InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feudal Tale ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

The lights in the village were put out, and everyone seemed to be bedded down for the night. But something made Inuyasha uneasy, and kept him awake even though his wife slept peacefully next to him. He had been out to look on the village a few moments before, and he thought he'd seen movements in the darkness of night.

 

He frowned. Akamaru's cryptic, drunken warnings had not been easily cast aside. Neither had the way Kagome's father been watching the interaction. Inuyasha was fairly certain that these two men were heavily involved in whatever was being plotted in the late night meetings.

 

A few days earlier Inuyasha used the excuse of bringing his wife's family to visit to gather reconnaissance. Kagome's mother and younger sisters had all come, young Mariko squealing with delight and running up to jump into his arms. He had produced the promised gift, a wooden top, which they had spent at least an hour spinning across the hut. While Inuyasha was with the little girl Kagome talked with her mother and sisters, whose troubling information she relayed to him later that night.

 

Her father had been leaving at all hours, sometimes bringing over other men in the village and sending away the women so they could talk in secret. A bit of prodding with the younger girls revealed that their eavesdropping had caught details of many of the conversations: status of weapons and fighting men, and morale of the farmers in the area. Something large was about to happen, and Kagome's family was right in the middle of it.

 

Kagome had been very distraught at piecing all the news together. While she belonged to his family now, as a new wife, the rest of her sisters and her mother were not so lucky. It was common for the bakufu to nip all possible buds of revolution and unrest by executing all related to the criminals. In one fell swoop, Kagome's family could be slaughtered, as well as many others in the village.

 

Inuyasha held his wife closer to his body. She moaned softly but otherwise did not protest the squishing. He was not even sure that she would escape unscathed.

 

She is my wife. No one will go near her if I have anything to say about it.

 

From the information they had garnered, the uprising was to happen right before New Years, so they could usher in the new year with a new tax policy and with more rice and money allocated to them than the year before.

 

They wouldn't come for us in Edo, especially not if I were to take them to the house of Sesshomaru.

 

That would mean putting up with the bastard for longer than I ever wanted to. And that is if he will even allow us to stay. He definitely has the room, but he might refuse just to be a cold ass.

 

He would at least offer shelter to Mariko. Inuyasha's frown deepened. He damn well better offer shelter to an innocent child.

 

Inuyasha shifted in the futon, trying to fall asleep. Tomorrow he would have to start making arrangements with his brother to get the women out of the town before whatever was happening came down.

 

Inuyasha lay his head down in Kagome's hair, letting the clean scent calm his nerves.

 

She must have washed her hair today. He thought to himself.

 

He had almost fallen asleep when a loud roar tore through the village. The house shook to its foundations, and Kagome came awake with a jolt.

 

“What—?”

 

“Get dressed.” Inuyasha had already jumped out of bed and was pulling on his hakama. He left at a run, still pulling his sleeping yukata out of his pants. Kagome jumped up and began putting on her kimono. Right as she started to tie the obi Inuyasha returned, now bare-chested and with tied hakama. He hurriedly pulled on his underkimono and kimono shirt.

 

Inuyasha left at a run again, now fully dressed. Kagome followed him a few seconds later, securing her clothing.

 

She found Inuyasha securing a dagger to his side.

 

“We're going to your family's house. Now.”

 

“Why?”

 

Inuyasha stepped out the door and proceeded at a brisk pace down the road, Kagome scurrying to follow.

 

“Your father and the orphan are starting their insurrection against the government officials.”

 

Kagome gasped, gripped with fear for the safety of her family. From the road the village inn was easily visible. It was brightly aflame.

 

“The vassal of the governor of the province was staying there, wasn't he?” she asked.

 

“And an extensive procession was with him.” Inuyasha said grimly. “Troops will come in soon and put down this rebellion. All involved will be killed.”

 

Kagome stopped on the path. “Otou-san…”

 

Inuyasha looked back and grabbed her arm to pull her along.

 

“We can't save them all, but we can save the younger ones.”

 

“But, my mother, Kikyo…”

 

“Are married, and we cannot impose upon the rights of their husbands, even if they are some of the dumbest, most uncaring…” his mutters faded softly, as Kagome struggled to keep up with his hectic pace.

 

“Ayame was promised to Hiro, so she can go to live with his family.” Kagome suggested.

 

“So that leaves us with two girls, eh?”

 

“Hai, Mariko and Hana. Both are very young.”

 

Inuyasha led them off the path and into the bushes around the edge of the village. Kagome soon saw why: a group of men was gathering makeshift weapons, and apparently was about to march on Edo.

 

Kagome took the lead when they got near her old home. She tapped the back door lightly, then jiggled the sliding door off the frame. Kagome passed through the tiny gap that formed, leaving Inuyasha out in the garden in the dark.

 

Kagome followed the sound of quiet weeping. She found the five remaining members of her family in the kitchen.

 

She squinted in the dark; the fire had gone out. She found the huddled shapes of her mother and three youngest sisters by the fire pit. Kikyo was kneeling by the door to the kitchen, resolutely calm.

 

“Okaa.” Kagome greeted, giving her mother a hug. The woman looked very wan and worried. “I've come for the children.”

 

Her mother nodded. “To convey them to safety.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then Kikyo and I shall remain here.”

 

Kagome frowned. “I wish we could take you.”

 

Her mother gave a bitter smile. “I have known for some time now about this. But I could not fight my husband on this decision. I tried to persuade him not to go, but he didn't listen to me.”

 

“Ayame, Hana, Mariko, come with me.” Kagome said softly. The girls were crying in their mother's lap. “Come on, sisters, you can't stay here.”

 

“I don't wanna leave Okaa.” Mariko whimpered.

 

“It's okay, dear.” Her mother said soothingly. “Go with Kagome.”

 

The little girl whimpered and then latched on to Kagome's kimono.

 

“Kagome, we have to hurry,” came Inuyasha's agitated whisper. He himself appeared in the doorway, ignoring Kikyo kneeling by his side.

 

Kagome gathered Mariko up in her arms, pulling on Hana's hand. Ayame followed of her own accord. Inuyasha took Mariko from Kagome and then picked up Hana, allowing Kagome to run to gather some clothing for her sisters.

 

The two little ones were still sniffling in Inuyasha's arms when Kagome came out with a tied cloth sack.

 

“We are going now.” Inuyasha said abruptly. “See if there are any relatives you can stay with, so you aren't alone in the house.”

 

Her mother nodded, standing now that her children were gone.

 

“I can take Ayame to the family of Hiro,” she said smoothly, “then I'll go to my sister's house.”

 

Kikyo spoke for the first time since they'd arrived. “I will stay here. I refuse to run while my husband is fighting.”

 

Kagome opened her mouth, but Inuyasha placed a firm hand over her lips. “We will be in our hut. If you need shelter, come to us and we can make some arrangements.”

 

Kikyo did not respond, but her mother nodded. The group left Kikyo in the kitchen and went out to jolted back door. Kagome carefully jingled it back into place, while her mother and Ayame vanished into the dark of the woods behind the hut. Inuyasha led them a little ways into the forest, then doubled back on his trail to cross the road where there was unlikely to be any resistance fighters. They walked further into the woods until thy reached the creek, which they followed down the hill to their house.

 

Both girls had remained blessedly silent as they made the tense trip. But as soon as the shoji closed safely behind them and Inuyasha deposited them in the main room both girls began to sob.

 

Kagome hurriedly straightened her futon and herding her crying sisters into it. She was certain that they were both exhausted. Sure enough, Mariko was asleep in a few minutes, and Hana ended up dropping off after crawling into Kagome's lap. The sleeping girl was tucked into the futon.

 

Inuyasha was still nervously glancing at the window. Some torches had been lit, and it appeared the army, if it could be called that, would be moving out soon. Inuyasha stayed awake until the last of the fires were gone down the road, and they could no longer hear the marching of men and clanking of makeshift weapons.

 

“It'll take the army in Edo today to crush them.” Inuyasha said. “I would expect government officials to arrive by tomorrow at the latest. They will look for family. Someone to make an example of.”

 

Kagome finally let the tears she had been holding back fall.

 

“I heard of other farmers' uprisings,” she said. “But it never ended well. It is unfair that the bakufu takes so much from the farmers, but shouldn't there be a better way to protest? Some way that doesn't endanger the people of the village? Or if only we didn't have to worry about some crushing blow being dealt to the home village.” She sniffed, and continued. “It doesn't feel right, knowing that I will be cared for while many others in the village starve.”

 

Inuyasha remained silent through her sobbed tirade. He clenched his hands, obviously worried about the turn of events in the village.

 

Kagome started when she saw the light of false dawn creeping over the horizon.

 

They will arrive in Edo soon. She thought worriedly.

 

After a while Inuyasha shook her gently. “The girls will need breakfast.”

 

Kagome nodded, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. She stood, pulling her kimono back into place. She sniffed, and then felt a tug on her sleeve. Inuyasha had stood up as well, and was holding her arm.

 

“I'll protect you,” he said, his intense gaze focused on her. “I promise, I will protect you.”

 

Kagome cocked her head, and nodded at him. Something told her that this was very important to him, something of life importance. She smiled, covered his hand with her own. “Thank you.”

 

The next chapter is coming soon. I've already started it. - Akihana