The Little Dragon Pt. 2

“This appears to be the place,” Kenshin said as they approached a saloon style bar.

A gruff man walked through the doors as they entered, bumped into Mayu, and continued on his way. She was already on alert from earlier, but this place wasn’t giving her any good feelings. It was full of low men, people below Kenshin’s station. While the common man would respect that, it wasn’t unheard of for some to take out their frustrations on a magistrate.

There were several square tables set up through the room, with women in tight dresses serving hot dishes. The atmosphere was odd, a sort of desperate excitement. Men who looked like any day in the mines would be their last. They drank and ate, smiling.

A woman came up to greet Kenshin and Mayu, and Mayu glared at her. She stopped, nearly falling over herself, and headed back toward the kitchen.

“I think that’s our man,” Kenshin said as he nodded toward a corner. There was a table with three men around it, one of them was head down, a cup of sake in front of him.

She would have said, ‘are you sure’, but she knew better by this point. She took the lead, eyes scanning the room as walked through the excited crowd.

Mayu’s back went straight as she felt a hand on her rear. She turned and found a red-faced old man, grinning with shattered teeth. She grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up from his seat.

“Run.”

When she let him go, he was fleeing as fast as his old legs could carry him. The whole room had stopped to watch, every set of eyes on Mayu. She tried to ignore the blush coming to her cheeks, straightened out her cloak and outfit, and turned back to Kenshin.

He was watching the man running out the door with a curious expression. It was as if he didn’t know what had gone wrong. Sometimes she worried if it was possible to get through to him at all.

“You are all the same,” Said a trembling voice, “You samurai, you think you’re all so special.”

Mayu turned to see the man lost in his sake had stood up. His cheeks were also red, but his eyes were wet.

“Are you Hideki?” Kenshin asked, “We came to speak to you about your sister.”

The man’s face scrunched up, and he gave a tortured nod, “You came to take more away from me, you mean.”

Kenshin got closer, his voice sounded like he was asking someone about the weather, “We just have questions, I want to know more about her death.”

Hideki, as the boy was young man was called, reached back and under the table he was seated at before. When he returned he had a long curved knife, and many of the patrons gasped.

Mayu’s stance shifted. Kenshin put an arm out, touching her across the stomach.

“I don’t intend to fight you,” Kenshin said, “My goal is the truth, no matter what it costs.”

She already knew the words would go foul when she heard them leave his lips. This man didn’t want to hear about cost, or sacrifice, he had already lost someone.

“It’ll cost you all right,” Hideki said as he slashed at the air, catching the bottle of sake at the head. It fell to the floor, a loud crack of porcelain. Other men started to stand up, knives and other implements being pulled out.

“Kenshin,” Mayu whispered as she looked around the room.

Kenshin took another step forward, “What happened? Tell me.”

Hideki let out a guttural howl, and charged forward with his knife overhead.

Mayu pulled her katana, the butt of the hilt striking the boy dead in the chest, staggering him backwards.

“Curses,” Mayu said as she sheath her blade and reached to her back. She pulled free a woodsman’s axe, the blade inscribed with the mon of the badger clan.

Two men charged at her from behind. One caught the back of the axe across the head, and the other closed fist. Both men were left sprawled across the floor.

Every man she hit was only going to extend this into a drunken brawl. She had to get Kenshin to safety. He wasn’t made for these conditions. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if someone caught him unaware.

“Get back Kenshi-” She turned her head, and saw that Kenshin and Hideki were gone. Her eyes went wide, and her breath caught in her throat. She spotted them, Kenshin, wakizashi drawn, chasing the distraught man into the back rooms.

A yell snapped her attention back to the fight. A cheap blade, it caught in the curved head of her axe, with a yank of her arm the blade sailed across the room. She gave the man a stiff knee to the chest, and he collapsed in front of her.

She would love to enjoy the moment, but now she knew she had to leave. Her charge was getting more distant with every moment.

A punch struck her in the chest, and Mayu looked down on the man who threw it. She flared her nostrils, and he sat down. The rest of the room had become unorganized fighting, men striking others, yelled arguments, thrown food.

Mayu moved to catch up with Kenshin, hoping she wasn’t too late. A doorway lead to a series of rooms, private inn space, storage, door after door. She could hear the distant sound of struggle, and tried to tune out the fighting from the main saloon.

Creaking floorboards, the sound of distant yelling. Mayu pushed ahead. She found a side room, and once she entered she saw a splash of blood across the floor. Kenshin was collapsed in the corner. Hideki was holding his wrist, blood spilling out, his weapon on the floor.

“He cut me,” Hideki said with fear in his eyes.

She could feel her blood boiling, her face going hot.

“I just punched him,” Hideki said, “He should be fine. I was just…it hurt.”

Mayu pulled up her sleeves, “You have no idea.”

When Kenshin woke up, he was seated in that same corner. Mayu kneeling in front of him.

“Ouch, jaw,” Kenshin whispered, “What happened?”

Mayu leaned in, her hand gripping his face. “You took a clean punch, how do you feel?”

He looked at her straight on, his eyes watery. She didn’t like seeing him hurt, it wasn’t his place. It would be like her squeezing into a dress, laughing on the floor of the emerald court.

“Hideki?” Kenshin asked.

Mayu frowned, “You shouldn’t have gone after him. He could… I stopped him.”

She moved her head aside, behind her was Hideki, tied to a chair. His eye was swollen closed, half his face looking bruised in.

“I tried my own method,” Mayu said, “I think he wants to talk to you now.”

Kenshin tried to stand, and Mayu stood, holding her hand out. Kenshin looked up at her, and took it. She couldn’t smile, it was inappropriate. She pulled him to his feet. When he took an uneven step toward Hideki, once his back was turned to her, she allowed herself a small grin.

“Hideki,” Kenshin said, “Are you ready to talk now?”

Hideki’s good eye peeked open, and he sobbed, “Yes, please. Just keep her away from me.”

Mayu glared at Hideki, then let her face relax when Kenshin turned back to look at her.

“I just want to know about your sister, who would want to kill her?”

Hideki shook his head, then winced, “You’ve spoken to the governor. Neji and friends, they did it.”

Kenshin stood at his full height, his eyes looked through Hideki, “When was the last time you saw Neji alive?”

“What?” Hideki said, “What does that have to do with it?”

“When?”

“I hadn’t seen him for a day before she died. We work together, near the mines.”

Kenshin looked away, “You don’t think Neji did it.”

Hideki’s breathing became deeper.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You knew Neji,” Kenshin added.

“It doesn’t matter,” Hideki yelled.

“What have samurai done to you?” Kenshin asked, “You were mad when I came in.”

Hideki looked at Mayu, then back at Kenshin. His shoulders went limp, and the man seemed afraid to say anything.

“Kairi,” Hideki said, “She was seeing someone. She didn’t think I knew. Mitsuyama, they live in the south part of town.”

Kenshin closed his eyes, “The Mitsuyama, a lesser family.”

“Please,” Hideki said, “Don’t say that I said anything. The governor will have me punished.”

“We need to go,” Kenshin said, “Cut him loose.”

Mayu watched as Kenshin walked out of the room. The expression on his face, there was definitely a case here.

Outside, Kenshin walked fast enough that Mayu had to take long strides to keep up.

“This woman was caught up in politics beyond her,” Kenshin said, “The pieces don’t all fit yet, but I’m sure that Neji, and the other decapitated men, were not responsible.”

Mayu walked beside him, “That is saying a lot, Kenshin.”

“I understand. We need to find a place to sleep tonight, tomorrow we will speak to the vassal family.”

She nodded, though she knew it would be hard for him to sleep at this point. His mind was burning.

He stopped, and Mayu looked at him. He looked up at her, then he started walking again. She moved to follow, and then he stopped again, and looked up at her.

“Thank you for your part in it. You loosened him up,” He said with a nod of his head.

Then before she could reply, he started walking again.

“It is my duty,” She said.

“No, it wasn’t,” He said while still in step, “It was exceptional.”

She was thankful for his pace, she couldn’t hide her smile.

That night they slept in separate rooms. Hers was across from his, a paper screen, a hallway, and another screen, was all that divided them. Kenshin had finally calmed down and gone to bed. She could hear him for some time, moving around his room, fiddling with small devices, whispering to himself. She was sure his notepad was full.

Mayu could see it all, the look on his face, the realizations coming through. Then the image flashed across, him thanking her, those eyes of his as he called her work exceptional. She squeezed her thighs together, her bedsheets feeling warm. It couldn’t be helped, her breathing was too heavy, and every time she turned, she could sense every bristle of her gown against her skin.

She wondered what Kenshin was capable of. He was brilliant, he had to know how she felt. He could strip a man’s mind bare without them saying a word, all she wanted was for him to strip her as well. Say the words, ask her the question that would crumble her defense.

Her nipples were tight, she could feel it. She dared to bring a hand to take a feel, slipping under her gown. Even a simple touch sent a small burst through her body, made her stomach hot. She gripped herself, giving a soft squeeze that made her eyes close in pleasure. He was so close.

Her hand over her whole breast now, massaging up, around, small circles with her index finger. Every breath came out so slow, she had to control herself. She couldn’t give it away this early.

Mayu’s free hand fell between her legs, pushed her gown aside, touched at the short hairs at her mound. She crept down further, her sensitive divide. All she could do is imagine Kenshin’s fingers there, examining her. She held herself open with two fingers, slid one across, felt the moisture that came away, shivered as the pad of her finger went past her most vulnerable places.

Would he find her different down there? She slid a finger inside, two, and gasped as they moved in deeper. Was she worth probing into? Her knees shifted as she reached for that hidden place deep inside, her ankles pressing into the mat as her feet moved back and forth. Her breathing was becoming erratic, difficult to control. He was going to hear her, he would figure her out.

Her hands moved with each other, each squeeze of her breast coming as her fingers moved further, pushing waves of pleasure against her welcoming shore. She wanted it, could feel it, Kenshin across her body.

“Kenshin,” She whispered, “Please.”

He was right there, listen Kenshin, she needed him to hear the slick sound of her fingers as they worked in.

She gasped as the ecstasy overtook her. Her back strained, and a trembling gasp escaped her lips. Mayu collapsed, hugging herself in the darkness. Left with her sweat, and her fingers tasting of her own desperation. She shook, the aftermath still holding her.

“Mayu,” Kenshin whispered.

Her eyes shot open, and she looked to see his silhouette against the screen.

“Kenshin?” She whispered.

“Are you okay? I thought I heard you say something.”

She cleared her throat, “I’m fine, go to sleep,” She said, “You have important work to do tomorrow.”

He stood there for a moment, “You’re right, my apologies.”

Kenshin went back to his mat, she heard him pull the covers up, and turn over.

A smile spread across her face, and her cheeks went red. He heard. She hugged herself.