InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bewitched ❯ Chapter seven ( Chapter 8 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: MIztikal_Dragon 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Angst / / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.03.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.5K | Visits: 408 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Angst / / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.03.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.5K | Visits: 408 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, so please dont sue me!!!!
OMFG I'm updating! lol I know that it's taken me almost three months to get this chapter out but please be assured I wasn't waiting on reviews! I was really having a hard time with this story until July 2nd, and to back me up you can ask some of the readers who were online with me at the time... I had coffee and the writer's block left me alone so I beat it like a nazi farmer and typed until my mom got ants in her pants because Tennis was over! And I finished it at 9:30a.m. on the 3rd!
I don't know when the next time I'll be able to update, I'm actually writting this on the computer as I go and it's been really rough with everything that has been going on and stuff... So please forgive me and read this really freaking long chatper!
Bewitched
By Miztikal-Dragon
Chapter Seven
Morning came earlier than expected, but it was going to be one of those days that many people would never forget. Mama Higurashi had been up at her normal time beginning the task of making breakfast and grandpa looking at his books admiringly when there came a knock at the door. It was an unusual time for guests, but they were always welcomed in the small house. Wiping her hands on her apron, Mama Higurashi quickly went to her door to answer it, some considered it rude if guests were made to wait long. Opening the wooden door, the middle aged woman smiled at the rather elegant minister standing in front of her with a bible in his hands.
“Why hello Naraku,” her voice was light and cheerful. “What brings ye here so early? Ye come for a nice hot breakfast?”
The cold look in his eyes made Mama Higurashi cower back, and she was able to see the man behind Naraku with a pair of shackles hanging menacingly in his hand at his side. Horrible thoughts came to her mind and she suspected the worst as she stared in confusion at the court officials, they were here for business and by the looks of it, it wasn’t any kind of good business.
“Mama Higurashi,” his deep monotone voice was just as cold as his dark black eyes. “We have come here under the name of god and the holy spirit because there is a said witch harboring inside your home.”
“Ye must be mistaken!” Mama Higurashi gasped as she placed her hand over her heart. “There ain’t no witches here I promise ye!”
“May we come in Mama Higurashi?” Naraku didn’t really ask, as he stepped closer to the middle aged woman.
She didn’t say another word as she opened her door to the two men and invited them inside. Closing the door behind them, she rushed to get some tea boiling, the conversation would probably be put on hold until there was a pot made. Mama Higurashi practically scalded herself in efforts to quickly make the tea, but when her father came into the room and shook his head, she knew that there would be no tea made in the house today, business was coming first. Wiping the cold perspiration from her brow, Mama Higurashi headed back into the room where Naraku and the Pratt neighbor from down the road were patiently sitting, yep, business was coming to town.
“There must be an awful mistake,” She told them. “One awful mean mistake, there ain’t no witches in this here house and there ain’t never has been either.”
“Ma’am,” Pratt said softly. “There is a witness who says he saw yer daughter sneaking out yer home occasionally almost every night and go into the forest in her nightgown.”
“Now we are nice folk in this small town,” Naraku was unforgiving even with his voice calm. “And Kagome is someone everyone cherishes, but we will not tolerate a young beautiful girl selling her soul to the devil! We have had almost forty years of peace in this town and if we have to we will begin that very search for witchcraft again.”
“Bu--”
“Mama Higurashi,” Naraku said patting the middle aged woman on her hand. “I know that this is hard for you to understand, but trust me when I say this, this is what is best for your family. Don’t condemn yourself because you have a corrupt child.”
Silent tears rolled down her face, they were wrong, she wasn’t condemning herself because she “has” a corrupt child, but because she knew exactly what will happen if it continues. Grandpa was in the hall listening to all what was said and he was horrified, the minister had come once before and taken his wife, and shot his only son for trying to interfere. Grandpa knew now that there was something up, that the only thing corrupt was the house of god. Anger pulsed throughout his body and wanted to yell and scream at the two men invading is house with their filth, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t physically possible for him anymore, and he didn’t want to cause anymore trouble for his daughter, he didn’t want her to lose everything.
“How can ye say that it’s my daughter is corrupt, ye know her!” She was frantic to prove her only child innocent. “She comes to yer house everyday! How can ye say this!”
“Now listen ma’am,” Pratt said becoming annoyed. “Koga said that se saw yer daughter going into the woods, hell he said he saw her dancing with the devil himself! If ye can’t get that into yer brain then yer the one letting it happen! Yer the one letting the devil have her innocence and that means yer just as guilt as she!”
“We have a warrant,” Naraku told her bluntly. “And whether you like it or not, we’ve come to take Kagome with us. You have no choice in this matter and you will be shot if you try and stop us. This town does not take witchcraft too kindly and you should know exactly what I mean when I say this. So don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
Naraku and Pratt rose to their feet and headed straight to where the rooms were located, there were only three so their search wouldn’t be long. Naraku was in front as he opened the door, and stepped inside carefully, since she was accused, anything was possible. Finding nothing in the room, he waved his hand and headed out of the room and across to the next one. Going inside the two men found noting and they knew that Kagome would most likely be in the last room. Naraku was anxious to see the beauty sleeping and he quietly opened the door, there was no need to be loud, right now.
Stepping inside, he glanced around carefully until he saw her form on the bed and he frowned, the way she was laying was unnerving. Pratt handed over the shackles to Naraku on command and the minister calmly went up to the teenagers bed with an eerie silence.
~~oOo~~
Hours had passed since the incident in the Higurashi home and now Kagome lay silently in a cold cell in the center of the town. Naraku hadn’t been gentle when he shook her to consciousness only to slap shackles on her wrists. At first she had struggled, loudly screaming her innocence as the two men dragged her from her home, but with the disapproving gazes of the neighbors from their doorways, Kagome gave up and let them take her away. It didn’t take long for them to take her to her cell, it would serve to be her home until the trial and the trial would be held whenever Naraku deemed fit, the next day maximum.
Kagome wanted to cry as she gazed half heartedly at the ceiling of her cell, she couldn’t believe that Koga had turned on her, but yet again she had lied to him. Even more she didn’t understand why InuYasha had brought her home, he knew the consequences for her actions, but he still left her to the blood-thirsty wolves. The hay under her was uncomfortable and the nightgown she wore clung to her flesh, she was freezing. It was as if she was laying on snow she was so cold and the thin blanket that was given to her was of no use since the hole in it was larger than her head. There was no heat to spare and since the cell she was currently residing in had a small barred window it let the cold from outside seep in and infect her with its icy grasp.
Letting a rather large sigh escape her throat, Kagome hugged her knees trying to preserve the heat, if she continued on like this she would certainly die. The sun was setting and soon the darkness would take over and she was certain that she would be lucky to make it through the night. Covering her mouth as a rough coughing fit took its strong hold, she mentally cursed herself and then her silver hair “hero”, it was partly his fault why she had ended up in the drafty and sickeningly disgusting cell.
Minutes droned on and Kagome could feel the heavy tug of her eyelashes as she fought against sleep, she wasn’t ready to welcome it yet, not into her body or her heart. Sleep was like the darkness and once found it would never leave and she feared that she would live the rest of her days in the rotting cell, or by another means that Naraku found fit. It was heart-wrenching to think about. Blinking back her tears, Kagome wrapped the thin blanket closer around her person, trying her hardest to fight against her sadness and the cold creeping upon her, she had to be strong if not for herself then for her family.
The rustling of feet on concrete like floor brought her from her angst-ridded mind and cautiously glancing over her shoulder she saw the outline of someone a few feet away from the barred cell that trapped her like a rat. Sniffling, Kagome closed her tired brown eyes and sighed heavily, she wished that who ever her visitor was would go away, she was in no condition to see people and listen to them condemn her or try to save her.
“Kagome my dear I know that you’re awake,” his voice was low and entrancing, but she wouldn’t allow herself to fall victim to his games.
“Go away Naraku,” She bluntly said curling into a ball and trying her hardest to ignore the devilish man who had put her in her cage.
“I would but pressing matters must be spoken of first my love,” He told her softly, as he neared her cell. “I have made your trial for tomorrow at around noon Kagome---”
“Oh goody,” She replied sarcastically, her back still facing him. “Now I get the whole village to scream inappropriate things about me while I’m persecuted for absolutely no reason and I’ll still be found guilty beyond reasonable doubt no matter what I do.”
His laughter sent a shiver up her spine, he was mocking her, but Kagome had no will to bark at him for it. All she wanted was to curl up in a ball tighter than what she was currently doing and disappear into nothingness. Hell she wished that she really was a witch like everyone claimed because if she was then she could have used her “evil black magic” to get herself out of the cell and away from the village, but alas that like everything was impossible at the moment.
“That isn’t all true you know Kagome my dear,” Naraku’s tone was lower than before which meant he was a man of business, a man of trade and Kagome could immediately feel the impending doom that churned in her stomach as well as the bile in the back of her throat. “I know a way that you can avoid a trial altogether and not one villager will ever believe that this charade will have happened. Everything so far will be like a nightmare and you can live your life out like a lady should, with a small price of course.”
Ah, like every story, there was a silver lining.
“What do you mean?” Kagome turned around to meet his black eyed gaze and held the think blanket closer to her form as she sat up, half-heartedly interested in his words.
“What I mean of course is that you become my wife Kagome,” His smile was predatory and she knew that she was like a mouse cowering in front of a hungry tabby cat. “If you just say yes to my proposal everything that has happened in the last few short months will be forgotten and stricken from every record and your crime will be nothing, gone like the leaves in the winter. All will be forgotten and forgiven if you’ll become my wife.”
As tempting as his offer didn’t sound, there was no way that Kagome would allow herself to accept it. There was no way that she would give up everything that she believed in, that her grandmother had instilled in her backbone just to save herself from the intense gaze of the Puritan magistrate and from the eyes of god himself. Letting a frown cover her face, Kagome glared at the man merely a yard or two away from her, his pale skin was like ice and his body was like a sword of betrayal, to wed him was like marrying the devil and she had no intention of ever letting a man like him touch her in a way only a husband should.
It was a hard laugh that came from Kagome’s lips as she glanced around the room haphazardly, some things were making sense now that she thought about it and she couldn’t help but look a little crazier than what she felt. After Naraku’s proposal it clicked inside her mind, it was the story that her grandmother used to tell her while laying in her bed waiting for sleep to overcome her and the same sad story that InuYasha had trusted her with, it was all of that and so much more. It was like a tale out of a story book, but somehow was now caught up in real life, the betrayal, the lust, the forbidden love, and the evil official, everything happened forty years in the past and now was reliving itself praying for a different ending that would never come.
“I cant do that,” she whispered barely audible for her to hear but somehow his eyes narrowed and Kagome knew that he had heard her. “I can’t believe that I didn’t realize it earlier than now I’m so foolish. I know what it means now and I can’t be your wife, there’s just no way.”
“And why not?” The anger was slowly seeping into his voice and it made a smile purse Kagome’s lips.
“Because Onigumo,” the sudden intake of air was from her companion and she knew that she had taken him for surprise. “If I married you I would be doing the very thing that Kikyo refused to do, I would be killing off something more than my mind, but my heart.”
“Your mind and your heart do not matter in this world my dear,” he was seething and the fire of his gaze burned holes in her person, but how she knew about his secret was something that he couldn’t figure out.
“Not to you or the world of men around Salem,” she was calm and even she didn’t know how she was doing it since the fear clutched her heart, Naraku was a monster and she could feel in deep down in her soul. “But there is a place out there where someone will be waiting and god will shine his good graces upon me and the way of my spirit.”
“That is nonsense!” Naraku was almost yelling at her, “You will never make it out of this village you vile little bitch! I will see to that! If you do not marry me then you will die and so will your serpent tongue! Kikyo did the same and that wretched InuYasha could do nothing to stop me! Neither will you because either way my dearest Kagome you will be silenced.”
And he turned on his heels and stormed out of the prison, the cold air sucking the air around her like a tornado’s vacuum. The lit candles around her flickered and extinguished themselves out leaving Kagome to her darkness and her decision would still not be wavered. All she had to do now was sit and wait to see what fate would next bring her. Laying back down, she let the fear she felt leave her body through silent tears slipping down her pale face, she would try and forget the heartache that left a wound the size of bowl in her chest.
~~oOo~~
InuYasha sat in his cave, the fire burning as bright as the sun, but he found no warmth in it. It was as if the world around him had ceased to exist, it was as if mother nature was cursing him for his actions. Thousands upon millions of rogue thoughts came to his mind as he sat there Indian style, his hands hidden in the opposite sleeves on his arms, he just couldn’t find it in himself to change his decision. He didn’t want to be the one who took everything away from Kagome no matter how big or small, and he knew he sounded like one big hypocrite. She wanted to love him and him to love her in return, but he had tossed the idea back in front of her face, he made her crumple to the floor earlier that morning and he hated himself for it.
How could he live knowing that the Kagome would live the rest of her life with Naraku, miserable as he felt because InuYasha had wanted her to live in Salem. It was a selfish action and he screamed at himself that they were justifiable, that he was doing the right thing, but why wasn’t he able to convince himself of that? Why did it feel as though he was making the worst mistake in the world by letting her slip through his fingers the way Kikyo had.
Kikyo
Her death plagued his mind like death and it hurt him to no end to know that there was no way that he could have saved her unless they had runaway together like they had originally planned. If things were done as planned before now Kagome would have never known him, she probably would have been happier, yet thinking this way made InuYasha’s heart ache even more so than the memories of losing Kikyo to Salem. How much more blood would have to be shed, how many more girls would have to die before Onigumo’s spirit left the town or Salem, or before Naraku would stop creating insecurity among villagers, arousing destructive hearts.
Night had fallen sooner than what he expected and it was too late for him to go hunting for his dinner, but it wasn’t like InuYasha was hunger, his stomach was feeling the exact opposite, he wanted to throw up for his ignorance. Getting to his feel as a lone wolf’s howl carried through the forest like a lost soul, InuYasha left the cold warmth of his cave in the direction of Salem. Even though he had said he’d never return there was something in his very being that told him otherwise, it was begging for him to go back and see Kagome at least one more time before making up his mind and condemning his heart for eternity. The crisp air burned his cheeks as well as his eyes, but he quickly trekked forward on the not so used path, he needed to be fast and stoic in order to go there and leave with his rational mind still in tact.
It hadn’t taken much time to get to the entrance of the forest, but mentally cursed his timing as he carefully watched the village men walk around as if it were still morning. He would have to wait and see what was going on before he could go and spy on Kagome’s home and hopefully he wouldn’t have to wait that long. Listening in on their conversations like an eavesdropping teenager, InuYasha was able to find out the worst thing in the world and his blood ran cold, the impossible had happened and it was like a slap in the face.
Kagome had been arrested for the suspicion of witchcraft.
Something inside of him snapped as he watched what he assumed to be Naraku walking down the street with a sneer on his face, he didn’t look so happy and the facial features made InuYasha’s breath hitched. Naraku looked remotely similar to Onigumo, but the man from his past had never had a wife no children, it was unnerving and it only made InuYasha more concerned for Kagome’s safety as well as her life. Getting to what he remembered to be the “prison” wasn’t as hard as he had originally believed it to be. Once Naraku had went inside a small dwelling the village men seemed to disappear almost instantly and it only added fuel to InuYasha’s already blazing fire. Something wasn’t right with that town official, he had an aura that screamed corruption, destruction, and pain and InuYasha felt sick just looking at the middle aged man.
InuYasha made sure to enter the prison undetected and headed in the direction of the cells. He knew that she’d be there, but he never expected to see what he found waiting for him. It was like he was repeating what he experienced with Kikyo all over again and it tugged at his heart almost to the point of tears, almost. Kagome looked like a sickly child laying there on the makeshift bed and a lump the size of a wild fruit appeared in his throat, he was lost for words. He wanted to yell and hurt the people who had done this to her, but that would risk her safety and there was no way that he was going to cause anymore damage than he already had in such a short time.
“Don’t you people know that visitors are--” Kagome’s voice was angry and low and as she turned around her frown immediately disappeared and her eyes widened in shock. “InuYasha!”
All the anger that she had once felt left her like a rush of water and she was speechless. How did InuYasha come to her? Why did he come? Thoughts like these ran through her mind endlessly, but the look on his face was something that she had never seen before, it was filled with shame, regret, and sadness. Slowly getting off her bed and onto her feet, Kagome went to where InuYasha stood so close to the cell bars and reached out to him, gently touching his clawed hands as if he was merely an illusion.
Her gasp was loud as she pulled him to her through the bars, her trembling fingers touching his face as if she feared she’d never see him again.
“Kagome are you okay?” He was hesitant, but held her as close to him as he could though the cell bars didn’t give much to work with.
“Oh god InuYasha,” Kagome sniffled fighting back her tears. “I’m going to die! Naraku’s set my trial for tomorrow and I know that there’s no way that I can get out of this--I--I don’t know what do to I’m so scared!”
“Don’t worry Kagome,” InuYasha told her trying his hardest to believe himself what he was going to say. “I’ll find a way to get you out. I’m so sorry.”
Nothing was said after that and the two of them basked in the silence and comfort of the other. Kagome knew that there wasn’t much of a shot when InuYasha said he’d help her, but she so desperately wanted to believe that he would that she let her mind believe it to keep from going insane with misery and depression, to keep from making the deal with Naraku. The two of them had to be strong for each other if so Kagome had the chance of making it out alive and without having to marry her way to freedom.
It wasn’t long after that did Inuyasha reluctantly pull away from Kagome and bid her farewell for the night, promising to try and think of a way out of the mess that he had created for her. Kagome did end up sleeping, but the moment she closed her eyes she was roughly being shaken awake by the volunteering village men, somehow time had passed by so quickly it was already time for her dreaded trial. They had tied her hands behind her back to be sure that she wouldn’t curse them and she was escorted to the court room where Naraku sat on his throne, a glare in his eyes that promised something more painful than death.
It was there that she tried her hardest not to look as guilty as everyone claimed her to be. She could feel the dagger like glares of everyone in the room, they were sentencing her to death before they could even blink, the people she thought she loved had turned against like they do the chickens they raise. Her prosecutor was her Pratt neighbor and not one thing out of his mouth resembled anything that she thought was possible from him. Everything he said was laced with anger and was made to show them how much of a monster Kagome was, and had always been. Of course she fought against his words, she fought until her throat was sore and raw, but none of it helped. Almost every time she tried to redeem herself the villagers that had come to witness the trial would scream out their own feelings, curses and hate filled voice would fill the courtroom for minutes at a time and Naraku would only listen with a victorious smirk on his face, he was enjoying watching her suffer.
Kagome already knew that the village believed she was a witch and that Naraku would make it in the record stating it as fact, but only Kagome knew the truth. As horrible as it was, Pratt seemed to make it worse by doing something that Kagome never thought was possible, he commanded that Koga, was brought into the courtroom as evidence against Kagome. The room was eerily silent as the village men opened the large doors, in their arms was the said boy and as they passed each bench of people, whispering murmurs filled the courtroom yet again. She was taken by surprise by the way Koga looked, his once bronze tanned skin was no a ghostly white and his bright blue eyes were dull and almost lifeless.
Her accuser showed the people around her the puncture wounds on Koga’s stomach and arms and Kagome could plainly feel the bile rising in her throat, they were telling the court that it was her fault why Koga was this way, that it was her doing. Even her tears were used against her as a sign of guilt but no matter how hard she tried to prove otherwise, it was ignored, they had already condemned her before they entered the courtroom and she would have to pay the price for the actions and crimes that she never committed. Naraku eventually heard enough and left his throne in order to make his decision and Kagome wanted to laugh at that, everyone already knew that she was guilty so what was the point of making a decision that was already made?
Minutes passed by until he came back and when he did so did his verdict. His black eyes watched her like a hawk as he recited the long forgotten words of the bible and of the law, drawing it out as if it were merely a show and not a reality. Kagome could see it in his eyes that he was finding pleasure out of her suffering and he did eventually come out and say his decision, that in fact she was found guilty of witchcraft. The thing that she feared the most was her punishment, she was well aware that it would be something horrible, but she prayed that she wasn’t hung like her grandmother or tortured until she went insane with madness or sadness. She hoped that InuYasha would have at least a small chance to try and save her instead of finding her dead body deep within the forest he lived in after the village men killed her and dragged her exiled body away from their saint like home of Salem. Naraku only smiled as he told the entire village of her punishment and she felt her blood run cold.
They were going to burn her at the stake the following morning.
With the verdict said and everything else completed, the village men who escorted her to the court house roughly grabbed her arms to drag her back to her cell in order to wait for her death. Kagome saw her only option was to kick and scream trying to get out of their grasp and make a run for it, but it didn’t happen and she was tossed like a ragged doll back into her hell hole. After they left Kagome sat on her knees staring at the floor, her eyes filling with tears, she knew then that she had lost. A gut wrenching sob escaped her throat quickly followed by many others, she no longer had the strength to hold back anything now.
And as her sobs filled the small jail cell somewhere off in the distance of the forest near the unknown a lone wolf howled its painful howl. Everyone in the village that day was able to hear the devil’s cry and nobody was able to escape the feeling of dread that seeped from the forest. Broad day light or not the elderly villagers spoke of the devil’s work and how he never slept. Be it a beast from the very depths of hell, judgment day was coming upon them and nobody would be safe in Salem.
~~oOo~~
Okay I had the whole trial thing written so much better but then microsoft word was a bitch and suddenly closed on me and I lost a page... A WHOLE PAGE! Well Yesterday was filled with unwriter's block so I was able to write a little for everything including finishing chapter 30 from Will you be mine? which means that I'll be updating every story that I'm working on later! Doesn't that just sound fan-fucking-tastic!
Please leave a review if you want more... I worked really hard on this chapter and would appreciate some feedback! EEE! So hyper! lol
Until next time, Krystal.
OMFG I'm updating! lol I know that it's taken me almost three months to get this chapter out but please be assured I wasn't waiting on reviews! I was really having a hard time with this story until July 2nd, and to back me up you can ask some of the readers who were online with me at the time... I had coffee and the writer's block left me alone so I beat it like a nazi farmer and typed until my mom got ants in her pants because Tennis was over! And I finished it at 9:30a.m. on the 3rd!
I don't know when the next time I'll be able to update, I'm actually writting this on the computer as I go and it's been really rough with everything that has been going on and stuff... So please forgive me and read this really freaking long chatper!
Bewitched
By Miztikal-Dragon
Chapter Seven
Morning came earlier than expected, but it was going to be one of those days that many people would never forget. Mama Higurashi had been up at her normal time beginning the task of making breakfast and grandpa looking at his books admiringly when there came a knock at the door. It was an unusual time for guests, but they were always welcomed in the small house. Wiping her hands on her apron, Mama Higurashi quickly went to her door to answer it, some considered it rude if guests were made to wait long. Opening the wooden door, the middle aged woman smiled at the rather elegant minister standing in front of her with a bible in his hands.
“Why hello Naraku,” her voice was light and cheerful. “What brings ye here so early? Ye come for a nice hot breakfast?”
The cold look in his eyes made Mama Higurashi cower back, and she was able to see the man behind Naraku with a pair of shackles hanging menacingly in his hand at his side. Horrible thoughts came to her mind and she suspected the worst as she stared in confusion at the court officials, they were here for business and by the looks of it, it wasn’t any kind of good business.
“Mama Higurashi,” his deep monotone voice was just as cold as his dark black eyes. “We have come here under the name of god and the holy spirit because there is a said witch harboring inside your home.”
“Ye must be mistaken!” Mama Higurashi gasped as she placed her hand over her heart. “There ain’t no witches here I promise ye!”
“May we come in Mama Higurashi?” Naraku didn’t really ask, as he stepped closer to the middle aged woman.
She didn’t say another word as she opened her door to the two men and invited them inside. Closing the door behind them, she rushed to get some tea boiling, the conversation would probably be put on hold until there was a pot made. Mama Higurashi practically scalded herself in efforts to quickly make the tea, but when her father came into the room and shook his head, she knew that there would be no tea made in the house today, business was coming first. Wiping the cold perspiration from her brow, Mama Higurashi headed back into the room where Naraku and the Pratt neighbor from down the road were patiently sitting, yep, business was coming to town.
“There must be an awful mistake,” She told them. “One awful mean mistake, there ain’t no witches in this here house and there ain’t never has been either.”
“Ma’am,” Pratt said softly. “There is a witness who says he saw yer daughter sneaking out yer home occasionally almost every night and go into the forest in her nightgown.”
“Now we are nice folk in this small town,” Naraku was unforgiving even with his voice calm. “And Kagome is someone everyone cherishes, but we will not tolerate a young beautiful girl selling her soul to the devil! We have had almost forty years of peace in this town and if we have to we will begin that very search for witchcraft again.”
“Bu--”
“Mama Higurashi,” Naraku said patting the middle aged woman on her hand. “I know that this is hard for you to understand, but trust me when I say this, this is what is best for your family. Don’t condemn yourself because you have a corrupt child.”
Silent tears rolled down her face, they were wrong, she wasn’t condemning herself because she “has” a corrupt child, but because she knew exactly what will happen if it continues. Grandpa was in the hall listening to all what was said and he was horrified, the minister had come once before and taken his wife, and shot his only son for trying to interfere. Grandpa knew now that there was something up, that the only thing corrupt was the house of god. Anger pulsed throughout his body and wanted to yell and scream at the two men invading is house with their filth, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t physically possible for him anymore, and he didn’t want to cause anymore trouble for his daughter, he didn’t want her to lose everything.
“How can ye say that it’s my daughter is corrupt, ye know her!” She was frantic to prove her only child innocent. “She comes to yer house everyday! How can ye say this!”
“Now listen ma’am,” Pratt said becoming annoyed. “Koga said that se saw yer daughter going into the woods, hell he said he saw her dancing with the devil himself! If ye can’t get that into yer brain then yer the one letting it happen! Yer the one letting the devil have her innocence and that means yer just as guilt as she!”
“We have a warrant,” Naraku told her bluntly. “And whether you like it or not, we’ve come to take Kagome with us. You have no choice in this matter and you will be shot if you try and stop us. This town does not take witchcraft too kindly and you should know exactly what I mean when I say this. So don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
Naraku and Pratt rose to their feet and headed straight to where the rooms were located, there were only three so their search wouldn’t be long. Naraku was in front as he opened the door, and stepped inside carefully, since she was accused, anything was possible. Finding nothing in the room, he waved his hand and headed out of the room and across to the next one. Going inside the two men found noting and they knew that Kagome would most likely be in the last room. Naraku was anxious to see the beauty sleeping and he quietly opened the door, there was no need to be loud, right now.
Stepping inside, he glanced around carefully until he saw her form on the bed and he frowned, the way she was laying was unnerving. Pratt handed over the shackles to Naraku on command and the minister calmly went up to the teenagers bed with an eerie silence.
~~oOo~~
Hours had passed since the incident in the Higurashi home and now Kagome lay silently in a cold cell in the center of the town. Naraku hadn’t been gentle when he shook her to consciousness only to slap shackles on her wrists. At first she had struggled, loudly screaming her innocence as the two men dragged her from her home, but with the disapproving gazes of the neighbors from their doorways, Kagome gave up and let them take her away. It didn’t take long for them to take her to her cell, it would serve to be her home until the trial and the trial would be held whenever Naraku deemed fit, the next day maximum.
Kagome wanted to cry as she gazed half heartedly at the ceiling of her cell, she couldn’t believe that Koga had turned on her, but yet again she had lied to him. Even more she didn’t understand why InuYasha had brought her home, he knew the consequences for her actions, but he still left her to the blood-thirsty wolves. The hay under her was uncomfortable and the nightgown she wore clung to her flesh, she was freezing. It was as if she was laying on snow she was so cold and the thin blanket that was given to her was of no use since the hole in it was larger than her head. There was no heat to spare and since the cell she was currently residing in had a small barred window it let the cold from outside seep in and infect her with its icy grasp.
Letting a rather large sigh escape her throat, Kagome hugged her knees trying to preserve the heat, if she continued on like this she would certainly die. The sun was setting and soon the darkness would take over and she was certain that she would be lucky to make it through the night. Covering her mouth as a rough coughing fit took its strong hold, she mentally cursed herself and then her silver hair “hero”, it was partly his fault why she had ended up in the drafty and sickeningly disgusting cell.
Minutes droned on and Kagome could feel the heavy tug of her eyelashes as she fought against sleep, she wasn’t ready to welcome it yet, not into her body or her heart. Sleep was like the darkness and once found it would never leave and she feared that she would live the rest of her days in the rotting cell, or by another means that Naraku found fit. It was heart-wrenching to think about. Blinking back her tears, Kagome wrapped the thin blanket closer around her person, trying her hardest to fight against her sadness and the cold creeping upon her, she had to be strong if not for herself then for her family.
The rustling of feet on concrete like floor brought her from her angst-ridded mind and cautiously glancing over her shoulder she saw the outline of someone a few feet away from the barred cell that trapped her like a rat. Sniffling, Kagome closed her tired brown eyes and sighed heavily, she wished that who ever her visitor was would go away, she was in no condition to see people and listen to them condemn her or try to save her.
“Kagome my dear I know that you’re awake,” his voice was low and entrancing, but she wouldn’t allow herself to fall victim to his games.
“Go away Naraku,” She bluntly said curling into a ball and trying her hardest to ignore the devilish man who had put her in her cage.
“I would but pressing matters must be spoken of first my love,” He told her softly, as he neared her cell. “I have made your trial for tomorrow at around noon Kagome---”
“Oh goody,” She replied sarcastically, her back still facing him. “Now I get the whole village to scream inappropriate things about me while I’m persecuted for absolutely no reason and I’ll still be found guilty beyond reasonable doubt no matter what I do.”
His laughter sent a shiver up her spine, he was mocking her, but Kagome had no will to bark at him for it. All she wanted was to curl up in a ball tighter than what she was currently doing and disappear into nothingness. Hell she wished that she really was a witch like everyone claimed because if she was then she could have used her “evil black magic” to get herself out of the cell and away from the village, but alas that like everything was impossible at the moment.
“That isn’t all true you know Kagome my dear,” Naraku’s tone was lower than before which meant he was a man of business, a man of trade and Kagome could immediately feel the impending doom that churned in her stomach as well as the bile in the back of her throat. “I know a way that you can avoid a trial altogether and not one villager will ever believe that this charade will have happened. Everything so far will be like a nightmare and you can live your life out like a lady should, with a small price of course.”
Ah, like every story, there was a silver lining.
“What do you mean?” Kagome turned around to meet his black eyed gaze and held the think blanket closer to her form as she sat up, half-heartedly interested in his words.
“What I mean of course is that you become my wife Kagome,” His smile was predatory and she knew that she was like a mouse cowering in front of a hungry tabby cat. “If you just say yes to my proposal everything that has happened in the last few short months will be forgotten and stricken from every record and your crime will be nothing, gone like the leaves in the winter. All will be forgotten and forgiven if you’ll become my wife.”
As tempting as his offer didn’t sound, there was no way that Kagome would allow herself to accept it. There was no way that she would give up everything that she believed in, that her grandmother had instilled in her backbone just to save herself from the intense gaze of the Puritan magistrate and from the eyes of god himself. Letting a frown cover her face, Kagome glared at the man merely a yard or two away from her, his pale skin was like ice and his body was like a sword of betrayal, to wed him was like marrying the devil and she had no intention of ever letting a man like him touch her in a way only a husband should.
It was a hard laugh that came from Kagome’s lips as she glanced around the room haphazardly, some things were making sense now that she thought about it and she couldn’t help but look a little crazier than what she felt. After Naraku’s proposal it clicked inside her mind, it was the story that her grandmother used to tell her while laying in her bed waiting for sleep to overcome her and the same sad story that InuYasha had trusted her with, it was all of that and so much more. It was like a tale out of a story book, but somehow was now caught up in real life, the betrayal, the lust, the forbidden love, and the evil official, everything happened forty years in the past and now was reliving itself praying for a different ending that would never come.
“I cant do that,” she whispered barely audible for her to hear but somehow his eyes narrowed and Kagome knew that he had heard her. “I can’t believe that I didn’t realize it earlier than now I’m so foolish. I know what it means now and I can’t be your wife, there’s just no way.”
“And why not?” The anger was slowly seeping into his voice and it made a smile purse Kagome’s lips.
“Because Onigumo,” the sudden intake of air was from her companion and she knew that she had taken him for surprise. “If I married you I would be doing the very thing that Kikyo refused to do, I would be killing off something more than my mind, but my heart.”
“Your mind and your heart do not matter in this world my dear,” he was seething and the fire of his gaze burned holes in her person, but how she knew about his secret was something that he couldn’t figure out.
“Not to you or the world of men around Salem,” she was calm and even she didn’t know how she was doing it since the fear clutched her heart, Naraku was a monster and she could feel in deep down in her soul. “But there is a place out there where someone will be waiting and god will shine his good graces upon me and the way of my spirit.”
“That is nonsense!” Naraku was almost yelling at her, “You will never make it out of this village you vile little bitch! I will see to that! If you do not marry me then you will die and so will your serpent tongue! Kikyo did the same and that wretched InuYasha could do nothing to stop me! Neither will you because either way my dearest Kagome you will be silenced.”
And he turned on his heels and stormed out of the prison, the cold air sucking the air around her like a tornado’s vacuum. The lit candles around her flickered and extinguished themselves out leaving Kagome to her darkness and her decision would still not be wavered. All she had to do now was sit and wait to see what fate would next bring her. Laying back down, she let the fear she felt leave her body through silent tears slipping down her pale face, she would try and forget the heartache that left a wound the size of bowl in her chest.
~~oOo~~
InuYasha sat in his cave, the fire burning as bright as the sun, but he found no warmth in it. It was as if the world around him had ceased to exist, it was as if mother nature was cursing him for his actions. Thousands upon millions of rogue thoughts came to his mind as he sat there Indian style, his hands hidden in the opposite sleeves on his arms, he just couldn’t find it in himself to change his decision. He didn’t want to be the one who took everything away from Kagome no matter how big or small, and he knew he sounded like one big hypocrite. She wanted to love him and him to love her in return, but he had tossed the idea back in front of her face, he made her crumple to the floor earlier that morning and he hated himself for it.
How could he live knowing that the Kagome would live the rest of her life with Naraku, miserable as he felt because InuYasha had wanted her to live in Salem. It was a selfish action and he screamed at himself that they were justifiable, that he was doing the right thing, but why wasn’t he able to convince himself of that? Why did it feel as though he was making the worst mistake in the world by letting her slip through his fingers the way Kikyo had.
Kikyo
Her death plagued his mind like death and it hurt him to no end to know that there was no way that he could have saved her unless they had runaway together like they had originally planned. If things were done as planned before now Kagome would have never known him, she probably would have been happier, yet thinking this way made InuYasha’s heart ache even more so than the memories of losing Kikyo to Salem. How much more blood would have to be shed, how many more girls would have to die before Onigumo’s spirit left the town or Salem, or before Naraku would stop creating insecurity among villagers, arousing destructive hearts.
Night had fallen sooner than what he expected and it was too late for him to go hunting for his dinner, but it wasn’t like InuYasha was hunger, his stomach was feeling the exact opposite, he wanted to throw up for his ignorance. Getting to his feel as a lone wolf’s howl carried through the forest like a lost soul, InuYasha left the cold warmth of his cave in the direction of Salem. Even though he had said he’d never return there was something in his very being that told him otherwise, it was begging for him to go back and see Kagome at least one more time before making up his mind and condemning his heart for eternity. The crisp air burned his cheeks as well as his eyes, but he quickly trekked forward on the not so used path, he needed to be fast and stoic in order to go there and leave with his rational mind still in tact.
It hadn’t taken much time to get to the entrance of the forest, but mentally cursed his timing as he carefully watched the village men walk around as if it were still morning. He would have to wait and see what was going on before he could go and spy on Kagome’s home and hopefully he wouldn’t have to wait that long. Listening in on their conversations like an eavesdropping teenager, InuYasha was able to find out the worst thing in the world and his blood ran cold, the impossible had happened and it was like a slap in the face.
Kagome had been arrested for the suspicion of witchcraft.
Something inside of him snapped as he watched what he assumed to be Naraku walking down the street with a sneer on his face, he didn’t look so happy and the facial features made InuYasha’s breath hitched. Naraku looked remotely similar to Onigumo, but the man from his past had never had a wife no children, it was unnerving and it only made InuYasha more concerned for Kagome’s safety as well as her life. Getting to what he remembered to be the “prison” wasn’t as hard as he had originally believed it to be. Once Naraku had went inside a small dwelling the village men seemed to disappear almost instantly and it only added fuel to InuYasha’s already blazing fire. Something wasn’t right with that town official, he had an aura that screamed corruption, destruction, and pain and InuYasha felt sick just looking at the middle aged man.
InuYasha made sure to enter the prison undetected and headed in the direction of the cells. He knew that she’d be there, but he never expected to see what he found waiting for him. It was like he was repeating what he experienced with Kikyo all over again and it tugged at his heart almost to the point of tears, almost. Kagome looked like a sickly child laying there on the makeshift bed and a lump the size of a wild fruit appeared in his throat, he was lost for words. He wanted to yell and hurt the people who had done this to her, but that would risk her safety and there was no way that he was going to cause anymore damage than he already had in such a short time.
“Don’t you people know that visitors are--” Kagome’s voice was angry and low and as she turned around her frown immediately disappeared and her eyes widened in shock. “InuYasha!”
All the anger that she had once felt left her like a rush of water and she was speechless. How did InuYasha come to her? Why did he come? Thoughts like these ran through her mind endlessly, but the look on his face was something that she had never seen before, it was filled with shame, regret, and sadness. Slowly getting off her bed and onto her feet, Kagome went to where InuYasha stood so close to the cell bars and reached out to him, gently touching his clawed hands as if he was merely an illusion.
Her gasp was loud as she pulled him to her through the bars, her trembling fingers touching his face as if she feared she’d never see him again.
“Kagome are you okay?” He was hesitant, but held her as close to him as he could though the cell bars didn’t give much to work with.
“Oh god InuYasha,” Kagome sniffled fighting back her tears. “I’m going to die! Naraku’s set my trial for tomorrow and I know that there’s no way that I can get out of this--I--I don’t know what do to I’m so scared!”
“Don’t worry Kagome,” InuYasha told her trying his hardest to believe himself what he was going to say. “I’ll find a way to get you out. I’m so sorry.”
Nothing was said after that and the two of them basked in the silence and comfort of the other. Kagome knew that there wasn’t much of a shot when InuYasha said he’d help her, but she so desperately wanted to believe that he would that she let her mind believe it to keep from going insane with misery and depression, to keep from making the deal with Naraku. The two of them had to be strong for each other if so Kagome had the chance of making it out alive and without having to marry her way to freedom.
It wasn’t long after that did Inuyasha reluctantly pull away from Kagome and bid her farewell for the night, promising to try and think of a way out of the mess that he had created for her. Kagome did end up sleeping, but the moment she closed her eyes she was roughly being shaken awake by the volunteering village men, somehow time had passed by so quickly it was already time for her dreaded trial. They had tied her hands behind her back to be sure that she wouldn’t curse them and she was escorted to the court room where Naraku sat on his throne, a glare in his eyes that promised something more painful than death.
It was there that she tried her hardest not to look as guilty as everyone claimed her to be. She could feel the dagger like glares of everyone in the room, they were sentencing her to death before they could even blink, the people she thought she loved had turned against like they do the chickens they raise. Her prosecutor was her Pratt neighbor and not one thing out of his mouth resembled anything that she thought was possible from him. Everything he said was laced with anger and was made to show them how much of a monster Kagome was, and had always been. Of course she fought against his words, she fought until her throat was sore and raw, but none of it helped. Almost every time she tried to redeem herself the villagers that had come to witness the trial would scream out their own feelings, curses and hate filled voice would fill the courtroom for minutes at a time and Naraku would only listen with a victorious smirk on his face, he was enjoying watching her suffer.
Kagome already knew that the village believed she was a witch and that Naraku would make it in the record stating it as fact, but only Kagome knew the truth. As horrible as it was, Pratt seemed to make it worse by doing something that Kagome never thought was possible, he commanded that Koga, was brought into the courtroom as evidence against Kagome. The room was eerily silent as the village men opened the large doors, in their arms was the said boy and as they passed each bench of people, whispering murmurs filled the courtroom yet again. She was taken by surprise by the way Koga looked, his once bronze tanned skin was no a ghostly white and his bright blue eyes were dull and almost lifeless.
Her accuser showed the people around her the puncture wounds on Koga’s stomach and arms and Kagome could plainly feel the bile rising in her throat, they were telling the court that it was her fault why Koga was this way, that it was her doing. Even her tears were used against her as a sign of guilt but no matter how hard she tried to prove otherwise, it was ignored, they had already condemned her before they entered the courtroom and she would have to pay the price for the actions and crimes that she never committed. Naraku eventually heard enough and left his throne in order to make his decision and Kagome wanted to laugh at that, everyone already knew that she was guilty so what was the point of making a decision that was already made?
Minutes passed by until he came back and when he did so did his verdict. His black eyes watched her like a hawk as he recited the long forgotten words of the bible and of the law, drawing it out as if it were merely a show and not a reality. Kagome could see it in his eyes that he was finding pleasure out of her suffering and he did eventually come out and say his decision, that in fact she was found guilty of witchcraft. The thing that she feared the most was her punishment, she was well aware that it would be something horrible, but she prayed that she wasn’t hung like her grandmother or tortured until she went insane with madness or sadness. She hoped that InuYasha would have at least a small chance to try and save her instead of finding her dead body deep within the forest he lived in after the village men killed her and dragged her exiled body away from their saint like home of Salem. Naraku only smiled as he told the entire village of her punishment and she felt her blood run cold.
They were going to burn her at the stake the following morning.
With the verdict said and everything else completed, the village men who escorted her to the court house roughly grabbed her arms to drag her back to her cell in order to wait for her death. Kagome saw her only option was to kick and scream trying to get out of their grasp and make a run for it, but it didn’t happen and she was tossed like a ragged doll back into her hell hole. After they left Kagome sat on her knees staring at the floor, her eyes filling with tears, she knew then that she had lost. A gut wrenching sob escaped her throat quickly followed by many others, she no longer had the strength to hold back anything now.
And as her sobs filled the small jail cell somewhere off in the distance of the forest near the unknown a lone wolf howled its painful howl. Everyone in the village that day was able to hear the devil’s cry and nobody was able to escape the feeling of dread that seeped from the forest. Broad day light or not the elderly villagers spoke of the devil’s work and how he never slept. Be it a beast from the very depths of hell, judgment day was coming upon them and nobody would be safe in Salem.
~~oOo~~
Okay I had the whole trial thing written so much better but then microsoft word was a bitch and suddenly closed on me and I lost a page... A WHOLE PAGE! Well Yesterday was filled with unwriter's block so I was able to write a little for everything including finishing chapter 30 from Will you be mine? which means that I'll be updating every story that I'm working on later! Doesn't that just sound fan-fucking-tastic!
Please leave a review if you want more... I worked really hard on this chapter and would appreciate some feedback! EEE! So hyper! lol
Until next time, Krystal.