InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Devil May Care ❯ Treasures ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Treasures

A knock came to Sigismundo's door sometime past midnight. Sigismundo carefully made a series of taps against the door. After a series of taps was retuned, he opened the door.
"Who is it Sig?" Inuyasha groggily rose his head as he sat asleep in one of the ruined chairs.
"This is Constance Geneve. She is disguised, and stays close to your brother. So what news do you have for me, bell'amore?"
"They as of yet have no plan to move him from where he is. A man calling himself Anjou has given them strict orders. He is not to be moved until the legacy is found. The disgusting pigs are searching for clues in the ruins. I do know that this Anjou is not a commoner. His speech is too refined. His French is too perfect, as if he were trying to hide a foreign accent."
"What does this man look like?" Inuyasha asked.
"He is tall and thin. Although, his clothing is worn, he always wears black. His hair is always tucked under a scarf and a hat. His eyes are blue, I think. He always wears a lace mask, even to bed."
"You had best be on your way, " Sigismundo handed her several gold coins. "You must take care not to be missed. Ciao bella!"
"Au Revoir, monsieur Celline." Constance pocketed the coins and quickly left.
"If you trust that strumpet so much, why the coin?"
"Ah! She was a servant of Madame Pompadour. I am simply keeping her in my confidence, Inuyasha. Gold has a tendency to do that, especially a girl trained by the Madame."
"At least you choose your informants well. The Madame's girls are known to be some of the best."
"In more ways than one. You had best rouse Madame Monty and your Kagome. I have your papers ready. Your aliases are, Ian, Monique and Kathlene. Madame John will be waiting for you with a carriage, and new aliases."
"I thought John was in Provence?"
"Her business with her former client was done. Percy is busy in Paris. He would be busy even if the Bastille had not fallen. He is smitten with some actress there."
"So how are we going to get to Tours?"
"You will be trading whiskey and fruit for grain at the farm where they hold Sesshomaru. The whiskey is one of Dhamendra's special brews. He had it unloaded before he set back out with Brodie. They will be drunk very quickly. Take care to only drink the whiskey I have provided in the flasks."
Sigismundo went to the spot on the floor where Monty fitfully slept. He shook her and pointed to a wardrobe where their disguises. Although the dresses for Kagome and Monty were nice, they were tattered.
"I suppose we are to be poor, whiskey merchants this time?" Monty said groggily. She uncaringly slipped out of her clothes and donned her dress.
"Oh! Monty, why must you tempt this poor Italian that way?"
"You are far from poor, Sigismundo Celline, Earl of Malatesta, as well as a plethora of other titles in Spain, Scotland and Belgium."
"You forgot Sicily. Never mind, I am only poor when trying to control my machismo. Which, around you, is very difficult."
"Oh, shut up Sig and go see if the wagon is ready. We should leave before the sun comes up. I'll be damned if I am going to travel in the scorching summer heat noontime brings."
Sigismundo saw to the wagon and came back in a few minutes later.
Kagome yawned, stretched and scratched at the coarse material of her dress. "I am ready whenever you are, love."
"I think Monty is the only one not ready." Inuyasha looked as Monty stuck several knives and firearms into the folds of her dress.
"Kagome. I have a short bow and arrows for you as well as a couple of pistols. Sometimes, a bow can be better than a rifle or pistol. It is faster and easier to reload, if you know what you are doing." Monty said as she handed the weapons to Kagome.
"And I certainly know how to handle a bow well."
"Enough chatter, lets get on with this. " Inuyasha growled.
"Quite right."

The masked man calling himself Anjou beat Sesshomaru's chest with a riding crop.
Other than an occasional faint groan, Sesshomaru did not make a sound as he was beaten. His arms were tied above his head to a beam in the low ceiling of the room. His arms were tied too high to allow him to sit unless he was provided with a stool, which was only at night. Standing caused his arms to curl awkwardly behind his back, causing a great deal of pain. The only comfortable position was a crouch, but his knees hurt from doing that as well.
Sesshomaru had been stripped of his clothing. He was not allowed to go to a privy to relive himself, so his own piss, shit, blood and vomit was all over the floor. They threw a rag over his man parts when the girl came to feed him moldy bread and stale water.
The humiliation was worse to Sesshomaru than the pain in his joints and from the welts from his beatings.
Sometimes his torturer would splash buckets of water over him. Sesshomaru crouched and shivered. No one would towel him off. The droplets of water, that were refreshing at first, quickly turned frigid and uncomfortable.
On one afternoon when Anjou was particularly upset with his prey, he raped Sesshomaru. Anjou laughed as Sesshomaru ground his teeth trying not to scream.
Anjou had not raped him since, but he knew that the black clad man would do it again if it suited him.
"Why don't you save yourself the trouble. Tell me where the treasures are hidden."
"I have no idea where they are. The only sword I had was Toukijin, the cursed sword. You already have that."
"I do not believe you. Your brother's estates were already searched. I have been assured the bastard does not have them. They are here. I can feel it. So, will you tell me or do you like the feel of my crop?"
"You are a sadistic bastard."
"Sadistic, yes. I kept good company with the Marquis. He threw such grand parties. A bastard, no, although my father wishes I was."
"Get out!"
"You are in no position to issue me orders, Compte." Anjou put the crop under Sesshomaru's chin to force him to look into his captor's cold eyes. "You are the one under my control this time."
"I have no idea who the hell you are."
"You do, but I will not let you know who just yet. Suffice it to say that I have wanted revenge for a very long time. My brothers will not rest until I do."
"You will pay for this."
"Perhaps I should give the pigs back their roofed sty. Hmm? I am sure they would love to nibble on you."
Sesshomaru spat in Anjou's face.
Anjou laughed and smiled as he turned on his heel and left the room.

Kagome fanned herself with her hat. It was not yet mid morning, yet the heat was already creeping up.
Inuyasha kept his eyes on the road and tried to keep the wagon steady. It was not easy. The wagon was poorly constructed and the nag Sigismundo had chosen was not very cooperative.
"How much farther Ian ? Monique looks rather green. I hope you are not still seasick."
"No Kathlene. It is not the wagon, it is my nerves. It has been years since they were strung this tight. Not since I lost Sukunaio."
"Kag.. Kathlene understands, Monique . We lost a child a year ago."
"At least you had Inu, I mean Ian . I had nobody but an angry father, and maids who whispered all kinds of cruel thing."
"Enough of that. We should be there soon. Even in this piece of junk, we will make it well before late afternoon. Now, Monique , I think you need to cover your face with your hat and take a nap. Just keep a hand on one of those pistols. Just in case."
"I will"
"And we had best be practicin our brogues. We're supposed to be Scots."
"Aye, Ian ." Monty said wearily.

It was early evening before they reached the farm where Sesshomaru was being held.
"Ehy! I am 'ere to trade. Was told to come 'ere." Inuyasha shouted at the peasants who asked for their papers and searched the wagon."
"So, yer Ian MacColl. Let me test the merchandise." One of the presents said as he reached for Kagome's breasts.
"Bluddy 'ell! I'm sellin whiskey, not me wife!"
"Sorry citizen, sorry! I don't read very well! I thought they was whores!"
"I think ye should be learnin. That is my wife and the other is my widowed sister."
"Ye had best remove yer hand!" Kagome said as she pulled one of the pistols from her pockets. She was glad she had spent time talking with Captain Brodie on the ship. It made it easier to pick up the Scots brogue. "I doona think ye will want a hole in yer head."
"Bah! Ye danged Frenchies." Monty said as she wrestled herself free from another one of the peasants. "Actin like a bunch of filthy Sassenachs!"
"Nay, Monique. Don't fash yerself. These air not the ones that killed yer Dugan and yer barin."
"I'm sorry citizen! I forget all that them English bourgeois torture Scots women."
The peasants gave the papers back to Inuyasha and led the wagon over a small hill.
Inuyasha had to bite his lip to hide his gasp. The estate where he had spent a number of years in his boyhood was a burned out husk.
Dozens of peasants were combing the rubble for valuables. Inuyasha was sure that some of them were looking for the hiding place of the swords. Tears fell unbidden from his eyes.
"This is useless. Only the healing sword is here. They burned it down over something that might or might not be there. " He thought to himself.
"Whatts the matter Mr. MacColl?"
"Nothin. Just reminds me of my home when I was a small lad. English burnt it down. The Laird never got a chance to rebuild."
The peasant grimaced. "You put your trust in some wicked Lord?"
"Tis different in Scotland. Lairds work side by side with their clansmen. Yer clan is yer family. Ye will never find a Scots Laird without calluses on his hands."
"That makes it even more a shame that the English took your lands. If it were like that here. There would be no need to rebel."
"I doona doubt that one bit."

As the sun went down , Anjou watched his men work themselves into a drunken stupor. He sat in his chair and looked out the window. The shack he occupied used to be a guard post for the estate. It had long been abandoned, but Anjou and his servant made it livable. The guard shack provided the best view of the entire estate, and the small farms surrounding the area.
"Ninta, bring me some more wine, and make sure my bed is turned down."
"Yes Sir."
"You have obeyed me, you have stayed away from the prisoner?"
"Y.. yes sir." The young boy stuttered at his master. Ninta was ten years old. His parents died when he was four.
Anjou groaned and made his way to the bed. He took off his shoes and pulled the blankets over himself.
"If you leave this shack again, I will beat you black and blue. Then I will throw you in the river, since you like to spend so much time there rather than sleeping."
Anjou had saved Ninta from a disease infested orphanage three years ago. Ninta appreciated being taken from that horrible place, and learning to be a valet. Yet, in the past two months, Ninta became deathly afraid of his master.
Anjou had cut off Ninta's curly white locks close to his head, and hit him repeatedly if the boy removed his headband and hat.
Ninta was not allowed to go outside of the guard shack. Although, sometimes Ninta would sneak out at night. He liked to swim in the cool water of a nearby stream.
Sometimes, when everyone was asleep, he would sneak around to the back of the pig house and peek in on the prisoner. He felt very sorry for the man who was tied there.
The night before, when he snuck out, Ninta thought about taking the prisoner a blanket to keep out the night chill. It would have been a simple task. The fat guard who was supposed to watch the prisoner was always asleep, or in female company.
Ninta carefully inched his way into the pig house with a ragged cloak he had found by the riverbank. As he tried to put the cloak on the prisoner's lap, the prisoner woke up.
"Get me some water and food." the prisoner whispered, "and a knife to cut these bonds, if you can. You must help me."
Ninta stood there in shock as he looked at the prisoner. With all of the mud and filth covering the man, Ninta did not realize the man's hair was white like his own.
Even more startling to the boy were the color of the man's eyes. They were golden color. The prisoner's eyes were merely a shade lighter than his own honey amber colored eyes.
Ninta dropped the cloak on the floor and ran back to the guard shack, but he promised himself to go talk to the prisoner again when he got the chance.
"Perhaps that man will help me get away if I help him get lose."

Inuyasha, Kagome and Monty waited in the wagon until well past dark. They wanted to make sure the peasants in charge of keeping Sesshomaru were asleep.
Monty peeked through one of the windows of the pig house to see Sesshomaru asleep sitting on a stool. she was shocked to see how thin he was.
Monty ran to one of the peasants and found one with clothes that looked like they would fit Sesshomaru.
"Inuyasha, over here. We need to drag this one into the pig house." she whispered.
"I have the wig ." Kagome whispered as she rushed next to Monty. "Is he dead?"
"No, just sleeping very soundly. We need to strip him. We will put cosmetics on his arms to lighten them. From what these idiots told me, they do not go near him at all until nearly noon. Their master does not come out of his hiding place until after luncheon. He likes to beat the Compte when the man has a full belly."
"Come on. We need to get this done before sunrise."

Ninta took several rags and stuffed his extra clothes. He put the rag doll on the pallet of the floor and covered it with the blankets. He set his hat next the pallet and inched his way to the door, grabbing a steak knife on his way out.
He carefully closed the door behind him as he exited the guard shack. As soon as he got a safe distance, he ran along the stream, along the trees and to the back side of the pig house.
The guard on duty was asleep, as usual.
Ninta inched his way carefully in to the pig house.
"Mousier." Ninta whispered, "Please wake up. We don't have very much time."
"Ugh. Who?"
"Shh. I am Ninta. I was here last night. I brought a knife to cut the ropes. Just promise to take me with you."
"I am very grateful to you, Ninta. I am Lord Sesshomaru. I promise you will be well rewarded once we get to England."
Sesshomaru landed with a thud as soon as Ninta cut him down.
"I can not move, Ninta. I have been stuck in those ropes for too long. I need to sit and rub the circulation back into my limbs."
"We should go to the stream. The cool water might help."
"No, not until I shake the pain and numbness from them. I know it is dangerous, but we will not get far if I can not walk or sit astride a horse."
"I brought you some clothes. I am not sure they will fit."
Sesshomaru sighed. "Anything will be fine after being naked for so long. Quick! Get into the hay and hide!"
The door to the pig house slowly opened. Sesshomaru sat ready with the knife as a black haired man pulled a body into the room. Behind him, two women rushed in. He dropped the knife as soon as he saw the face of the second woman.
"I.. I.. I can't believe it. How? Is it really you? You came? Adeline? My Adeline?"
"Be quiet. I had no choice, you deceiving mongrel!"
"No hello for me?"
"Inuyasha! This stuns me even further. Ninta, it is alright. These are friends. It seems you were not the only one who was helping to plan my escape."
Ninta slowly made his way out of the pile of hay. He straightened the kerchief on his head and stood up.
"You will still take me with you? Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Yes. I gave my word."
"Brother! We have no room for this whelp!"
"This child tried to save my life. He is going." Sesshomaru said flatly.
"I agree. This boy would be in danger if he stayed." Kagome said as she quickly powdered the naked peasant's arms and face.
Ninta helped Sesshomaru to dress while Inuyasha strung up the drugged peasant.
Monty rubbed the wig in some of the filth of the room and snugly placed it on the peasant's head. She continued to splatter filth on the inner legs of the peasant. In a matter of moments it was difficult to tell that the peasant was not Sesshomaru.
"Come on, Monty growled. We need to be gone from here before the sun comes up."
"The swords."
"What?"
"We can not leave without the swords, Inuyasha. If Anjou finds them,"
"Do you know where they are?" Inuyasha asked as he helped Sesshomaru out of the pig house and onto the wagon.
"Not exactly. The sword calls to me, sort of. You should feel it as well."
"I think I know where they are." Ninta piped up. "I found a chest in the river last night. I was unable to bring it up though. I can show you where it is."
"Lead on. Kagome, take the wagon along the road by the river. We are going that way anyway."

"It took the brat long enough to take the damn bait." Anjou muttered to himself.
Anjou felt he was very fortunate when he found the bastard child in that squalid orphanage in Le Mans. He had no doubt that the brat was a bastard from one of Sesshomaru's youthful escapades.
He knew that the child could lead him and his brothers to the treasure swords. with them in his possession, they could rule the world.
Unfortunately, someone had warned Sesshomaru of their quest for the treasure. All of his brothers had been killed by assassins, hired by the Compte D'Angers.
Anjou hoped to use the boy to his advantage. Ninta had the same sensitivities as his father. The boy could find the sword, but Anjou wanted more now that his brothers were dead. He wanted the Compte to suffer, like his brothers had.
Anjou hid in the bushes by the river and watched as the boy took the Scotsman to the river.
"Over here, Ian." the boy said quietly as he stripped off his clothes and dove into the water. The dark haired Scot quickly followed suit.
A few moments later, the boy and the Scot came out of the water with a long wooden box.
"Ah, good boy, Nintashiro, very good." He thought as he pulled his pistol and inched closer to the unsuspecting pair.
"Get down!" Inuyasha yelled when he saw the movement in the trees. He dove for his clothing as the bullet whizzed past his head.
"Aiyeee! Master Bankotsu! What are you doing?"
Inuyasha's eyes grew wide. He knew this vicious mercenary. "Bankotsu! Ninta, get to the wagon!"
"But Ian!"
"I said now !"
Ninta scooped up his clothes and ran to the wagon as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Help! Ian needs help! Master Bankotsu is attacking him!"
"Ninta, stay with his lordship. Kagome, grab your bow and come on. That bloodthirsty asshole is too dangerous for Inuyasha to take on by himself."
"You know him?"
"I was one of the ones sent to kill him and his so called brothers. He got away. He is one of the leaders of the Frayer Enfer. The French equivalent of the Hellfire Club, only nastier. Bankotsu himself is not even remotely French."
"What!"
"Enough talk. Shoot him as soon as you get in range. He is incapable of feeling mercy."
Kagome gasped as she came within view of Inuyasha and Bankotsu.
Inuyasha had Tetsusaiga and was parrying off blows from Bankotsu's wicked looking sword.
Inuyasha was not doing very well. He parried another down swipe and went to his knees to block a second sweep with the back of Tetsusaiga.
"Give me that sword you bloody Scot! You have no right to it or the other one in that box."
Inuyasha growled. "I have every right to it you stupid, Hessian bastard!"
"I am Prussian, not Hessian, stupid Scot!"
Inuyasha could feel the blade of his weapon giving under the pressure of Bankotsu's sword.
Monty began firing off every bullet from every gun she had at Bankotsu.
Kagome followed suit with arrows as quickly as she could knock them.
One arrow hit Bankotsu in the arm, forcing him to drop his sword.
Hurt and outnumbered, Bankotsu rushed into the trees to escape.
"Oh no you don't! Not this time!" Monty yelled as she pulled another pistol and ran after him.
Kagome ran down to Inuyasha as he sheathed his sword. "Pick up that box and the sword Bankotsu was using while I get dressed. Where's Monty?"
"She ran after him."
"Damn it!" Inuyasha took the pistol from Kagome's pocket and ran after Monty. "Take the swords to Sesshomaru! I will be right back!"

Monty ripped off her skirts and ran after Bankotsu.
"Get back here you murdering bastard!"
Bankotsu tripped and fell over a root. He would not have fallen if it had not been for the arrow sticking out of the heel of his boot.
Monty was on his back immediately.
"So woman, what is your stake in this?"
"Revenge. You remember a ship leaving port out of Edinburgh six years ago? The Lady Belle? You and your so called brothers killed the captain of that ship. " Monty pulled a knife and held it to Bankotsu's throat.
"So it is just my rotten luck that you have found me? And I thought you were after Sesshomaru."
"The captain of that ship was Alexander William Barstow, The Barron of Montague. My father!"
"The brat, I see.."
"No, but you will. The devil, mean. Go to hell!" Monty quickly slit his throat."
"Monty!" Inuyasha rushed to her as she stood and kicked Bankotsu's body into a marshy spot beside the tree root.
"I am fine, Inuyasha. And now father can rest in peace."

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