InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Weekend Interlude ❯ Sanctuary ( Chapter 2 )

Red Falcon

red_falcon[at]yahoo.com

 

Chapter 2:

 

Kagome woke with a start. She did not recognize anything around her, but the room was nice and she appeared to be safe. Shippou made a noise in his throat and rolled over before quieting again. Kagome smiled at the sleeping kit and moved to stand up.

 

The girl hissed as her feet swung down to touch the floor. Surprised, she looked down and realized her feet were covered in bulky white bandages. Kagome frowned. She couldn't seem to remember how those got there. The door across from her opened suddenly and she gasped in surprise.

 

“Wazzat?!” Shippou jerked awake and looked around blearily.

 

Sesshoumaru stepped slowly through the doorway. His golden eyes looked down on Kagome with little emotion. He moved to the side and let the slight raven youkai pass.

 

“The raven will help you tend yourself. You will join me in my study when you are through.” At the end of his words, Sesshoumaru swept out of the room.

 

The doors shut behind him leaving Kagome and Shippou alone with the girl. The raven laid a simple, but elegant jade kimono on a lounge chair. Kagome drew back slightly as the youkai girl approached the bed.

 

“You will wish to bathe, I presume,” the girl said reaching for Kagome's arm to assist her.

 

“Um, yeah, that would be nice.” Kagome said noticing the dirt and scratches along her body and what was left of her pajamas. She scooted to the edge of the bed and leaned on the helping arm of the raven. She stood with some difficulty and began the tedious chore of walking.

 

The bathing room had a sunken pool with spring water that constantly refreshed itself. The raven helped Kagome to sit on a small ledge and remove the bandages and then her clothes. The girl then quietly slipped out of the room saying she would return in half an hour's time with food.

 

Kagome sighed and slipped into the water while Shippou scampered into the room, excitedly. He hurriedly removed his clothes and quickly jumped in after the miko.

 

“Ah, this is nice,” Kagome sighed.

 

“Yeah it is!” Shippou exclaimed diving under the water.

 

Kagome leaned back into the side and closed her eyes. She was trying rather valiantly to ignore the throbbing in her feet, but when she saw the blood covered bandages, she couldn't seem to block it out. She couldn't remember injuring herself. Of course she also couldn't remember putting shoes on before Inuyasha told her to run, either.

 

“Kagome? Are you okay, do you need help?” Shippou asked.

 

“Oh, I'm alright. Do you think you could hand me the soaps over there,” she said gesturing towards the bottles on the wall. Shippou nodded and hopped out of the pool. Kagome reached out and took the soap from the kit's hands and poured some into her hands. She dipped it into the water to lather up and began washing.

 

“Shippou, what happened while I was asleep?” Kagome asked as she cleaned her hair.

 

“Well, you kind of fainted into Sesshoumaru and he had to carry you here. The girl cleaned your feet and then I fell asleep, but his house is really cool!” Shippou exclaimed with the enthusiasm that only a child can produce.

 

“Oh, um, okay,” Kagome blushed, glad she was unconscious for that part of the trip. She ducked under the water to rinse her hair.

 

Kagome finished bathing and tried to dry herself off with much difficulty. Shippou, being his helpful self, attempted to steady her, but was only getting in her way. The raven girl reentered the room with food as Kagome finished dressing.

 

“Goodness!” she exclaimed. “Sit down and let me dress your feet before you get dirt in them.” Kagome did as she was told as the girl reached for a small jar of salve.

 

“Are my feet okay?”

 

“In another day or two, they will be fine. This is a special blend developed by the Inu clan's matriarch. The master makes it himself as he will not share the recipe.” The girl finished rubbing in the cream and wrapped Kagome's feet.

 

“Sesshoumaru made this?” The raven looked up, startled by Kagome's informal use of her master's name.

 

“Yes,” the girl answered as she tied the bandages off and cut the ends with her claws. “I will leave you now. The master's study is just through those doors. He will be waiting.”

 

“Thank you.” Kagome said. The girl just bobbed her head and slipped out of the door.

 

“So do you want something to eat, Shippou?”

 

~<>~

 

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West, sat at his desk and stared. Actually, he contemplated. As the lord of the lands, he was expected to act in ways that befit his station. Harboring a miko was not on any list he could produce. He could hear the girl's voice through the door and the kit's cheerful replies. Sesshoumaru frowned at the soft laughter of the girl.

 

Sesshoumaru sat back in his chair and rubbed his hand across his forehead in an uncharacteristic movement. The girl would cause nothing but problems for him. His house was already gossiping about who the miko was. The clatter of dishes brought Sesshoumaru back to himself. He bent back to the paperwork he had been trying to read and waited for the girl to enter.

 

~<>~

 

Kagome sighed as Shippou saved her the effort and cleaned up the dishes. He made a horrible racket, but at least he tried. She looked around the bed and found a pair of light shoes waiting for her. She slipped them on to protect her feet.

 

“Are you okay, Kagome?” Shippou asked hopping up to sit next to the girl.

 

“I'm a little confused, but I'm alright. Are we supposed to just walk in there?” She asked, watching Shippou swing his legs off the edge of the bed. The kit just shrugged.

 

“Well, I guess we will, then.” Kagome stood slowly and made her way to the door. Shippou jumped up after her. The doors opened for her and the pair walked through.

 

Kagome gasped at the sight of all the books lining the walls. Books and scrolls, she amended. From the ornate desk in the center of the room, Sesshoumaru looked up at her.

 

“I trust you are well?” he asked.

 

“Um, yes, thank you.” Kagome nodded nervously.

 

“Sit.”

 

Kagome moved slowly towards the chair he gestured at. She watched, slightly bemused at the papers littering his desk. Watching him do something as mundane as order the papers and set them aside seemed surreal.

 

“There are some things you must understand.” Sesshoumaru started, watching the girl. Satisfied that he had her attention, he continued. “Sanctuary is complicated. Under normal circumstances, you would be under my protection until your death. Your life belongs to me.”

 

“No! I can't belong to you!” Kagome sputtered in surprise. Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow at her outburst and she quieted. He could see her fume slightly at his proclamation.

 

“Did you not give your life to me to protect?” Sesshoumaru demanded, arrogance beginning to stain his tone. He could see the flush rising on her cheeks in mild embarrassment. “I see. Well then, let me continue.” he said coldly. “There are a lot of politics involved with this, but due to my brother, I can avoid most of them.”

 

“But…”

 

“Silence, miko.” he interrupted, golden eyes flashing. “As you are mine, I can do with you whatever I please.” Kagome's eyes widened in horror. “Calm yourself. I have no intention of taking you to my bed.” Kagome fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve in her unease.

 

“If that was your version of a joke, it wasn't funny,” Kagome said in a strained voice.

 

“Do you believe this Sesshoumaru would make jokes?” He asked with a suspicious glint in his golden eyes.

 

“You're mocking me!” Kagome exclaimed incredulously.

 

“I assure you, I would do no such thing. Now,” he said, getting back to business, “due to my return, my staff has returned to their own homes. This will serve the dual purpose of keeping them from running afoul of your spiritual powers. You will stay till your feet are well enough for you to return to my brother.”

 

“I thought I belonged to you?” Kagome snapped, irritated at the youkai in front of her.

 

“Much to my dismay, my brother is still part of my house. Under his protection is still under the jurisdiction of my house.” Sesshoumaru frowned at her insolent behavior. Kagome gulped.

 

“Why would you protect me?” Kagome asked.

 

“Naraku has been a thorn in my side for some time. Your power is needed,” Sesshoumaru said leaning back in his chair.

 

“Oh,” Kagome sighed. Too much like his brother, she thought, peering up at the lord.

 

“What about me?” Shippou piped up from his chair.

 

Whatever answer Sesshoumaru would have made was interrupted by the entrance of a small human girl.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin has picked these flowers to make your desk pretty!” The small girl was covered in filth, but wore the happiest grin Kagome could imagine, considering her guardian. The girl skipped up to the desk and placed a bowl with a few crushed flowers on its surface.

 

“Rin, you are dirty.”

 

“Sorry,” the girl ducked her head and looked at the floor. “It was hot outside and the stream was cool.”

 

“Go wash yourself and go to the kitchen,” Sesshoumaru said. He placed his hand on her head. The girl beamed at him and skipped back out of the room.

 

Kagome exchanged a glance with the kit next to her. Even from her position, Kagome could see he was pleased by the gift.

 

~<>~