Allerleiruah
Title: Allerleiruah - Death of a Queen
Author: lrdrandallslady
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Character(s)/Pairing: Koushijiro, Kaoru, Genzai and three OCs
Theme: #006 - what was whispered in his ear
Warnings: Alternate Universe, Character Death
Author's Note: Just what I need is another story to distract me from Dream Weaver, but this really wanted to get written. Many thanks to
ink_tree whose prompts helped me get going on this. My plan is for this to be the first part of a serialized story based on the tale of Thousand Furs. I hope you enjoy.
Also posted to 100_fairytales and FF.net
“Mama! Mama!!”
The scream bounced and echoed like a banshee’s cry. Royal guards, lead by their captain, raced toward its source. The sound of heavy boots thundered through the stone halls of the palace as they ran.
A loud crash of breaking china was heard through the cacophony. Bursting through the doors to the royal apartments, the guards found the princess huddled over the unconscious form of the queen. Thick lines of blood ran from the queen’s mouth, staining the front of her dress scarlet. Remnants of a delicate tea set lay shattered and forgotten on the floor.
Sapphire orbs shimmering with tears and undisguised fear shot up to lock with the captain’s gray eyes.
“Help her, Tanjiro!” Kaoru cried in desperation.
Orders to fetch the king and the royal physician were shouted even as the tall captain carefully scooped up the queen’s body and carried her toward the bed chamber.
“Your Highness, what happened?” Tanjiro asked addressing Kaoru as he gently laid the queen on her bed.
“W-we were having t-tea, when she s-started coughing,” Kaoru stuttered through her tears as she followed him into her mother’s room. “Sh-she c-collapsed.…” Kaoru’s words were cut off by a choking sob. She buried her face in her hands, but was unable to erase the image of her mother that was imprinted on her mind’s eye.
‘Blood…so much…blood…’
Turning away from the queen, Tanjiro laid a comforting hand on Kaoru’s shoulder. The princess looked up at him from her hands, her wide eyes searching for reassurance he could not give. For months, Queen Kaida had battled an illness that slowly consumed her body. He’d seen the illness before, and though it was rare in a house of prosperity, it was nearly always fatal.
“Princess?” A soft voice, trembling and laced with worry, spoke from behind Kaoru.
Kaoru turned to see Midori, her mother’s lady-in-waiting, standing in the doorway with a towel and wash basin. “How is she?” the woman asked anxiously as she entered the room, setting her items down on the table next to the queen’s still unconscious form.
Kaoru opened her mouth to reply, but the words would not come. All she could do was shake her head to indicate there had been not change in the queen’s condition. With unsteady hands, Midori carefully dipped the cloth in the steaming liquid and began to gently clean off her mistress’s face.
Moments later, Kaoru’s father rushed into the room, followed by the royal physician. Midori quickly moved out of the way as the king bent over the pale form of his wife. Brushing away a lock of dark hair, he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead before backing away to make room for the doctor.
“Papa?” Kaoru’s voice was tentative.
Kaoru’s father started at the sound of her voice, seeming not to have noticed she was in the room. Turning from the bed, he walked over and enfolded Kaoru in his warm embrace. Kaoru’s arms reached around his waist, hands fisting in the material of his tunic as she clung to him like a lifeline.
For several moments, father and daughter stood in each other’s embrace. When the king finally released Kaoru, he kept one arm wrapped comfortingly around her shoulders. Standing together, they watched as the doctor examined the queen. Each minute they waited seemed to stretch into an eternity. Kaoru could hear her father quietly whispering a prayer, but she no longer had words of her own to offer.
‘What use are prayers if no one listens,’ Kaoru thought wearily. The battle was lost. Her mother, her best friend and confidant for almost seventeen years, was leaving forever. The realization left Kaoru feeling like a lost child. She buried her face in her father’s shoulder, his solid presence an anchor in the storm of emotions that raging within her.
“Be strong, my Kaoru.”
“I’m trying, but I don’t know if I can,” Kaoru whispered against him.
Kaoru raised her head again at the sound of the doctor returning his instruments to their leather carrying case.
“Genzai?” the king asked.
“There’s nothing more I can do,” said the doctor heavily. “Her lungs are filling with fluid.”
The elderly doctor stood and approached Kaoru and her father. He stood before the king, sorrow evidence in his wizened eyes as he laid a hand heavily on the king’s arm.
“I’m so sorry, ’Jiro.”
The king’s hand reached up to grasp the doctor’s. “Thank you, old friend…for everything,” he replied, voice rough with emotion.
Turning, the doctor stepped quietly from the room. At a look from Tanjiro, the other guards followed quietly behind, leaving only their captain and Midori behind with the royal family. They melted discretely into one of the far corners, loathe to intrude on the small family’s private moment.
Kaoru’s father moved away from her and sat on the edge of the bed next to his wife. Gently, he took one of her pale hands in his own. Kaoru sank onto the bed behind him, burying her face in his strong back, unable to face the inevitable.
Gently stroking the limp hand, the king quietly spoke the queen’s name, trying to coax her back to consciousness. Translucent lids fluttered and opened just enough to reveal ocean-blue depths dulled with pain. Every breath was shallow and labored, rattling with each rise and fall of her chest.
“Koushijiro…”
Thin and wispy, Kaoru could not recognize in the voice the melody that she’d always associated with her mother.
“I’m here, love, as is Kaoru.”
Kaoru felt her father’s hand reach behind him to draw her out of hiding. Kaoru knelt on the floor next to the bed, reaching out with shaking fingers to clasp her mother’s other hand.
“Mama.” Kaoru choked on the word, tears threatening to spill from liquid eyes.
“My beautiful, Cricket,” the queen whispered with a smile, “You are destined for great things.”
Kaoru choked on a sob as she hid her face against the thick mattress. The queen squeezed her daughter’s hand weakly.
“You are stronger than you know, my little Kaoru…never forget that. Follow your heart. It will not fail you.” Kaoru heard her mother’s words, but could not find comfort in them. The pain of her grief wrapped itself tightly around Kaoru’s heart until it hurt to breathe.
“Kaida…” The king’s voice broke across his wife’s name. “What will I do without you?”
“You will be fine. You and Kaoru will both be fine.” Kaoru could hear a faint smile in the queen’s voice.
‘You were always an optimist, Mama,’ Kaoru thought sadly. It didn’t feel like they were going to be fine. A piece of their family was being ripped away, and part of Kaoru’s heart was dying with her mother.
Kaoru cringed as she heard her mother begin to cough again, the sound thick, choking. When the episode finally subsided, the queen panted for breath. Lungs rattled as the queen struggled to draw enough air.
Kaoru braved a glance around her father to look at her mother’s pale face. The queen’s eyes were closed as she swallowed thickly trying to recover. When azure eyes, so like Kaoru’s own, opened again, Kaoru was surprised to find in them the familiar mischievous twinkle that had lived there before the illness.
The queen opened her mouth to speak, but the sound was too faint to reach Kaoru’s ears. Her father leaned close to catch the soft words. The queen’s lips lifted in a faint smile before she closed her eyes once again.
The king released his wife’s hand only to gather her form in his arms. Burying his face in the queen’s neck, he rocked her like a small child, chanting “No, no, noo….”
Tears flowed unchecked from Kaoru’s sapphire eyes at the desperation in her father’s voice.
“There will never be anyone but you,” he whispered vehemently.
And in the space of a breath, the queen was gone, setting in motion events that would forever change Kaoru’s destiny
Author: lrdrandallslady
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Character(s)/Pairing: Koushijiro, Kaoru, Genzai and three OCs
Theme: #006 - what was whispered in his ear
Warnings: Alternate Universe, Character Death
Author's Note: Just what I need is another story to distract me from Dream Weaver, but this really wanted to get written. Many thanks to
ink_tree whose prompts helped me get going on this. My plan is for this to be the first part of a serialized story based on the tale of Thousand Furs. I hope you enjoy.
Also posted to 100_fairytales and FF.net
“Mama! Mama!!”
The scream bounced and echoed like a banshee’s cry. Royal guards, lead by their captain, raced toward its source. The sound of heavy boots thundered through the stone halls of the palace as they ran.
A loud crash of breaking china was heard through the cacophony. Bursting through the doors to the royal apartments, the guards found the princess huddled over the unconscious form of the queen. Thick lines of blood ran from the queen’s mouth, staining the front of her dress scarlet. Remnants of a delicate tea set lay shattered and forgotten on the floor.
Sapphire orbs shimmering with tears and undisguised fear shot up to lock with the captain’s gray eyes.
“Help her, Tanjiro!” Kaoru cried in desperation.
Orders to fetch the king and the royal physician were shouted even as the tall captain carefully scooped up the queen’s body and carried her toward the bed chamber.
“Your Highness, what happened?” Tanjiro asked addressing Kaoru as he gently laid the queen on her bed.
“W-we were having t-tea, when she s-started coughing,” Kaoru stuttered through her tears as she followed him into her mother’s room. “Sh-she c-collapsed.…” Kaoru’s words were cut off by a choking sob. She buried her face in her hands, but was unable to erase the image of her mother that was imprinted on her mind’s eye.
‘Blood…so much…blood…’
Turning away from the queen, Tanjiro laid a comforting hand on Kaoru’s shoulder. The princess looked up at him from her hands, her wide eyes searching for reassurance he could not give. For months, Queen Kaida had battled an illness that slowly consumed her body. He’d seen the illness before, and though it was rare in a house of prosperity, it was nearly always fatal.
“Princess?” A soft voice, trembling and laced with worry, spoke from behind Kaoru.
Kaoru turned to see Midori, her mother’s lady-in-waiting, standing in the doorway with a towel and wash basin. “How is she?” the woman asked anxiously as she entered the room, setting her items down on the table next to the queen’s still unconscious form.
Kaoru opened her mouth to reply, but the words would not come. All she could do was shake her head to indicate there had been not change in the queen’s condition. With unsteady hands, Midori carefully dipped the cloth in the steaming liquid and began to gently clean off her mistress’s face.
Moments later, Kaoru’s father rushed into the room, followed by the royal physician. Midori quickly moved out of the way as the king bent over the pale form of his wife. Brushing away a lock of dark hair, he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead before backing away to make room for the doctor.
“Papa?” Kaoru’s voice was tentative.
Kaoru’s father started at the sound of her voice, seeming not to have noticed she was in the room. Turning from the bed, he walked over and enfolded Kaoru in his warm embrace. Kaoru’s arms reached around his waist, hands fisting in the material of his tunic as she clung to him like a lifeline.
For several moments, father and daughter stood in each other’s embrace. When the king finally released Kaoru, he kept one arm wrapped comfortingly around her shoulders. Standing together, they watched as the doctor examined the queen. Each minute they waited seemed to stretch into an eternity. Kaoru could hear her father quietly whispering a prayer, but she no longer had words of her own to offer.
‘What use are prayers if no one listens,’ Kaoru thought wearily. The battle was lost. Her mother, her best friend and confidant for almost seventeen years, was leaving forever. The realization left Kaoru feeling like a lost child. She buried her face in her father’s shoulder, his solid presence an anchor in the storm of emotions that raging within her.
“Be strong, my Kaoru.”
“I’m trying, but I don’t know if I can,” Kaoru whispered against him.
Kaoru raised her head again at the sound of the doctor returning his instruments to their leather carrying case.
“Genzai?” the king asked.
“There’s nothing more I can do,” said the doctor heavily. “Her lungs are filling with fluid.”
The elderly doctor stood and approached Kaoru and her father. He stood before the king, sorrow evidence in his wizened eyes as he laid a hand heavily on the king’s arm.
“I’m so sorry, ’Jiro.”
The king’s hand reached up to grasp the doctor’s. “Thank you, old friend…for everything,” he replied, voice rough with emotion.
Turning, the doctor stepped quietly from the room. At a look from Tanjiro, the other guards followed quietly behind, leaving only their captain and Midori behind with the royal family. They melted discretely into one of the far corners, loathe to intrude on the small family’s private moment.
Kaoru’s father moved away from her and sat on the edge of the bed next to his wife. Gently, he took one of her pale hands in his own. Kaoru sank onto the bed behind him, burying her face in his strong back, unable to face the inevitable.
Gently stroking the limp hand, the king quietly spoke the queen’s name, trying to coax her back to consciousness. Translucent lids fluttered and opened just enough to reveal ocean-blue depths dulled with pain. Every breath was shallow and labored, rattling with each rise and fall of her chest.
“Koushijiro…”
Thin and wispy, Kaoru could not recognize in the voice the melody that she’d always associated with her mother.
“I’m here, love, as is Kaoru.”
Kaoru felt her father’s hand reach behind him to draw her out of hiding. Kaoru knelt on the floor next to the bed, reaching out with shaking fingers to clasp her mother’s other hand.
“Mama.” Kaoru choked on the word, tears threatening to spill from liquid eyes.
“My beautiful, Cricket,” the queen whispered with a smile, “You are destined for great things.”
Kaoru choked on a sob as she hid her face against the thick mattress. The queen squeezed her daughter’s hand weakly.
“You are stronger than you know, my little Kaoru…never forget that. Follow your heart. It will not fail you.” Kaoru heard her mother’s words, but could not find comfort in them. The pain of her grief wrapped itself tightly around Kaoru’s heart until it hurt to breathe.
“Kaida…” The king’s voice broke across his wife’s name. “What will I do without you?”
“You will be fine. You and Kaoru will both be fine.” Kaoru could hear a faint smile in the queen’s voice.
‘You were always an optimist, Mama,’ Kaoru thought sadly. It didn’t feel like they were going to be fine. A piece of their family was being ripped away, and part of Kaoru’s heart was dying with her mother.
Kaoru cringed as she heard her mother begin to cough again, the sound thick, choking. When the episode finally subsided, the queen panted for breath. Lungs rattled as the queen struggled to draw enough air.
Kaoru braved a glance around her father to look at her mother’s pale face. The queen’s eyes were closed as she swallowed thickly trying to recover. When azure eyes, so like Kaoru’s own, opened again, Kaoru was surprised to find in them the familiar mischievous twinkle that had lived there before the illness.
The queen opened her mouth to speak, but the sound was too faint to reach Kaoru’s ears. Her father leaned close to catch the soft words. The queen’s lips lifted in a faint smile before she closed her eyes once again.
The king released his wife’s hand only to gather her form in his arms. Burying his face in the queen’s neck, he rocked her like a small child, chanting “No, no, noo….”
Tears flowed unchecked from Kaoru’s sapphire eyes at the desperation in her father’s voice.
“There will never be anyone but you,” he whispered vehemently.
And in the space of a breath, the queen was gone, setting in motion events that would forever change Kaoru’s destiny