Subject: [kffdisc] Beauty and the Battousai: Chapter Two (rough draft/teaser) [DO NOT ARCHIVE] Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2000 07:32:58 -0500 (EST) From: Ashfae Reply-To: kffdisc@onelist.com To: Kenshin Fanfic Discussion ML From: Ashfae Still trying to figure this story out. This chapter feels awfully short to me, and the writing style is different (I don't think I could keep up the narrative of chapter one throughout the entire story), but I thoguht I would post it and see what the general reaction was. Please give me comments; I desperately need them. I know I'm very behidn on comments myself; sorry about that, I'm going to try and get to them tomorrow. I meant to tonight, but found myself writing more of this instead, and figured I'd better take advantage of inspiration (however fickle it might be) while it lasted. *sheepish gryn* ************************************************** Beauty and the Battousai Chapter Two ************************************************** The gate opened as Kaoru approached it; hearing her father's story had not prepared her enough, and she jumped in surprise at seeing the iron bars move by themselves. But she walked through them without looking back. The sky was the color of twilight, and the air was warm. She told herself not to be confused or alarmed, even though she knew perfectly well that it was midafternoon when she had entered this place, and the middle of winter. But she was walking into something foreign, something magic...what did normal laws care about a place like this? She walked forward, and would not let herself be afraid. The path before her stretched out, surrounded on either side by a large field. No wildflowers grew there; it was stark and empty. She kept her eyes fixed on the city in front of her. Most of the houses were dark, but as she approached she could see lights flickering in the windows, here and then gone again in a breath, almost too quick to be seen. She took hope from this; perhaps the city was not deserted, as her father had thoughts. Perhaps she would not be alone after all, with only a monster for company... She shook her head. That was not to be thought of. She hadn't even met him yet. But soon, soon... Not yet. She walked forward, and entered the city proper. The lights that had at first comforted her were now bewildering; they seemed only to exist in the houses ahead of her, and by the time she reached them and peered anxiously through the windows and doors, the houses would be dark and silent once more. There was no sound aside from the slight tapping of her own shoes on the road, nothing to see but houses shadowed by twilight... A sudden breeze caught at her hair, brushing against her skin gently. The smell of it made her gasp with sudden feeling. Cherry blossoms. She was sure of it. Flowers would be a welcome sight in a place as lonely and unfriendly as this. Kaoru walked a bit faster through the streets, searching desperately for the source of the breeze. It was not too long before she found it- an orchard, laid out in the middle of the city, seperated only by a small fence. Hundreds of cherry blossoms in full bloom swayed easily in the breeze. The sight of the bright pink petals cheered Kaoru up enormously, and she climbed over the gate without hesitating, eager to be near them. She walked under the trees, cupping her hands to catch the falling petals, holding them up to her nose and breathing in their scent with a sigh. Now she would not be lonely; she had the trees to keep her company, to provide a relief from the endless succession of empty houses. But even this thought could not comfort her for long. There was still too much unknown, and she had yet to meet her captor. She still did not know what her fate was to be. The Battousai had promised her father that no harm would come to her, but what was the word of such a monster worth? Surely it could not be trusted. Perhaps these last few moments with the flowers were all she had, but she could no longer enjoy them; she had to know what was to become of her. She let the petals fall between her fingers through the ground, and walked on. A sixth sense led her through the orchard, until, beneath a tree just ahead, she could see a shadow. **Battousai.** She would not be afraid. She walked forward and stopped in front of him, hands clenched tightly at her sides. The man looked at her for several minutes then bowed to her. "Good evening." "Good evening, mikoto-sama," Kaoru said quietly. "I am no lord," the man returned. "I am the Battousai; call me that, please." There was silence between them for a moment. Kaoru looked at the ground; she did not have anything to say. Finally, Battousai spoke again, his voice falling into the silence like hard drops of crystal. "Did you come here of your own free will?" Kaoru nodded, mute. "Do you hate me?" The words were not crystal this time, but softer...rain instead of ice. Kaoru frowned, anger taking the place of her fear. "All I know of you is that you told my father he would die unless I took his place; why shouldn't I hate you?" Softer still, this time. "I did not threaten him. I only said that if you did not come, he would have to return to face me. I never said I would kill him when he came." She gasped. "You mean...you would have let him go? Then, why? Why ask for me at all? Did I come here for nothing?" "I had to." A breath. "I'm sorry." Kaoru's head whirled. "I don't understand." To her astonishment, he almost smiled, meeting her eyes for just a moment. "No, I would imagine not. Again, I am sorry. Follow me." Abruptly he turned and walked back through the orchard towards the rest of the city, not even looking over his shoulder to see if she followed- which, after a pause, she did. He led her down the street towards a nearby house, only a few minutes away. The door opened as he approached; lights lit inside as they walked through the entry. It was a small house, but comfortable enough...Kaoru almost liked it, as she had not liked anything in this strange place. Battousai stopped in the middle of the room, turning towards her. "You will stay here, if you wish. Don't be afraid; there is nothing in this city that can harm you. Not even I can harm you, whatever you might think of me." Kaoru bit her lip, not willing to look at him. "I swear it." "I believe you." And suddenly, she did. There was an air about him... this man was dangerous, yes, he could kill her as easily as blinking. Of that she was sure. But she was also certain that he did not lie, that he would never lie to her. With that realization was born something else: a wary trust, stretched thin between the two of them. There was silence for several minutes as she examined her surroundings more closely. Lit candles were attached to the walls, which were sparsely decorated with only the occassional tapestry or picture to stand out against their starkness. Through another doorway drifted the smell of food- Kaoru's stomach grumbled slightly, reminding her that she had not eaten all day. She scrunched her toes into her sandals, torn between the desire to eat and the desire to know a little more about the situation she'd gotten herself into. "My name is Kaoru," she offered quietly. Surely it could not harm her to give him her name. And if they were the only two people in this place...she wanted someone around who could call her by name. Even if it was this man. "Kaoru-dono." Battousai closed his eyes briefly, as though that one word was a burden too heavy for him to bear, a gift he could not accept. As his eyes were closed, she was able to examine him closely, for just a moment. The dark clothing. The long red hair, pulled high in a ponytail. The delicate features so sharply in contrast with the angry crossed scars on his cheek. She shivered at the sight of them; there was something about them that frightened her, even more than the sound of his name. She looked away quickly, before he had a chance to catch her staring. "Kaoru-dono." His voice sounded as though it had the beginnings of a question in it; she glanced back at him, twisting her fingers nervously together in the folds of her kimono and hoping that he couldn't see them. "Will you marry me?" The wind was rushing in her ears; the ground was falling to pieces beneath her feet and she couldn't speak because of the terror that was choking her. She gasped for breath, trying to force her way back through panic. She thought of small things, simple things. The rug beneath her feet. It was plain, sturdy, made of brown wool. It was a perfectly ordinary carpet, completely out of place in this dark world she'd found herself in, where the Battousai had just asked her to marry him..."Oh god, what can I say?" she murmured helplessly. "Whatever you wish." "No!" The word broke from her throat with a vehemeance that startled her, even though she knew she could have given no other answer. "Please don't be afraid." His voice was unhappy, but she could not find it within herself to feel sorry for him. "Good night." Quiet steps echoed through the room as they passed through the doorway, down the steps of the porch. Only after they had faded entirely did Kaoru collapse to her knees, her entire body shaking and her face covered in tears. ************************************************** mikoto- lord, prince BTW- SHAMELESS PLUG: I've completely revamped my Kenshin page. It's very pretty; please go see it and then tell me if you like it. And you've *got* to see the wonderful picture that Harumi drew for "Freedom"...the address for the page is still the same, but here it is anyway: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8264/kenshin.html Until tomorrow. =) =) Ashley B. AKA Ashfae ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8264/anime.html "I have no life! And I can prove it mathematically!"