Kenshin felt the flash of amber, the fire in his eyes when they fell upon her husband. What of her dear and innocent relationship with her the other boy, the one she truly loved, was doomed to be lost to her. All because of dark tradition and a lack of love for those that should be dear to her. He could only wait, wish he could stop the horror he darkly felt would come to pass.
A moment of reprieve would come for Sayuri the visions melting into scenes of Kenshin speaking with the young woman from the rain. Tomoe, her name was, and she'd taken up caring for the wounded of Katsura's camp. The hatred and darkness of the Battousai's eyes seemed confused and almost childlike.Z
"And how might this cause be righteous? Look at the people suffer."
"I don't kill the innocent. I only kill those who arm themselves!"
"...I was armed the night you found me. And yet I still breathe."
Kenshin remained stunned, unsure of words to counter his own. Was this not a righteous purpose? To save the humans? Tomoe stared back at him, her eyes boring into his soul before she picked up his lines and set off, leaving the boy to his thoughts.
The net scene was chaos, fires and blood and bodies all about. A single thought resonated in his mind as he searched manically.
Tomoe. I mist find Tomoe.
The moment her found her, he took her hand in his and made for some point of contact. When that contact happened to be Katsura himself, Kenshin was quick to demand orders. Those that he was give were not what he expect.
"There is a safe house. A farm north if you follow the trail. There you must keep together, pose as husband and wife. I shall send for when you are need." Kenshin was frantic, shocked to his core.
"But, Katsura-san..."
"Go!"
Kenshin and Tomoe ran far and long, pausing to break after nearly a day's worth of travel. As they spent time to rest, snuggling up to each other for warmth, the words came.
"It's doesn't have to be pretend."
"Kenshin?" His faced was flushed by her response.
"I said it doesn't have to be." He would be unable to look away when her hands clasped his in return.
"No, you're right. It doesn't have to be pretend."