InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Fateful Encounter ❯ Chapter 3

Thank you for all of the reviews! Sorry that this took a while to get out. I didn't want to leave people hanging with that cliffhanger for this long. Enjoy! ~ Akihana

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its associated content.

 

Chapter 3

 

She felt consciousness drift back to her in waves, first aware of the softness and feeling of coolness that surrounded her body, and then aware of the unwelcome throbbing in her head, eye, and other bruised areas.

 

She whimpered quietly at the ache, and tried to move her hand up to inspect the damage to her eye, but her hand was stuck and wouldn't move. Blearily confused, she opened her good eye slowly, squinting at the light.

 

It's daytime? I must have slept right through the night. Wait, where am I?

 

Quite a bit more confused than before, she focused on waiting for her eye to adjust to the light, and was more than a little surprised to see the human monk from before watching her serenely.

 

“Good morning,” he said smoothly, leaning slightly forward. “How are you feeling?”

 

Kagome blinked at him, only to realize that such a movement hurt when one eye was swollen shut, and swallowed carefully.

 

“Miroku-sama?” she queried softly.

 

He smiled gently. “I am glad that a young lady as pretty as yourself remembered my name, my lovely maiden, although I am worried about your physical condition. You were in quite a mess when Inuyasha brought you here.”

 

Kagome swallowed hard. “Inuyasha brought me…where?”

 

“The castle, of course. This is the fortress of the dog demons, and both Inuyasha and myself currently reside within its walls.”

 

Kagome was certainly startled. “But…but I haven't heard of this place before. How far am I from my village?”

 

Miroku appeared to be thinking, and finally answered. “By normal human methods, most likely several days away. However, from the perspective of your village this castle is in the opposite direction of the imperial capital, so most humans don't tend to pass this way.”

 

Kagome remembered the bandits, who had most likely come from the same direction, and shuddered. The road to the north of them was largely untravelled and considered highly dangerous. How am I going to get home? She worried to herself, knowing that she couldn't cover that distance on her own.

 

Miroku evidently picked up on her worries, because he waved a hand indulgently. “Don't worry about any of this now. What you need to focus on now is your recovery, and we'll deal with the rest of this later.”

 

Kagome still had a great many questions for him, but she saw that he was trying to end the conversation, so she let it rest.

 

Miroku stood and smoothed out his robes, and his movement allowed her a chance to study her surroundings. She was in a clean room that looked like it came from a palace, because the walls were smoothed screens, with one divider in the center of the room with beautiful designs of cranes and pines. She lay in an actual futon, with clean sheets and bright embroidery, which lay directly upon the polished, smoothed wooden floor. It looked like the main guest room in the village headman's house, though this room was in better condition and made with higher quality materials.

 

I really am in a castle, she thought wondrously to herself.

 

The realization that Miroku was speaking drew her from her thoughts.

 

“I will inform Inuyasha that you have arisen. Please stay in the bed though, because otherwise he will be angry with me for allowing you to possibly injure yourself further.” With a sheepish smile and a small bow, he ducked out of the room.

 

Kagome pursed her lips in annoyance. I want to get up now just because he said not to, but my head really isn't in the condition for it. Grudgingly admitting that it was probably best for her to stay firmly where she couldn't lose her balance and fall over, she settled down and closed her eye to try to soothe her aching head.

 

It felt like her eyes had only been closed a moment before a quick step was heard outside and without warning the door to the room slid open, followed closely by her brash savior.

 

Inuyasha entered the room with all the bluster and confidence that she had been used to associate with him, through she thought that she saw him droop slightly when his eyes fell onto her. Without preamble he sat down at the side of her bedding, folded his hands into his long, draping sleeves, and proceeded to stare at her.

 

Very disconcerted by his sheer brazen confidence mixed with the lack of tact in entering the room while ignoring her, Kagome wasn't sure what to say to him. She didn't want to get into a scrape with him, because she wasn't in the condition to fight equally. However, he didn't seem to be in the mood to start a conversation, and didn't try to bother her.

 

Finally Kagome's curiosity got the better of her and she started asking him questions.

 

“Inuyasha, why did you bring me here after I blacked out?”

 

He frowned, but replied nonetheless. “It was too dangerous in that village. If roving bandits can enter whenever they want and your own village won't defend you then it ain't safe for you to stay there.”

 

“But what about the rest of the village?” she asked, slightly panicked. “If you took down some of the bandits then the rest of them might slaughter my village!”

 

He gave her a piercing look, and neatly dodged the question. “Would you have rather that I left you there? One little human bitch can't compete against an armed man, let alone a whole group of them. You would—!” he seemed to change his mind, and stopped speaking.

 

Kagome became introspective, well aware that if he hadn't come she would most likely either be dead or wishing to be so. The painful marks on her flesh only served as a reminder of this.

 

“I don't want to sound ungrateful,” she said softly. “Thank you for rescuing me, Inuyasha. I know what kind of situation I would have been in if you hadn't come for me.”

 

Inuyasha also seemed to soften as he heard this, though within moments his barriers were back up.

 

“Keh, if you weren't so weak this wouldn't have happened. I can't turn away for a second before you get yourself into trouble, bitch.”

 

Flushing with anger, Kagome felt the urge to confront him with his long absence, but decided not to sink to his level. He had been worried for her, and even though she could scarcely have imagined it before he had protected her, and he was still protecting her while she was wounded. She softened again, and sent a small smile his way, which seemed to get under his guard better than any verbal barb would have.

 

“Thank you for watching out for me. I'll try to be more careful when I get back home.”

 

He frowned in response to this, and his expression clouded, though he didn't say anything.

 

Kagome tried to press her point. “How long is it to walk back to my village? I can stick to the side roads to avoid any dangerous people, though I would be grateful for a few rations to help me get back home.”

 

Nervously shifting, he didn't respond immediately. However, when he did bring his gaze up to meet hers, she was surprised to see steel in his amber eyes.

 

“You aren't going back to that village anymore.”

 

“What do you mean?” Kagome asked, her voice higher than normal.

 

“I can't watch out for you when you're there, and I won't make that mistake again. You're going to stay here.”

 

Kagome was surprised to say the least. “W-w-what?” she stammered out. “What am I going to do here? I'm just a poor girl, with no family, so what use could I be?”

 

Inuyasha didn't hold her gaze and began to study the floor. “We're working on it. Don't worry about it.”

 

“That's not an answer!”

 

“Fine, bitch! We're probably going to find a servant's position for you here, with one of the ladies.”

 

Kagome wasn't convinced. “This seems like a lot of trouble to go to for a servant. Wouldn't I be stepping on a lot of toes if I got a position here? Not to mention that this room and this attention is way too luxurious for that of a potential servant.”

 

Inuyasha turned red, whether from embarrassment or anger she couldn't quite tell.

 

“Just get better! You're useless like this anyway,” he growled. He backed up so that he could lean against the wall, clearly trying to communicate that the conversation was over. Kagome chose to oblige him. He was clearly hiding things from her, but her head hurt too much to try to get the information out of him.

 

They stayed like that for what felt like at least an hour, until footsteps approached the room and revealed themselves to belong to Miroku and an old woman.

 

The old woman was carrying a basket, and Miroku was holding what appeared to be a tray with a bowl of something that smelled delicious and tea. Realizing that it must be around lunchtime, she tried to sit up carefully. There was a quick motion from Inuyasha, which he tried to hide when she successfully managed to sit up by herself.

 

Miroku set the tray down and then cleared his throat. “This is Kaede, who works in the infirmary of this fortress.”

 

Kaede nodded, and carefully took Kagome's chin in her hands to turn her head from side to side. Her wizened lips were pursed, and her one eye, for the other was covered with a patch, was narrowed. She harrumphed, and reached for her basket.

 

“I'll apply a cool cloth on the worst of the bruising, child, and you should drink the tea. I put painkilling medicine in it. You must have a headache.”

 

“Thank you,” Kagome said. “Pardon my asking, but what did you make the tea from?”

 

Kaede gave her a curious look, and recited the ingredients. Kagome nodded to herself, noting that she would have used the same. Kaede seemed even more curious about this reaction, and asked her about it.

 

Kagome smiled shyly. “I know a little of plants.”

 

Kaede seemed about to ask more, but was cut off by Miroku.

 

“If Kaede-sama would excuse me, you should eat this while it is hot.” Kaede made no signs of dissent, so Miroku pushed the food closer to Kagome. It revealed itself to be a piece of grilled fish resting atop some greens as well as a bowl of rice and some soup.

 

Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of so much food at once, and shot a nervous glance at Miroku.

 

“This all is for me?”

 

“Eat it already.” Inuyasha broke in from his position on the wall, looking rather put out.

 

Kagome chose not to speculate on his mood and made quick work of the food, after which she sipped the hot tea. Once she had finished that as well Kaede made her lay back down and began placing cold cloths on her swollen eye and other bruising. Kagome felt the ache almost immediately ease.

 

“Your name is Kagome, am I correct, child?” Kaede asked.

 

“Yes.” Kagome agreed.

 

“I presume these two men have not told you many details, have they?” Kaede queried dryly.

 

Inuyasha growled under his breath, but didn't interfere. Confused, Kagome assented.

 

“If possible, I would like to go home,” she said, though internally she was filled with doubt. Inuyasha's previous arguments had hit home, and she was beginning to seriously question whether she wanted to go back to her village.

 

The image of her family's home in the mountains, and their graves left to seed by the village floated to the surface of her mind.

 

I have to go home. My family will be saddened if no one cares for their graves, and I don't have a reason to stay here. I can deal with the reactions of the villagers…

 

Kagome shuddered. Even if the bandits had run off, or had been done in by Inuyasha, it was highly unlikely that the village would take her back in. They had barely done it when her family's house had been burned, and now that she was known to have a connection with some otherworldly creature, not to mention her dealings with the bandits, she doubted that they would shelter her, especially traveling back from the northern roads.

 

Oh, what am I going to do about the graves?

 

Despairing, she didn't notice that Kaede had apparently asked her a question.

 

“I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.” She said sheepishly, trying to push down her worries for now.

 

Kaede frowned, and repeated herself. “From what it sounds like, home is not a safe place for you. We can offer you shelter here, and I have been in need of an assistant for some time. These youkai don't tend to worry about injuries, but there are definitely some things that require the attention of a healer.”

 

Kagome blinked rapidly. “Are there more humans here?” she asked.

 

“There are a number.” Miroku answered nonchalantly, playing with his rosary.

 

Kaede nodded. “And from what you asked before, I can see that there would be great benefit to training you in the healing arts.”

 

“But, but—” Kagome cut in.

 

“Just let us take care of you, stubborn wench.” Inuyasha growled from the wall.

 

Both Kaede and Miroku shot him looks, but didn't comment. Kagome took the chance to sit up, the cloths falling from her forehead into her lap.

 

“I really need to go home, Inuyasha!” she cried. “My family is buried there, and I don't want them to be left alone!” She sent a pleading look his way.

 

For his part, Inuyasha did seem a bit discomfited by this information. Both Miroku and Kaede seemed to be waiting for him to say something, and Kagome looked close to tears.

 

“Whenever you want to go visit the graves, I'll take you. You just have to stay and live here where we can keep an eye on you,” Inuyasha stated finally, eyes averted.

 

Kagome felt something of a weight lift from her chest. She didn't truly have any desire to see any of the villagers or the village again, as long as she could maintain the connection to her family's spirits. This way they would be appeased, but she could still learn more about healing.

 

She laid herself back down ad placed the cold cloth back over her eye, grimacing at the damp spot it had left on the covers.

 

Kaede showed no signs of leaving her charge, and neither did the two men. Silence dominated, though eventually the men began to talk about things she didn't quite follow, and Kaede took the opportunity to ask her more about her knowledge of herb lore. Even though her head was aching Kagome was very pleased to discover that Kaede was very knowledgeable and experienced, and they chatted for a long time about various plants and medicines.

 

Finally Kaede determined that Kagome's bruising did not warrant confinement to her bed, and that some exercise would be a good idea. She slyly suggested that the men show her some of the castle, and then bring her down to the infirmary so that they could figure out what to do about her quarters. Inuyasha was not pleased about her getting up and moving around so soon, but seeing that Kagome approved of the idea, as it appeared the pain killing tea had kicked in, he gave in, grumbling. Miroku was a much more gracious host, offering his hand to help her stand, which attracted more growling from the hanyou.

 

“Really Inuyasha, if you are not going to help this fine young lady to stand then I don't see why I shouldn't!” Miroku protested in annoyance. Kagome mentally rolled her eyes, knowing that doing so outwardly would probably attract more wrath from her ill-humored protector.

 

“First of all, I shall need both of you to wait outside.” Kaede cut in firmly.

 

Both men looked at her curiously.

 

Kaede looked at them with the beginnings of annoyance. “Kagome needs to change out of that sleeping robe into something more suitable, and I think she would not appreciate your presence during the process,” she said dryly.

 

Miroku's eyes lit up, though he was stopped from vocalizing any of his thoughts as a pink-cheeked Inuyasha grabbed him by the front of his robes and dragging him bodily from the room. After the door closed there was the sound of a thump of flesh on flesh, and the beginnings of a barely audible argument outside.

 

Kaede sighed. “Honestly…”

 

She held out a simple kimono and obi for Kagome, who quickly stripped out of her sleeping yukata and put the kimono on. Kaede then exchanged the robe for a pair of tabi, which Kagome sat down to pull onto her feet. After some quick finger combing of her tangled locks she was able to pull it back and tie it with a strip of cloth. When she was presentable they opened the door and came outside, to discover a slightly wounded Miroku and Inuyasha red now more with anger than embarrassment.

 

“Let's go,” he said curtly, tucking his arms into his sleeves and abruptly turning and striding down the corridor. He paused when he reached the end of the hall to wait for Kaede's slower gait and Kagome's halting steps, and when he started walking again he moved noticeably slower.

 

Before Kagome realized it they had entered the infirmary. It was an open, airy room, looking out onto a peaceful garden. There were several futons laid out, along with one corner clearly marked out for the doctor's use with a table and tools and bandages arranged within reach.

 

“Here we are,” Kaede said. “This is the main room in the infirmary. My private quarters are the next set of rooms over, in case of some emergency. That will also be where we will put you up.”

 

Kagome noted the empty beds and the medicines all arranged close at hand and turned puzzlingly to Kaede. “Why wasn't I brought here at first? All the medicines are in here.”

 

Miroku smiled “Inuyasha insisted that you be given the utmost care and consideration, and was worried that the ordinary infirmary might not be private enough.” He turned towards Inuyasha in anticipation of the other's reaction, and was rewarded by a sharp “shut it, monk” from the hanyou.

 

Kaede rolled her eyes at the pair of them, well used to Miroku's baiting of Inuyasha's volatile temper, but noted with interest that Kagome looked carefully at Inuyasha, and then turned her eyes down with pink cheeks. She knew that Inuyasha was unusually taken with this girl from the extraordinary attention he paid to her comfort and care, but she had been concerned about how much of the attention was reciprocated.

 

Especially after his last disaster, she thought to herself. Well, she would have plenty of time for observation, seeing as the girl would be working under her, and hopefully she would be able to either encourage or separate them if either proved to be necessary.

 

“How soon shall we start?” Kagome asked Kaede, drawing her from her musings.

 

“You still need to rest!” Inuyasha cut in. “You only just got up, dammit, and we need to make sure that you're fine before you go and make yourself worse.”

 

“I feel fine! The tea helped, and I don't want to just lie around all day. I need to repay you for your help.”

 

“Repay me by resting and getting better! If you hurt yourself more you're just going to cause more trouble that you already are! Don't be so stubborn, wench!”

 

“Don't call me wench! My name is Kagome!”

 

“I wouldn't call you stubborn, wench, if you were being reasonable. We've shown you the infirmary, now you should rest.”

 

Miroku interrupted. “What about seeing other parts of the castle? Inuyasha, we promised to show her around.”

 

Inuyasha scowled. “Screw that. We can do it tomorrow, when more of your wounds have healed and you can walk properly.”

 

“I can so walk properly!” Kagome jutted in.

 

“All this noise I'm sure is making Kagome's head worse.” Kaede interjected blandly, which got the desired reaction.

 

Inuyasha blanched, and kicked at the ground in annoyance. “Fine,” he mumbled, “I'll take you to one place. That's it though!”

 

Kagome looked curiously at Kaede, wondering how the woman had grown so adept at handling the rude, short-tempered hanyou. She would definitely have to take note of her methods for future use, especially since Inuyasha seemed inclined to involve himself in her affairs.

 

Inuyasha led them back out into the hallway and past several rooms, finally settling on one door and throwing it open. The group found themselves in a wide room with the dividing panels between the room and the veranda already open, allowing them a view of an elegant garden, complete with a small waterfall tumbling over moss covered rocks and surrounded by daintily shaped evergreens.

 

Delighted by the sight, Kagome took several steps forward. She had never seen such orchestrated beauty, only the natural scenery around her home village, and was amazed by what a human hand could add to natural beauty.

 

She was quite content to gaze at the garden for several minutes, before she realized that a small table was set out with tea and small cakes in the room itself, explaining why it was left open for viewing. She glanced curiously at Inuyasha, who had followed her gaze to the wooden table but did not acknowledge it as his own doing.

 

Miroku took the liberty of answering the unspoken question. “Most likely some other resident of the castle asked for the room to be prepared, in which case we should not linger excessively.”

 

As if on cue, a tall youkai swept proudly into the room. Kagome gasped. He and Inuyasha were clearly related, from their distinctly colored hair and eyes, although they did not acknowledge each other.

 

This taller youkai's eyes looked over their party in a bored way, but stopped and sharpened upon her. She quailed under his gaze, her insides clenching as though she had been caught somewhere she wasn't meant to be, but then he looked away in apparent disinterest and focused on Inuyasha, who had remained leaning against the wall while the rest of them entered the room.

 

They did not speak, but the expression of the youkai shifted into something close to mocking, and he raised his hand in an elegant, sweeping gesture telling them to be gone. Inuyasha's brows furrowed and he looked as though he was about to speak, but Miroku clamped his hand down on the hanyou's shoulder and spoke in his stead.

 

“Pardon our intrusion, Sesshoumaru-sama. We were just leaving.”

 

Kagome followed Kaede out through the door, noting that Inuyasha stared belligerently at this youkai for a few moments before following after them, pointedly not closing the door after himself. The other three had headed back in the direction towards the infirmary, but he abruptly turned away from them and strode off in the opposite direction and was soon out of sight behind a turn in the hallway.

 

Once he was out of earshot both Miroku and Kaede sighed, exchanged looks, and then Miroku bade his farewell and went off in the same direction as the hanyou, leaving Kaede to guide her young charge back to her new residence.

 

Kagome was bursting with questions, but Kaede seemed pensive and distant, so Kagome chose not to bother her at the moment. There would be plenty of time later to ask about the politics of the castle, Inuyasha's history and position, and why his relationship with someone seemingly powerful was both familiar and unfriendly.