InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Egypt Bound ❯ Insight ( Chapter 17 )

Chp. 17 Insight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afternoon found Kagome and Sango gathering their belongings, which were due on the dock at 7:30pm that evening. After Sesshomaru's decree that they board the dahabeeyah immediately, and after the long, silent drive to Shepheard's, Kagome was extremely exhausted. Inuyasha and Miroku had gone back to their home in Ismailiya to tie up some loose ends and be briefed by Sesshomaru later on. Sango, being the observant person she was, saw Kagome haphazardly folding her clothes into the large trunk while stifling a yawn, and decided that Kagome needed some rest. She tucked away the shirtwaist she finished folding, and called over in Kagome's direction. Kagome drowsily looked across the room.

“What is it Sango?” she asked.

“You look like you're about to fall over, go take a nap sweetheart---it'll make you feel much better, trust me,” Sango insisted.

“But we have to be ready when Inuyasha and Miroku get here! They said they're coming at six,” Kagome yawned.

“Don't worry, it's not even one o'clock yet—we have plenty of time. I'll wake you in a couple of hours. I might even lie down for a spell myself!” Sango's plan sounded wonderful to Kagome, since the both of them barely slept a wink the night before. Kagome plodded over to the bed and nearly fell in. Sleep overtook her within seconds.

 

The morning had been emotionally grueling, to say the least. She had been shouted at, shot at, and saved all in a few hours; which would have thrown a normal person into a more confused state than she was in at the moment. But Kagome was not what you would call normal; she had become accustomed to a life of high pressure, her mother made sure of it. After her father died in a fatal accident at the textile mill, her mother had changed—for the worst. She had always been a resourceful woman, making ends meet as best she could, but it seemed to Kagome that making ends meet just wasn't enough.

She knew her mother had come from a fairly well-to-do family, not rich but not poor either, and that her father's family was of similar caliber as long as they could work. After her father died, her mother proclaimed her authority absolute over the whole household, which included the finances. Everyone who was fit to work, did to make up for the drop in income; everyone but Kagome, whom she had plans for. Kagome was plucked from playing in the street at the tender age of eight, and given a private tutor, which cost her mother a good chunk of her earnings each month. Kagome never forgot her last day of “freedom”, it would be ingrained in her memory until the day she died.

“ Why can't I play wit' de other chil'ren Mummy?”

“Because, they're not suitable for you. They're beneath you Kagome. Always remember that. You'll become a lady when that lot's writhing in the gutter, mark my words. Nothin' good'll come of them that's fer sure.”

“Why do I got to do these `les-sons' and Souta don't have to?”

“Souta is different from you, Kagome. He and Granpa are tryin' to help keep us afloat—I can't do everything by myself you know.”

“What about Da?”

“He's dead Kagome, he can't help us. He left us to carry his burden, the feckless bastard! So you have to work extra hard at your lessons so that you can help the family when the time comes. Do you understand Kagome? We're all counting on you! So don't screw it up!”

From that day on, Kagome learned what ladies knew, and could not share her knowledge with another living soul. Her mother was a hard mistress, and saw that she had no friends whatsoever, because she believed that her old friends would pull her down into the gutter with them, and her precious investment would have been for nothing. As Kagome got older, she felt like a canary in a gilded cage, and longed for someone to share her sorrows. Over the years, her brother seemed to resent her very presence in the house when he returned from a long day at work. He seemed angry whenever she tried to talk to him, because he knew there was no way that she could relate to his struggles. But that didn't stop Kagome from trying, even though their mother had separated them on purpose. Her only companion was her tutor, Hazel, who was a kind soul, but not friendship material. So essentially, Kagome was her own best friend.

 

Leaving Manchester was the best thing that had ever happened to her, really. It made her realize how much of an innocent she was, a past that she was eager to put behind her. As much as she just wanted to forget it, she couldn't; she was under a heavy obligation to find a wealthy husband. The man her family chose turned out to be a far cry from who they expected him to be--- he was a ruthless brigand who would think nothing of sending the Higurashis' most precious jewel to her death. She dreaded what would happen if she didn't produce a well-to-do husband when she returned to Manchester.

 

Now that she was separated from the Cook's Tour (by no fault of her own), her options were severely limited. She liked Sesshomaru, but pictured him as more of an uncle than a husband; and then there was Inuyasha, who could have wrote the book on rudeness and impropriety and…how to save someone gallantly. Kagome couldn't pin him; he was both rude and gentlemanly at the same time---a regular Jekyll and Hyde. She decided that it would take a lifetime for anyone to figure Inuyasha out, let alone her. `There's got to be something that makes him tick besides digging, I just know it. He's been acting so oddly these last two days, I wonder why…' she pondered.

 

 

 

 

Inuyasha took a moment to stare out the window of his room in Ismailiya. It was a nice break from the chaos he had been a party to earlier that morning. He had been gathering up his papers, books, and excavation logs since he and Miroku got home after 2 o'clock. Sesshomaru had requested for them to meet him for lunch at the Mena House to brief them for their impending journey to Luxor.

Apparently Sesshomaru's informants had come up with some interesting leads, one involving a woman Inuyasha had made his mind up to forget several years ago. She had been married to Inuyasha's mentor, Dr. David DuLoncre, a prominent archaeologist whose insistence on detailed methods won him both acclaim and criticism in academic circles. Dr. DuLoncre was also a good friend of Sesshomaru while he was in the Department of Antiquities. His wife, on the other hand was a different story. Kikyo, whose family was also academically inclined, met Dr.DuLoncre at her family's yearly soireè in London; the match was engineered by her father, who was interested in funding an excavation in Egypt, which was quite fashionable for a wealthy family to do in those days. The two were smitten and enjoyed a six month courtship. Their marriage was another matter altogether.

Kikyo tired of Dr. DuLoncre's academic obligations and resented that he spent more time on his research than her. Although her husband was quite handsome in a sophisticated way, his research assistant was by far the most handsome man Kikyo had ever seen in her short 18 years. She began to make herself more visible during Inuyasha's visits, outwardly playing the perfect hostess, and inwardly fantasizing about him. Her fantasies didn't come to fruition until her husband insisted that she accompany him in Egypt for a season. She had tried to stop herself from becoming obsessed with her husband's research partner, and made attempts at rekindling her marriage before it dissolved into bitter quarrels and nights spent alone in her apartments. David claimed that she had been too immature and impatient about his research, and reminded her that it had been with him much longer than she had. He pleaded with her to understand, even bought her expensive gifts to placate her, but it was no use. The fights worsened during their first month in Luxor, a place where a person used to the pace of life in London became bored very quickly. She hated seeing the same people everyday, dining with the same set night after night at the Winter Palace Hotel, but most of all she resented having the freedom that a man had. It drove her crazy, although Inuyasha didn't notice at first. After the second month, she decided to pursue her attraction to the young assistant, just to spite her husband.

One day Dr. DuLoncre had to attend to some business in Cairo, the Museum had acquired a wooden coffin from the New Kingdom-- his specialty—and needed someone to translate some of the spells on it. Inuyasha was instructed to stay behind to supervise the excavation, which proved all too convienient. The good doctor was away for three weeks, and Inuyasha was asked to look after Kikyo because she had been under the weather as of late, or at least that's what she told her husband. Inuyasha never forgot the day she approached him in the library.

She came in with a tray of cucumber sandwiches like she usually did on the nights when he and the doctor had their noses to the grindstone. As she set the tray down, their eyes locked for a moment. She asked him if he'd like a drink--since it had been so hot that day-- he replied, “ whiskey and soda”. She poured herself one as well and kept pouring until she was drunk enough to leave her inhibitions behind. She began to make advances on him, like stroking his thigh and caressing his cheek. He was attracted to her and she had fueled his fantasies more than once, but he knew that no matter how hot and bothered he got, she was the wife of his mentor. Period. Kikyo welcomed the challenge of seducing this straight-laced boy, and after another round he admitted that he shared her attraction.

Looking back, Inuyasha felt that he should've had more control and shouldn't have given in to her wiles---but who can resist their fantasy staring them right in the face?

The affair lasted for a little over a month, until the doctor walked in on them and had a fatal heart attack. Knowing he was half of the cause of his mentor's demise, Inuyasha broke it off with Kikyo. He couldn't stand the sight of her, even at the funeral in England. It wasn't until he ran into a colleague of his that had been present at the autopsy that he found out the real truth---Kikyo had been poisoning Dr. DuLoncre bit by bit over the years they were married. The poison of choice was undetermined, but its accumulation, plus the stress of work and witnessing his wife's infidelity was enough to put him into cardiac arrest, so Inuyasha's colleague reported. Inuyasha felt that it was his duty to confront her, and he did, but was met by protestations of love and anger on Kikyo's part. It was a bitter farewell. Over the years, he heard that Kikyo had latched on to another rich gentleman, who died a natural death from influenza. Inuyasha lost track of her whereabouts from then on…until Sesshomaru reported that she had been in league with Naraku for at least five years. How they met, he wasn't sure of, but the fact that her late husbands were knowledgeable about artifacts intrigued Naraku. Sesshomaru also noted that her fortunes were dwindling, aanother factor that may have attracted her to Naraku.

As Inuyasha's painful memories resurfaced, that voice he heard in the garden could have been none other than Kikyo's, though he didn't want to admit it. Miroku recalled seeing a woman matching her description at the concierge's counter earlier that morning. Sesshomaru deduced that she could have only known of their intended itinerary if she had asked the concierge that morning, which meant that Naraku's network was much more coordinated than was previously thought. Sesshomaru also informed the two archaeologists that Naraku had been attempting to court Kagome prior to their arrival when he found out through an informant that Sango was her ladies' maid and the possessor of Daniel Forth's stolen artifacts. Naraku also had extensive underground networks in the Khan el Khalili and in the major hotels and sporting clubs; not to mention rings of contrabanders, thieves, and muscle for the jobs that required it.

“We already know that the gaffirs were told in advance to expect us, “ Miroku deducted, “Kikyo probably alerted Naraku as soon as she found out.”

“Sounds logical. My informants also told me about Bassam's antika shop; it's a front for a forgery ring. The owner, Bassam, apparently does some trading on the side—in flesh.” Sesshomaru sounded grave at the end of his sentence. Inuyasha and Miroku's eyes went wide in disbelief.

“Y-y-you mean when he got the artifacts he was gonna---“

“Probably so, Inuyasha. I'd hate to admit it, but Sango and Kagome could have very well been forced to work in the Red Blind District; but from your account, I think Naraku was more likely to force Sango into that despicable profession due to her father's sins than Kagome. You said yourself that he clearly desired Kagome and would be happy to `off' the one with the prize, didn't you?” Sesshomaru asked.

“That's what I heard … that sick bastard! “ Inuyasha shook his head in disgust.

“So, Sesshomaru, what's our next move? If his informants are so good, how can we be sure that he has no idea that we're leaving in the morning?” Miroku inquired.

“I've already arranged for `Kagome' and `Sango' to be staying at a private residence that I happen to own, and when Naraku gets wind of it, he'll try to find them; and when he does, I assure you that the Cairo police will be there to greet him,” Sesshomaru smirked.

Inuyasha looked at his brother skeptically. “So, where, pray tell, is this fictional house you own?”

“You're in it.” Inuyasha's heart nearly stopped. He surely wasn't going to hold a brawl in his house and destroy the research material that Inuyasha and Miroku had worked so long and hard to collect…was Sesshomaru serious? The look Sesshomaru gave him told him he was.

“ What the hell? What's gonna happen to our research material, our artifacts, our…”

“I suggest that you find a safe place to put it all. I think there's a hidden closet or something of the sort in the harim. Whoever comes into the house besides me will have no idea where it is, I assure you.” Sesshomaru suggested.

“I think I know what you're referring to, it's in my apartments, “Miroku said. “Luckily, I've already stashed some of my site notes and things in there, so I can help Inu with his.”

“That's good to hear, Miroku. Now, on to the second order of business: the tomb. You know where it is, in Dra Abu'l Naga-- that noble's tomb. I want you to see if any of the Gurnawis have looted it or if there's been any activity out at the site at all. Check Sennedjem's tomb in Deir el Medina too, I want to know if any of those lovely wall paintings have been hacked out. You all will stay at the field house on the West Bank, I've already sent word warn—I mean, letting the servants know you'll be arriving soon. Don't fret, the house is well guarded by some of your old acquaintances; I'm sure you remember Jafar, Walid, Ahmed, and the two abd el Rahim boys, don't you? They were on the team a season or so ago,” Sesshomaru said reassuringly.

“What if we happen to find any `activity' as you call it, around the tombs? What are we to do then? Block it off? Alert the authorities?” Miroku inquired once more.

“I want you to alert me as soon as possible and find out who's been poking around the area—it could be some thieves on Naraku's payroll or some Gurnawis for all we know. Do a preliminary survey and get back to me on it. I've sent my old reis Muhammad down there to recruit some sort of a team for you—Muhammad is an excellent judge of character, and he is kin to half of the villages in Luxor. If anything has happened, he'd be the one you'd want to send off with inquiries,” Sesshomaru instructed.

Inuyasha nodded his head in agreement.

“Is that everything? No surprises when we get down to Luxor? I hope to God you keep us informed of any developments in Cairo.” Inuyasha said sarcastically.

“Other than telling you all to behave and not kill each other, I think that that covers it, Inuyasha. Oh, and allow the girls to see some of the temples, will you? Luxor has a dreadful habit of becoming monotonous after a while for ladies,” Sesshomaru remarked wryly. Inuyasha knew about his brother's last statement all too well. He stretched his arms and let out a sigh.

“I suppose we should get packin' Miroku, we have to pick up Kagome and Sango at around six.” Sesshomaru turned toward the door of the room and informed the two archaeologists that he expected them on the pier at 7:30pm sharp.

 

 

 

 

He was so close to it that he could almost hold it in his hands. He remembered the way it shone when Daniel had brought it to him the first time, the light illuminating the molten features of the mask…yes, it was the work of a master. Its companion pieces paled in comparison. He was sure she would've led him to it, if only that bastard Sesshomaru hadn't gotten in the way and muddled things. Daniel Forth's daughter was too smart for her own good---just like her father, whose work was so good, that even he was unable to tell if it was real or not. Naraku stewed in his thoughts as he held the lithe form of a woman in his arms. He was far from satisfied after she had tried to placate him. Her information was precise, it wasn't her fault that they wriggled out of his grasp again, but whoever suggested those two blockheads to him was going to be eating from a straw.

`That bitch has ruined everything---huddling for protection under Sesshomaru's wings, keeping Kagome away from me, stealing what should have been mine----I'll make her and everyone around her pay! Mark my words! Those fools should have been killed today at Saqqara—if it wasn't for those gaffirs' shoddy marksmanship I'd have had the damn artifact by now. Sesshomaru's got the whole bleeding Khan crawling with his informants--- they know about Bassam's. Damn it!' Naraku scowled.

“Mmm…Naraku?” a feminine voice asked sleepily.

“Yes my dear?” He pulled the covers to his chest.

“Is everything alright? I did well, didn't I?” she turned on her side and looked at him. He could feel her gaze on him. She was always trying to make small talk after they'd had sex. She was like a pet that sought approval for every little trick; he only kept her because she was a good informant…and not so bad in bed. She was content to stay in the background, and that's where he decided she would remain---until he got what he wanted, of course. And he would get it, no matter how much blood was on his hands in the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sango woke Kagome at a quarter to five to bathe and have a decent meal before they were to meet Inuyasha and Miroku downstairs at six. Although she was quite worn out herself, Sango had finished the necessary packing and ordered tea to be brought to the room while Kagome was busy with her toilette. `I'm too bloody efficient,' she sighed to herself. The morning had taken a toll on her, too. It was quick thinking on her part that kept the scarab safe on her person---who would notice an extra pocket sewed onto her undergarments? Except for someone who was looking—like Miroku, for instance. Just the thought of him touching her bum and stroking her side made her boil with anger.

`How dare he do that to me? Does he have no shame? What him think that he has the right to…to…make me feel like---` Kagome's voice derailed Sango's train-of-thought.

“Sango? Could you help me with this corset? I can't fix the stays!” she pleaded.

“I'll be there in a second,” Sango said tiredly.

 

 

Inuyasha was not too happy with the situation thus far. After Sesshomaru had dropped the bomb about using their house as a way to lure Naraku out, Inuyasha almost gave up. Before this season, life was easier, more predictable; now, the pace of living was erratic and bordered on chaos. Not only did he have to put his research on hold, but he had to watch out for two females that brought nothing but distraction into his and Miroku's lives. Now he was forced to be in close quarters with one of the most infuriating women he had ever met! `The gods must be crazy, ` he thought as he kept an eye on the donkey cart (for the luggage, of course) that followed the Daimler through the dusty, winding streets of Cairo. `There's something about her that I can't put my finger on…something just doesn't seem right…she annoys the hell outta me and I don't know why! Why the hell did Sesshomaru arrange it just so she'd be in my way, huh? Does he have a death wish for me? How am I gonna get through this? One bathroom, for all three of us---I bet the old boy is laughing his ass off knowing that I'll probably be losing that funding he promised. I'll just stay away from her as much as possible—can't screw it up when I'm not around, can I? Just need a little will power that's all…' Inuyasha's thoughts came to an abrupt end when the mini convoy reached Shepheard's. In order to avoid the embarrassment they had experienced earlier, Miroku decided to have the concierge send a suffragi to fetch the womenfolk. Inuyasha stayed in the car. The concierge was still the same one from earlier, of that Miroku was sure; he decided that asking a few questions wouldn't hurt.

“Excuse me, but I am looking for someone by the name of Kikyo DuLoncre, has she checked in by any chance?” Miroku played dumb, hoping that he could glean some information on where Kikyo or another mercenary of Naraku's might pop up next.

“I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid that no one by that name has checked in recently,” the concierge bluffed. Miroku made his face into a mask of concern.

“Not even in the last day or two? That's a shame! Here I `d thought that my dear cousin had given me the right address---“ Miroku leaned on the side of the counter and gave the concierge the most bewildered face he could muster, “ to meet her for supper! I never believed that a woman could be so rude! Surely she has been here and left a note---or five or ten?” The concierge's double chin quivered slightly and his eyes searched the room, knowing he was pinned, but still, he denied ever seeing her. Miroku decided on more direct tactics---accusation and bribery.

“I know she was here because I saw her this morning. How much did she pay you to keep this quiet, huh? Were you the one who told her about Saqqara?” Miroku accused.

“I swear I didn't think there was any harm---“ the chubby man stammered.

“Any harm? Were you aware that you could've killed four innocent people by taking her bribe? You Shepheard's people were strictly informed by Sesshomaru and Inuyasha Tomuri to not reveal the site to any person, tourist or not unless otherwise noted a long time ago! Our survey is very involved and we cannot be inconvenienced by bloody tourists and the occasional few gaffirs who want to put a couple of rounds in us! So let me ask this again—was it you who told her our whereabouts?” Miroku asked angrily.

The concierge nodded his head.

“How much did she pay you?”

“Ah-About twenty-five pounds,” the clerk stammered out.

“Were there any notes for her from a man named Hamilton, by any chance? You had better tell me, or you can kiss your job goodbye,” Miroku threatened. The chubby concierge was sweating bullets by this time.

“There—there was a note by someone saying to return to the Semiramis after work,” the fat man offered.

“That's it?” Miroku raised an eyebrow.

“Well, yes. She checked out this morning and had her bags sent to a private address, that's all I gathered.” The fat man offered.

“Just where is this `private residence'? In Cairo?”

“Yes, in Old Cairo near the Ibn Tulun Mosque, I believe—that's what I heard the porters said,” the fat man grinned nervously. Miroku caught sight of Kagome descending the Nubian Staircase and straightened up. He shot the concierge a deadly look.

“You had better be right buddy, because if we find out otherwise, you'll be enjoying the fine accommodations of an Egyptian jail; and I'm quite sure the kerbash is still in use there, “ Miroku sneered as he turned to greet the ladies. “Good evening Kagome, Sango,” he tipped his bowler hat.

“Hello again Miroku, is everything alright?” Kagome asked, as she saw the bewildered concierge dab his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Oh, everything's peachy, Kagome, we were just having a chat to pass the time, weren't we—uh mister…”

“Stewart,” the concierge answered quickly.

“Yes, Mr. Stewart and I were having a nice chat about how Shepheard's has decided to take care of your bill as recompense for all of the unspeakable incidents that have befallen you and your companion over the past two days…isn't that right Mr. Stewart?” Miroku smiled, observing the chubby man sweat profusely.

“Well, that certainly is nice of them, but I'm afraid—“ Kagome started.

Miroku pinched Stewart's arm hard and gave him a murderous look if he were to argue with him. “Don't—“ he squeaked as Miroku's blunt nails dug into his fleshy arm, ”Don't worry about it, madame, the manager wouldn't want a guest to go away unhappy! It's the least we could do for your troubles!”

“Yes, the very least, “ Miroku mumbled as he removed his hand.

“Well, if you insist Mr. Stewart, I certainly wouldn't want to cause any trouble with your manager, “ Kagome smiled, unaware that she was reaping the fruits of Miroku's persuasive techniques. Stewart dabbed his forehead once more as Miroku slipped him a card with Sesshomaru's address on it.

“If your manager has any complaints whatsoever, tell him to forward them to this address, and the matter will be settled. Come on Kagome, Sango, let's go, shall we?” Miroku tossed the key at the concierge and escorted the two ladies to the car.

“Miroku, what was that all about?” Kagome asked as Miroku held the door for her and Sango.

“Oh, let's just say he owed us one, and leave it at that.” He looked down at his bare wrist and declared, “Oh would you look at the time! We've got to get down to the dock before the dahabeeyah sails without us!” And with that, he started the vehicle and drove off towards the harbour, with the donkey cart behind them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terms Explained:

Dra Abu el Naga- Part of the cliffs extending from the temple of Hatshepsut to the road leading to the Valley of the Kings. Located on the West Bank of Luxor, the hillside is honeycombed with tombs, including those of the royalty of the 17th Dynasty.

 

Reis- A word that can refer to a captain of a ship or the foreman of a work crew.

 

Kurbash/Kerbash- A whip made out of hippopotamus or crocodile hide.

 

Suffragi- Hotel servant.

 

Dahabeeyah- Essentially a houseboat; the favored means of Nile travel for wealthy tourists & officials in the 19th century, varying in size and elegance depending on the means of the traveler. They were sailing ships, using the north wind to travel upstream (south) from Cairo. When the wind failed, the unfortunate crewmen had to row or tow the vessel. On the return voyage downstream, the current served as motive power.

 

The Semiramis- One of Cairo's best hotels on the riverbank; it's still around today.

 

Gaffir- Guard

 

 

Blanket Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha nor any information published by Elizabeth Peters ( Amelia Peabody's Egypt : A Compendium). I merely use the latter as a resource for terms and relevant cultural information.

 

A/N: OMG it's been a while hasn't it? I have been suffering from a case of writer's block and have had a lot of drama in the past month or so. Plus, I've gotten sick again & that has complicated things. Not really any fluff in this chapter, but a bit of background & plot info. I'm still working on chapter 18 & the forecast for fluff looks pretty good. But, I want the readers' input on this one : Should there be more Inu/Kag fluff or more Mir/Sango fluff ? Review & cast your Votes!!!!

Also, I'm going to put the story on hiatus from May 15-June 28 because I'll be in New Mexico for 6 weeks, so I'll try to get as much out between then as I can. You know the drill : READ & REVIEW!!!