossible, instead of directly declining."

"So what's going to happen to me? They've taken the dojo, and I have nothing. You heard my relatives, no one else would marry a tomboy who teaches kenjutsu."

He hesitated but only for a second. "If…if it is you, then this one would stay. This one does not have much, but this one will do what he can."

"I don't want your pity! I want-" My house. My shinai. My life. But the words didn't come out, stopping in her throat, and she blinked back angry tears. Then, his hand moved across the table to offer his napkin.

As she used it to wipe furiously at her eyes, he softly told her. "It is not out of pity. This one is tired of traveling and the emptiness of this one's house. That is all."

"Oh." She sniffled, but neither of them spoke again.

When the meeting ended, nothing was finalized, because Kenshin had asked for more time.

In Tokyo, she would have watched for the first cherry blossoms, but in Otaru, her surroundings were limited to icy streets. There had been five meetings so far, and everyone else was itching to have the sixth as the last. Everyone, except Kenshin. He seemed to be content enough, talking with her.

During the second meeting, he had asked her about Kamiya Kasshin and he offhandedly remarked that the school's ownership wasn't worth her life to protect. She had shouted and thrown her chopsticks at him, before storming out. They all were surprised, when he didn't want to end the meetings. At the start of the third, he apologized. While she accepted, the next time they met, he snuck in a package of sweets to share. The fifth time, he smuggled in a deck of cards and her jaw ached with unvoiced laughter as they furtively played.

Kinutake and Yae only spoke to her once, saying that they were waiting for the other party to accept first. Her irritation still lingered around them, but it was dulled by her newfound enjoyment. Spending time with him healed her, although she continued to push the marriage out of her mind. Nevertheless, some part of her knew it would come up, and from the atmosphere, it had to be today.

This time was markedly serious, because he didn't bring anything at all. After greeting her, he stated. "This one's colleagues wish to leave tomorrow."

Her blood was racing, like before a tournament fight. "So, we have to decide right now."

He shook his head. "This one will only accept, if you will. This one would never give you a life you do not want. This one learned that years ago, not without pain and grief. So, this one will leave it to you."

She kept quiet, mulling it over. It really was up to her, since her relatives would only accept if Kenshin did, and he had given the choice back to her. If she refused, she had no place in Tokyo, not anymore. Her relatives would take her in, and again, she would be theirs to use. If she accepted, it would not be a bad life. He was patient and kind, and he listened to her. Then again, she was not in Otaru because she knew that she would meet him. She had lost so much, and her future in Hokkaido was uncertain.

But in the end, as long as I'm happy, that's what matters. That's the choice I should I make. And what would make me happy is… The answer was natural, as right as adding coins to a correct total.

Abruptly, he left the table, startling out of her thoughts. The hands on the nearby clock had already moved forward by fifteen minutes. Did he think her silence was a refusal?

"Kenshin, wait!" She stood to follow him and grabbed his wrist to pull him back.

"Oro? Kaoru-dono?"

"I…" She swallowed hard, leveling her gaze with his. "I didn't choose to lose my dojo or to be uprooted or to get married. But this time, I can choose. It's not because I don't want to stay with my relatives or because I've decided to obey them. I've chosen to be with you, the rurouni who gave dango to a lonely girl. I've chosen you." She repeated, more sure of herself.

He stared at her for a moment, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, but then the corner of his mouth lifted as he squeezed her hand. "Thank you."

She nodded, shaking a little with the weight of her decision, but she would not take it back. She wrapped her arms around him, and he tentatively returned her embrace. He felt solid and warm, and she couldn't help but smile.