InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Punishment ❯ Chapter 9: Tajomaru's Confession ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9: Tajomaru's Confession

 

Kagome's whole body felt bruised her mind dark and confused. She put her elbows on her knees and propped her head in her hands.

 

`Kami,' she thought, `why do I keep having this dream, is it possible, is it possible that I really took an axe and struck her, smashed open her skull…that my feet slipped on the warm, sticky blood, and that I broke the lock to their only possession, and stole, and trembled, and hid, all covered in blood…with the axe…? Kami, is it possible?'

 

She was shaking like a leaf.

 

`But why am I saying this?' she went on, leaning back as if amazed at herself. `I must have realized that I would never have carried it out, so why have I gone on tormenting myself until now? Yesterday again, yesterday I also dreamed as if I had done this hideous act…I was quite sure yesterday that I would never do it…than why am I talking about it now? Why do I still go on harboring doubts? Didn't I turn sick at the very thought of it, and run away in terror…?'

 

`Dear Kagome, do not feel sorry for my death.' A voice said inside her head.

 

The voice sounded familiar, `Who, wait…Mamoru? What are you doing inside my head? Did I…could I really have…are my dreams true, Mamoru? Please tell me!'

 

`Easy, my lady. All is not what it seems. Your reliance on the Shikon no Tama has deterred you from learning the extent of your true power, the complete power of a true and pure priestess.'

 

`How do you know so much about me, Mamoru? How would you know these things?' Kagome demanded.

 

`All things are revealed in death, my lady.' The voice that sounded strikingly like Mamoru said.

 

`So you are…because of me…' Kagome could not bring herself to say the words that had haunted her for days. Murderer.

 

`No, lady Kagome, because of myself and my greed I have died. The only solace offered me is that I shall not burden my family with my continued presence anymore.'

 

`No, Mamoru. You have said you are nothing but swine, and deserve no better, but this is not true. You do have people who love you and believe in you…you had a good life, Mamoru. A life that I ended…'

 

`Your kind words offer me comfort, Kagome.'

 

`What does it matter anymore, I am a murderer, not even Inuyasha or Shippo will want me. I will have no one. I killed you, Mamoru, I murdered you…but, I don't remember, I dream about it every night, why, Mamoru? Did I really do this...this vile, this disgusting act?'

 

`I cannot answer this, Lady Kagome, all I can offer now is the knowledge that you at least gave my soul peace, may you have peace as well, my lady.' The presence of Mamoru disappeared.

 

“Mamoru?” Kagome whispered silently, “Mamoru?” She whispered slightly louder, wishing for the spirit to return and comfort her, to tell her it was not her fault.

 

She stood up, half wondering how she had come to be there. Kagome had woken up to find herself situated in between Inuyasha and Shippo. The proximity of their contact did not make her uncomfortable, but Kagome did desire to be alone so she quietly walked into the night.

 

She was pale, her eyes glittered, exhaustion filled every limb, but she had suddenly begun to breathe more easily. She felt as if she had thrown off a terrible burden that had weighed her down for so long, and her heart was light and tranquil.

 

The strains on her body had disappeared, but the weights on her mind remained, even gained in strength. She walked easy, for the night at least.

 

Now, it so happens that a man by the name of Tajomaru had, many days before, been privy to the conversation between Mamoru and Kagome and the situations which followed.

 

Mamoru and his wife had left their children to fend for themselves while they traveled away on horseback. No one can say for certain why Mamoru's wife decided to do this; many actions of sick women cannot be explained.

 

Tajomaru killed Mamoru, taking his possessions and valuables. Soon after a woodsman found Tajomaru, covered in blood, when questioned, the villain had this to say:

 

Tajomaru's Confession

 

I killed him, but not her. Where's she gone? I can't tell you. Oh, wait a minute; no torture can make me confess what I don't know. Now, things have come to such a head, I won't keep anything from you.

 

Yesterday, a little past noon I met that couple. Just then a puff of wind blew, and raised her hanging scarf, so that I caught a glimpse of her face. Instantly it was again covered from my view. She was beautiful. At that moment, I made up my mind to capture her even if I had to kill her man.

 

Why? To me killing isn't a matter of such great consequence as you might think. When a woman is captured, her man has to be killed anyway. In killing, I use this sword at my side.

 

But it would be good, if I could capture a woman without killing her man. So I made up my mind to capture her, and do my best not to kill him. So I managed to lower the couple into the mountains.

 

It was quite easy. I became their traveling companion, and I told them there was an old mound in the mountain over their and that I had dug it open and found many mirrors and swords are. I went on to tell them I'd buried the things in a grove behind the mountain. And that I'd like to sell them at a low-priced to anyone who would care to have them.

 

Then...you see, isn't agreed terrible? He was beginning to be moved by my talk before he knew it. In less than half an hour, they were driving their horse toward the mountain with me.

 

When he came in front of the grove, I told them that the treasures were buried in it. And I asked them to come and see. The man had no objection he was blinded by greed. The woman said she would wait on horseback. It was natural for her to say so at the sight of the thick grove. To tell you the truth, my plan worked just as I wished. So I went into the grove with him, leaving her behind.

 

The grove is only bamboo for some distance. About 50 yards ahead, there's a rather open clump of Cedars. It was a convenient spot for my purpose. Pushing my way through the grove, I told him a plausible lie that the treasures were buried under the Cedars.

 

When I told him this, he pushed his laborious way toward the slender cedar visible through the growth. After a while, the bamboo thinned out, and we came to where a number of Cedars grew in a row.

 

As soon as we got there, I seized him from behind. Because he was a trained, sword bearing warrior, he was quite strong, but he was taken by surprise, so there was no help for him. I soon tied him off to the wood of a cedar. Being a robber, I had a rope with me.

 

When I disposed of him, I went to his woman and asked her to come and see him, because he seemed to have been suddenly taken sick. It's needless to say that this plan also worked well. The woman, her shawl off, came into the depths of the grove, where I lead her by the hand.

 

The instant she caught sight of her husband, she drew a small sword. I've never seen a woman of such violent temper. If I'd been off guard, I'd have got a thrust in my side. I dodged, but she kept on slashing at me. She might have wounded me deeply or killed me.

 

But I'm Tajomaru. I managed to strike down her small sword without drawing my own. The most spirited women are defenseless without a weapon. At least I could satisfy my desire for her without taking her husbands life.

 

Yes…without taking his life. I had no wish to kill him. I was about to run away from the grove, leaving the women in tears, when she frantically clung to my arm. In broken fragments of words, she asked that either her husband or I die.

 

She said it was more trying than death to have her shame known to two men. She gasped out that she wanted to be the wife of whichever survived. Than a furious desire to kill his seized me.

 

Telling you in this way, no doubt, I seem a crueler man then you. But that's because you didn't see her face. Especially her burning eyes at that moment. As I saw her eye to eye, I wanted to make her my wife. Even if I were to be struck by lightning. I wanted to make her my wife...this single desire filled my mind.

 

This was not only lust, I'd surely not have minded, knocking her down and running away. Then I wouldn't have stained my sword with his blood. But at that moment, when I gazed at her face in the dark grove, I decided not to leave there without killing him.

 

But I didn't like to resort to unfair means to kill him. I untied him and told him to cross swords with me. Furious with anger, he drew his thick sword. And quick as thought, he sprang at me. Ferociously, without speaking a word. The twenty third stroke...please remember this. I'm impressed with this fact still. Nobody under the sun has ever clashed swords with me twenty strokes.

 

When he fell, I turned toward her, lowering my blood stained sword. But to my great astonishment, she was gone. I wondered to where she had run away. I looked for her in the clump of Cedars. I listened, but heard only a groaning sound from the throat of the dying man.

 

As soon as we started to cross swords, she may have run away through the grove to call for help. When I thought of that, I decided it was a matter of life and death to me. So, robbing him of his sword, and bow and arrows, I ran out to the mountain road. There I found her horse still grazing quietly.

 

It would be a mere waste of words to tell you the later details. But before I entered town, I had already parted with the sword. That's all my confession. If you'll do me one last favor, a favor for a dying man. The dying man was talking to a girl named Kagome. I must find her.

 

A/N

This format is rather different, but I enjoyed writing it.

Part of this story will later be transferred to another story,

A sort of murder mystery in Sengoku Jidai.

Anyway I probably won't write it until this one is done, so…

I guess it's not really important!

That's all for now,

Later.