Hey! I know it has been quite a while (like a year ne?) but I figured late was better than just leaving things hanging. I hope someone will still be willing to read this story and maybe (please) review - I'll try to finish up the story altogether in the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Rurouni Kenshin characters - everyone else is mine!
Kaoru walked in silence behind the soldier through the bustling outdoor enclosure of the compound. The soldier apparently didn't expect any trouble from his captive for he seemed determined not to look back at her. The thought crossed her mind that she could turn and walk away right then and there and the man probably would not even notice.
But why bother?
The only person she could even hope to look to for help had abandoned her to be raped and, she assumed, eventually killed. Besides, even if the soldier in front of her didn't see her, there were plenty of men milling about to catch her before she could escape.
As Kaoru dispassionately scanned her surroundings she noted with surprise that a girl, My age? No, too young, was standing across the enclosure watching her. Encouraged by the first sight of a female Kaoru had seen in days, she parted her lips to call out. But just as the words formed in her parched throat a soldier walked past, blocking her line of sight. When he had gone, there was no sign of the girl anywhere.
Kaoru quickly looked from side to side for any indication that she hadn't been the only one to see the girl, but the men were all bent on their individual tasks. Am I losing my mind?
At the sound of a throat clearing she came back from her confused musings to find that the soldier leading her had stopped already and she had altogether passed him by several strides.
"This way," he gestured towards a nearby door, not quite looking at her, but instead gazing past her to the space behind her shoulder. However, as he turned his eyes flickered up and for a brief moment Kaoru found both pity and worry in his gaze. For me? she wondered.
He led her through the silent corridors, passing several large, immaculate rooms, to finally stop at a richly decorated and, in Kaoru's opinion, totally out of place, room. As she tried not to show her disgust at the grossly overdone lavishness the soldier informed her, "You'll wait here until…" He stopped, not knowing quite how to phrase what he knew awaited her.
Kaoru noticed that he was very young, remembered his pity, and kindly interrupted "until I'm needed."
"Uh, yes, exactly. Exactly." His relief was apparent and he continued with greater confidence, "Until then, don't leave this room." He began to leave but then stopped and blurted out, "My name is Yamada, inform me if you are in need of anything while you wait." Kaoru warily nodded her assent and he left, closing the door behind him.
Left on her own, Kaoru sat in silence trying not to think of her betrayer and failing miserably. She wanted so badly to loathe him, to curse him. Everything that had happened so far had been entirely his fault. He had wrenched her from her peaceful, albeit boring, existence and had discarded her in the worst possible situation. But instead of the red hate she so badly wanted to feel, a dark gloom clenched at her heavy heart.
Kaoru watched the door, hoping against hope that any moment a red blur would burst through and sweep her away. But nothing of the sort happened and when she felt tears pricking at her eyelids, Kaoru decided she had had enough.
She hadn't been raised to play the damsel in distress and quite frankly being hurt and broken hearted was exhausting.
Who the hell does he think he is "gifting" me away to some pervert and then not even having the decency to come and save me? If you won't rescue me, then I'll rescue myself!
Battousai inwardly cursed himself as he watched the ranks close in on him. He quickly calculated with his experienced eye what the odds of him beating the lot of them were and knew they weren't in his favor.
Meanwhile Akira continued to taunt his former vassal, "It will be my pleasure to watch you die Battousai."
"Watch? Even now, surrounded by your men, you still don't have the courage to fight me head on Akira?" sneered Battousai.
Akira's face turned purple-red as he spluttered in indignation. "I-I"
"Come Akira, why watch me die when you could kill me with your own hands?" he cajoled. If I can kill Akira, his men will fall apart.
Akira wavered for a moment, lost in visions of glory, but he soon came to his senses. "Hmmph! I'm not taking any more chances. Men, attack!"
They began marching towards Battousai. He simply shrugged his shoulders and launched out on the offensive. He swung his sword, severing limbs and necks with every blow. Battousai slowly worked his way into a corner where his back would be covered and only a few could approach him at a time.
As each man fell, more and more came to take their place. The men in the back watched uneasily as their comrades died before their eyes, wondering how long they had left to live. The survival instinct had taken over Battousai's mind and he felt neither pain nor fatigue as the battle raged on.
After a cursory glance at the room to locate any possible weaponry, Kaoru wrenched a large, decorative disc off of the wall. Ignoring the fleeting moment of guilt, she positioned herself behind the door and called out, "Is anyone there? Yamada-san? I need some help."
She waited and sure enough he opened the door and walked right into the room. He stared in some confusion at the seemingly empty room. "Wh-where are y-"
Kaoru leapt out from behind the door and smacked him across the head with the heavy disc. Yamada fell to the floor unconscious and after checking to make sure he wasn't grievously injured, Kaoru ran out of the room and straight into a small lithe form.
"Hey!" it yelled. "What's the idea knocking me down like that? I've a good mind not to save you after all!"
Kaoru stared in shock at the girl she had seen for a split second outside. The girl got up from the floor groaning, pushing her long braid behind her back. "Whew you really got me there." She reached out, offering Kaoru a hand and pulled her up. "Come on, we have to get going before someone finds out you escaped."
The girl began dragging Kaoru through the building towards the door she had first entered through. "Wait," gasped Kaoru, "who are you?"
Without missing a step, the girl turned back with a huge smile, "I'm Misao, pleased to meet you!"
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and scolded me for not updating - you totally guilted me into continuing this story, Oh and It's my BIRTHDAY! -well it will be in like 14 minutes :) close enough right?