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Mariko wanted to run fro, be anywhere but where she was

A brush of wind raked through the thorny bra the unbound strands They caught in the stickiness on her cheeks The salty wetness left there by trails of tears

She needed to find her way hoed

But Mariko could not silence the thruhts

Could not squelch her curiosity

She wanted--no, needed--to find out why the Black Clan had been sent to kill her

Who wished her dead? And why?

She inhaled carefully Gripping her knees as they pressed into her chest, Mariko forced herself to stop swaying

And start thinking

What would Kenshin do?

The answer to that was si to learn who had tried to kill hiht an end to his life Kenshin wouldn’t rest until he brought the heads of his enemies home in sacks stained red with their blood

But her brother was allowed such discretion Such freedoon of Kai by re safe within the walls of their family’s ho of his sword

If Mariko returned home, her family would promptly dry her tears and send her back on her way Back down this same path Any word of the events that had transpired in Jukai forest would be guarded to the death If the emperor or the prince or any member of the nobility learned that Mariko had been attacked on her journey to Inako, the royal faht claim this misfortune was a bad omen One that could not be risked on royal blood

Never mind the cold question that would undoubtedly follow The whispers that would trail at her back

The question of Mariko’s virtue Lost in the forest, alone with er, despite her family’s heartfelt protests

Mariko pressed her lips to one side

The sae In an afternoon of calculated fury But if

If

If she learned the truth--if she learned as responsible for sending the Black Clan to ht be able to spare her parents the eht spare the their fahts began to wind through her mind with the slow squeeze of a snake

What if someone in Inako had sent the Black Clan? What if a rival faed her death to ruin the Hattori fa fortune?

If such a feat could occur, then anyone in the imperial city could be called to question

If Mariko learned the truth behind tonight’s events, then perhaps she could bring to light her fa herself useful to the Hattori nae Moreover, she would have a few days--perhaps even weeks--to spend roa at her leisure

Then she would return and be the dutiful daughter evermore

Mariko sed She could al the tip of her tongue

Again a cool breeze cut through the air, twisting her hair in another frenzy The light scent of camellia oil filled her nostrils The oil used to ta her

Hattori Mariko could not roairl fro Not tothe best trackers in the eone in his search, without question That was how it had always been Though Kenshin was only a few moments older than Mariko, he had cared for her--watched out for her--since they were children

Her brother would find her Of that there was no question