Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor do I own The Bride of the Water God.

Author's Note: Konnichiwa, minna-san! Well, this is my first RK fanfiction, and I'm pretty excited about it. I really hope that you guys enjoy it. I've borrowed the plot line from a Korean manwha called The Bride of the Water God. It is an AMAZING story, and I thought it would be a pretty good RK fic.

Without further adieu, please read and enjoy.

I have never believed in true love. I had never experienced it, so I had no proof to actually believe that it was real. And any time I saw a young couple claim to be truly in love, it ended as a terrible tragedy. So maybe I didn't want to believe in true love, because it always led to heartbreak.

So perhaps my pessimism was viewed a good trait for this task, and that was why I was chosen.

"Look over there. She's the chosen one."

"You mean the Kamiya girl?"

"See how she's dressed? Can't you tell just by looking at her?"

When I had agreed, the whole town rejoiced. They called me the savior of the village, and they continuously thanked me again and again.

"We will be eternally grateful to you, Kaoru-chan!"

"You have saved the village, and future of this village!"

"Thank you so much, Kaoru! We can all live because of you."

Lies…It's all lies…I knew what they were really thinking…

"Thank the gods it isn't our daughter!"

"As long as the rains come, I don't care what happens to the girl!"

"It's not our fault you were the chosen one."

"Our crops can't grow without rain…the god needed a sacrifice…"

I thought of my parents, and how they stood by, saying nothing, only nodding in agreement. Accepting the fact that their only child, their only daughter, was going to ripped away from them.

I thought of how this was a day that most girls dream about. This was the day that parents plan from the moment their daughter is born. This was the day that I had rarely envisioned, but wanted so much…

Today, which was as depressing as a funeral…

"My, my, doesn't she look just lovely!"

"She must look as lovely as possible, after all, the water god only accepts the most beautiful girls from the village!"

"It's true! But somehow, even on a day such as this, she still manages to look like the prettiest bride!"

…was my wedding day.

Under the Scarlet Moon

I. Sacrifice

Kaoru's entire body shook in terror as she and the villagers approached the edge of the lake. She felt the cold water tickle her toes cruelly, as if inviting her to death. She shivered, feeling as if she was slowly turning into ice, frozen from fear.

Staring at the water, Kaoru recalled a memory from when she was just three years old. At that time, another young girl had been sacrificed to the water god. The girl, Michiru, was kind and sweet, and she had always played with Kaoru. Kaoru remembered shedding tears for Michiru when she was told that Michiru had been taken away by the water god. She remembered Michiru's weeping parents as the rain finally began to fall…

Kaoru never saw Michiru again. She understood now that Michiru was dead, and that she was not coming back.

But did the same fate await Kaoru? Would she, like Michiru, never to see the light of day again? Never to feel the grass on her feet, the sand between her toes? Never able to have the chance…to love…?

"Kaoru," a soft, but impatient, voice whispered from behind, breaking her reverie. He was the male elder of the village. "It is time to fulfill your agreement."

From under her veil, Kaoru turned to look at the man behind her. He was standing a few feet away, his face stoic. She turned to look at her mother, who was standing among the villagers, beside her father.

She let her eyes gaze that the nature that surrounded the village. It was dry and bare, the plain color of dust. There were no luscious green trees, no budding spring Sakura flowers…nothing. It was not a beautiful spring, the season that Kaoru waited for every year.

"You must go further into the water, Kaoru," the elder told her quietly.

And that was when Kaoru decided. She would not sacrifice herself for the village, for greedy people that so easily gave her away. Not even for her family, her own flesh and blood, who couldn't shed tears for her. She could give her life so that could be a green spring again, a beautiful spring.

So as dread spread through her body as Kaoru forced herself to wade further into the water.

"O, Mighty Water God, we present to you our sacrifice…" Kaoru heard the priest began to chant. "Please accept our offerings and let the rains fall once more on our village. Let us please you with a beautiful wife and with your mercy, let the rains come…"

The priest continued chanting, but nothing happened.

"O, Powerful Water God! O, Merciful Water God! Take her from us in exchange for rain!"

And then, suddenly, the sky changed from it's placid blue into a dark, gray overcast. The winds quickened and became icy cold. The water started to convulse and Kaoru felt herself being pulled further and further into the water…

Kaoru wanted to scream, she wanted to run back to shore, she wanted to escape. But all she could do is stare out at the water, which was becoming more and more ominous. The waves started to become more thunderous, more violent, more…frightening.

It's coming, Kaoru thought in horror. It's coming for me…He's coming for me…

Then, the water seemed to rise, wrapping itself around her in a wet, chilly embrace. It was like the water were arms, holding her tightly, as it engulfed her. She felt her veil being ripped from her face, and there was nothing to shield her from the ultimate horror…

She closed her eyes, waiting for death to take her away. Away from pain, away from sadness, away from life. And she prayed that the moment she left this world, the rain fall, and it would be a blossoming spring again.

xXxXxXx

Kaoru felt warm. It was comfortable and pleasant, like lying out in the sun on the perfect day. She also felt the softness of blankets surrounding like she was sleeping on clouds. And adding to it's perfection, Kaoru could smell the sea, and the fresh scent of the sakura blossoms.

Everything was wonderful…

So wonderful…

…Too wonderful…

She snapped her eyes open and shot straight up, ignoring the soreness that covered her body. Her eyes widened as she looked at her surroundings. She was sitting in a large, warm bed with a great canopy overhead. She heard wind chimes sound from the gentle breeze, and she switched her gaze to the left. Her breath was stolen away when she the most magnificent view of the ocean and the most beautiful spring trees she had ever seen.

Where…?

"So, you're finally awake."

Kaoru jumped when she heard a pleasant, amused voice from next to her. She turned and saw a tall, lovely woman standing in the doorway of the room. The woman had a young face, but from her body, Kaoru could tell that she was a little older that Kaoru's seventeen years.

Kaoru stayed silent as the woman moved towards her and gently grabbed her arm. Kaoru watched as the woman removed the bandage and inspected the small cut. She frowned, and muttered to herself, "I told him to be gentle, because human girls are delicate, but no don't listen the doctor…"

"Um," Kaoru finally bit out, interrupting the woman's banter. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

The woman looked up from the wound. "I'm Megumi," she said kindly. "Resident doctor."

"And where exactly am I?"

Megumi gave her a strange look. "Where do you think you are?"

"I have no idea," she replied slowly.

Megumi sighed. "What's the last thing you remember before waking up?"

"Being swallowed by the lake," Kaoru answered, shivering from the memory.

"Why?" Megumi prompted.

"I was sacrificed to the water god as his bride, and--" Kaoru stopped when she saw Megumi's there-it-is face. "Oh. Oh."

"Exactly. You are in the Water Country, ruled by the water god. He was the one that summoned you from the lakeshore, and he was the one that picked you up and brought you to this palace." Megumi began to rewrap Kaoru's arm.

"So, I'm not dead…" Kaoru whispered to herself.

"Hardly," Megumi said. "Kaoru, you are alive, and the wife of the water god."

Kaoru snapped her eyes onto Megumi again. "What did you call me?"

"Kaoru," Megumi said. "Isn't that your name?"

"Well, yes, but--"

"Anyway, you seem fine," Megumi cut her off. "Let's get going."

Kaoru stared at the woman in surprise. "Going? What do you mean?"

Megumi was already walking towards the door when she glanced over her shoulder to say, "Where else? I'm going to bring you to the water god."

Author's Note: Was it enjoyable? Please give me some feedback by clicking that shiny button over to the left…:D