Kenshin set down the letter. After reading it several times he shook his head in grief and in fear. "'Always be with me'.... I wonder what she meant."
"What's that?" Sanosuke leaned over Kenshi's shoulder reading the parchment.
"Sanosuke.... do you mind?" Kenshin folded the paper. "I'm going for a short walk... Tell Kaoru I'll be back in time to make dinner for every one."
Sano nodded dumbly. Never figuring Kenshin would be so blunt and stony about his personal life of what they haven't witnessed.
:Alway's be with me ne Adalia?: "Adalia..." He whispered the name he longed for.
"Keeeeeeeeenshiiiiiiin," The wind howled.
"AAAAAAADDDDDAAAAAAAAAALlllllllllIiiiiiiiAAAAAAAAA!" That name... he knew it all to well somthing he cried for every night.
Kaoru reminded him of her.
"ADALIA! Don't LEAVE!"
"Keeeeeeeeenshiiiiiiiiiiin!" The wind called him again.
"ADALIA PLEASE?!"
"Keeeeeeeeeeeenshiiiiiiiiiin!" It called again, closer now.
"Adalia!" He whirled around in circles looking for the voice calling him.
"Kenshin? you called me back... what is it my love?"
"Adalia please, don't tell me you're gone.."
"But I am Shinta... I love you, you know that, I know that by the letter in your hand..." The apparition sighed. "There is something waiting for you back where you belong... It is from me. Keep it safe.. Onegai?"
Kenshin nodded wanting to hold the aubun haired woman in fron of him. "Adalia.... stay with me.. please?"
"I have Kenshin... from the day I slit my wrists and landed in the lake near-by. I will always."
"ADALIA!" Kenshin took off from the fading woman to the lake not far for there.
Sanosuke whom had followed the reverse blade katana master blinked as the woman disappeared. "Sano. Take care of him... He'll be sick for a while after this." she turned to him before completely fading from sight.
Kenshin swam in the freezing water looking for any thing that might resemble a body.
There! Peacefully preserved was the body of his lover. "Adalia!" He screamed loosing air. Resurfacing, gasping for air then diving back down Kenshin never noticed Sanosuke who had brought a small army of men to get Kenshin out of the water.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed as she watched him dive back under.
"Shut up, ugly." Yahiko grumbled.
"Grrrr." Kaoru growled and slapped the boy. "Don't you care what happens to Kenshin?"
"Of course he does, but with you screaming we can't do a damned thing!" one of the villagers spat. "Now let's get that rope ready, he has to resurface some time soon for air."
Right on cue, Kenshin's head bobed up out of the water. "ADALIA!"
The party worked fast to secure Kenshin to the rope.
"He's dragging something." Yahiko squinted to see what was being carried.
"ADALIA!" Kenshin screamed again.
Megumi who had followed also ran down to the bank with blankets and cofered the crawling swordsman with them. "Sanosuke. Get him in to warm clothes and a warm bed!"
She directed the towns people back to their beds and carried Kenshin's prize in to light.
"A girl?!" Kaoru peered at the girl. "Who is she?" Demanded the racoon girl.
"Probably the name Kenshin was yelling... what was it?"
"Adalia." Kenshin's voice sounded. "Her name is Adalia."
On the night of a full moon.
"Adalia... It's been weeks and I can't get over your death. Help me. I beg you."
"Only on nights like these." A soft voice carried behind him.
"Adalia?!" Kenshin spun around to face Kaoru. "Kaoru..." his face turned from joy to depression in seconds.
"Kenshin, you've got to stop this... we're married remember?"
"Kaoru... I... can't.. I can't love you like I did Adalia."
"I know that Kenshin!" She squealed. "but to visit her grave more often than you are at home is worrying every one!" she shreiked.
"KAORU! HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR THE DEAD??!" A female voice soft and fluttery demanded.
"I.... have! But my husband does not come home!"
"He is a man of his own will. As a ruroni he is favored to leave any place he chooses. You abode by that. Be faithfull to him!"
"Who are you!?" Racoon girl screetched again.
"I am Adalia..." The figure of a woman materialized beside Kenshin. "I and my love for Kenshin keep him safe."
"ADALIA!" Kenshin reatched to hug the aburn haired woman and did. "ADALIA! You live!"
"I do not Shinta my love. My heart." She embraced him as long as she could. "I am merely given a wish today..." She ran her hands throug his crimson hair.
Kaoru stood there not moving, not breathing. "Ken... shin..." she finally breathed.
"Kaoru!" Kenshin broke his grip on the aburn woman. "Kaoru! Are you all right?"
"Kenshin..." She started crying on his shoulder. "Why?" was all she could make out of her mouth.
"Because... I love her."
~.O.W.A.R.I.~