InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Melting a heart of ice ❯ Chapter Three: The meeting ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: The meeting

In a valley, somewhere to the south, a vehement battle was going on. Everywhere you could hear the cries of pain or victory. There were youkai and elves, who moved with supernatural speed across the battlefield, and humans, who of course were much slower. Once in a while, there was a blinding light indicating that another elf used his magic.

Just as Kikyou had presumed, most of the youkai armies were now concentrating on the part of her army that had attacked them from behind, forgetting completely about the few hundred elves before them.

These very elves were now carrying a weak and pale youkai lord with them. Lead by Kikyou, they pulled back, quietly and fast, to return to their castle. Kikyou couldn't help but smile once she saw how the taiyoukai was carried away.

Her plan had worked.

        *

He felt SICK.

There was no other way to describe it. Sesshoumaru groaned as he felt another wave of pain going trough his body.

At first, his mind had been a bit dazed, but that had gone away and now, it was apparently the only thing that still worked.

He couldn't move, but he was being moved, and every time they moved him, he felt a terrible pain. He could barely see a thing, whether it was due to the curse itself or if he was blinded by the strange blue light, he didn't know, so he had settled by simply closing his eyes. His sense of smell was also almost gone, or it was equal to a human, either way, he couldn't smell like he normally could.

The only thing that became better once time passed was his hearing. Where he first could only hear mumbling, he now could clearly hear people talking.

Not that it helped him, anyway.

If he disliked Kikyou once, now he positively hated her. That bitch had known she couldn't win a fair fight against him, so she had cheated him, by using magic and weaken him so she could capture him.

He wondered what they would do with him. He was not afraid of death, but he doubted they would kill him, he was too important for that.

Torture him then? It could be, it was the thing he always did with his prisoners. There was no way he would threat them as anything else than dirt. But then again, he was a youkai, and they were elves. With people as soft and foolish as they were, he doubted they would torture him.

Although that Kikyou was a bit different...

At the moment, she was somewhere near him, as he could hear her talking to that `Sango' girl. He didn't really listen, that is, until he heard his name.

"... Lord Sesshoumaru, you planned this from the beginning huh?"

"Yes."

"Apart from me, did anyone else know?"

"No, only you did. You know what would have happened if I told anyone else, like Kagome or mother."

The other girl giggled. "I can imagine... but after all, it went rather easy, isn't it?"

He pricked up his ears, curious what Kikyou would answer to this one.

"Easy, easy... not really."

"But it was only minutes, and you got him!"

"But only after I cursed him, or else he would have been to powerful. Actually, putting a curse on him isn't that easy either."

"It looked as if any elf could do it."

Kikyou snorted. "Believe me, only the more powerful among us could curse a taiyoukai such as Lord Sesshoumaru. He is even more powerful than Naraku, keep that in mind. It cost me a lot of power, and I'm rather tired now. Even now, he's fighting the curse. That's why we have to hurry. If I stay close to him, I can prevent him from lifting the curse entirely, but I haven't got much energy left. We have to reach the castle, so that Kagome can take care of him. She could easily curse ten of his sort and still have energy left. And her curses last longer. Then we will see what to do with him. I'd say, we'd throw him in the lowest dungeon our castle has."

The Sango girl sighed. "I know, Kagome is very powerful. Is there any chance she put one of her blessing spells on us again? I mean, I fought quit a lot, but I'm not tired at all. It seems as if I got more energy than normally."

"Yeah, that was Kagome."

A silence fell, and Sesshoumaru wondered who this Kagome was. Definitely an elf, and a powerful one too.

Suddenly Sango spoke again. "Kagome isn't going to like this you know. She hated it when someone is in pain, and just this morning she suggested again if we couldn't make peace with the youkai."

Sesshoumaru would have frowned, if he could. Now he knew this Kagome was a fool too. Making peace? No way! But who was it?

Kikyou snorted again. "She is a fool!" Sesshoumaru for once agreed with her. "If she could, she would even become friends with this one. That's why I say, we throw him in the lowest dungeon. Kagome would give him too much freedom. Imagine what he could do if nobody watched after him!"

Yep, this Kagome was positively crazy. Becoming friends? With a youkai? Wit HIM? He, Lord Sesshoumaru, did no such pathetic things as becoming friends with somebody. He had no friends. Friends were useless.

"I agree with you," Sango sighed. "Kagome is far too kind for this world. But I don't think she really is such a fool. She has some senses in her, and I'm sure she wouldn't trust Lord Sesshoumaru like that. And if he was Naraku, she would maybe even kill him. Or at least, cause him some pain."

"Apparently, you don't know my little sister that good yet. Somehow, she would even forgive that bastard..."

Sesshoumaru stiffened as he heard this. So Kagome was the queen's youngest daughter, and Kikyou's younger sister? And they were carrying him with them, to their castle, to her.

So he would eventually meet this mysterious girl after all.

        *

Miroku sat on his bed, he had forgotten about stretching his poor body, actually, he was too stunned for that now. So this was what Kikyou had planned all the way. And she hadn't told anyone, at least not him, not Kagome, and he would bet the queen didn't know about it either.

What the hell did Kikyou want with taking a prisoner? Probably, she either wanted to negotiate with the enemy, to try if she could get something done due to the fact that they held one of their leaders captured, or she wanted to question him.

Lord Sesshoumaru was one of the three leaders, and probably knew a lot about Naraku, Kouga, their enemies, their tactics, their goals. He agreed with Kikyou there, if he would tell them something, they could use it against the enemy. But he doubted the taiyoukai would say a thing.

`But maybe Kikyou just wanted revenge...'

«Eh... then she could just have killed him?»

`He's too powerful for her. She couldn't kill him'

«But today, she could. Once she cursed him, she could have killed him.»

`Yeah, well then she will probably negotiate.'

He raised a brow at Kagome, who was pacing back and forth, nervously pulling her hands trough her black tresses. She was tense, as she was mostly when she got one of her visions. He sighed, poor Kagome, not only did she carry the burden of guarding the Shikon no Tama, she also had visions, a lot even, and they were not always very pleasant. Sango had told him how she once found Kagome, crying in her bed, because she had one of her visions again. But it didn't always happen at night, also during the day; she sometimes collapsed, as she saw things that nobody else saw. She could see what was going on somewhere else at the same moment, like now, but mostly she saw what would have to happen in the future. He definitely didn't want to change roles with her.

He walked towards her, and shook her gently. "Kagome, take it easy. There nothing you can do, we will have to wait until Kikyou turns up."

She looked up at him, with big eyes, but sighed then and plumbed down on his bed. "Really Miroku," she said with a trembling voice. "I am worried about Kikyou. She can be so cruel. She was always cold, colder than any other of our people, but after father... you know... died, she... she became so fanatic. I... y-you have to help me when she gets here. I want that poor guy away from her; because I think she might threat him bad."

Miroku looked shocked. "But Kagome, he is a youkai, and a prisoner. We have to lock him away."

Kagome gritted her teeth. "But not somewhere dark, in a dungeon or so. I say, we put him in one of the towers. Don't worry; I'll put a spell on him, so that he can not escape. I don't get Kikyou, of all the spells she could have used, she cursed him so badly! I tell you, he must be in terrible pain now. I know a spell which has the same effect, but it wouldn't cause him pain, and he could move around a bit." She looked up at him, with puppy eyes. "Please Miroku?"

He sighed. "Ok, but your sister is tough. Once she decided to put him away, you won't get her that easily. She wouldn't agree with you."

He frowned as Kagome began to giggle a bit. "Oh don't worry. I know the perfect solution if she refuses..."

"A spell? That wouldn't work, Kikyou is very powerful."

"But not as powerful as I am," Kagome stated. "And, this particular spell is very effective. I used it on her, even when we were children. She never managed to block it."

"Well well, could you teach me it? Maybe I could use it on Sango once she goes whacking me over my poor head..."

Kagome laughed. "No forget it! If Sango hits you, you deserved it!"

"Did you by any chance see how long it would take them to get here?" Miroku asked innocently.

Kagome elbowed him. "Yeesh, I don't see everything. We will just have to wait. Come, we can go to the walls, if they arrive, we will see them as soon as they enter the valley."

Miroku nodded, and together, they stormed away, and the same servant who got a heart attack of Kagome earlier that day, received another one.

        *

Sango smiled as soon as she saw the walls of the castle appear in front of her. This was her home now, and she loved every part of it. When she used to live in the village, she always wished she could live in that castle once. It was just so big... As a little girl, she always imagined what it would be like. And now she lived in it, and even became friends with Kagome, one of the princesses. Imagine that!

She smiled even more as she noticed two figures up at the walls. The first was that of a woman, with black hair, and wearing a blue dress. It was no doubt Kagome. And next to her, stood a person dressed in purple and black clothes, Miroku, another one of her friends. Sango jumped and waved at them, and they waved back.

"She knows," Kikyou suddenly spoke from next to her.

Sango frowned and looked a bit sheepishly at the elf. "Eh... who knows what?"

"Kagome knows I captured Lord Sesshoumaru. I just feel it."

Sango shrugged. "So what?"

"So, we will have an argument on the manner."

        *

Sesshoumaru was pissed, VERY pissed. He long ago stop thinking about how humiliating it was that HE was captured by ELVES, and instead he began to imagine what terrible things he could do to Kikyou, once he was free again.

He agreed that he wouldn't kill her on battlefield one day, as he always thought. No, if he ever got the chance in his life, he would capture her, just like she did with him, and then he would torture her, and then kill her.

He was a bit pleased to hear that he, without himself noticing, fighted the curse and got Kikyou so far that she lost a lot of her energy. `Serves her right,' was the only thing he thought.

He listened to her conversation with the other girl, and frowned as she stated that her sister knew she had captured him. What, was this Kagome a sort of fortune-teller too? Great.

They suddenly stopped walking, and he felt pain again. Then he heard how something big was opened, probably the ports, and they began walking again, until they stopped. He still couldn't see much, but he presumed they were somewhere in the castle now, maybe on the courtyard.

He heard the rustle of robes, and felt how two people stormed past him.

"Kikyou!" he heard a melodious voice say.

"Sango!" that was definitely the voice of a man.

There were the usual greetings, and he lost interest again, as he suddenly catched his name again, and that of Kagome.

"Kikyou, why the HELL did you capture him? Why didn't you told me?" the same melodious voice cried now.

"Kagome, do I have to discuss every manner that involves war with you? You yourself stated you didn't want to have anything to do with it."

"B-but you could have told me this! What do you want with him?"

"Lock him away of course. Then I will see if I can demand something of our enemies. I bet they are eager to get their leader back..."

"Ok, then bring him up in one of the towers. And I will look after him; Kami, did nobody pull that arrow out of his shoulder?"

"No, Kagome. He is too dangerous."

"B-but..."

"He is a YOUKAI, damn it! Don't tell me you forgot that?!"

"And so what? I don't care if he is a human, an elf, or a youkai! He is wounded! Are you all gone crazy? Why can't you stop this, this stupid war?! It's insane; it leads to nothing but loss and pain, and for what? Some stupid Jewel!"

"The Shikon no Tama is not stupid Kagome, but a very powerful Jewel that needs to be protected, and that needs to be respected. And don't forget it was a youkai who killed our father."

"But it was not HIM!"

"I don't care if it was him or not, he's a youkai, and so it's settled. You there," Kikyou pointed angrily at a servant. "Make sure he is thrown in one of the dungeons, and post a guard next to it. Or no, two would be wiser."

"So you leave me no other choice then, Kikyou..." Kagome's voice sounded no longer sad, or desperate. No, apparently, she was angry too now, and Sesshoumaru opened his eyes again to look if he could see anything.

He saw two vague figures, one dressed in white and red, which must be Kikyou. Facing her was someone with blue clothes, and dark hair, but that was all he could see. He watched how the person in blue, which was Kagome, he presumed, raised her hands. He groaned inwardly; not another spell? But it was, and as a bright light flashed, he clutched his eyes.

What was it with those bitches and blinding him everytime?

        *

Kagome grinned satisfied as Kikyou continued talking, but no sound came from her mouth. Next to her, Miroku was laughing his head of, and Sango was smiling mildly. As soon as Kikyou realised no sound came, she shut her mouth and glared furiously at Kagome. Kagome ignored her and turned to the same servant Kikyou was talking to earlier.

"Now, I don't think you could remember Kikyou ordering you something today, couldn't you? Apparently, our poor Kikyou has lost the ability to speak, so now, you will simply have to follow MY orders. And I say, you bring Lord Sesshoumaru up into the southern tower. Place him in the room next to mine, and make sure he is comfortable. He is a prisoner, so station two guards next to his door, but that would be all."

The servant nodded nervously and sprinted away as soon as he was dismissed. Kikyou had opened her mouth again, and she was probably screaming, but everyone ignored her.

Sango was busy prying Miroku off, who was talking to her, about how he worried he had been, and of course, his hands would wander off quit a lot...

Kagome decided to leave them, and flashed Kikyou a smile. "I will leave you for now, and I suggest you let Sango command the soldiers for now, as you are unable to give any order."

Still laughing, she turned and walked towards the southern tower, preparing to look at Sesshoumaru.

        *

Sesshoumaru growled as he was laid on a bed somewhere. He was getting very annoyed from getting dragged around everywhere, and he had no control over it. It was not how he was used to things, but maybe that Kagome would lift the curse.

He would refuse her to help him; he shuddered at the thought of how she began complaining about Kikyou's arrow. But it could be useful if she lifted this curse...

He heard how the door opened and closed, but he was unable to see who came in. Someone was standing next to the bed now, staring down on him. He growled a bit, he had never felt so helpless in his entire life.

Who was staring at him?

        *

Kagome stood next to the bed and gazed down at the taiyoukai. He looked the same as in her vision; he had the same beautiful hair, silver and very long. And now she got a good look at his face. It was beautiful, she stated. She didn't notice the youkai markings in her vision, but she did now. He had a blue moon on his forehead, and two magenta stripes at each of his cheeks. She resisted to urge to touch them, but instead worried about how pale his face was.

`Kikyou, you could have been a bit nicer,' she thought.

«You know Kikyou would never do that, he's a youkai, and she hates youkai»

`Well, I still think, she could have used another spell on him'

But thinking again about how he was an enemy, she decided to lift the curse Kikyou put on him, but nothing more, he was still a prisoner. And she had to careful, he was probably waiting for the curse to be lifted and would attack her as soon as he could.

She knew she shouldn't be afraid of him, she could defend herself, but despite the fact that Kikyou sealed his youki away, she still felt how powerful he must be.

«He fascinates you, isn't it?»

`Yes, that's it, he fascinates me. I've never been so close to a youkai before...'

She sat down next to him, put a hand on his forehead and concentrated on her power. She would lift that stupid curse.

        *

Sesshoumaru stiffened as he felt how somebody sat down, and put a hand on his forehead. He noticed it was the same blue dressed figure from below, so it had to be that princess.

He tensed as he noticed a blue light, and braced himself for the worst. But instead of feeling the same pain as when Kikyou cursed him, he felt how he was engulfed in a blue light, and it wasn't painful, no it was warm and comfortable. He relaxed a bit, and noticed how his senses came back.

He could hear more and more, and he smelled a lot of things again. He could smell two elves who were standing outside the door, and he smelled another elf, which was Kagome.

He always claimed elves smelled horrible, just as humans. He would crinkle his nose out of distaste, and he would simply curse his bad luck that he had to smell something like that. Especially the stench of humans was unbearable, those creatures were so weak, and they were useless.

But the scent of the person next to him, although it was that of an elf, didn't irritate him like usual. She smelled of Sakura blossom, and jasmine, and something else... he didn't know what.

He had closed his eyes again, but now he opened them again, and as he turned his head to look at the elf, he stiffened as he looked into her eyes.

They were beautiful, he had to admit. Dark, just like Kikyou's, but there was a whole world of differences between them. Those of Kikyou were cold and dark. The eyes of the girl before him were warm and caring, with sparkling in them and endless depths in which he drowned the longer he looked.

As he looked at Kagome, he already knew some of the stories about her were true, she was beautiful. Her face was framed by dark, black hair that reached to her waist. Her eyes were dark brown, and simply stunning. She had pointed ears, much like his, and she was smiling at him.

Since when did people smile at him?

        *

Kagome sat back once she performed her spell and watched how the taiyoukai before her slowly came back to his senses. He remained to lie still, and she was starting to worry, as he slowly opened his eyes and stared right into her eyes.

She almost gasped once she saw his eyes. She had never seen such an eye colour; his eyes were a beautiful gold colour.

As he continued to look at her, and just stared at her, she smiled at him. Inwardly, she was getting nervous; why did he stare at her like that?

She swallowed and instead concentrated on the arrow in his shoulder. He followed her gaze, and she saw how he looked annoyed. Then he looked at her again, and she jumped as he began speaking.

"Are you done staring at me?" he said in a low, pleasant voice.

Kagome blushed, but then she frowned. Wait a minute; he was staring at her too! "I wasn't the only one staring," she pointed out.

"I wasn't staring, if that's what you mean. I was merely waiting for you to finish looking at me"

Kagome rolled her eyes. Ok, he was stubborn, that was something she knew for sure now. But she smiled again, determinated to behave like a princess should do. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. My name is Kagome" she extended her hand towards him, but he ignored it. She frowned, but continued. "I will have to pull that arrow out, you know," she stated, pointing at the thing.

He still ignored her, but his eyes narrowed a bit. "This Sesshoumaru doesn't need your help."

"This Kagome thinks you are stupid to think that" she replied and reached towards the arrow.

The next things happened so fast; she didn't notice she was in danger until it was too late.

His hand shot out towards her hand, and with a quick movement, he grabbed her arm and turned it. She cried as she felt pain and heard the cracking of her bone. The bastard had broken her arm! He moved, and with his right hand pinned her to the bed.

"Never ignore an order of me," he spat at her. "You foolish elf, I would kill you, was it not that I am your prisoner now. Just remember that."

Kagome swallowed and looked a bit scared at him, he did look furious. His eyes were a bit red, and his aura had changed. She smiled weakly at him. "Very well, I will leave you alone. But if you need any help, do not hesitate to ask. My room is right next to yours. You will have to stay here, as you understand." She looked warningly at him now. "Don't even try to go trough that door, because I put a spell on it. You will not be able to leave this room. Now if you please let go of me?"

He growled at her, but he crawled back and turned his back at her. "I want to speak to your queen," he stated.

Kagome nodded. "I will tell her. I think she would want to speak to you herself. I will return later and tell you what she said."

At that, she held her left hand over her broken arm, and a second later, it was healed. Then she walked to the door. Turning once again, she saw how he was staring out of the window. Sighing, she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

        *

As soon as she left, Sesshoumaru went to look at the arrow. He gritted hit teeth and pulled it out of his shoulder. He pulled off his shirt and looked at the wound. It wasn't serious, and now he had his power again, it was healing quickly.

He was curious why the girl had lifted the curse and wanted to help him. It was just like her sister told her, he was a youkai, and he was their enemy. Yet, the entire time she was in this room, she kept smiling, even when he pinned her to the bed.

He now knew the other stories were also true. He noticed how powerful her aura was, and she had healed the arm he broke within a second.

Now he had seen the girl, he was even more curious about her. He wanted to know more about the power she had, not alone for his own sake, but also because he could use it against her once he was free again. He had no doubt he would escape sometime, or they would have to let him go.

He turned to look at the door, and thought about trying to go trough it. But he remembered what the girl had said, and although she seemed to be to kind to be real, he had no doubt she put a spell on that door. She wanted to help him, yes, but he still was a prisoner.

Sighing, he put his shirt back on and lay down. He would have to wait until he could see the queen and talk to her. Until then, he could do nothing but relax.

Life wasn't fair.

************************************************************ ***********

And another chapter... by the way,

`...' is when someone thinks "..." is when someone talks «» is a sort of subconscious