InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Castle ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two

~*~

"Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked again, bringing her out of her dismantled thoughts. Kagome nodded and adjusted her position in the chair that she was sitting in to find more comfort.

"Years ago, many years ago, this castle used to be ruled by the dear King and Queen of these Northern lands, but they passed on. One from illness and wounds, the other from grief. Inuyasha, still young, was instantly crowned Lord of the castle and lands, taking in all of the responsibility and charge that he was to have grown into as the years passed. There was no other available heir to the throne."

"Being a Prince or a Lord of castle meant that they could do whatever they pleased, call for more servants and attend to his lands however they felt like it. So, like all power deposited folk, Inuyasha fell into greed…

"His selfishness started in the amounts of money he spent. Instead of answering to the call of financial aid from other lands, he spent money on toys or youkai modes of transportations for himself, not even sending one caring thought towards the other Lords of the lands.

"Sango and I were the only two children who were the same age as he, who had befriended him during our childhoods and we watched him change in horror. He lusted for more power than he had; he craved other territories that he could gain by slaughtering the innocent or manipulating weaker leaders… Sango and I decided that we could not bear to see him like this. So, we confronted him about his behavior…"

~

"Send out riders, Miroku. I want that village by sun down," Inuyasha told the young man forcefully, his deepening voice cracking a bit. When his good friend did not move from his spot, his amber eyes narrowed in irritation. "Why aren't you going? Didn't I just tell you to do something?"

"No, Inuyasha," Miroku told him, crossing his arms in calm defiance over his chest.

"What?" The hanyou snapped, striding towards him, his eyes calculative as he observed his friend. "What are you up to?" he sneered, forcing Miroku to meet his feral gaze.

"I can't let you do something you're going to regret in the future," came the quaint and irritated reply. The hanyou let out a snarl and started to pace angrily.

"I want those lands, Miroku. You wouldn't understand these things," Inuyasha murmured, his voice now a bit softer than it had been. "I have to have those lands."

"For what? So you can have more for yourself? What about the poorer villages contained in that area? They will be your responsibility. You will not be able to handle all of shares," Miroku explained, keeping his voice as neutral as he possibly could because at the present moment, throttling the Lord of the castle in which he was employed in seemed like a very plausible idea. The hanyou stopped moving, his eyes focused on the ground.

"Taking care of them was not part of my plan," Inuyasha snapped finally, breaking the silence that they had lapsed into. The young human man's violet eyes widened dramatically as he felt anger stab at him.

"So you will let them all die," He shouted, as an angry offensive statement, not a question like he had intended it to be. His hands dropped from their crossed position at his chest and balled into tight fists to keep his temper under wraps.

"They're not MY concern, fool! They will be my lands. Not theirs! They will fend for themselves!" Inuyasha roared, shoving Miroku out of the way of the doorway as he stormed out of the study to escape the guilt-trip that one of his best friends was trying to put him through…

~

"Well… Did he take those lands for his own and… leave the humans in the villages to die?" Kagome asked, her voice full of anxiety and horror. She swallowed and then laughed nervously, realizing how far she had gotten into Miroku's tale. He chuckled and sent her an impish grin and told her that she was very lovely when she laughed. Then, his hand started to drift towards the softer areas of her upper body… His movements were ceased when she threatened to castrate him however.

"Well now…" Miroku mumbled, edging away from her a bit. "Is that entirely necessary, Lady Kagome?"

"Um… I do suppose that was a bit extreme but now you know that I don't wish to be touched there, Miroku-sama," The young woman laughed in response, settling down again. "Will you continue with your story? What happened next? Did he go through with his selfish endeavor?"

"Patience, patience. I'm getting there," Miroku told her in a soothing voice, clearing his throat so he could continue. "He was about to fulfill his wish, until Sango found him…"

~

"Not you too!" Inuyasha yelled, his voice laced in fury. "I want lands and if it takes a couple of villages to pack their bags and move or to go somewhere else to live to get what I want, then so be it!" He finished, panting a bit from the anger that he was experiencing at the current moment.

Sango's eyes were widened in shock and tears slipped down her cheeks as her hand rose to muffle a small sob. The Lord of the castle when rigid when he noticed the crystalline drop rolling down her cheek and smelled the saltiness that had permeated the air. She dried her eyes quickly, willing her tears to stop but they wouldn't.

"Sango… Why are you crying? Stop it," Inuyasha demanded, his voice sounding uncertain and nervous. Dealing with crying women was not an area he had such expertise in.

"Don't you see what's happening to you, Inuyasha?" Sango sniffled, her dark eyes determined as she stared him blankly in the face, watching as he shifted nervously in place, his angry façade replace with a guilty visage. "Can't you hear yourself?"

Her words bounced off of the hanyou's thoughts for a moment as he took this into consideration. He swallowed as unbidden bile and anxiety rose in his throat. He raked a hand through his silver locks and let out a frustrated sound as he grunted and turned the other direction.

"You know what you are doing is wrong… You… You can't go on like this or it will come back to haunt you later. Inuyasha, as your friend I will support you and stay by your side… but not when you commit atrocities!" Sango added, her voice understanding yet unbelievably firm at the same time.

Seeing that her words were having no effect on him for the time being, the young woman sighed and relaxed a bit, the residue of her tears now faded. She scratched at her arm for a moment for lack of anything to do before she sighed and shook her head in defeat. "I will leave you to decide. What does your heart tell you, Inuyasha? To serve yourself and leave hundreds of humans to die… Or do the right thing?" With those words said, the young woman walked out of sight, feeling her chest tighten. What would his decision be?

~

"So… After Sango's moving words… He decided not to do the monstrous thing?" Kagome asked, her voice sounding relieved. Miroku nodded and clasped his hands together in his lap. "Wait! If he did not choose to leave the people to die, then how was he cursed? Miroku! This is twisted!" The young woman cried, falling back into her chair, her eyes fixed on him intently.

"There were many other things that he had done to the Lord's of the Eastern and Southern Lands to make him earn enemies. His own flesh and blood turned against him at the behavior he was demonstrating," Miroku explained, his voice growing sullen as he continued to talk.

"Flesh and blood? Do you mean that Inuyasha has a relative who rules the Western Lands?" Kagome asked. This was rather interesting! Two youkai of the same family ruled two territories of lands!

"Yes, his full youkai brother, Sesshomaru," The young man replied and before she could even ask, he stated, "There were two different queens. The full youkai one was murdered when she was out patrolling without the high Lord and Inuyasha's mother is a human."

"Oh," Kagome barely said, understanding now. "But how did he become cursed? You still haven't told me that! Miroku, you are only drowning now! Please! You are a wonderful storyteller, but I would like the facts and the main plot now. I am getting thoroughly bored," The young woman complained a bit, her eyes begging him to get on with it.

Miroku chuckled at her comment. This Kagome girl was very intriguing and equally defiant and strong-willed to boot. A perfect hassle for Inuyasha… He thought menacingly, imagining the hanyou handling her. He wouldn't last a day. "All right, all right. I'm moving on now."

"Good!"

"Since Inuyasha had tried to dominate all of the lands in the region because of his lust for power that he did not, or could not ever have, the three remaining Lord's began to plot against him. They sent Sesshomaru, since he was kin to Inuyasha, here to inspect the conditions of the Northern Lands, only to see them in terrible decay. He then presented the hanyou with a pact that stated that Inuyasha's territory be bargained between the three remaining Lords for better care and estate, for he was letting his domain crumble and deteriorate under his rule. Inuyasha, of course, refused this. His selfishness and greed were blinding him past anything he could ever dream of having again.

"Since he had refused their offer and had challenged their ethics, the Lords grew angry and knew that waging war against his domain would be a pointless effort. There were too many innocents to be spared in waging a full battle across all four of the lands. So, instead of doing some outward damage, they decided to attack from the inside.

"So, they called upon a miko, an undead soul who was possessed by a demon, for aid. They wanted to remove Inuyasha without actually doing any damage to the lands. The miko suggested a curse, one that would confine him to one area for shame of ever leaving his safe area. Sesshomaru was a bit hesitant to unleash such an agreement but relented when he realized, it was for the best. For his lands and for the people who dwelled there.

"Inuyasha was in the middle of gorging himself at dinner when he detected another aura on his lands. He immediately left the table, in his carelessness, maiming a child vassal's arm in his haste, not bothering to see if he was all right."

"That… That's awful!" Kagome whispered, her voice in disbelief and shock. She swallowed, wondering if she wanted to know the rest of the story. "P-please continue, Miroku-sama."

"He roamed across his lands, coming across the stunningly beautiful miko-demon, detecting the strong presence from her…"

~

Her long, ankle length black hair flowed behind her in the harsh wind as she stared at an unknown spot in the distance, her cold blue eyes staring back at him when he drew closer. Inuyasha had never witnessed such beauty before and wanted it for his own immediately. He drew closer to her, hoping to seduce her but she would have none of it.

"Why do you approach me as such, Lord Inuyasha?" she asked, her voice stoic as she turned to face him, regarding his handsome state and arrogant posture. "Do you not know who I am?"

"I care not who you are. I only care to please you and take a place between your thighs," The hanyou retorted, his voice cruel as he reached out to grab her arm, watching her with amusement as she pulled out of his reach, a teasing smile on her lips.

"You seem very sure of yourself, my lord. Do you think you can get everything you want this way?" She asked, her voice perking humor though her exterior seemed unruffled.

"I do whatever I want to get what I want. That is how it's been, that is how it will be," Inuyasha told her, his voice ##### as he pulled her into his arms and forced his mouth greedily onto her own, groaning when she fought against him. He broke away from her lips to trail kisses down her throat, grinning against her skin as she protested.

"Release me, beast or you shall be sorry," she whispered, her voice sounding eerie but the hanyou paid no mind. "Do not touch me!" she snapped, attempting to push him away.

"Never. I want you and I will have you. I will always have what I want. No one will ever stop me!" Inuyasha growled, piercing her flesh hungrily with his fangs but as soon as his sharp canines made contact with her pure flesh, the miko began to glow, an ethereal and frightening glow. The hanyou leapt back and shielded his eyes before trying to flee.

"Inuyasha…" The miko snarled, her voice double octaves, her voice tearing at his ears. He sought to cover them up but an invisible force rendered his body paralyzed as he tried to run away.

"Your heart is cold and it seems there is only one person in your heart. Yourself. You will let hundreds of innocents die before you yourself lift a finger to do something that is not for your own benefit. You are a selfish and inconsiderate monster and would do well to become what you really are… I curse you, hanyou. I curse you to live a lonely life, with no one because you do not deserve anyone. In their hearts, no one could ever come to love and accept a creature like you. They would rather look out for themselves than stay with you, I am sure of it. Now, I will leave you stranded, alone, forgotten about with this form…" She cried, the bright light engulfing the two of them, a ringing sound drowned out the sounds of Inuyasha's screams of pain. With that she levitated into the castle, unnoticed as the hanyou's transformation took place.

He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, his face burning with a million gashes that felt like fire. He felt his body erupt as he no longer felt the pain or the agony he had seconds ago… He smelled blood… His own blood and it seemed to fuel him… He wanted blood, he wanted violence. Red bled through his vision, angering him further more as he let out an animalistic roar to all the surrounding trees, charging back to the castle, not knowing what to do with himself.

Inuyasha broke down the doors, smelling fear and hearing cries of fright at his presence and his altered appearance. He delighted in their cries… Their fear made him feel superior and confident. He leapt forward, chasing those who ran, slashing his claws through their bodies, licking his claws, as he tasted their sickeningly sweet blood. He did not know he had had such a delightful taste for blood.

He continued to rampage and pillage until he heard a familiar voice but he could not place it. "Inuyasha!" the deep, masculine voice sounded. Who was it? Why was he calling his name? Why did he recognize his scent yet not remember who he was? He searched around, seeing the young man come towards him with great speed. He felt threatened and threw the man out of his path of destruction, freezing again when a more feminine scent caught his nose, along with the cry.

"Miroku! What's happened to him?" The young woman cried, helping the young man up. They exchanged conversation; the young woman approached him as the young man ran to help the vassals that were still alive to escape safely.

Who are they? Why are they talking to me like I know them? Why does the blood on my claws make me feel so good? Who am I? Am I this Inuyasha that the man speaks of? The hanyou thought, his thoughts in rapture as he fought his urge to fight. He fixed his bloody gaze on the young woman as she continued to speak with him.

"Inuyasha… This is your castle… Your home… Do you remember Miroku? Do you remember me? We've been best friends ever since I can remember! Miroku is always grazing my backside with his hand and I am always clobbering him for it? Inuyasha! Come back to us! What's happened to you?" The young woman chattered, reaching out slowly, so as not to startle him.

Sango… Miroku! He thought, closing his eyes as he let out a grunt, his head throbbing as he fought to remember.

"Miroku! I think he's remembering!" The young woman he remembered to be Sango was calling to Miroku. All of the servants had escaped and the young man had barricaded all the doors.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called, going to his side.

"S-Sango…" The hanyou grunted, his voice sounding bestial and labored. "Miro…

Ku…" He fell down to his knees, the scent of blood becoming intoxicating as his memories gradually, and painfully started to return. "That miko…" He moaned. "Where is the miko?" he groaned, as he clawed his face desperately, feeling the wounds re-open as hot blood ran down his face again.

"Miko?" Sango wondered aloud, looking to Miroku who only shrugged. Forgetting this for the time, being, they looked their best friend over with worry, checking him over. The scars on his face weren't closing up like they should have been.

"He's going to bleed to death," Miroku told the young woman quietly, trying to drag him to the kitchen where they could clean him up, but Inuyasha would not be moved.

"She's cursed me… Get away from me! I'll end up murdering you…" Inuyasha growled, his grip on the present slipping as he felt the monster he had become seconds ago start to surface again. "My face… oh my face…" he moaned, holding his bleeding face as he lay down on the floor weakly.

"We can't just let him die!" Sango cried in worry, wondering what she could do. "This is terrible! This is defying the youkai in his blood!"

"Of course it is," an all-knowing emotionless voice said from up above. Three gazes shot up to the ceiling, two curious and one, too weak and angry. "That is the nature of the curse," A beautiful woman spoke, drifting down towards the ground. Inuyasha growled instantly, retracting and wanting to leap to his feet to slaughter her but could not for he did not have the strength. "Do not fight, Inuyasha, for it will only cause your own demise much sooner."

"Why has he been cursed?" Miroku asked, his eyes roaming `certain areas' on her slender body. Noticing his intricate speculation, Sango bonked him over the head with her fist, glaring at him.

"Do you not know?" The miko asked, crossing her arms in her robes, waiting for a response.

Sango and Miroku grew silent, their gazes going to the ground. Inuyasha was shocked. "I am completely innocent! You are my friends! Defend me!" he shouted in anger, but softened when their eyes went up to the priestesses.

"He may not be the most caring soul in the world, but we are still his friends…" Sango said softly, drawing herself up strongly.

"We will stay by him," Miroku added, nodding in assurance. The miko looked them over, a bit stunned by their strong acts of friendship.

"You will not flee? What if he is to become the beast that he once was? What of the scars on his face? He does not look like he once did nor is he able to return to normal. He could change at one small raise of anger at any given time," The priestess told them, watching them carefully, for any signs of uncertainty. There were none.

"I will stay by him," Sango told her, keeping her posture straight.

"And I will as well," Miroku added.

The miko was silent for a while as her dark gaze went down to the hanyou who was on the ground, clutching his bleeding face. His eyes were deeply saddened as he closed them for a moment. They give him loyalty he knows he does not deserve… Even when I curse him, he still is not alone. "Lord Inuyasha, your friends have earned you a possible leeway," she said after a few moments.

The hanyou's amber eyes were directed up towards the beautiful priestess, as he said nothing, wondering what she was talking about.

"There will be a serum for you every day, transported to you by one of my lesser youkai. It will be laid in front of the entrance to the castle. That serum will control your beast… I will supply the serum to you as long as you are able to show the love and loyalty that your friends are giving to you now. It is unconditional. They know that they might not receive anything in return, yet they stay because they know that you would not be able to live alone for all time. If you can find it in your heart to show this kind of devotion and care to someone besides yourself, I will supply you with the elixir," The miko finished, gauging the hanyou's reaction.

Inuyasha did not say anything at first, but let the intensity of the moment take its toll on him. He was not going to break the curse no matter what he did. First of all, if he did not receive the elixir, he could end up slaughtering Miroku and Sango at the smallest loss of his temper or his patience…

Second of all, he would never be able to love anyone else… They would not be able to accept me if they knew what I really was… This monstrosity that I've been turned into… He swallowed hard but thought it over again, looking up to see his two friends and the miko waiting for his reply.

"I have nothing to loose. Bring me the serum," he stated gruffly, watching as Miroku and Sango let out the breaths that they had been holding and saw the miko nod to him, a vile appearing out of her pocket. She handed it to Sango carefully and bent down on one knee to look him in the eye.

"Remember, if you do not take this… You could regret it. Your wounds will open up and you will not be yourself… Just as you weren't short time ago. Farewell, Inuyasha and do not doubt your heart for that will kill the love that cannot even possibly grow," The miko said before going out the door and disappearing from sight.

~

"Kami-sama…" Kagome murmured, swiping a stray lock of raven hair behind her ear as she chewed on her lower lip. "That… that was…"

"I know," Miroku told her in response, looking her over. "Now that you know what the curse is, do you harbor hatred and fear of Inuyasha? Or do you pity him," he added, standing up from the chair, stretching a bit before he held out his hand to help her in getting up.

"Actually… from hearing the story… I…" Kagome thought about it a moment more before meeting curious violet eyes. "I'd like to help him," she told the young man, watching as his mouth dropped open.

"Do you?" Miroku gasped, his mouth turning up in a shocked, yet pleased smile. "Such enthusiasm, Lady Kagome. I wouldn't doubt it if you could touch his heart… or other places," he added, waggling thick eyebrows. Kagome scowled at him and stomped on his foot, crossing her arms quickly over his chest. "What pain…" he said softly, holding his foot for a brief moment before the sharp pain in his toes subsided.

Suddenly, a loud hungry growl emitted from Kagome's stomach, causing her to double over and clutch it in her embarrassment. "Excuse me," she mumbled, her cheeks tinged pink.

"The stomach never lies. You're hungry," Miroku told her, opening the door of the study for her, leading her to the kitchen. "Let's get you something to eat."

They were unaware that pair of amber eyes, from the darkness, were observing them.

(A/N: So, how'd you like it? This was a really long chapter! WOO! Please give me a day or two to recuperate!)