InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Impossible Love ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Impossible Love
Chapter Fourteen
YuriYaoiHet_ILoveEmAll
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Hinata and Kagome were still darting through the trees. Kagome was desperatley trying to pull her legs out of Hinata's grip. Tears were rolling down her cheeks at the thought of what her new freinds must be going through.
"Stop, Hinata!" Kagome cried desperatley." What are you doing? We have to go back!"
Hinata didn't slow. "We cannot. We will be captured."
"I won't leave them behind! They'll be killed!" Kagome cried.
"And we will be killed if we return." Hinata replied.
Kagome tried and failed to pull herself from Hinata's grasp again. "Then put me down! I'll go back myself!"
Hinata finally stopped. She released Kagome's legs and Kagome slid down on her feet. Hinata spun to face her. "Do they mean your life, Lady?"
Kagome thought about it. She'd only just met Shippo and the others a few days ago, but they had formed a quick freindship. Freinds were few and far between for her. She knew only a handful of people. She wouldn't leave them to die. Even if it meant turning herself over to Kouga. She would see them free. They deserved it after what they'd been through.
"It won't come to that. At least, I don't think so. Kouga wants me alive. It's time to see just how much he wants me."
Hinata looked down. "Hinata has sworn herself to you, Lady Kagome. This one will do as you say." She looked back up.
Kagome put a hand on her shoulder. "I will protect you from Kouga's wrath. No matter what happens. I swear it."
Hinata smiled at her, but there was a haunted look in her eyes as she turned to offer Kagome her back. Kagome climbed on and they set back off towards the border. At was nearing dark by the time they reached it. Kagome signaled for Hinata to stopped just inside the tree line on their side of the river.
When they parted the bushed to look, Kagome was astonished by what she saw. Hinata gasped beside her. There were forty crimson eyed wolves on the river bank around a large fire. But that wasn't as surprising as the fact that intermingled with them were giant spider youkai. Each had the lower body and eight legs of a spider with a human torso where the spider's head should have been.
Kagome searched the crowd and saw Kouga standing beside the largest of the spiders. She wore a crown of webbing and bones atop her head. She was the Spider Queen. She tore her eyes away for them to search for her freinds. She gasped at what she saw. They were suspended by their hands from a line of webbing, Killala by her legs. Shippo, Sango and Miroku were bare from the waist up and she could see marks on heir backs. They'd been whipped. Killala had been burned badly. Kagome's body shook with rage.
Hinata began tugging on her sleeve and she tore her eyes away from her freinds to meet Hinata's terrified eyes. "My Lady! We must flee. The Black Queen. She has no mercy! She is the one who corrupted Lord Kouga! She will kill the Lady and this one too! Please!" She begged in a whisper, tears filling her eyes.
Kagome put a hand to her shoulder. "Stay here. Keep quiet until I signal for you. I have a plan." The she stood and stepped out into sight. "Kouga!" She yelled loudly. Every youkia turned to face her.
Kouga stepped forward until he was at the head of the group. "I knew you'd come back for your freinds!" He called back.
"Release them!" She called at him.
Kouga laughed wickedly. "And why should I do that?"
Kagome pulled the rock dagger from her waistband and put it to her throat. "Because if you don't, I will kill myself and all of your plans go to hell. Clear enough for you?"
Kouga laughed again. "And I'm supposed to beleive that?"
Kagome pushed the dagger into her skin hard enough to draw blood, ignoring the pain. "Oh, yes. I have nothing to lose. You do. What do you say now, fleabag?"
He paused for a moment. He turned to his wolves and gave a command she didn't hear and one of the wolves slashed through the webbing binding her freinds. They fell to the ground hard. Then he gave another command the wolf who'd cut their binding and three more moved forwards to them. The wolves grabbed them by their heads and put their claws to their throats in almost prefect unison.
Kouga looked at her and smiled evilly. "Agree to becoming my mate or they die now!"
"Don't do it, Lady Kagome!" Sango called. "Save yourself!"
"Quiet, bitch!" The wolf who was holding her snapped, he slashed her face with one claw.
"Stop hurting them!"Kagome screamed with all her might. "Forgive me, Inuyasha." She whispered. Then she looked back up at Kouga. "I agree. But you have to bring them to me before I cross the border."
"Done." He snapped a command and the wolves holding her freinds, picked them up and moved towards the river. Each one took a running leap, barely clearing the water.
They let her freinds drop and stood back. "Call them back across the river. I won't run away from my word."
"Will you swim back across?" He called sarcatically.
"No." She signaled to Hinata and the young wolf came out of hiding, trembling with fear. There were gasps from the other wolves. "One of your number has pledged herself to me. She will escort me back across."
Kouga was shaking with rage. "Fine!" He spat. "Come!" He called to the wolves. They immediatley jumped back across the river.
Kagome ran to her freinds. "Oh, gods. Are you all ok?"
Sango sat up painfully and pulled the up of her suit up to cover her chest. Shippo crawled to her, sobbing, and crawled into her lap. "Oh,Kagome. Why'd you do it?" He cried hugging her. "Now you have to stay here forever."
"You shouldn't have done it, Lady Kagome. We're not worth it." Sango said to her. Killala mewed pitifully and crawled into the tagai's lap. Sango petted the abused neko's flesh tenderly.
"She's right, Lady Kagome. We have no future. You do. You shouldn't have sacrificed yourself for us."Miroku said, getting up painfully. It looked like the wolves had whipped him worse than the others.
Kagome felt a pang in her heart. "I couldn't leave you to his bidding." She hugged Shippo tenderly before doing the same to Miroku and Sango. She ran her hand over Killala's head. "Is she well enough to get you away from here?" Kagome asked Sango.
Sango looked down at the neko. "Killala?"
The neko mewled and got to her feet. She limped away from them and transformed. The transformation actually seemed to help. In her larger form the burns were much less noticable and she seemed to move with less pain as she walked back over to them.
Sango stood and wrapped her arms around the neko's neck and hugged her. "Thank you, my freind."
Kagome picked up Shippo and stood. "Look. Kouga's a sneaky enough bastard that he may try to come after you. Stick to the plan we had before. If you explain what has happened to Lord Inutashio he may grant you sanctuary in exchange for information."
"If only the spiders hadn't shown up when they did. They were the one who captured us." Sango said, hugging her again, tears in her eyes.
Hinata stepped forwards and bowed to them. "It is this one's fault. Hinata did not know that the Black Queen was returning today."
Kagome walked to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "How could you have known? This is not your fault, Hinata."
"My patience grows thin, miko." Kouga called to them.
Kagome glared at him before looking back at her freinds. "Go."
Shippo hugged her tightly and Sango and Miroku bowed. "Lady Kagome." They said in unison. Killala bobbed her large head. They mounted Killala and Kagome handed Shippo, who was still crying to Miroku.
Killala lifted off and Kagome watched them disappear over the trees. The she turned to Hinata. The young demoness was still kneeling and had tears rolling down her cheeks. Kagome kneeled besida her.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
Hinata shook her head. "This one is scared, Lady." She looked up at Kagome with tear filled eyes.
"I promised to protect you, Hinata. I won't break that promise. Now let's go face that bastard!" She growled, her hands balling into fists.
Hinata nodded and spun to allow Kagome onto her back. As they leaped across the river, Kagome felt tears well in her eyes, but she held them back. She felt as if she were jumping straight into hell.
When they landed, Kagome signaled for Hinata to let her down. The she spun to face Kouga. He smirked and walked forward, "Kagome." Then he pointed at Hinata. "Kill the traitor!"
"No!" SHe moved between Hinata and the wolf who'd stepped forewards. "She is mine!" She glared at Kouga. "As I've agreed to be your mate, that means I am now your Queen. You will not touch her." She glared around at the wolves. Her words seemed to hold their weight in each pair of crimson eyes.
Kouga growled. He saw it too. "Not yet, miko."
"Oh, let her have her pet, Lord Kouga." The Black Queen spoke for the first time. Her voice sounded whimsical and slightly eerie. "It won't do any harm."
Kagome turned her full attention towards the Spider Queen for the first time. She had to look up as the Queen was over six feet tall on her hairy spider legs. Her face was beautiful. Thin black lines traced her eyes and mouth, emphasizing their colar and largeness. Her eyes were a mixture of coal black and fiery crimson. She wore a simple, but elaboratley decorated wrap around her breasts. The ningen half of her darkened below her bellybutton and merged seamlessly with her lower arachnid body. The full efect was startling, with beautiful ningen and grotesque spider melded together.
"Lady Silina." Kouga greeted her before guesturing at Kagome. "This is the future salvation of the Spider and Wolf Clans, the Miko Preistess from the future, Kagome Higurashi."
Silina sneered down at her. "Pathetic scrap to look at, Lord Kouga. Are you sure she is the one?"
"Hai. I've seen some of her power."
"She must be more raw than a newborn then. I don't sense it at all."
Kagome, who had been listening to the exchange with great intrest, bristled. Deciding to show these youkai who they were dealing with, she mentally reached for the power that lay dormant in her soul and let it pulse. She knew she had power and she let them feel it. They didn't have to know she couldn't control it.
Silina's eyes opened wide with surprise."Well. Maybe she does have potential."
Kouga smirked. "I told you so." Then he looked around at the wolves. "Come. Let us return to our den." He turned back to Silina. "Shall you and yours join us, Lady?" He asked in the manner of someone who already knew what the answer would be.
Silina nodded her beautiful head. "Hai. We shall."
Kouga turned to Kagome and looked her over. "You still haven't bathed. You!" He pointed to Hinata, who was still kneeling at Kagome's feet trembling with fear. "As you have already sworn yourself to her, you are now her Lady's Maid. You will fetch her anything she desires!"
Hinata bowed her head. "Hai, My Lord." She whispered.
"Hochki! Tenne!" He barked and two very imposing looking wolves stepped forwards. "Escort them to the hot spring! You will guard her from harm and see that she doesn't escape again!" They nodded, thick muscles rolling beneath their skin fluidly. "Yumi!" A slender, dark skinned female stepped forward. "Fetch your future Queen some suitable attire and bring it to her! Bring bandages for her wounds as well." She nodded and took off into the trees towards the den.
Without a word Kagome moved to climb onto Hinata's back and her two forced bodyguards moved to flank them. "Don't try anything, miko." Kouga growled at her.
She glared at him. "I told you I wouldn't run away from my word, you worthless scrap of fur!" She snapped. "I've agreed to be your mate to save my freinds, but I refuse to be your puppet!"
"Go ahead, Kagome. Try me. Soon you will be mine. You can choose a life of luxury as my Queen or a life of misery as my concubine. Your choice!" He snarled.
Kagome simply shot him another glare. "Ikuzo." She said to Hinata.
The young demoness stood and darted into the trees, Hochki and Tenne following wordlessly. Kagome could barely hold her tears at bay. By agreeing to become Kouga's mate, she felt like she had commited a great betrayal. There would be no hope of escaping now. These two youkai didn't look as easy to kill as Soura and Kimi had been. When they reached the hot spring, which was lit with torches, Kagome was thankful that their bodies had been removed. The broken statue and blood-stained ground were the only signs of the two youkai's demise. Hinata stopped and Kagome slid to the ground.
She turned to face her bodyguards. "Turn away. You shall not see your future queen unclothed." She ordered. They simply nodded and moved to opposite sides of the spring, turning their backs. She looked down at Hinata, who looked calmer now that she knew she was going to live. "Are there any soaps, Hinata?" She asked.
The demoness nodded. "Hai, My Lady."
As Hinata turned to fetch the soaps, Kagome let her shoulders droop and tilted her face to the moon. Oh, Inuyasha, she thought. Why has it come to this? I finally realize I love you and now I'm sworn to Kouga. A tear rolled down her cheek and she brushed it away angrily. She shook herself and squeezed her eyes shut against her tears. She couldn't afford to break down now. She had to stay strong. Inuyasha would have wanted that, she was sure.
Hinata moved back to her with a lump of sweet smelling soap. "It's was made from the vines there." She pointed at the flowery vines winding up the trunks of the trees at one edge of the clearing.
Kagome honestly couldn't care less where the soap came from, but she sensed Hinata needed some reassurance. "It smells nice. Why don't you bathe with me? You can help me wash my hair." Kagome picked at a matted strand that was caked to her shirt with dried blood.
Hinata smiled at her. "And then Hinata will redo the Lady's bandages." She stated.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and patching me up? "She asked sarcastically. Then she sighed. "Let's get clean."
Kagome peeled off her filthy clothes and the quickly done bandages and waded into the water. She hissed as the hot water seeped into her cuts and scrapes making them burn. She waded in until she was waist deep and held her breath, ducking her head under the water and flicking it to remove as much of the dried blood as she could. It took several breaths to get it even partially unmatted. By this time, Hinata had removed her clothes and the young demoness waded to her with the soap and a scrap of fur in her hand.
"My lady." She said quietly, before begining to work the soap into Kagome's hair.
Kagome closed her eyes and let herself relax for a moment. Iyayma used to wash her hair like this. With a pang, Kagome realized she didn't even know if her freind was still alive. She would never know. Again, she had to fight back tears. After Hinata had her hair thoroughly lathered, Kagome took the soap and began working it into the fur. Letting the soap float to the surface, she began washing her face. She ignored her bruises and scrubbed hard. Hinta began combing her fingers through Kagome's hair, using the soap as a lubricant to work out the matts in her hair. Kagome worked her way down her body, rinsing and re-lethering the fur several times, until all the dried blood was gone and she finally felt clean. The water around them had turned pink with the dried blood and the blood from Kagome's wounds, which had started to bleed again after their rigorous cleaning.
"Let me rinse." She said to Hinata. The young demoness removed her hands and Kagome ducked under the water again. She flicked her hair a few times before moving to the side of the pool.
Yumi, the demoness Kouga had sent for clothes, darted into the clearing then. A pile of clothes and other things in her hands. Kagome sighed. She'd have liked to soak for a few minutes, but she moved towards the demoness anyway. Hinata followed her out without a word.
Kagome looked back at her. "No. Go ahead and finish bathing."
Hinata shook her head. "This one must do the Lady's bandages or she will get bloody again."
Kagome didn't argue with her and she walked towards Yumi, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Yumi kneeled and bowed her head, before spreading what she'd brought out on the ground. Hinata, who had fetched two furs without being asked, spread one out on the ground and held one out to Kagome. She took it and began drying off wiping off the new trickles of blood from her wounds.
"Osuwari, my lady, and this one will do your bandages." Hinata said lightly. Kagome did so and Hinata picked up the bandages and set to work.
Yumi held up a comb. Kagome went to take it. "I will do it for you, my Lady." Kagome shrugged and Yumi started easing the comb through her hair. Her touch was feather light.
Kagome sat still as they worked on her. Is this what being a Queen feels like? She asked herself. She felt like there was a hole forming in her heart, sucking in her emotions and leaving her numb and cold. Her future was a spiraling black pit of despair and her past was painful and hard to examine. She had nothing. Nothing to gain. Nothing to lose. She wished she could die.
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There you go! My longest chapter yet. Think of it as my belated holiday gift to you, my readers!
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Chapter Fourteen
YuriYaoiHet_ILoveEmAll
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Hinata and Kagome were still darting through the trees. Kagome was desperatley trying to pull her legs out of Hinata's grip. Tears were rolling down her cheeks at the thought of what her new freinds must be going through.
"Stop, Hinata!" Kagome cried desperatley." What are you doing? We have to go back!"
Hinata didn't slow. "We cannot. We will be captured."
"I won't leave them behind! They'll be killed!" Kagome cried.
"And we will be killed if we return." Hinata replied.
Kagome tried and failed to pull herself from Hinata's grasp again. "Then put me down! I'll go back myself!"
Hinata finally stopped. She released Kagome's legs and Kagome slid down on her feet. Hinata spun to face her. "Do they mean your life, Lady?"
Kagome thought about it. She'd only just met Shippo and the others a few days ago, but they had formed a quick freindship. Freinds were few and far between for her. She knew only a handful of people. She wouldn't leave them to die. Even if it meant turning herself over to Kouga. She would see them free. They deserved it after what they'd been through.
"It won't come to that. At least, I don't think so. Kouga wants me alive. It's time to see just how much he wants me."
Hinata looked down. "Hinata has sworn herself to you, Lady Kagome. This one will do as you say." She looked back up.
Kagome put a hand on her shoulder. "I will protect you from Kouga's wrath. No matter what happens. I swear it."
Hinata smiled at her, but there was a haunted look in her eyes as she turned to offer Kagome her back. Kagome climbed on and they set back off towards the border. At was nearing dark by the time they reached it. Kagome signaled for Hinata to stopped just inside the tree line on their side of the river.
When they parted the bushed to look, Kagome was astonished by what she saw. Hinata gasped beside her. There were forty crimson eyed wolves on the river bank around a large fire. But that wasn't as surprising as the fact that intermingled with them were giant spider youkai. Each had the lower body and eight legs of a spider with a human torso where the spider's head should have been.
Kagome searched the crowd and saw Kouga standing beside the largest of the spiders. She wore a crown of webbing and bones atop her head. She was the Spider Queen. She tore her eyes away for them to search for her freinds. She gasped at what she saw. They were suspended by their hands from a line of webbing, Killala by her legs. Shippo, Sango and Miroku were bare from the waist up and she could see marks on heir backs. They'd been whipped. Killala had been burned badly. Kagome's body shook with rage.
Hinata began tugging on her sleeve and she tore her eyes away from her freinds to meet Hinata's terrified eyes. "My Lady! We must flee. The Black Queen. She has no mercy! She is the one who corrupted Lord Kouga! She will kill the Lady and this one too! Please!" She begged in a whisper, tears filling her eyes.
Kagome put a hand to her shoulder. "Stay here. Keep quiet until I signal for you. I have a plan." The she stood and stepped out into sight. "Kouga!" She yelled loudly. Every youkia turned to face her.
Kouga stepped forward until he was at the head of the group. "I knew you'd come back for your freinds!" He called back.
"Release them!" She called at him.
Kouga laughed wickedly. "And why should I do that?"
Kagome pulled the rock dagger from her waistband and put it to her throat. "Because if you don't, I will kill myself and all of your plans go to hell. Clear enough for you?"
Kouga laughed again. "And I'm supposed to beleive that?"
Kagome pushed the dagger into her skin hard enough to draw blood, ignoring the pain. "Oh, yes. I have nothing to lose. You do. What do you say now, fleabag?"
He paused for a moment. He turned to his wolves and gave a command she didn't hear and one of the wolves slashed through the webbing binding her freinds. They fell to the ground hard. Then he gave another command the wolf who'd cut their binding and three more moved forwards to them. The wolves grabbed them by their heads and put their claws to their throats in almost prefect unison.
Kouga looked at her and smiled evilly. "Agree to becoming my mate or they die now!"
"Don't do it, Lady Kagome!" Sango called. "Save yourself!"
"Quiet, bitch!" The wolf who was holding her snapped, he slashed her face with one claw.
"Stop hurting them!"Kagome screamed with all her might. "Forgive me, Inuyasha." She whispered. Then she looked back up at Kouga. "I agree. But you have to bring them to me before I cross the border."
"Done." He snapped a command and the wolves holding her freinds, picked them up and moved towards the river. Each one took a running leap, barely clearing the water.
They let her freinds drop and stood back. "Call them back across the river. I won't run away from my word."
"Will you swim back across?" He called sarcatically.
"No." She signaled to Hinata and the young wolf came out of hiding, trembling with fear. There were gasps from the other wolves. "One of your number has pledged herself to me. She will escort me back across."
Kouga was shaking with rage. "Fine!" He spat. "Come!" He called to the wolves. They immediatley jumped back across the river.
Kagome ran to her freinds. "Oh, gods. Are you all ok?"
Sango sat up painfully and pulled the up of her suit up to cover her chest. Shippo crawled to her, sobbing, and crawled into her lap. "Oh,Kagome. Why'd you do it?" He cried hugging her. "Now you have to stay here forever."
"You shouldn't have done it, Lady Kagome. We're not worth it." Sango said to her. Killala mewed pitifully and crawled into the tagai's lap. Sango petted the abused neko's flesh tenderly.
"She's right, Lady Kagome. We have no future. You do. You shouldn't have sacrificed yourself for us."Miroku said, getting up painfully. It looked like the wolves had whipped him worse than the others.
Kagome felt a pang in her heart. "I couldn't leave you to his bidding." She hugged Shippo tenderly before doing the same to Miroku and Sango. She ran her hand over Killala's head. "Is she well enough to get you away from here?" Kagome asked Sango.
Sango looked down at the neko. "Killala?"
The neko mewled and got to her feet. She limped away from them and transformed. The transformation actually seemed to help. In her larger form the burns were much less noticable and she seemed to move with less pain as she walked back over to them.
Sango stood and wrapped her arms around the neko's neck and hugged her. "Thank you, my freind."
Kagome picked up Shippo and stood. "Look. Kouga's a sneaky enough bastard that he may try to come after you. Stick to the plan we had before. If you explain what has happened to Lord Inutashio he may grant you sanctuary in exchange for information."
"If only the spiders hadn't shown up when they did. They were the one who captured us." Sango said, hugging her again, tears in her eyes.
Hinata stepped forwards and bowed to them. "It is this one's fault. Hinata did not know that the Black Queen was returning today."
Kagome walked to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "How could you have known? This is not your fault, Hinata."
"My patience grows thin, miko." Kouga called to them.
Kagome glared at him before looking back at her freinds. "Go."
Shippo hugged her tightly and Sango and Miroku bowed. "Lady Kagome." They said in unison. Killala bobbed her large head. They mounted Killala and Kagome handed Shippo, who was still crying to Miroku.
Killala lifted off and Kagome watched them disappear over the trees. The she turned to Hinata. The young demoness was still kneeling and had tears rolling down her cheeks. Kagome kneeled besida her.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
Hinata shook her head. "This one is scared, Lady." She looked up at Kagome with tear filled eyes.
"I promised to protect you, Hinata. I won't break that promise. Now let's go face that bastard!" She growled, her hands balling into fists.
Hinata nodded and spun to allow Kagome onto her back. As they leaped across the river, Kagome felt tears well in her eyes, but she held them back. She felt as if she were jumping straight into hell.
When they landed, Kagome signaled for Hinata to let her down. The she spun to face Kouga. He smirked and walked forward, "Kagome." Then he pointed at Hinata. "Kill the traitor!"
"No!" SHe moved between Hinata and the wolf who'd stepped forewards. "She is mine!" She glared at Kouga. "As I've agreed to be your mate, that means I am now your Queen. You will not touch her." She glared around at the wolves. Her words seemed to hold their weight in each pair of crimson eyes.
Kouga growled. He saw it too. "Not yet, miko."
"Oh, let her have her pet, Lord Kouga." The Black Queen spoke for the first time. Her voice sounded whimsical and slightly eerie. "It won't do any harm."
Kagome turned her full attention towards the Spider Queen for the first time. She had to look up as the Queen was over six feet tall on her hairy spider legs. Her face was beautiful. Thin black lines traced her eyes and mouth, emphasizing their colar and largeness. Her eyes were a mixture of coal black and fiery crimson. She wore a simple, but elaboratley decorated wrap around her breasts. The ningen half of her darkened below her bellybutton and merged seamlessly with her lower arachnid body. The full efect was startling, with beautiful ningen and grotesque spider melded together.
"Lady Silina." Kouga greeted her before guesturing at Kagome. "This is the future salvation of the Spider and Wolf Clans, the Miko Preistess from the future, Kagome Higurashi."
Silina sneered down at her. "Pathetic scrap to look at, Lord Kouga. Are you sure she is the one?"
"Hai. I've seen some of her power."
"She must be more raw than a newborn then. I don't sense it at all."
Kagome, who had been listening to the exchange with great intrest, bristled. Deciding to show these youkai who they were dealing with, she mentally reached for the power that lay dormant in her soul and let it pulse. She knew she had power and she let them feel it. They didn't have to know she couldn't control it.
Silina's eyes opened wide with surprise."Well. Maybe she does have potential."
Kouga smirked. "I told you so." Then he looked around at the wolves. "Come. Let us return to our den." He turned back to Silina. "Shall you and yours join us, Lady?" He asked in the manner of someone who already knew what the answer would be.
Silina nodded her beautiful head. "Hai. We shall."
Kouga turned to Kagome and looked her over. "You still haven't bathed. You!" He pointed to Hinata, who was still kneeling at Kagome's feet trembling with fear. "As you have already sworn yourself to her, you are now her Lady's Maid. You will fetch her anything she desires!"
Hinata bowed her head. "Hai, My Lord." She whispered.
"Hochki! Tenne!" He barked and two very imposing looking wolves stepped forwards. "Escort them to the hot spring! You will guard her from harm and see that she doesn't escape again!" They nodded, thick muscles rolling beneath their skin fluidly. "Yumi!" A slender, dark skinned female stepped forward. "Fetch your future Queen some suitable attire and bring it to her! Bring bandages for her wounds as well." She nodded and took off into the trees towards the den.
Without a word Kagome moved to climb onto Hinata's back and her two forced bodyguards moved to flank them. "Don't try anything, miko." Kouga growled at her.
She glared at him. "I told you I wouldn't run away from my word, you worthless scrap of fur!" She snapped. "I've agreed to be your mate to save my freinds, but I refuse to be your puppet!"
"Go ahead, Kagome. Try me. Soon you will be mine. You can choose a life of luxury as my Queen or a life of misery as my concubine. Your choice!" He snarled.
Kagome simply shot him another glare. "Ikuzo." She said to Hinata.
The young demoness stood and darted into the trees, Hochki and Tenne following wordlessly. Kagome could barely hold her tears at bay. By agreeing to become Kouga's mate, she felt like she had commited a great betrayal. There would be no hope of escaping now. These two youkai didn't look as easy to kill as Soura and Kimi had been. When they reached the hot spring, which was lit with torches, Kagome was thankful that their bodies had been removed. The broken statue and blood-stained ground were the only signs of the two youkai's demise. Hinata stopped and Kagome slid to the ground.
She turned to face her bodyguards. "Turn away. You shall not see your future queen unclothed." She ordered. They simply nodded and moved to opposite sides of the spring, turning their backs. She looked down at Hinata, who looked calmer now that she knew she was going to live. "Are there any soaps, Hinata?" She asked.
The demoness nodded. "Hai, My Lady."
As Hinata turned to fetch the soaps, Kagome let her shoulders droop and tilted her face to the moon. Oh, Inuyasha, she thought. Why has it come to this? I finally realize I love you and now I'm sworn to Kouga. A tear rolled down her cheek and she brushed it away angrily. She shook herself and squeezed her eyes shut against her tears. She couldn't afford to break down now. She had to stay strong. Inuyasha would have wanted that, she was sure.
Hinata moved back to her with a lump of sweet smelling soap. "It's was made from the vines there." She pointed at the flowery vines winding up the trunks of the trees at one edge of the clearing.
Kagome honestly couldn't care less where the soap came from, but she sensed Hinata needed some reassurance. "It smells nice. Why don't you bathe with me? You can help me wash my hair." Kagome picked at a matted strand that was caked to her shirt with dried blood.
Hinata smiled at her. "And then Hinata will redo the Lady's bandages." She stated.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and patching me up? "She asked sarcastically. Then she sighed. "Let's get clean."
Kagome peeled off her filthy clothes and the quickly done bandages and waded into the water. She hissed as the hot water seeped into her cuts and scrapes making them burn. She waded in until she was waist deep and held her breath, ducking her head under the water and flicking it to remove as much of the dried blood as she could. It took several breaths to get it even partially unmatted. By this time, Hinata had removed her clothes and the young demoness waded to her with the soap and a scrap of fur in her hand.
"My lady." She said quietly, before begining to work the soap into Kagome's hair.
Kagome closed her eyes and let herself relax for a moment. Iyayma used to wash her hair like this. With a pang, Kagome realized she didn't even know if her freind was still alive. She would never know. Again, she had to fight back tears. After Hinata had her hair thoroughly lathered, Kagome took the soap and began working it into the fur. Letting the soap float to the surface, she began washing her face. She ignored her bruises and scrubbed hard. Hinta began combing her fingers through Kagome's hair, using the soap as a lubricant to work out the matts in her hair. Kagome worked her way down her body, rinsing and re-lethering the fur several times, until all the dried blood was gone and she finally felt clean. The water around them had turned pink with the dried blood and the blood from Kagome's wounds, which had started to bleed again after their rigorous cleaning.
"Let me rinse." She said to Hinata. The young demoness removed her hands and Kagome ducked under the water again. She flicked her hair a few times before moving to the side of the pool.
Yumi, the demoness Kouga had sent for clothes, darted into the clearing then. A pile of clothes and other things in her hands. Kagome sighed. She'd have liked to soak for a few minutes, but she moved towards the demoness anyway. Hinata followed her out without a word.
Kagome looked back at her. "No. Go ahead and finish bathing."
Hinata shook her head. "This one must do the Lady's bandages or she will get bloody again."
Kagome didn't argue with her and she walked towards Yumi, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Yumi kneeled and bowed her head, before spreading what she'd brought out on the ground. Hinata, who had fetched two furs without being asked, spread one out on the ground and held one out to Kagome. She took it and began drying off wiping off the new trickles of blood from her wounds.
"Osuwari, my lady, and this one will do your bandages." Hinata said lightly. Kagome did so and Hinata picked up the bandages and set to work.
Yumi held up a comb. Kagome went to take it. "I will do it for you, my Lady." Kagome shrugged and Yumi started easing the comb through her hair. Her touch was feather light.
Kagome sat still as they worked on her. Is this what being a Queen feels like? She asked herself. She felt like there was a hole forming in her heart, sucking in her emotions and leaving her numb and cold. Her future was a spiraling black pit of despair and her past was painful and hard to examine. She had nothing. Nothing to gain. Nothing to lose. She wished she could die.
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There you go! My longest chapter yet. Think of it as my belated holiday gift to you, my readers!
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