Rurouni Kenshin

CHAPTER 1

Author Note –READ&REVIEW ) My first RK fic, so please go easy on me

The line on Tomoe's last name is put there because I forget what her last name was, I'll look t up later, but right now I'm too lazy...--"

Forbidden Love

Summary : Back in the time, when slaves were meant as property, Kenshin Himura is one of the luckiest men in the world. His sword's skills are exceptional, and he is betrothed to Tomoe Yu. However, when fate allows him to meet his new servant, Kaoru Kamiya, a young woman with a soul made of fire, will Kenshin find something new that he had never before experienced? Will he break the laws of his society to find a love he had never experienced?

-CAN NOT FORGET YOU-

The sun blazed down Kenshin Himura's long red hair, that was kept in a ponytail. His arm encircled his bride to be, Tomoe . As his sandals clicked clacked against the dirt road, he stumbled against a young woman, who fell on top of him. The nerve!

He quickly pushed her off, Tomoe looking down, her calm eyes poring over the young woman who had fallen.

Brushing his clothes to get the sand and bits of dirt off him, he finally looked up, seeing a beauty before his eyes. Her startling blue eyes looked down, his own purple eyes unable to catch it.

Her black hair was kept tamed in a indigo ribbon. Her flawless face, although tainted with dirt, glimmered in the light. Her startling blue eyes looked down, his own purple eyes unable to catch it.

Even though her clothes were ragged, and hung loosely, he could tell she had a slim form. "Please...forgive me, my lord." She mumbled, her head down.

So...she was a slave...the word "my lord" was a given. Well...she was no different than the others. "I should think you would be."

He saw a hint of anger flashing through her eyes. "I apologized, did I not my lord?" she said a bit louder, with a hint of resentment.

Kenshin was shocked. No slave in their right mind would speak to him, of all people like that. "What is your name?"
"I have no obligation to tell you what my name is, nor do you have any right to command me."

"I have as much right as any upper person does, with the likes of you. Slave."

She finally held her head up high, disgust blazing in her eyes. "Don't you dare say you people have any rights, for the society you live in, is nothing but common filth as the rest of us, but just with more money."

Kenshin smirked, crossing his shoulders together. "but you see slave, that's the difference. We have money, and power."

She stood, ready to walk away, but before she did, she slapped him across the face, knocking him down once again. "I hope you rot in hell!" the young woman stormed off.

Kenshin quickly stood, rubbing his left cheek. "The nerve of that slave!"

He turned toward Tomoe, seeing her gaze at the woman whose figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance.

"Tomoe..?"

She gazed at him again, never blinking. "That young woman...looks familiar..."

Kenshin stood at the sliding door, waiting for Tomoe to change into her night garments. He fingered his cheek, still feeling the lingering tinge of that woman's slap.

Her image continued to blaze in his mind, continually persistent. No matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't fade away, into his memories.

Tomoe stood near her closet, her white kimono hanged, her naked body standing straight. The candle flickered in the distance, the shadows moving after every movement Tomoe made.

She put on her white night garment, the same image of the girl blazing into her mind as it did to Kenshin's mind.

Where had she seen her from? She knew her blue eyes had been seen before, her luxurious hair...but where?

"Kenshin?"

Kenshin opened the door, sliding it open to see Tomoe, his love...

The smell of white plums intoxicated his senses...making his mind go crazy with desire for her..

He reached for her, pulling her into an embrace, but his mind still could not forget..it could not forget the excitement it felt when he saw her...

Tomoe looked up, "what's wrong? You seem...tense..." she asked, as he stopped holding her.

Kenshin looked at her, smiling a bit, "nothing...nothing at all... I'm just a little tired today."

Tomoe understood, and held her hand to his left cheek and held her body close to his. "Forget her...it has nothing to do with you." And with that, she kissed him, his warm lips following her soft lips, into a deep embrace.

But...her image would not leave his mind...

Kaoru sat down, her stomach needing food, her body begging for a place to lye down and sleep. Her arms wearied from working...and her mind...intoxicated with the image of that man...

She could not forget him…could not forget the way he looked, the way he smelled, the way he spoke, the very image of him made her wake with desire she had never known before...

Well...dreaming of him wouldn't do anything...she had to get rested...for since her father had passed away, she been taken to a slave trade, and was sold. Tomorrow would be the day where she'd meet her "new" masters.

"Kenshin?" Tomoe whispered, his arm draped around her shoulder.

"Hmmm...?

"nothing...I just like saying your name..."

She felt his chest shake, when he chuckled, and she smiled, nuzzling her head against him...

Kaoru looked at the house, there was a dojo next to it, making the house look even bigger. She sighed, dreading the task of waiting hand and foot for her master, Kenshin Himura.

Her hair was up in her usual pony tail with her favorite, and only indigo ribbon, she wore a dark blue dress, with a few rips, but was overall fine, and better looking than her rags she wore to do work.

She knocked slightly on the door, waiting for an answer. No answer came, so she angrily turned around, knocking down someone who fell to the floor, with her along.

Kenshin groaned, the weight of what knocked him down on him. He smelled the pleasant scent of jasmine wafting in the air.

"I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

Wait a minute...that voice seems familiar...Kenshin thought, opening his eyes and seeing the same young woman who had knocked him down just the other day bowing in front of him.

"You!" Kenshin cried, "what are you doing here?"

Kaoru opened her eyes suddenly, and saw "him" right in front of her, "Me! Do..you live here?"

Kenshin stood, nodding, "yes, I am the owner of this house and dojo."

"Well...I am assuming you are Kenshin Himura...my new master.."

Kenshin sat at the wooden floor, his sword next to him, his mind trying to find tranquiltity..trying to find peace..

But the very sight of her again made his mind go crazy. He couldn't believe, of all the slaves, he had to end up with her.

Shaking his head, he turned when he saw the door slide open, his "new" slave, Karou appear.

Kaoru walked in, carrying a tray of sake, her head held up tight. She would not waver..she would not cower in him. She was the successor to the Kamiya Kasshin style for goodness sakes! Why should she be afraid of him... Even though she had heard countless tales of him slaying men for the government... even hearing that Kenshin Himura held the name...the Battosai... No...she would not waver. If she died, then so be it...death would be better than serving this man...

"Your sake...lord.."

"Thank you. You may go now."

Kaoru nodded, and left quickly, not wanting to be in the same room as him. Kenshin watched her leave, sipping the sake from the glass, his lips tasting the wine. 'It's pretty good today...not bad...as it usually has been for me...'

Kaoru stood outside, hanging the laundry, the wind blowing her hair constantly in her eyes. She noticed a speck in the road growing larger each moment, finally realizing it was a young boy. He had black spiky hair, and dirty clothes, and he was holding something in his hands. Policeman were chasing him, fervently trying to catch up with him.

She was about to ignore him, minding her own business, for she didn't want to get involved. But...something took over, and she let go of the sheet, and started running..hard. She caught up to the boy, and held out a hand, making him stop. Placing her arm around him, he panted, looking at her in disgust. "What the hell do you think you're doing lady?"

"I'm trying to help you stupid! Now shut up!"

"Stop him! "one of the policeman cried out, reaching them.

"What has my brother done this time?" Kaoru asked, her arm still around him.

"your brother?"

"Yes..he is my young brother.."

"Well, your 'brother' has stolen a woman's purse. That is a very serious crime here, and he could be whipped, or even hanged. It's up to the judge to descide. "

Hanged! No...he couldn't die...she would protect him with her life even...

"I'm sorry for what my brother has caused, but couldn't he just be let off? This will be the last time..please.. I don't know what was in his mind to pick pocket, but I assure he will not do it again...please.."

The policeman smiled, then pushed away the boy, and put his hand on Kaoru's face. "Well...I don't take orders from slaves...but...I am willing to let it go..for a price..."

Kaoru slapped his hand away but he grabbed it, pushing her to the ground.

"Get off me!" Kaoru shrieked, trying to get away.

The boy ran toward the policeman, trying to pry him off her, but he was flung away.

"Ahhh...get off...GET OFF!" Kaoru shouted, her hands punching him in that face, but with no results. Kaoru turned her head away, his hands trying to roam around, as she noticed a long stick lying about 3 inches away from her. If only she could reach it, she would be able to push this bastard off her.

Kaoru started squirming even more, trying to move toward the stick, but her persistent only made her cheek receive a harsh bruise.

The boy once again tried, and he got the policeman's attention. He got up, panting hard, and drew out his sword. "That's it kid, you're gonna get it!"

Kaoru lunged, protecting the boy once again. "Get off me! What do you think you're doing? You don't even know me!"

"Better me than you! You'll be able to make something for yourself since you're a male. I'll be happy to give my life away for a greater cause than cleaning floors! "

"Suit yourself! Either way, I'll be able to kill both of you." The policeman cried, his sword about to take the final plunge.

Kaoru closed her eyes, waiting for the steel cold metal to cut through her, making her blood soak the ground...

She waited a second, then another, but didn't feel anything... She opened her eyes a bit, seeing a flick of red hair, and saw Kenshin with his own sword and rebounding the policeman's sword.

"My...lord..." Kaoru whispered...awed at his skills with the sword..he truly deserved the name..the Battosai.

"Sir, I have witnessed with what you were about to do with my slave...and if I ever see you, then be assured that I will have to kill you. Now, get out." Kenshin whispered, his eyes turning amber..and yellow..his eyes becoming like a killer cat ready to fight...

The policeman whimpered, than started running away, out of sight.

"Kensh...my lord...thank you.." Kaoru whispered...her head low, almost touching the rough fabric of the young boy's clothes.

Kenshin nodded, and held out his hand to help her up. As Kaoru tried getting up, she tripped, falling into Kenshin's strong arms. She blushed, quickly getting up, and muttering, "I'm sorry...my lord.."

Kenshin blushed a bit too, but noticed her ignoring him and turned his attention towards the boy as she did.

"What's your name?" Kaoru asked gently, getting him up to stand.

"My name is Yahiko..."

"Well, do you have a place to stay?" Kaoru asked.

"If I did, would I be picket pocking?"

Kaoru held her annoyance and smiled, well, if you want, you could stay with me a bit...if it was all right with my lord of course...maybe he could get a job here..."

Karou looked up at Kenshin, and he nodded, "There's always room here for work."

Kaoru stared at him, then started walking away with Yahiko, calling out, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

Kaoru secretly smiled, liking the way Kenshin's hair felt brushing against her face, his arms around her...but...she couldn't...she was only a salve...only an object in his eyes...

AUTHOR NOTE – How'd you like it? my first Rurouni Kenshin fic! Hope you enjoyed it.

JA!