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Note from the author: if anyone paid enough attention to the first 10 minutes of the RK ova… there were three women with little Kenshin before Hiko found him. One of them.. well.. one of them had the name Kasumi. I just wanted to say that this is NOT about that particular character. I liked the name so I used it and it wasn't until afterwards that I realised this fact. So please don't confuse those two. Not the same person.

Eeto… also standard disclaimers apply…

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Chapter One

The snow was fluffy soft, falling in large airy flakes, blanketing the mountain in a pure white shroud, whispering in another winter. Hiko Seijuro sat by his fire, enjoying an evening meal of roast hare and warm sake. ::It's an early winter this year,:: he thought. ::Tomorrow morning I'll go out and see what I can gather before the cold keeps me indoors for the season.:: The snow continued through out the night, silent, relentless, covering everything that would stay still for even a few moments. By morning the mountain had transformed into an unrecognisable place.

The snow seemed completely still as Hiko trudged his way around the trees and rocks. There were no sounds; no bird songs in the air, nor the rustling of leaves, almost as if every inhabitant of the forest had left their homes and disappeared into nothingness. ::It's peaceful to be by myself again:: he thought as he quietly reminisced. It had been almost a year since his apprentice chose to leave the mountain and join the revolution. Kenshin had been strong willed and set in his beliefs. Despite Hiko's disapproval, he chose to leave the mountain and follow his heart. Master and student lived together on the mountain for nearly 6 years, isolated from the rest of the world, while Kenshin learned his sword skills from the young master of Hitenmitsurugi Ryu. But that was in the past now. His baka deshi didn't even bother to finish his training before leaving. There's no blame in his heart however, Hiko knew that Kenshin would have to choose, sooner or later, and when he was ready, he would come back to finish what he started.

Surveying a sea of white, there seemed little hope of finding anything useful. He was just turning to go, when a flash of green in the distance caught his eye. There hadn't been anything green on the mountain for at least a month. ::It's worth a look::

Twenty feet away, he could now clearly make out the form of a woman. She was wearing a beautiful white kimono adorned with silver sakura flowers down one side. The pale yellow of her obi was not as manifested in the surrounding environment as the green shawl that adorned her shoulders. She was laying face down in the snow, not moving, stoic as a statue. Hiko hurried forwards to pry her away from the jealous grasp of the soft, unforgiving snow. Her features were exquisite. Although her lips were blue from the cold and her skin was an unearthly white, her shallow breathing showed that her life has not yet left her. Even the Hitenmitsurugi Ryu master couldn't help thinking of how beautiful she looked as her mass of silken black hair splashed over his arms.

Usually, Hiko Seijuro didn't like to bother with the outside world. With the war going on, he didn't see any point in getting caught in the middle. He only ventured out occasionally, if the situation demanded he get some more supplies from a near by village. But as a rule of thumb, he avoided contact with other people if it could possibly be avoided. This time however, it wasn't going to be easy. Although he had no wish to attach himself to a damsel in distress, who's probably more trouble than she's worth, he couldn't very well just leave her to die. :: Not much choice here:: He lifted her up and draped her across one shoulder, also picking up a small grey bundle lying near her body, then proceeded in the general direction of his cottage.

It took a while to bring her body temperature back to normal. For one, Hiko had never had to deal with a women's kimono before, so the obi was hard enough to undo (as he had to fight the urge to just cut it apart with his sword, but somehow he didn't think she'd appreciate it too much when she came to, how ever noble he felt his intentions to be). The kimono was soaked through with snow. He pealed off the layers of drenched fabric from her icy skin, and wiped her dry with a warm towel, all the while feeling somewhat uncomfortable in the presence of her naked body. He quickly forgave himself, reasoning the alternative to be unacceptable and continued with his self-imposed burden of nursing the unconscious woman.

Untying the knots of the bundle he assumed to be her possessions, he found a comfortable cotton yukata. He quickly dressed her, wrapped her up tightly in thick blankets and laid her down on his own futon, as it was readily available. She stayed lifeless throughout the whole ordeal, hardly even stirring.

It was only after he had settled her and made sure she would be okay that he started wondering about her strange emergence. Her appearance, and the silk of her kimono suggested she came from a middle to high-class background. But then what was she doing alone, out on his mountain, in the middle of nowhere. Yet, with the war going on, and the deaths of so many, it was quite understandable. Presumably her family had hit hard times and she left to rid her parents of an excessive burden. He chided himself mentally for these unnecessary musings. Whatever trouble her background holds, his simple act of helping her had already involved him in her affairs. He hoped she would be willing to tell him when she awoke.

==

The worst of the winter had passed. Hiko woke up as the sun came over the horizon and was not surprised to see the empty futon at the other end of the room. For the past two months the mysterious woman rose well before dawn and took it upon herself to prepare their meals, wash the dishes, do the laundry, and almost all the basic household chores that Hiko himself choose to neglect. Her presence was hardly noticeable as she kept well away from him as not to disturb his usual schedule. "Kasumi… Tokiwa Kasumi desu," she had answered to his inquiry of her name. She offered nothing more than was courteous, but her manners betrayed an air of formal breeding. She didn't talk unless she was spoken to and even then, her answers were hardly more than a few words. This suited him just fine; Hiko was never very talkative in the first place.

That night when she first awoke, Kasumi had suddenly sat up in bed, taking in her surroundings, and pausing when she saw him, then choked back a stifled gasp when her eyes fell on the katana at his side. She pulled her eyes away after a few moments only to burry her face in her hands.

"Did He send you?" she asked without lifting up her head.

"Iie, I don't know what you're talking about," quickly explaining the circumstances in which she came to be there.

At this she let out a small sigh of relief, " arigatou gosaimasu."

His morning tea was once again placed on a tray beside his futon, as has been the case for the duration of her stay. He briefly wondered at how Kasumi had so effortlessly slipped into the role of a devoted housewife as he dressed and sipped at the steaming liquid. If any stranger should chance upon the small cottage, they would surely dismiss the two as a married couple living a simple life in the mountains.

She hardly let any emotions touch her beautiful icy visage. He often felt confused when she was around him. Her presence stirred emotions within him that Hiko didn't completely understand. He told himself time and time again that he merely let her stay because she had no where else to go, but deep down, he had to wonder if he was falling in love, something he never imagined himself to do. Not wanting to get himself too attached, Hiko gathered his self control and concluded that she was merely trying to repay him for saving her life, but on rare occasions he would catch a certain look in her eyes and perhaps smile on her lips that would throw his mind into perplexity once more

He placed the tray by the door knowing she would come to collect it later, and set off into the forest to find a quiet place for his daily meditations. He didn't return until early evening just before dinner, he walked straight into the lodge to wait for her.

The wait wasn't a long one, as he soon smelt her rose scented perfume sweep into the room followed shortly by her person. She wore her hair in a loose braid down her back, her usual white kimono covered down the front by a grey linen apron. Wordlessly she placed his dinner and the bottle of warm sake before him and waited his approval of the simple meal before taking up her own chopsticks. Although there wasn't much in the way of choice, Hiko really did appreciate the dinner. It was not only much better than he himself could manage, but it also freed up a lot of time for him to concentrate on other things (such as how to keep her from running through his mind all day).

When he finished pouring the last of the wine into his cup, Kasumi raised picking up the empty bottle and headed for the door. She didn't make it. Half way across the room, Hiko heard the laboured groan and swiftly made his way to where she was, catching her limp form in his arms just before she hit the floor, the sake bottle rolling away from their her lifeless fingers.

She hid her condition pretty well. She obviously thought him unaware since she never mentioned or brought it up. Hiko didn't see the benefit of broaching the subject so he kept quiet. In a few months time she would have been forced to tell him anyway when her state became more apparent.

A while later, her large sea green eyes opened again with a start and Kasumi immediately tried to get up, only to be pushed gently back down again by Hiko's sturdy hand on her right shoulder. She looked up at him, helplessly, and murmured an apology before turning away from where he knelt beside her.

"You've taken too heavy a burden for a woman who's carrying a child."

She gasped, eyes returning to the impassive face, a mortified expressed etched in the creamy silk of her face, "H..How long have you known?"

"Since the beginning. I felt it in your pulse."

"You never said anything…"

"Neither did you." He waited for her to speak but she had turned her head away again. Out of respect for her silence, Hiko rose to leave, only to be halted when he heard his name in her faint whisper.

"Hiko-san…" he heard the ruffling of blankets as she struggled to sit up. "I can only guess at what you must think of me."

He turned around to face her once more. Her head bowed not looking at him as she continued.

"A woman, alone, without a husband, and pregnant with an unborn child… I was so grateful when you didn't ask me to leave, even more so that you never asked about my past. I didn't want to be an inconvenience for you. I tried my best to do as much as I can to help in what ever way I knew how, but still, I was afraid. So afraid, afraid that if you knew, you would turn me out…" she sobbed quietly in to her hands. " I have no where to go."

"I must admit the thought did cross my mind. But that would be a death sentence as you wouldn't last two days in the bitter cold."

"I see..." she replied quietly. "When the spring comes, I wont trouble you any further."

He sighed and walked over to her, mentally berating himself for his previous words. "I can tell you've had a hard life. If you're willing to tell me your story…"

She looked up at him, a sadness in her eyes, cheeks still damp from her tears moments ago. "Hai." She heaved a deep sigh before speaking again.

#####

Just wanted to point out that this

is where the update starts

Warning: may be tedious and boring

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"I was born an only child to a middle class merchant family. My father and mother were hard working and honest, we weren't rich, but at least my father didn't have to worry about having food on the table every day. They were all a child could ask for, loving, caring; I look back now and realize how lucky I was. I only wish my parents were more fortunate though, I was a beautiful child."

Hiko raised an eyebrow and chuckled a bit, "I'm sure being beautiful was just absolutely horrid."

No hint of a smile touched her lips as she continued "Our town was defenceless, the people weak and docile. Once in a while, a group of bandits would come by, taking what ever they want, leaving us with next to nothing. No one ever stood up to them. For us, beauty was a curse. To be beautiful was almost an assurance of being taken from your home and family and sold for nothing but a few worthless coins. I was only six years old when they came to my door. My father tried to stop them, they killed him without a second thought. When my mother begged them to spare me, they killed her too. I watched my parents die before my very eyes, trying to protect me. I often feel that it was my fault.

"They took me away along with three other girls from our village, though I was the youngest. We walked three days in the cold, autumn weather without any food or water. The next day there was a storm. I was only a small child, unused to the long journey and I fell sick with a high fever. I had hardly any strength from the sickness and the lack of food. They beat me, and told me to get up, but I couldn't, I was much too week. And so, I was left to die on the forest trail.

"When I next awoke, I found myself in a small house, on a comfortable bed, a woman sitting beside me holding a bowl of water to my lips. She explained how her and her husband found me laying beside the road, and brought me home. When I explained to them my circumstances, they took me in.

"They had a child of their own, a 2 year old son, but they never neglected me, and treated me as they would their own daughter. No one could replace my own parents, but I found comfort in my new family. A new mother, and father, and even a younger brother, I settled into my newfound role easily and grew to love them." She gave a small chuckle, "especially my brother. He was so adorable. As we grew older, he would come to me for comfort, and help. If anything happened, I was the first one he'd tell. I appreciated that he loved, and trusted me in that way, I was also glad that I could make a difference in his life. It ended much too soon.

"Five years later, I lost my second family. This time, my mother and father died of disease. My father first, followed by my mother only 2 months later. I was eleven years old then, with a seven-year-old brother to take care of. I tried my best but I had no way of earning money to support us. We sometimes worked odd jobs for our neighbours or the nearby restaurant in exchange for some food or a small amount of change, it was hardly enough for two children to live on. No one was willing to take us in, so as orphans, we belonged to the village as a whole. Hardly a year later, we were sold to a group of slave traders, and taken away from our home.

"I was immediately sold again to a rich samurai family with an enormous estate. That was when I said good-bye to my little brother. I left him in the care of the other girls. I still wonder about him sometimes. There were at least a hundred servants in this new house, and I was send to the kitchens to help with the dishes and the cleaning. I was so insignificant that during the four years I lived there, I've never even seen my master once. I was the servants' servant. I did their bidding and when anything went wrong, I was blamed.

"The cook was a kindly old woman who tried to treat me justly. She taught me how to prepare the meals, and when I was being punished to go without food, (as it often happens) she would slip me something to eat. And soon, I started helping with all the preparations of the meals and earned a measure of importance.

"Not that it mattered anyway because four years after I came to live there, my master died. He was killed by another samurai, his wife and child were executed, and I was once again sold to slave traders along with most of the other servants.

"We traveled, and I was bought by a large family in Nagoya. They were good to me. I helped care for their children, they treated me fairly, and I felt that I was part of a family again. Yet fate would not let me have peace. A couple years later, I caught the eye of an extremely wealthy and powerful man who had not a shred of humanity within him. His wealth gave him power, and his power brought him more wealth. The family I was with, I don't blame them for giving me away. If they had refused… if they had refused he would have destroyed them.

"So the worst of my life began. He was obsessed with me, but he doesn't love; He owns. I was nothing more to him than a possession, an object, an ornament to decorate his table at dinner parties. I was his mistress, his slave, a toy to pick up when he was bored, and caste aside when other things came along. When I became with child, it made my enslavement complete. I had nothing to live for anymore. I stole a small dagger from his cupboard and decided to end my life… but I couldn't. The child is innocent. No matter who the father, I couldn't bring myself end a life before it even has a chance to live it.

"I would rather die than raise my child in that house, so the next time he came to me… I attacked him. Unfortunately my aim was off and he didn't die. His unconscious body lay in a pool of blood on the bed. I panicked. Packing a few things, I did the only thing I could think off. I ran.

"I made it to Kyoto, hardly allowing myself to stop and rest, afraid his men would find me. I thought I'd stay in Kyoto and find a job to support myself, but before I had chance. They came. I was sitting in lounge of a small restaurant when I saw them walking in the streets. Satoshiro Kanaye's personal bodyguard, along with 4 other men I've never seen before. I knew right away they were looking for me. He's not a man who forgives, nor will he ever forget.

"I held my breath as they passed, it was already very cold outside but I couldn't think of anywhere to go, so I headed for the mountains. I've never traveled the mountains by myself before, I don't know the land, and it didn't take long for me to get hopelessly lost. I was so tired, and I was terrified they would find me, I don't even know how I got this far. After that it's all a blur, the storm, the cold, and then waking up in your house."

They sat in silence for a long time before Hiko spoke. "You better get some rest, get your strength back, we'll talk again in the morning." With this, he walked towards his own futon and blew out the candle.

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ano…. So sorrie you had to read thought all that boringness, but I thought that her history is sorta important to the plot. Actually the way my story is going… Kasumi is actually the main character. Everything is based around what happens to her… but Hiko is also very important…..right now…… but then later I hope you'll forgive me if he becomes less important…. (don't want to give away too much there) gomen all you Hiko fans….. but.. I think… that time is still at least a chapter or two away…… hopefully…… but if I haven't wrote it… there's a big chance that the story wont turn out the way I originally planned….. so…. this is all tentative. um… this was originally NOT suppose to be a love story… but I couldn't help adding a bit in there… hehe I love romantic things. Okay anyway I'll shut up now…