“Betrayal By Blood”
Part 20
Soji stands there with his hand on top of Nori’s head when he sees Hijikata trying to get to his feet. Soji steps away from Nori, walking over to Hijikata to make sure he is all right and help him up. Nori kneels there sobbing into her hands. When she hears Hijikata call out to her.
“Nori, I am sorry for the pain I have caused you, and I promise I will make it up to you however I can.” Hijikata says to her.
The sound of Hijikata voice echoes and pounds in Nori’s mind, all of the thoughts of her older sister flood over her once again. What Oukami had told her about Haru, dances in her mind her heart feels as if it is going to explode from the flood of pain. She thinks of her friendship with Soji and Susumu and how he thinks of her as his sister and the others as her thoughts dance and mix in her mind, her new found feelings for Hijikata, could she truly be falling in love with him.
Her head and heart feel as if they were going to burst. Nori grabs up the katana at her side and rushes toward Hijikata and Soji yelling, “KILL ME SOJI… PLEASE I BEG YOU!!” Tears flow down Nori’s cheeks.
Susumu seeing this, rushes toward Nori to stop her as he yells, “Nori, NO I CANNOT LOSE YOU TO!!”
Soji spins around, seeing tears stream down her cheeks as she runs toward them. As Nori reaches him he hits the hilt of the katana knocking it from her hand. Soji sees Nori has her sister's dagger in her other hand. As the sword falls back to the earth, Soji grabs it from the air. The fear of being killed gives Soji a hard slap in the face and he defends himself and Hijikata.
In one single motion, the blades swipes past Nori’s throat as it graze Nori’s neck. Soji pulls the blade back and thrust it forward toward Nori. Susumu reaches for the sword grabbing the blade cutting into his hand, but Susumu holds the blade tightly refusing to let the blade get to Nori as he shoves her back with his other hand.
Hijikata yells at the top of his voice, “NO! NORI!!”
Nori sees what Susumu is doing for her, this stopping her from throwing the dagger, Nori falls to her knees as she places her hand to her throat. Soji releases the katana standing there in shock of what he just tried to do looking down on Nori as her blood flows from beneath her hand.
Susumu still holding the katana throws it sticking it into a near by tree. Blood rushes from his hand dripping from his fingers. Soji falls to his knees next to her as Hijikata gets to his feet, staggering to their sides. Hijikata, Soji, and Susumu look at Nori as she smiles, looking at them.
“N… Nori… I am so sorry.” Soji says to her as tears flow from his eyes. He touches her cheek, brushing her hair from her face. “I never wanted to hurt you.” Soji looks over at Susumu and says, “Thank you for stopping me.”
“Thank you, Susumu.” Soji says again, laying his hand on his shoulder.
“Susumu…” Noir says, Susumu takes Nori’s other hand smiling at her, “Yes, Thank you for stopping him. I truly do not want to die.” She tells Susumu, tears still flowing from her eyes.
Soji reaches for the pendent that was around her neck, lifting it up into his hand as they both look at it and smile. She places her hand on Soji’s hand that held the pendent, closing his fingers in around it, “You have proved to be a true friend to me…” She whispers to him kissing him upon the cheek, as a tear rolls from her eye.
She reaches over to Hijikata placing her hand upon his chest over his heart, “Will you ever forgive me and help me forget my pain.” She pauses and sighs, “I am so tired of hurting, I only want to stop the pain, I knew that by me killing you, the pain was not going to stop. I was hoping that your men would kill me first, but then these two happened in my life.”
She looks over at Soji and Susumu and smiles, “And they have taught me that as long as you have friends you can over come anything.”
Hijikata smiles at her saying, “I think we can get through this, together. Love and time heals all wounds Nori.”
“Love… it has been so long since I have known love, I think I forgot how it truly feels.” Nori says.
Hijikata slides his arm around Nori’s shoulder pulling her to him and laying her head on his chest, “I think we both can help each other with that one.” Hijikata tells her.
She closes her eyes, finding comfort in Hijikata’s arms; she whispers aloud, “I love you all.” She finally collapses from exhaustion.
Soji picks up Nori into his arms carrying her to her room.
Weeks later Nori is in the dojo working out with Tetsu after lunch, “No Tetsu sweetie it is done like this.” Noir says showing Tetsu how to do a Kogetsu kick as she drops back kicking over Tetsu’s head. Tetsu cowers down to avoid being kicked.
Nori laughs, “Did you think I was going to kick you Tetsu?”
“Well the thought did enter my mind as your feet were flying toward my head.” Tetsu says. Nori laughs harder, she hears Hijikata laugh as well. She turns in the direction of his laughter seeing him standing in the doorway of the dojo she smiles at him.
“I think you should give up and come with me Nori.” Hijikata tells her.
Nori looks at Tetsu, “Do you here this; he has no faith in you Tetsu.” Nori tells him.
“I am use to that around here.” Tetsu says laughing. Nori looks back over at Hijikata as he stands there with his arms folded over his chest and a look on his face that said ‘Oh really now!’
He pulls one hand free and starts to motion with his finger for Nori to come to him. Nori smiles at him again and looks back at Tetsu she places her hand on his head and messes his hair.
“Ok Tetsu I am going to see what is so all might important to Hijikata over there. I want you to keep practicing on that kick I know you will get it soon.” Nori tells him as she walks toward Hijikata.
Tetsu smiles at Nori saying, “Ok I will not let you down Nori.” As he watches her and Hijikata walk from his sight.
Hijikata takes Nori by her arm and leads her from the compound. Nori follows but is confused, Hijikata never leaves the compound unless there is a mission.
“Hijikata…” She says to him.
He looks over to her and smiles, “Yes what is it Nori?” He asks her.
“Where are you taking me, may I ask?” She says.
“Of course you may ask, but that does not mean I will tell you.” Hijikata replies with a smile.
Nori shakes her head and continues to follow him. They walk to the forest that is about a mile from the compound. Hijikata leads Noir to a clearing where he had planed to have a picnic with her that day. Nori looks at the blanket spread across the ground and a basket that sat to the side for them.
“Hijikata did you do all this?” She asks him.
“Yes I did, I wanted you alone for the day and this was the best way to do it.” He told her leading her to the blanket.
He lays his katana down next to the blanket sitting down taking Nori’s hand he leads her down to the blanket with him. As she sits down next to him Hijikata lays back folding his arms under his head looking up into the sky.
“Today is a beautiful day for this.” He says,
“Yes it is,” Nori says as she turns herself placing her legs to the side of her and propping herself up on her on arm.
She looks down on Hijikata placing her hand other on his chest; he smiles up at her as he moves one arm from under his head. He slides his hand in behind her to her back, pulling her down on top of him. She rests herself upon him looking at Hijikata.
Hijikata takes his other arm from under his head as well, wrapping both arms around her he smiles; he quickly turns his body placing Nori under him as he is now on top of her. She laughs at him under her breath, wiggling slightly under his body.
Hijikata stares deeply into her eyes, “Your eyes are as blue as the sky today.” He tells her. “And I see happiness were there was once pain. Are you truly happy with the new path you have chose Noir.”
“Yes I am… I have found peace within me and forgave my sister for what has happened between us. I know now that she cared for me and only wanted Father and me to be proud of her. I still have many things to atone for, but I have the rest of my life to do this in.” Nori says as she moves Hijikata’s hair from his face. Hijikata slowly lowers his head to kiss Nori as he whispers to her.
“Let’s start on one of those atonements now.” He slowly brushes his lips against Nori’s as he kisses her deeply and passionately.
Nori wraps her arms around Hijikata as she slides her hands down his back and off to her sides. Hijikata grabs his katana next to them as he is still inches away from her and there lips brush against one another’s.
Nori smiles at him and gives a slight chuckle saying, “Still do not trust me Hijikata?” Hijikata then feels Nori’s hands has she slides them between the two of them.
“You have nothing to fear from me any longer.” She says to him, she slightly lifts her head kissing him as she pushes him up from her she opens her kimono to him, Hijikata smiles removing his hand from his katana.
The End
