The God of War's Love

Chapter Five

(Malcom above)

I woke up to an arm around my waist and a hand supporting my head. My mind was a lot clearer now, and most of the chills were gone. Looking up, I could see a sleeping Kenshin holding me. Holding me. Hold up. What the hell. Okay, okay, calm down, Akane. I peered shyly at his face and saw his scars. One trailed down from his eyebrow to cheekbone, and another across his right eye. His arms were securely around my waist; as I tried to stand, he held me tighter and cradled me against his chest. I felt heat rise to my cheeks as I decided to wake him up.

"Kenshinnn... Kenshin. Lemme... go." I muttered while trying to escape his hold.

"Mmm." He groaned. Don't do that in this position! I frowned as I found myself held near his chest, and I sat on his lap. This is way too intimate. I've only known this guy for around a day (well, conscious anyway). I pinched his cheek. Hard. He sleeps like a rock! Ugh! His dark brown eyes slowly opened and cleared as I saw my reflection in his eyes. Geez, I look awful.

"Akane?" He looked at me and blushed as he saw how he was handling me while he had slept. Awe! That was really cute... "M-my apologies."

"Where are we, Kenshin?" I asked him, trying to change the subject. "The walls are pretty, but I can't even see them with all of these weapons blocking the pretty drawings."

"This is my room, actually. I was planning on caring for you in your incapacitated state, but I guess I fell asleep. My apologies. Do you feel alright?"

"Yes, just a little chilly."

"You should get back under the covers and rest today." He said in a slightly commanding tone.

"Yes, I agree, but I'm sorry for staying here. I should go back to my cell, and leave you be." I pondered.

"No," he sternly said.

"Why?"

"You nearly died of a fever because of how damp and cold it is down there. You seem to know some things about medicine, so do you think that that would be the best suggestion?" That got me. I would never advise a patient to do that; why don't I think?

"Well I am a doctor so I would hope I knew about medicine." I mumbled to myself.

"You're a doctor?" Kenshin looked at me, shocked.

"Yes. I studied for eight years, all to go back to now. I'm not even from Japan, I'm from the "new world," as you would call it.

"The Americas? Fascinating. Forgive me, I'm just surprised that a woman can be a doctor, let alone study the same teachings as men." He whispered. This got me riled up, but I remembered that in his time period, women are seldom worth more than a cow, much less equal to a man. "Wait, if you know medicine from your age, could you tell me how far medicine has advanced?"

"Kenshin, in modern medicine, you can heal almost anything, excluding terminal diseases." I said.

"Even bullet wounds?" He looked at me, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Yes, depending on the severity and whether the bullet had passed through..."

"Amazing!" He yelled happily. "You have use for me yet!"

"What?"

"Remember when I told you trust and value are important to me? Well... you are the most honest person I have met, even though we have only shortly been acquainted, and you have more value as a doctor than any one we currently possess." I may survive here after all.

The next day, I was sent to the royal doctor to see if I really was educated enough to make use of my knowledge.
The man was tall and humble, with a long white beard and small glasses.

"Hmm... Miss Akane, what expertise do you have with treating the wounded?" He asked in a monotone voice.

"Quite a bit, actually." I responded, "I took many classes on how to respond to immediate injuries as well as simple and common ones.

Me and the man, named Yoshitoshi, talked for what felt like minutes, yet became hours. Next thing I know, I have permission to go to battles to treat wounded soldiers.

I was given a room in the main castle by Kenshin, and he had given me the title of field nurse. My room was rather plain, but after I explained Blanco's needs to Kenshin, two bowls (for food and water), a small cat bed, and a scratching toy was delivered to my room. The past few days have really left me thinking. Will I ever make it back to my family? Do they know I'm gone? I miss my mom, my dad, my brother... Tears were forming in my eyes as I silently reprimanded myself for being so lost and weak.

"Akane, may I come in?" A voice said after a quiet rap on the door.

I sniffled and quietly wiped my eyes as I let out a quiet, "Yes." Kenshin entered my room and sat down in front of me.

"Are you ready for battle?" He asked me.

"Yes. I want to help people." I said, resolute in my conclusion. In the blink of an eye, Kenshin had pushed me down with a knife to my throat.

"Are you really?"He sneered in an apathetic tone.

"W-what are you doing!?" I stammered.

"You aren't ready. You are ready to help, but you will die quickly," he continued, ignoring me. "You need to be ready to fight. To protect my men. To protect yourself. What if an enemy snuck into the healing tent and assassinated you?" I was left stunned by his words. He drew back from me as I shook from fear. "Akane, do you really want to do this?"

"With everything I have. Kenshin, I'll never be able to kill or harm anyone. My entire life was spent studying how to heal people, not hurt."

"That foolish naivety will get you killed."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't know," he said, peering at my eyes. "Calm down," I guess he noticed my shaking. I was scared.

"You weren't the one held at knife point," I said with a quiver in my voice. Kenshin took him knife, grabbed my hand, and gently pushed it into my hand. "What are you doing?"

"Try to kill me."

"What? No." I said as he pulled out another knife from his pocket.

"If you don't, I'll get you first." He coldly laid out the rules. "Don't worry about hurting me. I don't think you could if you tried." I gently placed the knife on the ground in front of me.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"How foolish." Kenshin walked m closer to me, "Do you think you could protect yourself and the soldiers?"

"No...but I would die trying."

"We leave for battle
tonight," he said quietly as he stood. Leaving me to new concerns, I sat and packed for the long journey to come.