InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Peace Treaty ❯ Escape ( Chapter 45 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: piratequeen0405 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.22.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 942 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.22.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 942 | Status: Work In Progress
Kagome spent the next day locked in her brother’s room. She had expected them to come for her in the morning as they had before, but by midday, she was still waiting. To stay busy and keep her thoughts from dwelling on treachery in the House of the West, she sorted through the rest of her brother’s belongings and cleared a space in which to exercise. She found a few more objects of interest, but nothing that gave her any further insight into her brother and why he did not keep her safe that night. Nothing that fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Preoccupation with the past would not help, so she went through her forms and stretched, working out travel-weary muscles and the tension of bad memories. She had a suspicion that perhaps Kurono and Akagawa thought a day of fearing their interrogation would make her more on edge and ready to talk. In truth, Kagome, as she moved and attacked imagined opponents, was narrowing her focus, sharpening her resolve. She would leave that day and was prepared to kill if she had to.
She hoped Hiroko would come to talk. The day before, the other woman’s distress at the ugly situation was palpable. No miko wanted to see a sister abused. And she respected Kagome’s father far more than Kurono and Akagawa. Kagome wondered how much doubt she had sown. Hiroko certainly seemed curious about her and the Youkai, and she may have started to understand the logic, the importance of maintaining the peace treaty. One ally, one person to help her out of this place of hate would be beyond price.
But she didn’t come. Kagome refused to be disheartened. She had relied on herself alone many times before and she would continue to do so.
Instead she practiced freeing her hands, that first, crucial part of her escape. A scrap of glass about the size of her thumb would act as a makeshift knife. Its edges were somewhat jagged, but it was still sharp. Tightly twisted clothes and blankets were not as challenging as heavy rope, but she was able to figure out how to best hold the piece of glass so that it was concealed in her fist and still be able to slip it up through her fingers and cut bindings. She practiced over and over until she felt confident she could do it without having to look or think.
She was ready when they came for her, a wry grin playing on her lips. The sun was sinking below the trees, and she felt like she had been given a gift. With twilight came dark and shadows to conceal her movements, and night meant fewer men would be outside. Once she had escaped the manor walls and fled into the surrounding forest, she would have to put as much distance between her and the other miko as quickly as possible. Hiding was not an option; they would be able to sense Sesshoumaru’s Youki in her, allowing them to find her. She was thankful that, having grown up at this place, she knew which direction to go without having the sun to guide her. The Shrine of the Miko Sisterhood was a three-day journey on foot in the best of circumstances. In the middle of winter with snow on the ground and food scarce, the going would be slow and difficult.
Two nameless soldiers appeared at the door and informed her it was time. Kagome extended her arms without being told, hands clenched together. She experienced a brief moment of panic that they would order her to lay her palms flat together, but they said nothing. They led her out and past rooms of soldiers eating and relaxing to a deserted part of the manor.
Kurono and Akagawa were waiting for her. There was a tall, thin man was with them. “Lady Kagome,” Kurono said, “you remember Commander Takeo Hino, do you not? He has served under me for years and now is my proxy on the Council.”
Kagome stared at him. It had been almost ten years, and he had changed. His face was no longer gaunt and ruddy from malnutrition and alcohol abuse, but she still recognized his mean, narrow eyes. She said nothing.
“I am sure you spent the day coming to your senses,” Kurono said. “Have you made your choice? Will you join us? I’ll remind you of the significance of your decision. You cannot leave this place alive.” He glanced at the younger man at his side and smiled. “And if you cooperate, you have my word that Takeo will mind his manners.” The threat hung in the air, naked and blatant.
Kagome had considered playing along. Make them think she was ready to align herself with them to save her life. If they considered her trustworthy, they would drop their vigilance and she could more easily escape. All day she had wondered if she could hide her hatred, if they would see through her lies. She however was unprepared for the visceral reaction she had to Takeo’s smug face. He was the instigator that led to the butchery of Sesshoumaru’s sister and her infant. He helped push her brother over the edge. He had brutalized her. Kurono and Akagawa oozed the same knowing satisfaction. Her firm grip on her temper was slipping like sand through her fingers. Pretense was not an option. “Go fuck yourselves.”
They laughed at her bravado. “A pity,” Akagawa said. “You have just dug your own grave.”
“So be it,” Kagome said. As the guards had escorted her down the corridors, she slid the piece of broken glass up and began to saw at the rope that held her hands. It took some adjustment so that she wasn’t slicing her skin with every motion, but she felt that she was making progress. Unfortunately it was slow work and she needed to buy time. “Though I doubt you’ll be as successful as you think. You can kill me, but both sides want to continue the peace. Even if the Youkai are convinced of my guilt, what makes you so certain they will attack?”
“Retribution, of course. The murder or attempted murder of a Taiyoukai cannot go unanswered. They will desire revenge. Just as revenge was your motivation.”
“Revenge? For what? The Youkai have done nothing to harm me.”
“Oh really?” Kurono laughed. “Is your father’s death not reason enough?”
Kagome straightened and winced as the glass slipped and she cut her hand. Suddenly their acceptance of her as a murderer did not seem like folly. She had confided in Sesshoumaru about how profoundly her father’s death had affected and shadowed her life; she had pulled a knife on General Inutaisho. It made her sick to wonder what else Kurono and Akagawa knew. “What exactly did you promise Okuri for him to provide you this information?” she asked softly.
“He wants a sanctuary for any Youkai that surrender, for them to live isolated and in exile.”
“You are crazy if you think the Taiyoukai will surrender.”
“And you’re crazy if you think we would have allowed it in the first place. Our goal all along was the complete destruction of Youkai. Lord Okuri has been a valuable conspirator, but we never had any intention of honoring our agreement. Just as I doubt he ever had any intention of retreating peacefully. He got what he wanted—his cousin and you out of the way. And when the Youkai attack, we will be given an opportunity to unveil kayaku.”
Kagome cursed Okuri in her mind; such a huge price to pay over a stubborn succession dispute. “Why haven’t you taken this weapon to the Council already?”
“Because we need them to be desperate,” Akagawa said. “They will be far more likely to see the value in what we offer if they are up against a wall. As the peace continues, the Great Families stand to gain monetarily from lucrative trading contracts. We need that incentive to be removed. If the Council is faced with War, they will welcome us with open arms and we can force their hand. We will offer salvation. And they will be powerless to do anything other than accept our demands.”
“What demands are those?” Kagome had to move the angle of the glass to continue to cut through it. She was lucky that the men in front of her were so eager to boast of their careful plans that they did not notice the slight movements of her hands and the concentration on her face.
“Ceding Council control to us. You don’t think we would give the results of all our hard work over to that corrupt, self-serving group of idiots? They are traitors to our race for wanting to seek peace with the Youkai. They are sick and twisted for proposing a treaty based on marriage. They don’t deserve the power they enjoy.” Akagawa approached Kagome. “Now then. Enough. It is time for us to ask the questions of you.” He grabbed her chin and wrenched her neck. “Have the Youkai told any Council members about the existence of our weapon?”
“It was discussed and debated,” Kagome said, trying to not let the fingers digging into her skin distract her from the rhythmic cutting of the rope. She wished she knew how close she was to severing it. “The Youkai know that you have friends still on the Council. They know there is more than one. Okashita, if memory serves, and now the recent, fortuitous addition of him.” Kagome glanced over Akagawa’s shoulder at Takeo. “So…how deep runs your paranoia?” she asked brashly. “Afraid they will contact the other Council members in secret? Like they did when they proposed the peace treaty? You were powerless to prevent it then. And now you are afraid that they have sent a message to General Miyamoto.” She hoped the impudence in her voice would anger him and make him more likely to act carelessly. “He’s just as ambitious as you are. If he finds out about kayaku, he’ll send forces here and seize it from you. You may have a handful of miko, but he has the rest of them at his disposal, should he choose. Lade Kaede would only be too happy to help, even if it is beyond our avowed mandate. You have, after all, stolen several of her pupils.” Kagome knew the Youkai had decided to wait to inform the Council, but that would not stop her from leading Kurono and Akagawa to believe otherwise.
“Did they contact him?” Akagawa growled, his face inches from hers.
“They were in constant contact about treaty provisions. Help with settlements, determining future trade routes. I don’t know what else may have been communicated.”
Kagome’s expression was pure, amused intractability, and he could not tell if she was gleefully lying or happy that she had nothing to tell him. “The Youkai have spies. This we know. I want you to tell us how many and where they are.”
“I don’t know.”
His fingers slid down past her jaw to her windpipe. “This will go so much better if you don’t lie to me, Kagome.”
“They let me sit in at meetings, but particulars like that were never discussed. I assume the separate Houses coordinated together to compare information.” His fingers tightened, and she gasped. “The spymaster at the House of the West gave birth recently. When I saw her, conversation was about her newborn and how she was feeling.” Kagome spoke fast, like she was confessing something important, just to make him stop choking off her breath.
He released her neck and slapped her, not hard enough to hurt badly but enough to reestablish his control over her. “The bitch is yours,” he said, turning to look at Takeo.
“Do what you can to make her talk,” Kurono said. “She’s hiding something, I’ll wager. Don’t bother questioning her. I want you to crush her spirit. Make her beg.” He and Akagawa walked toward the doorway. “The miko Leiko told us she wanted to keep watch. Apparently she and Kagome Higurashi have some…unresolved issues. For the best, I think…or at least it won’t hurt to have someone guarding the door. We’ll be back in an hour.”
Kagome kept her breath even and fought the panic and nausea that threatened to drown her. She was alone with a man she despised, a man whose sole purpose in being there was to hurt and humiliate her. If she did not free her hands soon, she could be in real trouble.
Takeo laughed and slowly circled around her. “Look at you,” he said, taunting voice arrogant and unafraid. “I have to confess, I haven’t thought about you very much over the years. You were a scrawny little thing back then. All wide eyes and running away.”
Kagome swallowed the sour lump that rose in her throat. She kept her eyes downcast and focused on cutting through the rope.
“Changed so much in…what has it been? Ten years?” He looked her up and down and closed in. “I see you’ve grown up. Did you miss me?” he whispered into her ear.
Kagome turned to face at him. Her expression was devoid of emotion. “How did you escape execution?”
He had been expecting tears and pleas for mercy. Her detached self-possession and direct question somewhat surprised him. “When I fought your brother, he almost killed me. I was half-dead when Tokuhoshi’s army broke up our little party. They decided to see if I would recover before they executed me, but by the time it became apparent I would survive, Kurono came and retrieved me.” Takeo stroked her cheek lightly.
The gentleness, coming from him, was a cruel mockery of a caress. It was all Kagome could do to not flinch away from his touch. She stayed still and continued to cut. “I didn’t know you fought each other,” she said simply, hoping he would continue to talk.
“He always managed to protect you, even though we were all drunk most of the time.” He laughed. “He made sure you were never alone once darkness came. Until that one night. I asked him to give you to me and he refused. I pretended to drop it, but I followed him, assuming he was going to check on you. Imagine my surprise when he went into a storeroom and there you were, crawling out of the wall. Little bitch.” His hands strayed down her throat and came to rest just above Sesshoumaru’s mark. “I had a few of my loyal friends jump him and get him out of the way. I guess he wasn’t as drunk as I thought he was. He killed one of them before they could lock him in the stables. He still managed to get out and attack me later.” He grabbed her shortened hair and pulled her head back. “The scar on my chest still hurts sometimes. Daichi hated killing, so I thought he was soft, a coward. He wasn’t. Too bad for me I underestimated him…but I recovered eventually.”
As he was talking, relating to her what had really happened that night, a trickle of relief seeped into Kagome’s veins. She realized that she had been wrong, that her brother had not betrayed her, and relief washed over her like a flood of warm water. He had tried to keep her safe. Her world made sense again, if only in the slightest, most personal way. Though he had participated in the worst horrors of War, he still stayed her beloved, protective older brother. And just as this relief brought comfort, she felt the ropes that bound her hands and arms suddenly slacken. She was free.
“Why don’t you join us?” Takeo asked. He released her hair and slid his hand down her back, no longer gentle. It was a gesture of ownership, a gesture meant to convey that she was weak, helpless, dependent. “It’s not too late, you know. Together, we can inherit a pure Ningen world.”
“Never,” she said through clenched teeth. “You sicken me.”
He smirked. “I’ll do more than sicken you, you stupid cunt. You have two other holes I haven’t sampled yet. Or are you not so innocent any longer? Did that Youkai bastard take you here?” He roughly pawed her backside, his face looming in front of hers.
“You are not to speak of him.” Kagome’s patience was finally rewarded. He was in her reach, over-confident, and, drunk on his domination of her, stupidly ceased to consider her a threat. She smiled as she raised her arms and plunged the glass shard into his right eye.
XXXXX
Leiko passed Kurono and Akagawa in the corridor. They nodded at her as they walked by, not pausing their conversation. Leiko scowled to hear how disappointed they were that Kagome was persisting in her stubborn loyalty to the Council. How hopeful they were that she would change her mind at the last minute and renounce the peace treaty. She was disgusted by their desire to acquire another miko, even one as powerful as Kagome. She did not trust her, but more than that, she was jealous. Lady Kaede described Kagome Higurashi as perhaps one of the most talented miko in recent history. If she were allowed a place at Kurono and Akagawa’s side, Leiko would no longer enjoy the importance and influence she now had. Their bitter rivalry would continue, but as equals instead of captor and captive. Fortunately Kagome’s sense of honor had not diminished and she would soon no longer be a threat.
As she walked toward the isolated room, Leiko’s scowl deepened. She found the whole matter distasteful. Had it been up to her, she would have killed Kagome quickly, right after they arrived. Not given her over to a pig to be tortured. Takeo was a prominent member of General Kurono’s guard and now had a seat on the Council of Great Families, but she recognized a sadist the moment she met him. If Kagome told him that she was ready to talk, she would be there to stop him. Leiko hated the other woman, no doubt, but the last thing she wanted was to pity and feel sympathy for Kagome. Hopefully within an hour, the generals would have their information and she would be dead.
Suddenly a shrill scream full of pain and anger pierced the silence. Not a wholly unexpected sound considering what was taking place in the room near the end of the corridor. But this scream was wrong; it did not belong to a woman. Leiko unsheathed her sword and ran.
XXXXX
Takeo bellowed and stumbled blindly back. He clutched at his face and blood immediately began to seep between his fingers. Before he got too far away, Kagome planted a foot in his groin, bringing him to his knees. She knew, despite being so far from everyone else, the screaming and moaning would draw others. She had to act fast. She surveyed the dim, damp room and saw an untidy stack of wood, thoughtlessly discarded for repairs. The largest piece was slightly softened from rot, but it was still heavy. She stood in the shadows by the door opening, her back flush against the wall, hands gripping the wood, and waited.
Only a few seconds later, she heard footfalls coming close. They were not heavy and were made by only a single person. It was a woman, a miko, and most likely Leiko.
A slim figure rushed in, saw Takeo writhing on the floor, and stopped short. Before she had a chance to turn, Kagome lifted the wood plank and brought it crashing down on the back of the miko’s head. She crumbled to the floor in a heap and didn’t move.
Kagome was about to run, but a gleam of metal in the faint light caught her eye. It was General Inutaisho’s stolen sword. She dropped the plank and grabbed it. Now she was armed, and this time with something much more deadly than a mere bit of glass. More than that, she had something to connect her to the Youkai from whom she was taken. Something to hold, some connection until she could return to them.
Kagome picked up the rope bindings and threw them down the corridor, in the hope that they would lead her eventual pursuers the wrong way, and went in the opposite direction. At the end of the corridor, in the wall, there was a secret door that led to the kitchen, and from there she could get out to the courtyard. She prayed that the extreme neglect of manor did not mean the hidden route was blocked by debris and inaccessible. She prayed the kitchen was empty—not very likely given the time of day. But this was her best, fastest way of escape.
She grasped the edge of the hidden, movable panel and pulled. Years of disuse and warped wood made it difficult, but she managed to pry an opening big enough to slip through. Once the panel was closed, the darkness in the narrow corridor was utterly complete. She could only walk forward, her palm against the wall and treading carefully. She did not need to see; there was only one possible way to go.
XXXXX
Hiroko stared at the stack of dirty dishes and bit back a snarl. Her resentment that the soldiers presumed the miko were most suited to take care of the day-to-day menial tasks was tempered by the comfort of the kitchen. It was the warmest place, outside the smelting furnace, for miles, and the cold winter made the place somewhat hospitable comparatively. A guilt-ridden part of her was glad to have duty, a job to do so she didn’t have to think about what was happening to Kagome. She wanted badly to intervene in the younger woman’s interrogation, but she knew any action she took would ultimately prove pointless and most likely fatal for both of them. Though a few of the other miko she spoke with had similar reservations about working for Kurono and Akagawa and were receptive to the information Kagome had about Youkai, none wanted to take any personal risk in crossing the generals.
They did not abide insubordination of any kind and killed far too easily, with no remorse.
She removed her bulky outer layer of clothing and began to roll up her sleeves when a dull scraping sound stopped her. Suddenly Kagome appeared from a nearby wall, sword drawn, eyes wide and bosom heaving. Her hands were bloody, but the sword she held was clean. Hiroko gasped in amazement; somehow, she had done it. “Good gods. You got away from them.”
Kagome looked around and saw they were alone. Hiroko did not seem interested in hindering her escape. She nodded briefly and went toward the door to the outside.
“Wait,” Hiroko said. “I want to help.” This was her chance to do the right thing. This was her chance to truly honor her vows. She grabbed a clean cloth and spread it on a table, then dumped the contents of a pot of rice in the center and tied up the ends. “You’ll need this.” She shoved the warm bundle of rice inside Kagome’s dirty white shirt, then grabbed her dark brown jacket. “Put this on. You’ll be harder to see.”
Kagome hesitated a moment before she put down the sword and donned Hiroko’s jacket. It was much heavier than what she was wearing, and the point about the darker color was an important one. “Thank you.” The food and new warmth made escape and survival seem like an actual possibility. She had known she would be able to flee the Higurashi manor if she was able to release her hands, but beyond that, her two greatest fears were freezing and not finding food. For now, the Fates were looking kindly on her.
“Where are you going to go?”
“The Shrine. What choice do I have? I’m apparently being hunted by everyone…Youkai, the Council’s troops and mercenaries, now the people here. As long as Kaede is alive, I can find sanctuary at the Shrine. I’ll follow the river.”
Hiroko gestured to the door. “Go to the left. To the right, the soldiers on guard duty make a fire at night and gather around it. We miko don’t usually socialize with the men at night and they won’t be able to sense you. If you stick to the shadows until you are outside the grounds, you should be safe. ” She took two more towels and tucked them into Kagome’s clothes. “Once you are away and can put your sword down, wrap up your hands. It’s been frightfully cold. How much time do you think you have?”
Kagome shook her head. “I left Takeo hurt but not dead. He’s probably already up and stumbling toward the main part of the manor.”
“I know a short-cut,” Hiroko said. “This place is like a maze. I’ll go and raise a commotion and lead them away from the river. Go as fast as you can. But be careful.”
“Hiroko, thank you, again.” She paused a moment. “Do you want to come with me?”
She smiled sadly. “I fear I would slow you down. I will try to leave this place in a few days. Until then, I will do what I can to keep them away from you. Kagome, I pray the gods go with you.”
Kagome bowed deeply and went through the door. The air outside was frigid and she realized then that Hiroko’s thoughtfulness and practicality had probably saved her life already. Off to the right was a warm golden glow. She ran to the left, into the dark and cold and safe emptiness. She tried to stay in the areas that didn’t have fresh, untrampled snow until she reached the thick of the trees. After that there wasn’t much she could do but run.
She was free.
She hoped Hiroko would come to talk. The day before, the other woman’s distress at the ugly situation was palpable. No miko wanted to see a sister abused. And she respected Kagome’s father far more than Kurono and Akagawa. Kagome wondered how much doubt she had sown. Hiroko certainly seemed curious about her and the Youkai, and she may have started to understand the logic, the importance of maintaining the peace treaty. One ally, one person to help her out of this place of hate would be beyond price.
But she didn’t come. Kagome refused to be disheartened. She had relied on herself alone many times before and she would continue to do so.
Instead she practiced freeing her hands, that first, crucial part of her escape. A scrap of glass about the size of her thumb would act as a makeshift knife. Its edges were somewhat jagged, but it was still sharp. Tightly twisted clothes and blankets were not as challenging as heavy rope, but she was able to figure out how to best hold the piece of glass so that it was concealed in her fist and still be able to slip it up through her fingers and cut bindings. She practiced over and over until she felt confident she could do it without having to look or think.
She was ready when they came for her, a wry grin playing on her lips. The sun was sinking below the trees, and she felt like she had been given a gift. With twilight came dark and shadows to conceal her movements, and night meant fewer men would be outside. Once she had escaped the manor walls and fled into the surrounding forest, she would have to put as much distance between her and the other miko as quickly as possible. Hiding was not an option; they would be able to sense Sesshoumaru’s Youki in her, allowing them to find her. She was thankful that, having grown up at this place, she knew which direction to go without having the sun to guide her. The Shrine of the Miko Sisterhood was a three-day journey on foot in the best of circumstances. In the middle of winter with snow on the ground and food scarce, the going would be slow and difficult.
Two nameless soldiers appeared at the door and informed her it was time. Kagome extended her arms without being told, hands clenched together. She experienced a brief moment of panic that they would order her to lay her palms flat together, but they said nothing. They led her out and past rooms of soldiers eating and relaxing to a deserted part of the manor.
Kurono and Akagawa were waiting for her. There was a tall, thin man was with them. “Lady Kagome,” Kurono said, “you remember Commander Takeo Hino, do you not? He has served under me for years and now is my proxy on the Council.”
Kagome stared at him. It had been almost ten years, and he had changed. His face was no longer gaunt and ruddy from malnutrition and alcohol abuse, but she still recognized his mean, narrow eyes. She said nothing.
“I am sure you spent the day coming to your senses,” Kurono said. “Have you made your choice? Will you join us? I’ll remind you of the significance of your decision. You cannot leave this place alive.” He glanced at the younger man at his side and smiled. “And if you cooperate, you have my word that Takeo will mind his manners.” The threat hung in the air, naked and blatant.
Kagome had considered playing along. Make them think she was ready to align herself with them to save her life. If they considered her trustworthy, they would drop their vigilance and she could more easily escape. All day she had wondered if she could hide her hatred, if they would see through her lies. She however was unprepared for the visceral reaction she had to Takeo’s smug face. He was the instigator that led to the butchery of Sesshoumaru’s sister and her infant. He helped push her brother over the edge. He had brutalized her. Kurono and Akagawa oozed the same knowing satisfaction. Her firm grip on her temper was slipping like sand through her fingers. Pretense was not an option. “Go fuck yourselves.”
They laughed at her bravado. “A pity,” Akagawa said. “You have just dug your own grave.”
“So be it,” Kagome said. As the guards had escorted her down the corridors, she slid the piece of broken glass up and began to saw at the rope that held her hands. It took some adjustment so that she wasn’t slicing her skin with every motion, but she felt that she was making progress. Unfortunately it was slow work and she needed to buy time. “Though I doubt you’ll be as successful as you think. You can kill me, but both sides want to continue the peace. Even if the Youkai are convinced of my guilt, what makes you so certain they will attack?”
“Retribution, of course. The murder or attempted murder of a Taiyoukai cannot go unanswered. They will desire revenge. Just as revenge was your motivation.”
“Revenge? For what? The Youkai have done nothing to harm me.”
“Oh really?” Kurono laughed. “Is your father’s death not reason enough?”
Kagome straightened and winced as the glass slipped and she cut her hand. Suddenly their acceptance of her as a murderer did not seem like folly. She had confided in Sesshoumaru about how profoundly her father’s death had affected and shadowed her life; she had pulled a knife on General Inutaisho. It made her sick to wonder what else Kurono and Akagawa knew. “What exactly did you promise Okuri for him to provide you this information?” she asked softly.
“He wants a sanctuary for any Youkai that surrender, for them to live isolated and in exile.”
“You are crazy if you think the Taiyoukai will surrender.”
“And you’re crazy if you think we would have allowed it in the first place. Our goal all along was the complete destruction of Youkai. Lord Okuri has been a valuable conspirator, but we never had any intention of honoring our agreement. Just as I doubt he ever had any intention of retreating peacefully. He got what he wanted—his cousin and you out of the way. And when the Youkai attack, we will be given an opportunity to unveil kayaku.”
Kagome cursed Okuri in her mind; such a huge price to pay over a stubborn succession dispute. “Why haven’t you taken this weapon to the Council already?”
“Because we need them to be desperate,” Akagawa said. “They will be far more likely to see the value in what we offer if they are up against a wall. As the peace continues, the Great Families stand to gain monetarily from lucrative trading contracts. We need that incentive to be removed. If the Council is faced with War, they will welcome us with open arms and we can force their hand. We will offer salvation. And they will be powerless to do anything other than accept our demands.”
“What demands are those?” Kagome had to move the angle of the glass to continue to cut through it. She was lucky that the men in front of her were so eager to boast of their careful plans that they did not notice the slight movements of her hands and the concentration on her face.
“Ceding Council control to us. You don’t think we would give the results of all our hard work over to that corrupt, self-serving group of idiots? They are traitors to our race for wanting to seek peace with the Youkai. They are sick and twisted for proposing a treaty based on marriage. They don’t deserve the power they enjoy.” Akagawa approached Kagome. “Now then. Enough. It is time for us to ask the questions of you.” He grabbed her chin and wrenched her neck. “Have the Youkai told any Council members about the existence of our weapon?”
“It was discussed and debated,” Kagome said, trying to not let the fingers digging into her skin distract her from the rhythmic cutting of the rope. She wished she knew how close she was to severing it. “The Youkai know that you have friends still on the Council. They know there is more than one. Okashita, if memory serves, and now the recent, fortuitous addition of him.” Kagome glanced over Akagawa’s shoulder at Takeo. “So…how deep runs your paranoia?” she asked brashly. “Afraid they will contact the other Council members in secret? Like they did when they proposed the peace treaty? You were powerless to prevent it then. And now you are afraid that they have sent a message to General Miyamoto.” She hoped the impudence in her voice would anger him and make him more likely to act carelessly. “He’s just as ambitious as you are. If he finds out about kayaku, he’ll send forces here and seize it from you. You may have a handful of miko, but he has the rest of them at his disposal, should he choose. Lade Kaede would only be too happy to help, even if it is beyond our avowed mandate. You have, after all, stolen several of her pupils.” Kagome knew the Youkai had decided to wait to inform the Council, but that would not stop her from leading Kurono and Akagawa to believe otherwise.
“Did they contact him?” Akagawa growled, his face inches from hers.
“They were in constant contact about treaty provisions. Help with settlements, determining future trade routes. I don’t know what else may have been communicated.”
Kagome’s expression was pure, amused intractability, and he could not tell if she was gleefully lying or happy that she had nothing to tell him. “The Youkai have spies. This we know. I want you to tell us how many and where they are.”
“I don’t know.”
His fingers slid down past her jaw to her windpipe. “This will go so much better if you don’t lie to me, Kagome.”
“They let me sit in at meetings, but particulars like that were never discussed. I assume the separate Houses coordinated together to compare information.” His fingers tightened, and she gasped. “The spymaster at the House of the West gave birth recently. When I saw her, conversation was about her newborn and how she was feeling.” Kagome spoke fast, like she was confessing something important, just to make him stop choking off her breath.
He released her neck and slapped her, not hard enough to hurt badly but enough to reestablish his control over her. “The bitch is yours,” he said, turning to look at Takeo.
“Do what you can to make her talk,” Kurono said. “She’s hiding something, I’ll wager. Don’t bother questioning her. I want you to crush her spirit. Make her beg.” He and Akagawa walked toward the doorway. “The miko Leiko told us she wanted to keep watch. Apparently she and Kagome Higurashi have some…unresolved issues. For the best, I think…or at least it won’t hurt to have someone guarding the door. We’ll be back in an hour.”
Kagome kept her breath even and fought the panic and nausea that threatened to drown her. She was alone with a man she despised, a man whose sole purpose in being there was to hurt and humiliate her. If she did not free her hands soon, she could be in real trouble.
Takeo laughed and slowly circled around her. “Look at you,” he said, taunting voice arrogant and unafraid. “I have to confess, I haven’t thought about you very much over the years. You were a scrawny little thing back then. All wide eyes and running away.”
Kagome swallowed the sour lump that rose in her throat. She kept her eyes downcast and focused on cutting through the rope.
“Changed so much in…what has it been? Ten years?” He looked her up and down and closed in. “I see you’ve grown up. Did you miss me?” he whispered into her ear.
Kagome turned to face at him. Her expression was devoid of emotion. “How did you escape execution?”
He had been expecting tears and pleas for mercy. Her detached self-possession and direct question somewhat surprised him. “When I fought your brother, he almost killed me. I was half-dead when Tokuhoshi’s army broke up our little party. They decided to see if I would recover before they executed me, but by the time it became apparent I would survive, Kurono came and retrieved me.” Takeo stroked her cheek lightly.
The gentleness, coming from him, was a cruel mockery of a caress. It was all Kagome could do to not flinch away from his touch. She stayed still and continued to cut. “I didn’t know you fought each other,” she said simply, hoping he would continue to talk.
“He always managed to protect you, even though we were all drunk most of the time.” He laughed. “He made sure you were never alone once darkness came. Until that one night. I asked him to give you to me and he refused. I pretended to drop it, but I followed him, assuming he was going to check on you. Imagine my surprise when he went into a storeroom and there you were, crawling out of the wall. Little bitch.” His hands strayed down her throat and came to rest just above Sesshoumaru’s mark. “I had a few of my loyal friends jump him and get him out of the way. I guess he wasn’t as drunk as I thought he was. He killed one of them before they could lock him in the stables. He still managed to get out and attack me later.” He grabbed her shortened hair and pulled her head back. “The scar on my chest still hurts sometimes. Daichi hated killing, so I thought he was soft, a coward. He wasn’t. Too bad for me I underestimated him…but I recovered eventually.”
As he was talking, relating to her what had really happened that night, a trickle of relief seeped into Kagome’s veins. She realized that she had been wrong, that her brother had not betrayed her, and relief washed over her like a flood of warm water. He had tried to keep her safe. Her world made sense again, if only in the slightest, most personal way. Though he had participated in the worst horrors of War, he still stayed her beloved, protective older brother. And just as this relief brought comfort, she felt the ropes that bound her hands and arms suddenly slacken. She was free.
“Why don’t you join us?” Takeo asked. He released her hair and slid his hand down her back, no longer gentle. It was a gesture of ownership, a gesture meant to convey that she was weak, helpless, dependent. “It’s not too late, you know. Together, we can inherit a pure Ningen world.”
“Never,” she said through clenched teeth. “You sicken me.”
He smirked. “I’ll do more than sicken you, you stupid cunt. You have two other holes I haven’t sampled yet. Or are you not so innocent any longer? Did that Youkai bastard take you here?” He roughly pawed her backside, his face looming in front of hers.
“You are not to speak of him.” Kagome’s patience was finally rewarded. He was in her reach, over-confident, and, drunk on his domination of her, stupidly ceased to consider her a threat. She smiled as she raised her arms and plunged the glass shard into his right eye.
XXXXX
Leiko passed Kurono and Akagawa in the corridor. They nodded at her as they walked by, not pausing their conversation. Leiko scowled to hear how disappointed they were that Kagome was persisting in her stubborn loyalty to the Council. How hopeful they were that she would change her mind at the last minute and renounce the peace treaty. She was disgusted by their desire to acquire another miko, even one as powerful as Kagome. She did not trust her, but more than that, she was jealous. Lady Kaede described Kagome Higurashi as perhaps one of the most talented miko in recent history. If she were allowed a place at Kurono and Akagawa’s side, Leiko would no longer enjoy the importance and influence she now had. Their bitter rivalry would continue, but as equals instead of captor and captive. Fortunately Kagome’s sense of honor had not diminished and she would soon no longer be a threat.
As she walked toward the isolated room, Leiko’s scowl deepened. She found the whole matter distasteful. Had it been up to her, she would have killed Kagome quickly, right after they arrived. Not given her over to a pig to be tortured. Takeo was a prominent member of General Kurono’s guard and now had a seat on the Council of Great Families, but she recognized a sadist the moment she met him. If Kagome told him that she was ready to talk, she would be there to stop him. Leiko hated the other woman, no doubt, but the last thing she wanted was to pity and feel sympathy for Kagome. Hopefully within an hour, the generals would have their information and she would be dead.
Suddenly a shrill scream full of pain and anger pierced the silence. Not a wholly unexpected sound considering what was taking place in the room near the end of the corridor. But this scream was wrong; it did not belong to a woman. Leiko unsheathed her sword and ran.
XXXXX
Takeo bellowed and stumbled blindly back. He clutched at his face and blood immediately began to seep between his fingers. Before he got too far away, Kagome planted a foot in his groin, bringing him to his knees. She knew, despite being so far from everyone else, the screaming and moaning would draw others. She had to act fast. She surveyed the dim, damp room and saw an untidy stack of wood, thoughtlessly discarded for repairs. The largest piece was slightly softened from rot, but it was still heavy. She stood in the shadows by the door opening, her back flush against the wall, hands gripping the wood, and waited.
Only a few seconds later, she heard footfalls coming close. They were not heavy and were made by only a single person. It was a woman, a miko, and most likely Leiko.
A slim figure rushed in, saw Takeo writhing on the floor, and stopped short. Before she had a chance to turn, Kagome lifted the wood plank and brought it crashing down on the back of the miko’s head. She crumbled to the floor in a heap and didn’t move.
Kagome was about to run, but a gleam of metal in the faint light caught her eye. It was General Inutaisho’s stolen sword. She dropped the plank and grabbed it. Now she was armed, and this time with something much more deadly than a mere bit of glass. More than that, she had something to connect her to the Youkai from whom she was taken. Something to hold, some connection until she could return to them.
Kagome picked up the rope bindings and threw them down the corridor, in the hope that they would lead her eventual pursuers the wrong way, and went in the opposite direction. At the end of the corridor, in the wall, there was a secret door that led to the kitchen, and from there she could get out to the courtyard. She prayed that the extreme neglect of manor did not mean the hidden route was blocked by debris and inaccessible. She prayed the kitchen was empty—not very likely given the time of day. But this was her best, fastest way of escape.
She grasped the edge of the hidden, movable panel and pulled. Years of disuse and warped wood made it difficult, but she managed to pry an opening big enough to slip through. Once the panel was closed, the darkness in the narrow corridor was utterly complete. She could only walk forward, her palm against the wall and treading carefully. She did not need to see; there was only one possible way to go.
XXXXX
Hiroko stared at the stack of dirty dishes and bit back a snarl. Her resentment that the soldiers presumed the miko were most suited to take care of the day-to-day menial tasks was tempered by the comfort of the kitchen. It was the warmest place, outside the smelting furnace, for miles, and the cold winter made the place somewhat hospitable comparatively. A guilt-ridden part of her was glad to have duty, a job to do so she didn’t have to think about what was happening to Kagome. She wanted badly to intervene in the younger woman’s interrogation, but she knew any action she took would ultimately prove pointless and most likely fatal for both of them. Though a few of the other miko she spoke with had similar reservations about working for Kurono and Akagawa and were receptive to the information Kagome had about Youkai, none wanted to take any personal risk in crossing the generals.
They did not abide insubordination of any kind and killed far too easily, with no remorse.
She removed her bulky outer layer of clothing and began to roll up her sleeves when a dull scraping sound stopped her. Suddenly Kagome appeared from a nearby wall, sword drawn, eyes wide and bosom heaving. Her hands were bloody, but the sword she held was clean. Hiroko gasped in amazement; somehow, she had done it. “Good gods. You got away from them.”
Kagome looked around and saw they were alone. Hiroko did not seem interested in hindering her escape. She nodded briefly and went toward the door to the outside.
“Wait,” Hiroko said. “I want to help.” This was her chance to do the right thing. This was her chance to truly honor her vows. She grabbed a clean cloth and spread it on a table, then dumped the contents of a pot of rice in the center and tied up the ends. “You’ll need this.” She shoved the warm bundle of rice inside Kagome’s dirty white shirt, then grabbed her dark brown jacket. “Put this on. You’ll be harder to see.”
Kagome hesitated a moment before she put down the sword and donned Hiroko’s jacket. It was much heavier than what she was wearing, and the point about the darker color was an important one. “Thank you.” The food and new warmth made escape and survival seem like an actual possibility. She had known she would be able to flee the Higurashi manor if she was able to release her hands, but beyond that, her two greatest fears were freezing and not finding food. For now, the Fates were looking kindly on her.
“Where are you going to go?”
“The Shrine. What choice do I have? I’m apparently being hunted by everyone…Youkai, the Council’s troops and mercenaries, now the people here. As long as Kaede is alive, I can find sanctuary at the Shrine. I’ll follow the river.”
Hiroko gestured to the door. “Go to the left. To the right, the soldiers on guard duty make a fire at night and gather around it. We miko don’t usually socialize with the men at night and they won’t be able to sense you. If you stick to the shadows until you are outside the grounds, you should be safe. ” She took two more towels and tucked them into Kagome’s clothes. “Once you are away and can put your sword down, wrap up your hands. It’s been frightfully cold. How much time do you think you have?”
Kagome shook her head. “I left Takeo hurt but not dead. He’s probably already up and stumbling toward the main part of the manor.”
“I know a short-cut,” Hiroko said. “This place is like a maze. I’ll go and raise a commotion and lead them away from the river. Go as fast as you can. But be careful.”
“Hiroko, thank you, again.” She paused a moment. “Do you want to come with me?”
She smiled sadly. “I fear I would slow you down. I will try to leave this place in a few days. Until then, I will do what I can to keep them away from you. Kagome, I pray the gods go with you.”
Kagome bowed deeply and went through the door. The air outside was frigid and she realized then that Hiroko’s thoughtfulness and practicality had probably saved her life already. Off to the right was a warm golden glow. She ran to the left, into the dark and cold and safe emptiness. She tried to stay in the areas that didn’t have fresh, untrampled snow until she reached the thick of the trees. After that there wasn’t much she could do but run.
She was free.