InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feudal Tales ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

"Wow! It's huge!" I gasped in shock as I looked up at the large castle before me. I knew Sesshomaru had to have a huge castle for being the lord of the Western Lands but this was nuts! The castle was much bigger than what I'd seen on TV. Though on the episode that showed the castle I didn't even get to see very much of it. I wasn't even sure it had been his castle in the first place. On the episode that showed it, his mother was there. But I just figured maybe it used to belong to her but now belonged to Sesshomaru.

"What did you expect human! Milord is an all powerful demon lord of very high status," Jaken told me. However, I wasn't listening at all. Instead I was staring at how beautiful the place was. I had expected a feudal era type castle, but what I had instead was a huge fantasy style castle. It looked like something out of the show Once Upon a Time but this castle would put that one to shame. It even had ancient looking vines hanging from tons of random spots, indicating that the castle was centuries old, "Hey! Are you even listening to me!?"

"Oh, sorry," I sighed. But that was all I said as we entered the gated entrance to the castle. Right away I was in awe at the beautiful gardens inside the courtyard. It reminded me of the garden of eden it was so beautiful. And even though we were technically inside the castle gates it felt like we were still out in the wilderness in the woods.

"Lord Sesshomaru's castle is beautiful isn't it?" Rin grinned at me.

"It sure is," I answered. Being a nature lover I was completely in love with the garden. However, I gave off a big yawn covering my mouth as I did so trying not to be rude. It just hit me. It had been a long trip and I was a bit wore out. I couldn't wait to sleep in a soft bed, even if it was just a futon on the floor. We had been traveling for days after Sesshomaru had stated we were coming here after all.

"Jaken, help Stephanie pick out a bedroom," Sesshomaru ordered as we entered the castle. The toad demon nodded and led me up a long wide and fancy staircase, up to the upper-rooms.

As we went up and up more stairs the only thing on my mind was, 'I wish this place had an elevator!' By the time we got to the floor with the bedrooms I felt like I was going to collapse. I was breathing hard and leaning over holding my chest painfully.

"Stephanie, are you okay?" Rin asked me.

I looked at the child, "I'll… be fine… in a minute..." I figured I'd be fine with walking all those stairs once I got used to this. After all, this was feudal times. Elevators had yet to be invented, 'I don't know who invented the elevator but I'm his biggest fan right now.' I then followed Jaken around as we looked through the different rooms, "Uh… where's Lord Sesshomaru's room?"

"None of your business!" Jaken demanded.

However, Rin told me, "This way." She led me all the way to the end of a long hallway and pointed.

"I'll take this room," I grinned, grabbing the room right next to Sesshomaru's room. I had no idea Sesshomaru's mother stayed in the room right across from mine whenever she was here. Rin's room was also on the other side of mine and Jaken slept downstairs in the servant's quarters.

"What! You can't take the room right next to milord's!" Jaken gasped.

"Actually I just did," I told him. I grinned like a happy school girl as I made my way into the room. The room was beautiful and even had a balcony where I could go out and look at the layout of the land. I could even look right next to me at the balcony on my right that connected to Sesshomaru's room and see him whenever he came out. Then I saw a door to the side in my room and opening it found out it led right into Sesshomaru's room. That must have been why Jaken didn't want me to have this room. It had easy access to Sesshomaru's room.

I laid down on my huge king sized bed sighing. I decided maybe I'd take a little nap for awhile. The bed felt so comfy, even though it was a futon. It was a bit too hot for covers so I was just laying on top of them. If I was back in my own time this type of weather would be known as summer weather. It made me wonder if it was summertime in feudal times right now. Then I wondered if anyone back home was missing me yet.

'By now there must be a search party out looking for me. Am I even on the news? Or do any of them care that I'm gone?' I wondered. It had been longer than 24 hours since I came to this time period. And in my time when a person went missing they couldn't be reported as missing until 24 hours had gone by. But maybe it hadn't yet. For all I knew time flowed differently here than in my world. This made me think of the anime Fushigi Yugi where the character had been in the world of the book for months, but in real life only a few hours had gone by.

"Oh well," I sighed. I rolled over on my side and fell asleep, the last thing I heard before darkness overtook me was Rin running through the halls and Jaken chasing her. My bow and arrows Naraku had given me lay at the foot of the bed.

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I was so tired out that I had slept all day and through the night. When I woke up it was very early in the morning. I didn't exactly know what time it was since the feudal era doesn't have clocks but I just knew it was early. When I looked outside it was barely daylight out. The sky still looked orange. The sun wasn't out yet but it was still daylight.

I looked over on the balcony next to mine and saw Sesshomaru standing there. I smiled over to him, "Good morning Lord Sesshomaru." He just turned his head to me and nodded towards me. I sighed, wishing he'd talk more. Seemed my online friend from my world was right about him. He really is the silent type. I smelled my clothes realizing they were dirty. This was my only outfit as well. Plus, seeing as how the feudal era didn't have bras or underwear I'd have to go without wearing any for awhile. A bra I could go without, but I did feel kinda sick not being able to wear a pair of underwear.

I went back into my room and checked the wardrobe to see if there was anything I could wear. Sure enough there were kimonos and yukatas in the wardrobe. Some for women and some for men. I had a hard time being able to tell the difference between them, so I just picked out a pink yukata, figuring a man wouldn't be wearing pink.

I then on reflex started looking for the bathroom so I could take a bath. I then slapped myself on the head after spending 30 minutes looking for a bathroom and not finding one, 'Idiot! Bathrooms haven't been invented yet!'

I decided I'd just head back towards my room and go next door to ask Sesshomaru where I bathe at. However, as I turned around to head back I found myself lost. I couldn't tell which way I had even came from, "Oh no! I'm lost!" I cried out. This I should of known better. I knew Sesshomaru's castle was huge so I should of asked for help finding my way around right away instead of wondering off on my own. Now I was lost and I didn't know what to do. However, I couldn't just stand around here all day. That wouldn't get me anywhere.

As I walked around getting more lost though I happened upon Sesshomaru, "What are you doing?" He questioned me, curious why I was just wondering around his castle.

"Oh, excuse me my lord. I was just looking for… the uh…. wherever it is people bathe in this time," I stuttered a bit. I was sure he'd understand my confusion since he knew I came from another time period where things are different.

"Oh, you mean the bath?" He questioned, "It's on the first floor. You're on the top floor."

'Oh course!' I thought thinking myself such a fool. Of course something with a lot of heavy water would be on the ground floor. This also meant I'd have to walk down all those stairs again. Sesshomaru motioned for me to follow him and he led me down the stairs though this time it didn't bother me as much as it did yesterday. I must be getting used to walking up and down stairs a lot already.

However, as soon as I thought that my legs started getting wobbly and real weak and soon they gave out on me as I fell head first, 'Oh no!' I gasped in my head. But seeing as how Sesshomaru was in front of me I just fell into him as he caught me.

"Be careful," he ordered.

"Uh… yes… sorry about that," I blushed a bit. He steadied me on my feet before my feet felt like jelly and I fell over again.

"Are you okay?" He questioned, holding me up.

"Sorry Lord Sesshomaru. I'm not used to walking up and down lots of stairs," I explained. He closed his eyes, sighing at my answer before just lifting me with one arm and carrying me down the stairs. I felt my heart beating very fast as he carried me, "Thank you."

He carried me all the way to the bath house. It was through a door that led to a private area with a large hot-spring and mini waterfall flowing from a large rock in the bath. I got excited. This would be my first time in a bath house. I'd always wanted to visit one but couldn't afford to take a trip overseas. He sat me right next to the water, "The water will help your sore muscles," he told me.

I nodded to him and he left the room. I removed my clothes and slid into the water. As I relaxed Rin came in and got into the water with me. Just as I was wishing this time had shampoo I spotted a bottle sitting on a table. Yes! Score! That must be an early version of shampoo though in this time only demons knew how to make it, "Rin, bring that over will you?"

"But that's Lord Sesshomaru's special oil he washes his hair with," Rin told me.

"I know," I said.

"If you say so," Rin sighed. She went and got the bottle and handed it to me. I got my hair wet and washed it with the oil. It felt just like shampoo. I knew it wasn't really shampoo but some type of oil used for cleaning hair that demons used but it was basically made the same way. I then got some soap and completely washed myself until I was clean. And being in the hot water did in fact make my legs feel better.

"By the way Stephanie. This may sound strange but do you believe the gods can contact you in your sleep?" Rin asked me.

"Of course! Why?" I asked the child.

"Stephanie… I… I know why you're here. You're here to save us. You're going to save us all from the evil that's here to destroy us. I know, because the gods contacted me in my dreams and told me so. Stephanie you're the one. You're the savior."

"Who? Me? Haha! No way. You must have the wrong person dear," I giggled as I ruffled her hair.

"No! It's you! I know it! You must save us or we're all doomed!" Rin cried. She got out of the bath, got dressed and gathered up her things before leaving the room.

"Sorry," I said to her retreating back. After my legs were better I got out of the bath and got dressed. I went to my room being careful to walk slowly up the steps so as not to hurt my legs this time. How I made to my room without getting lost I had no idea but once there I sat in front of a mirror and fixed up my hair. I left it down like I always do. Though now that I thought about it I did wish I had something to put in my hair, like a headband. I had some but they were back in my world, no use to me there.

I then decided to try on the shoes that go with the kimono. They actually felt very comfy. Or maybe it was the socks that came with them. I then handed my dirty clothes to a servant to wash. She gave my clothes a funny look not understanding what they were before she left to clean them. After I was all cleaned up I looked down at the charm bracelet around my wrist remembering Naraku had given it to me to use to talk to him any time I needed to. However, I wasn't about to test it out just to see if it really worked. I was sure he'd get pretty angry if I contacted him just to test this out.

I also didn't wish to waste anymore time in my room. The others were probably waiting for me in the dinning room by now for breakfast. Though I didn't know what Sesshomaru ate. I had remembered watching an episode where he'd said he didn't eat human food, 'Then what does he eat?' I wondered.

I heard a knock on my door, snapping me out of my thoughts, "The Lord wishes me to escort you to the dinning room."

"Okay, I'll be right out," I called, realizing it was one of the servants. I figured all the servants here were probably demons. I made myself decent and went to open the door. I followed the servant all the way down the stairs to the dining room. Once there I sat next to Rin and we ate our breakfast. Sesshomaru was just sitting there not eating a thing, "My lord, aren't you hungry?" I questioned him.

"Milord doesn't need to eat anything at all. He's a high ranking demon. He gets all the nutrition he needs from the air and ground around us," Jaken explained.

"You mean he absorbs nutrition into his body from nature?" I asked.

"Yes, that's the jest of it," Jaken told me. I was really impressed by this knowledge. Lord Sesshomaru was even more powerful than I thought. As we ate I saw servants carrying some travel bags into the room which I assumed contained the supplies we'd need on our trip. This probably meant we've be leaving right after we ate. That was quite a shame. I had wanted to stay here a bit longer and explore the castle, seeing what all it had to offer but I guess Lord Sesshomaru was the type to not want to stay in one place too long.

"Not that it's any of my concern but why do you travel so much anyway my lord?" I questioned. Right after I asked I kicked myself for forgetting he was after Naraku. Though he did travel a lot before even meeting Naraku as well.

"Why do you think? To build his empire and make the Western Lands more well known," Jaken told me.

"I'm also looking for Naraku," Sesshomaru finally spoke up. Jaken explained to me what I already knew about how Naraku had tricked him and Sesshomaru wanted to kill Naraku. As I was told that I felt like a traitor for agreeing to help Naraku, even though I was only helping the man because I felt bad for him. But I loved Sesshomaru. Shouldn't I be more willing to help him out instead? However, as much as I felt bad for Naraku if he hurts Sesshomaru I'd probably stop helping him in a heart beat.

"Let's go," stated Sesshomaru, getting up after everyone was done with breakfast. I grabbed my bow and arrows and my clothes from the servant who had washed them and brought them back to me. I packed them into an empty bag given to me. I put it and my bow and arrows over my shoulder before helping to carry supplies out to where Ah-Un was waiting for us right outside in the sable. We loaded up Ah-Un with the supplies before heading out. We had a long journey ahead of us and our destination? Searching for Inuyasha's group.