InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miko Malice ❯ Mirror Families ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions, among others.

 

Thanks to my reviewers: angel-up-above-heaven, ScottishChick, QueenJitFace, Inuyasha3292, Zanetherealkagome, SISTERINLAW19, sunrisegoodbyes

 

Briana_D: The miko powers on the cliff, it was to help her hold on and help her pull them both up the cliff. I've tried to put some more back-story in this chapter, but I think I'll have more opportunity for explanation in the next installment.

 

Akihana: Yeah, I don't know if Jell-O was contemporary of this fic's time period, but it's what popped in my head, lol.

 

Kokoronagomu: Is `descriptive' good? I noticed I was putting a lot more details, but I wasn't sure if it turned out right. It kind of has to fill in for Kagome not talking, I guess. Post Traumatic Stress! I knew there was a name for what Kagome was going through, but I could think of it—thanks!

 

A/N: I'm not so sure how I feel about fanfiction.net sending me updates every time someone puts me or one of my stories on favorite. On the one hand its nice to know I have fans, but on the other, it sucks cause I always think I've got a review, but its nothing. *Sigh* Whining over.

 

Chapter 5 Mirror Families

 

Kagome's heart was pounding inside her chest. Any idiot could see that the proud youkai meant them harm. He frightened her with the way he was glaring at her from around Inuyasha. Kagome felt her breath hitch in her throat, shortening her breath. Inuyasha flicked an ear at her, but kept his focus on the youkai before them.

 

The full youkai began stalking around them, back and forth, in a half moon path. He was very beautiful, with long silky locks and rich markings of his youkai clan burned into the skin of his face. The man was clearly graceful, which could only add to what Kagome was sure was his deadly speed. As he walked, the youkai drew a sword that he kept pointed toward the ground.

 

It was a startling jolt when Kagome realized the youkai was playing with them. He could attack them at any moment if he so chose, and both she and Inuyasha would be dead. The little neko felt dizzy.

 

“I must say,” the demon growled, “that you two make a precious couple.”

 

“Shut the fuck up Sesshomaru!” Inuyasha barked, readjusting his footing so that he had a firmer stance between his brother and Miyuki. He would not let the full youkai hurt her, even though it would very likely end in his own blood being shed. In buckets. Buckets and buckets of his own blood. Why did the tight ass have to show up at all?

 

“Easy brother, I come peace.” Sesshomaru purred. He gave the pair what on anyone else might have been a sneer, but on his face what looked like an excuse to bare his fangs.

 

Kagome was stunned even through her fear. He's Inuyasha's brother? But he's so much more—more prettier! Now she really was going to be sick.

 

Inuyasha was too busy retorting to notice his companion's fretfulness. “Peace my ass! You're trying to kill me again. My brain's not broken!” Inuyasha drew his sword and charged the youkai, the blade swung high over his head.

 

Sesshomaru blocked Inuyasha with his own blade, further revealing his fangs: “I've come with a message from father.” Moving as fast as Kagome had often seen her mother leap, Sesshomaru sheathed his sword and had Inuyasha's throat gripped in his claws. Oh Kami! He's going to kill Inuyasha. No!

 

“Wh-what?” Inuyasha chocked out, feeling his air supply cut off, his face turning blue.

 

“You are to come to the manor for dinner in a week's time.”

 

“Like hell I am! I'm at the Cabin of Mates! I'm not supposed to leave until—”

 

“Until you find a mate or bride. Yes, brother, I know. I've been there.” Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. “But father is asking you to dinner and you are required to appear.”

 

Inuyasha opened his mouth to argue, but his brother cut him off. “This is not up for negotiation. You will show your family respect as your very presence is already such a disgrace.”

 

Kagome winced at Sesshomaru's words. Were all older siblings so cruel? He sounded just like Kikyou.

 

Or maybe it's just the older, full-blooded siblings of hanyou.

 

Though her thoughts saddened her, and while Kagome was frightened by the youkai, unexpectedly didn't feel so alone. I'm not the only the only one like this. I wish there was some way I could help him. Looking at Inuyasha's nearly purple face, Kagome blanched. I hope his brother doesn't kill him before he can show up to their father's dinner.

 

The feeling of helplessness overwhelmed her. Kagome wanted to do something but all she felt was a sinking in her bones and blinding pain in her head.

 

Suddenly, with a flash, Kagome found herself in a world of memories. The dark, cold rooms were she had been kept; grubby hands holding her down; her own tears and cries ignored—

 

She couldn't take it anymore. Gripping the side of her head and breathing hard, she bent down toward the ground.

 

Sesshomaru looked at neko with a raised brow. Inuyasha was an eye twitch away from losing consciousness, and though he could smell Kagome's distress, could not see what was happening. Sesshomaru finally let him fall back down to the ground.

 

“Dinner will be served at the usual hour, don't be late. Mongrel. Care for your wench.” He called over his shoulder as he climbed back into the sky and disappeared.

 

Inuyasha leaped in the air, swatting his claws at Sesshomaru's robes. “Bastard!”

 

Landing in a heap, Inuyasha quickly turned back to Kagome. “Miyuki? Are you alright?”

 

Forgetting for a moment that she could not speak, Kagome tried to say she was fine, but no sound escape from her throat. In the end, she had to nod her answer. She felt like she was only seconds away from crying again, and her pride didn't think it could handle that humiliation again. And she didn't want Inuyasha to think she was that afraid of him.

 

Even if it was a reflex for her to feel that way.

 

Though she said she was, to Inuyasha, she didn't look fine. She was paler than usual, her ears flattened to her head. Her whole body seemed to tremble. That deep fear smell was back too—cloying at his nose. Slowly, gently, he reach a hand out in full view of her so that Miyuki wouldn't be startled.

 

She's so afraid. Though fluffy would frightened anyone, I…I wish I could make things better for her.

 

He thought back to before Sesshomaru had shown up. She had been afraid then too, and he had only been holding her. She's afraid of men…she was a slave, though probably not born one. No wonder she's afraid—No telling what was done to her. Inwardly, the hanyou winced for his companion.

 

“I'm not going to hurt you, and I promise to protect you from anyone else. You're safe with me, Miyuki.”

 

Even though he was giving this promise to a girl named “Miyuki” Kagome felt the warmth of being able to relax—if only a little bit—that she had not had in so long.

 

Nodding to Inuyasha that she understood, she placed her shaking fingers over his that rested softly on her shoulder. Inuyasha gave her a sad smile in return.

 

“We need to get back to the cabin if we're going to have anything to eat tonight.” Then he remembered something. “You don't happen to still have the rabbit, do you?”

 

Kagome sniffed the air, and then pointed a few yards away where the limp rabbit lay sprawled on the ground. Inuyasha stood and walked over to it, checking its scent. “I think we might be able to salvage this.”

 

Stepping back over to Kagome, Inuyasha offered her hand to help her to her feet. She gave him a weak smile, but a smile non-the less.

 

Maybe I can do some good. Inuyasha thought to himself as they headed home toward the east.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

The morning dawned with a red haze around the sun as it rose over the plans of the human lands.

 

Deshi stood to the side with his daughter as all the things she would need as a bride were loaded onto the cart that would take her deep into the youkai territory. His face was solemn and wrinkles were etched deeply into his skin. The lord was still questioning his choice; he did not like the idea of sending his eldest child away into the hands of demons.

He did not want to lose another daughter. And with Midori gone, he would be alone.

 

But that was the crux of the matter wasn't it? Kikyou had essentially murdered her sister.

 

The thought reminded him that he did not know his child as much as he thought he had.

 

Still, it was ironic that Kikyou was being subjected to a punishment her stepmother would not have allowed. Midori, though Deshi liked to believe his wife was content with him, and been known to say she would not wish an arranged married that required crossing territorial boundaries on her worst enemy.

 

“My Lord,” Kane came up to him, bowing. “Lady Kikyou's belongings are packed and the entourage is ready.”

 

Deshi thanked the servant and turned to Kikyou. “Its time.”

 

Kikyou nodded. She had not spoken to anyone since her father had told her of her punishment. Her skin was pale, her eyes down cast, hands folded in front of her. The young priestess allowed herself to be handed up into the carriage by Kane.

 

Lord Deshi walked up to carriage window once the door had been shut on his daughter. Pulling something out of his pocket, he tossed it at Kikyou. Catching it easily, she looked down at the delicate necklace she held in her hand: a thick, nearly transparent ribbon of gauzy material was linked with a square charm of jade, thin and covered with etchings of tiny pictures and characters.

 

Questioningly, she looked up at Lord Higurashi.

 

“Its to mask you scent. These inu youkai have extremely sensitive noses and they'll be able to smell your emotions. If they smell your fear, anger, and hatred I doubt that you'll last very long. This charm,” Deshi reached in to clasp the hand that Kikyou held the necklace in, “will distort your scent. You will give off nothing more than peace and serenity—like any good priestess.”

 

Looking Kikyou in the eye, he saw defiance. “I suggest you wear that if you expect to have any chance of surviving this. In a few weeks, I will follow you with my forces, but it will be up to you to stay alive until your wedding. That means acting civil and warm to your future husband and his family. If you are a total bitch or do not wear this, they will suspect something, and you can imagine what that will bring. Remember Kikyou: you are a priestess trying to do something for the good of your people. You are to be kind and loving. You—”

 

“I understand, Father,” Kikyou hissed, jerking her hand away. “I'm ready to leave. I will see you on my wedding day.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Their trek back to the Cabin of Mates moved much slower than their race out into the forest.

 

Probably because they weren't chasing a stupid rabbit.

 

Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that Miyuki kept stopping to pick flowers.

 

Inuyasha was becoming irritated with their slow pace. He was hungry, tired, his ego was a tad bruised from dealing with his brother. Not to mention the fact he was holding a rotting rabbit in his claws.

 

Patience…Patience…She's just starting to not cry and be scared shitless every time you're within a few feet of her…Patience…Be nice…Do not scare her. She's just picking flow—Oh for the love of fuck! That's a weed!

 

Inuyasha's control snapped with the neko leaned over to pluck up an ugly vine with a thick root.

 

“Stop doing that! Do you want to get back before midnight!” He growled, turning sharply to fully face the girl.

 

Kagome paled when Inuyasha winded around to glare at her. She had only been gathering herbs on the wayside. She knew some had a flavor to them, which she hoped would go well with the rabbit, and the rest were for the bruises Sesshomaru had put on Inuyasha's neck. She didn't even know that the inu had noticed she had been stopping; she thought she had been being fast.

 

She didn't know how to answer him. He looked so angry. But he didn't smell wrathful—wrath was when she got hit. He said he'd never hurt me.

 

“And why are you picking weeds?” Inuyasha demanded when she was silent.

 

Weeds? These are weeds. Does he think I'm crazy?

 

Shaking her head, she came up to Inuyasha, showing him the contents of her hands.

 

“What are these? You have a bunch of grass. Why wench?”

 

He still doesn't get it, does he?

 

Motioning “no” again, she held her hand up with the herbs up to his face for inspection.

 

“So? You have some dead plants.” He was still irritated, but the anger was gone.

 

Reaching up, Kagome gently touched the dark bruises on his throat, then the herbs.

 

“Those are for my neck?” Inuyasha chocked out, looking ashamed when she nodded that they were. “You're getting medicinal herbs…for me?” His ears sunk into the blanket of his hair. Even my mom stopped patching me up after Sesshomaru harassed me.

 

Kagome could tell he felt guilty for yelling at her. For once he was the one reeking of unpleasant emotions. She offered him a small smile that she understood and turned, heading in the direction they had been headed.

 

Inuyasha stood in the path, staring at her thin form. Finally, it dawned on him that she would soon leave him behind, and he trotted to catch up to her. They walked side by side in silence the rest of the way home.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Once Inuyasha and Kagome had prepared all the ingredients for rabbit stew, he set to simmering the meal while she began to make poultice for the deep bruises ringing his neck.

 

Inuyasha watched out of the corner of his eye as the little neko grounded one herb after another, adding them to a separate bowl. From time to time she would sniff her concoction, and her brows would scrunch as she focused. When she seemed to be satisfied, she finally began adding drops of water until it was a thick paste.

 

While he was stirring the stew, Kagome crawled over to him. She held up the bowl containing her poultice, looking at him expectantly.

 

“You want me to put that on my neck?”

 

Nod yes.

 

Inuyasha considered it for a moment. “Your sure it will work? It will take care of the bruises?” Even though he was a hanyou and the wounds would soon be gone, since they came from Sesshomaru, the damage always lasted longer and had more of a bite to it than ordinary scraps. “Fine, but can you put it on me? I'm sure its great with skin, but I don't know how good it will go with rabbit.”

 

The weary look was back in Miyuki's eye.

 

“Look, I'll keep my hands in front of me. I'll focus on the stew.”

 

He could tell she was chewing it over, and at last she nodded that it was alright.

 

Inuyasha just about dropped the stirring spoon when he felt her cold hands on his throat.

 

“Couldn't have heated that up?” He joked, but she continued to direct her attention on applying the balm.

 

Just as he was about to ask her how long it would take for the medicine to take effect, he was once again shocked to find that the pain and sting from the bruises was already vanishing.

 

“Wow, that stuff's pretty good,” he smiled at her as she took her place across from him on the other side of the fireplace. “Thanks.” Inuyasha blushed.

 

Kagome's eyes were bright; though her own smile did not quite make it to her lips, her eyes beamed at him. She adverted her gaze after a minute and with a claw began to draw in the ash that surrounded the fireplace.

 

At first, she just did little doodles—a sun, a swirl, a smiling cat face. But as Inuyasha stirred the stew, her drawings grew in complexity. After a while, Kagome realized that she was looking at a sketch of her home, etched into the ash.

 

“What is that?” Inuyasha asked casually, continuing to stir. “A castle you've seen?”

 

She gestured a “No.”

 

“Some place you've made up?”

 

Again, “No.”

 

“It can't be you're home,” Inuyasha scoffed as he leaned over to look into the pot.

 

Needless to say, he was somewhat shocked when she began to nod “Yes.”

 

“That's your home? You live there?” He pressed, clearly startled.

 

How could she have lived in a place like that? From its shape alone, it was a stronghold, with its turrets and walls. Could it be that one of her previous masters had lived there? The man I won her from probably resided in little better than a hovel.

 

Sango's right. There is more to Miyuki than meets the eye.

 

“Did you live there with your mother?”

 

“Yes,” she signaled. In the dust below the palace, Miyuki scratched a youkai woman with a sunburst in the center of her forehead. Then next to her mother, she drew a human man. When the doodle was finished, she connected the two portraits with a line.

 

“That's your father?”

 

Miyuki nodded in the affirmative.

 

Her father's a human and her mother is youkai? The idea was so foreign, he was so used to his own family set up. Another thought crossed his mind.

 

“Where is this castle?” Inuyasha pointed with a claw to the drawing of the stronghold.

 

Miyuki's brow knitted as she tried to think of how to answer him. After a moment, she pointed her own clawed hand at the human man she had said was her father.

 

“Its in the human lands?” Yes. “Does your mother live with you—a youkai in the human domain?” Again, Yes.

 

Inuyasha leaned back on his haunches, digesting this information.

 

“My father is youkai, and my mother is human. We're just alike, but in an opposite way,” Inuyasha smiled. Miyuki agreed. “You must be like a princess amongst the humans to live in a place like that. What are you doing here then? As a slave?”

 

At his question, Miyuki visibly clammed up. She tucked her chin into her chest, shaking her head. Bitterly, she raked her claws through her drawings.

 

“Its all right, Miyuki,” Inuyasha offered. “You can tell me when you're ready. The stew's almost done.”

 

Kagome brushed the bud of a tear out of the corner of her eye, and nodded.

 

Though he hid it well, Inuyasha felt uneasy about the things she had related to him. She might lying to him—that was always a possibility—but what if she wasn't?

 

No, there is much that I don't know about her.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

After they had finished their dinner, they rested by the fire for some time.

 

Kagome ended up curled in a little cat ball, purring herself to sleep.

 

Inuyasha found himself watching her, smiling lightly as the adorable picture she made. She looked so young, but he knew she had seen much. Her bruises had healed, and she looked better, yet there was still a sadness about her, one that clung to her, making her afraid of so much. She was even afraid of him.

 

He had been going to wait and see if she would wake on her own, but the longer she slept, the more Inuyasha realized that she was pretty much down for the night. Not wanting her to sleep in the dirt by the fire, Inuyasha scooped up the neko as carefully as he could and carried her into her own tiny room.

 

Using his foot, he jerked out her futon, unfolding it so it lay flat. Gently, he laid her down, then covered her up.

 

Inuyasha couldn't resist, he had to push a lock of hair back behind her head and tenderly stroked her cheek. Just before he left, he gave into the temptation to give her ear a playful cheek.

 

I should take her to see Kaede. Maybe she can tell me something.

 

Miyuki stirred at that, but with a happy sigh, she fell back asleep.

 

We are so alike, but so different. I'd like to know more about her.

 

With that last though, Inuyasha righted himself and headed back into his own bedroom.