340A/n Hello everyone! I've been working on this new series of stories on a off for a while now and I can't wait anymore to post them. For those of you wondering what's going on with Endure my Love…don't worry. I will finish it. I need to take a break from it before it gives me some really serious block. Until then, I'm keeping away from burning out by working on this new set of stories.
I'm taking this story from a mixture of resources. Many older like Grimm, some newer like Disney. But I think it's an equal mix of everything and yet still coming from my mind. Beauty and the Beast is my most favorite fairy tale. I've read at least a dozen different kind of stories (not counting any fanfics)as well as a handful of movies so I'm surprised I never made a story like this before today.
So I'll stop my talking and let you get on to the first chapter.
She tried to look away, to advert her eyes as the Battousai stood. The steaming hot water trickled down his naked body as he stepped closer. 'No, please.' Kaoru silently begged to herself as she back up as far as the small bath house would allow. 'Please don't forget your promise.' Her frightened, sapphire eyes couldn't look away. The sopping wet red hair, the glowing eyes, and the scar. The scars on his body, how his muscles moved like that of an animal stalking his prey.
"Get your eyes off me." He growled. Kaoru snapped her eyes back to his and wished she had just looked away. His eyes were the most unnatural glowing yellow and narrowed into slits.
"Battousai." She winced at the waver in her voice. "Please, I'm sorry." He was feet from her now, water still dripped from his skin. He reached out.
"Shut up."
….~~…~~…~~…~~….
"Gensi-sensei!" Called a voice from the front gate. Kaoru paused in mid-swing, her bamboo bokken frozen in mid-air.
'I wonder who that could be.' Kaoru thought to herself. Well, her father was a doctor, he was often called upon. "Be right there!" She shouted. Kaoru quickly rubbed the sweat from her face and darted around to the front where she spotted an older looking gentlemen waiting at the wrought Iron gate. Kaoru smiled as she pulled open the small metal door. "Can I help you?" She bowed to the man.
The man pulled off his hat and bowed in return. "Yes I'm looking for Gensai-sensei." He pulled a bamboo letter holder from his belt. "I have a message for him."
Kaoru looked at the letter curiously before returning her blue eyes to the man. "Dr. Gensai is with a patent right now. You can give it to me; I'll make sure he gets it." Kaoru held out her hand for the letter. The man arched an eyebrow at her. She saw the doubt in his eyes. "It's alright, I'm his daughter." Again the man looked surprised as his eyes darted down to her bare feet and back up again. Kaoru couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious of herself. She was well aware of her sweaty, red face, fly-away hair that was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail and her old, sweaty gi that stuck to her in places and the bamboo sword still in her hand.
The messenger thought for only a moment more before slapping the bamboo holder in her waiting hand. "Alright, make sure he gets this as soon as possible."
"Right!" Kaoru said with a smile; she bowed again before turning and darting back to her home. She heard the man call his farewell.
Kaoru almost reached the front steps when she heard the side gate open. The young woman turned and waited for her elder sister Misao to catch up to her. Misao was twenty, three years Kaoru's senior. She was smaller, more delicate looking than Kaoru, but had almost twice the energy. Today she wore a sea blue Kimono with a light green obi; her lengthy black hair braided and wrapped in a bun at the back of her head.
"Hey Kaoru-chan," Misao smiled as she shifted the paper wrapped packages in her arms." What's that?" the young woman pointed to the bamboo holder in her hand.
"It's a letter for Tou-san." Kaoru grinned, watching her sister struggle across the yard. "Hard to rush in that Kimono, huh?" She laughed when Misao shot her a sour look.
"You should have seen me trying to walk home, much less across this yard. These things are terrible; I never thought I would make it in time for lunch."
It was still strange for Kaoru to see Misao in a Kimono and wooden getas. Her older sister was learning the art of ninjitsu, and wanted to become a sensei one day. But then something surprising happened...She fell in love with the instructor's son. Their courtship was quick and intense, including a beautiful, traditional wedding being planned a few short months from now. Misao threw every moment of her free time learning how to become a housewife; for all she knew was ninjitsu and nothing on how to be a good wife. No longer was she trying to become a ninja, instead taking classes in cooking, sewing, raising a family and managing a household. Years of knowledge she should of learned growing up was now being crammed into a handful of months.
Misao set the packages down and snatched the bamboo holder from Kaoru with lightning speed and eyed it as she turned it around in her hands. "I wonder who would send Tou-san a letter." She hoped her father wasn't being called back onto a battlefield to help doctor some stupid soldiers. She turned her intense eyes back to her sister as they slowly wandered into the house. "Is Tou-san with someone Kaoru-chan?" Kaoru nodded silently and Misao's lips turned downward. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."
"Wait and see about what?" Said a third voice. The two sisters looked up to see Megumi, their eldest sister standing in the hallway in front of them. Megumi was nearing her twenty-sixth year and was studying with their father to become a doctor. Though she was very beautiful and had many male callers, Megumi had almost no interest in men, only medicine held her captivated. Her hawk-like eyes immediately fell on the letter as Misao silently passed it back to Kaoru. "Is that for Tou-san?" The two girls nodded. "Well, He's almost finished." She stated simply, her eyes already looking bored. Obviously not as eager to know what the letter said as the two of them were.
"I need to start lunch." Megumi said as she walked pasted the girls. "When you're ready Misao, come help me; you could use the practice." Their elder sister laughed to herself as she vanished down the hall.
"Damn her." Misao growled to herself. Just then, the screen door slid open and the two girls bowed and smiled at a kind looking old lady as she passed them and silently slipped out of the house.
Kaoru and Misao poked their head into the examination room. "Tou-san?" Both girls said in unison.
Dr. Gensai was a slightly portly, older gentleman with greying hair, a small beard and moustache. He was meticulously cleaning the small examination room when the girls wedged themselves in the doorway.
"You got a letter Tou-san." Kaoru said, holding out the bamboo piece. Her father wiped his hands with a white cloth and took the letter.
"Hmm, well let's see what it is, shall we?" He smiled at the eager faces of his daughters before working out one end of the bamboo until it popped off. Inside, the bamboo was hollow and a perfect way to protect a scroll. Dr. Gensai worked out the small roll of paper and unrolled it.
Kaoru leaned forward with her sister, waiting for their father to say something. She watched her father as his eyes lit up in surprise. "What? What's it say?"
"Yeah, come on Tou-san! I'm dying here." Misao shouted.
Dr. Gensai smiled and let the paper roll back up before sticking it back into the bamboo holder. "I won't be here for lunch, my children."
"That's not fair Tou-san!" Kaoru complained as she and her sister made room for their father to pass by. "You're going to tell us what was in the letter right?" Suddenly a thought struck Kaoru and she gasped. "Is it a personal letter? From a woman Tou-san!"
Dr. Gensai laughed gently. "No no Kaoru-chan. But is it good news indeed and I will tell you at dinner time. Right now I need to speak with some friends, go ahead and have lunch without me." The old man shrugged on his coat and stepped into his sandals. He turned to his children and waved goodbye before quickly shuffling through the front gate.
"I can't believe he left like that." Misao said in mild disbelief as she retrieved her packages.
"I hope everything is alright." Kaoru said softly, more to herself than to her sister. Her eyes closed slightly as she gazed at the ground.
"I'm sure everything is fine, did you see the light in his eyes? I bet it was good news. I haven't seen him move that fast in years." Misao turned and made her way to the kitchen as fast as her kimono would let her.
"Yeah... I guess that's true." Kaoru mumbled, turning to join her older sister. She couldn't help but feel as though the letter brought a cloud of change over their household. She had always been a bit superstitious about such things. If it was a good change or a bad one, Kaoru was going to have to wait and see.
… . .
"Okay Tou-san. Spit it out already. I've waited all day!" Misao said. It was dinner time and the whole family had just sat down for their meal. Kaoru was impressed that Misao was able to wait this long to attack their father. Even though she was also dying to know what was going on, she just wasn't one to voice it the way Misao would.
Dr. Gensai took a sip from his tea before smiling at his daughters. Megumi sat passive at his side, still acting as if the whole matter meant little to her. "Well my children, it turns out that the ornamental koi I've been breeding has caught the eye of a buyer." His smile grew wider even as a look of confusion passes over all three of his daughters.
Kaoru blinked. Her father had taken up raising koi fish in the large pong behind their house. He used it to help him meditate. Nature, he said, was the best medicine for the mind. A month ago Dr. Gensai took some of his prize fish to market to be sold as pets. They were very popular, and they sold fast. Yet Kaoru never thought someone would go out of their way to write for more.
"Is that all?" Misao pouted. "I thought something exciting had happened."
"It is exciting." Dr. Gensai insisted as he took a few bites from his rice ball. Kaoru and Misao exchanged looks. For something that was exciting, their father sure was taking his time telling them, Kaoru thought.
"It is?" Misao pressed, poking at her food with a chopstick.
"Yes, this man is a rich lord. Apparently, he wants as many as I'm willing to sell him." Dr. Gensai gave his girls his complete attention for the first time that night.
"A rich lord?" Misao repeated.
"As many as you're willing to sell him?" Kaoru blinked. Her father's pond was huge and there had to be well over three hundred fish in it. "Tou-san, how many are you willing to sell to this lord?"
Dr. Gensai grinned and now even Megumi was starting to look interested. "One hundred and seventy-five."
There was dead silence around the table. The light from the lanterns on the table danced upon their silent faces. The three girls stared at their father for more than a few long moments.
"Tou-san, you sell those fish for a silver each!" Misao shrieked, nearly climbing over the table.
Kaoru shoved a rice ball in her mouth to hold back her surprise. One hundred and seventy-five pieces of silver was an insane amount of money. They could live off of that for a few years if they were careful with it.
"Actually, he's willing to pay a gold for every three koi." Their father confessed; his smile now shark-like in the light.
Kaoru coughed on her rice, the math instantly came to her as there was another, much longer silence. "That's like fifty-eight pieces of gold!" Kaoru was finally able to gasp.
"Oh my god!" Megumi had both her hands on her cheeks as she finally started to show her excitement. "That's more money than we've ever had at one time!" Megumi couldn't imagine the things they could do to the house with that much money. Perhaps they could add on to the house and make a proper doctor's office and examination room.
"That's right." The doctor nodded, glad to see the stunned expressions on the faces of his children.
"You mean we're gonna be rich?" Misao shouted, now on her feet. They had never been rich before, but they had never been poor before either. They always had to do without something for the good of the family but no one really complained about it. Though it didn't haunt them often, they always had to think before they spent.
"We'll be very well off…for the time being." Dr. Gensai's smile softened. He could only imagine what it was going to feel like to not have to worry about money for at least a little while. "I went out today to gather some friends to help me load the fish. We're leaving tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!" Kaoru never thought her father would part with so many of his fish. He had worked hard to breed and raise them. But then again, his pond was starting to get crowded. He would have to part with some if he was going to have room for the next generation of fish.
"Yes." Dr. Gensai sat back from the table. Having finished his meal between the moments of excitement.
"Well it's a good thing you have some of your friends coming over to help you load the fish." Megumi said with a flip of her hair. "There's no way I'm going to climb into that nasty pond. Who knows what kind of germs are nesting there?"
Misao winced, "I have dance lessons in the morning, I don't think I'll have time to help" Misao looked sorry, unlike Megumi. Kaoru on the other hand had no such qualms about getting fish water on her.
"I'll help Tou-san." She assured.
Their father smiled and patted Kaoru on the knee. "I'll be in the city for a week. I'm sure you three will be able to take care of yourselves for that long."
"I'll keep them in line Tou-san" Megumi guaranteed, her eyes narrowing to wicked slants at her two younger sisters. Misao stuck her tongue out.
"Good, good! Is there anything you would like from the city?" Gensai changed the subject, seeing Megumi ready to bash Misao.
"Presents?" Misao bounced in place like a girl half her age.
"Now that I have the money, I want to get my daughters something."
"Tou-san, you shouldn't just throw the money away as soon as you get it." Megumi chastised. But her father waved her worries away.
"Nonsense, it would take far more than three simple gifts to spend that much money." He turned to his eldest daughter. "Megumi…what is it you would like for me to bring back for you."
Megumi looked surprised for a moment. Her eyes became thoughtful and her gaze rested on the lantern on the table. "I would like a doctor's bag." She finally said after a moment of silence. "One of those big black bags that doctor's carry their instruments around so that I can make house calls when I finally finish my training." She said in a strange, slightly rushed tone, her eyes bright and serious.
Dr. Gensai smiled. "A doctor bag for a fine lady doctor. And how about you Misao, what would you like for me to bring you?"
Msaio only took a second to think. "A wedding dress." She blurted. "The most beautiful wedding kimono you can find for my upcoming wedding. I wanna be the prettiest girl there."
Again Dr. Gensai smiled and nodded. "A bride deserves to feel special on her wedding day. I will spare no expense in this once in a lifetime event. I will make sure you have the loveliest dress I can find."
"I can get her measurements for you Tou-san." Megumi volunteered.
"Yes, please do." Then Gensai's kind eyes turned to his youngest daughter. "Kaoru-chan. What do you want me to bring back to you?"
Kaoru had no idea what she wanted, since she had never really wanted for anything in her life. True most of her things were not new, but at least she had them. Kaoru bit her lip. Besides, she felt bad thinking her father would spend so much money on her when he needed it more. Misao's wedding wasn't going to be cheap and the examination office needed to be remodeled badly.
"I don't know Tou-san. There isn't anything I can think of."
"Oh, come on Kaoru. I know you must want something." Misao urged.
"Yes child, I'm sure there must be something you want." Their father pressed.
But Kaoru could think of nothing. "If you must bring me something, then perhaps a new wooden sword or a new gi for training."
"Are your sure Kaoru-chan?" Dr. Gensai wanted all of his children happy. Kaoru was the hardest in his mind. She seemed happy no matter what. She hardly voiced any displeasure.
"I'm sure Tou-san." Kaoru confirmed as she stood and took the dishes from the table and made her way to the kitchen to wash them. Besides, she would feel horrible if her father spent a crazy amount of money on her.
… . .
The next day started early for Kaoru. After breakfast, she and Megumi helped Misao in her kimono and helped to paint her face on. Then after Misao left for another day of lessons, Megumi got to work in the examination room, getting it ready if any one happened to stop by. Kaoru on the other hand dug out her oldest clothes from the bottom of her clothing trunk. She wrapped her hair up and covered it with a scarf and pulled up her sleeves. Now she was ready to wade in the thigh deep koi pond.
She didn't mind helping her father and his friend's fish out the one hundred and seventy-five fish from the pond. It was fun and a change from her usual day. Though it was hard since the fish were a bit large and slippery, not to mention fast; with so many pairs of hands they made quick work of it. All the fish were tucked safe and sound in clay jars of pond water for the day and a half trip. The jars were loaded up on eight carts and her father's friends climbed into the carts and took up the reins. They started off just as her father mounted the family's only horse. An old, ugly, roan nag.
"Did you pack everything you might need, Tou-san?" Kaoru asked as she handed him his travelling hat. "Do you have enough food?"
"Child don't worry about your father, I've made this trip many times in the past." He chuckled. "I'll be gone for about a week. Do you think you and your sisters can survive each other?" The nag was old but she danced from one hoof to the other, wanting to join the other horses pulling the carts.
Kaoru looked back at Megumi as she stood at the front door waving her good-byes. Misao had yet to return from her lessons; she wouldn't see her father until he returned. "I think I can manage." She smiled up at her father as he smiled down at her.
"Be good, I'll return soon." With that her father let the impatient horse trot after the others. He turned in his saddle and waved good-bye. Both Megumi and Kaoru waved in return. Kaoru stood and watched the small caravan of carts until everyone vanished from her sight.
Almost as soon as the last cart rumbled over the hill did a lone figure saunter from the side streets between their neighbor's houses. Both Kaoru and Megumi groaned at the same time. Only out of politeness did the two girls stay to greet him.
"Hello Saitou." Megumi forced a cheerful smile as the long limbed, narrow eyed man leaned on their gate.
"Hello Megumi." His voice rumbled. He looked over his shoulder to where her father and his fish were disappearing over the hill. "Are the rumors true? Is your family going to be rich?"
Saitou was handsome, his eyes mysterious, his voice a deep rumble in his chest. He was all together a very attractive man, not to mention he was a highly accomplished swordsman. Highly skilled in the gatotsu style. But for all those qualities….he was still an ass.
"A bit." Megumi shrugged her shoulders.
"Perhaps now your old man can afford our wedding?" he smirked.
Megumi scoffed, turned on her heel and marched back into the house. Saitou's yellow, cat eyes focused on Kaoru, who was a few feet closer.
"What about you Kenjutsu Beauty?" he raised his eyebrows suggestively.
Kaoru rolled her eyes, knowing Saitou thought she looked more like a raccoon than a beauty. "Don't count on it Saitou." And with that she turned and followed her sister.
Saitou glared after her, thinking "Women these days were so shallow. They never married unless the man was above their station." Saitou was in their same class so was that why they looked over him? He was a better accomplished swordsman than any of that upper crust. Megumi was beautiful but had her head in her work all the time. But Kaoru…Kaoru wasn't as pretty as her older sister but she was highly skilled at swordsmanship. Saitou could connect to a girl like her. She would see reason in time. He would just have to wait.
A/n How is it so far? I had this chapter much longer but I feared it would have been much too long, so I cut it up just to be safe. This sets up the standard beginning to every Beauty and the Beast type story, so nothing very different.
Also, I'm struggling with the rating for this story. I think I might have to put it at M later, but I guess I'll change it when I feel I've reached that M rating, or if my reviewers clue me in lol. I also have a new poll in my profile that will help me with what I'm working on. It would be awesome if some of my readers would zip over there and spend a moment on the poll.
Thanks for reading everyone! Reviews are loved!...cookies for all the reviewers! ..:hands out cookies:..