InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Serendipity ❯ Riding to the Castle ( Chapter 4 )

Hello again everyone! Hope this chapter did not take too long to come out. I'm glad people seem to be liking the story so far ^___^ Thank you everyone who has read the story, especially to those who has reviewed and gave me confidence to write more.

I'm really glad that the previous chapter did not go as bad as I thought ... but I still don't really like it. Hope this chapter will go better ...

Originally I was going to write this next week, but I somehow found time to write it today. (Time which I should have spent studying for my Mandarin Exam tomorrow ... but this is more interesting XD)

-------- Scene change
/Blahblah/ - thoughts
[Blahblah] - AN & translations / explanations

AN: In this AU story, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are not always at each other's throats. They do still have their many differences and fights, but it's more of a violent sibling quarrel than any real hatred. Details concerning their relationship will be explained in the story as it flows.

Serendipity
~ sometimes blessings are disguised in the most unexpected ways ...

Chapter 4
Riding to the Castle

Kagome shifted herself slightly on the horse, mindful to avoid touching the hanyou riding behind her. As one who had never ridden a horse before, the ride was especially uncomfortable. She could feel every movement and bump in the road, and she knew her thighs were probably chafing pretty badly if the stinging pain was anything to judge by. Also, her back was stiff and aching from trying to sit upright in front of her new hanyou master; she did not want to have any unnecessary contact with him. It did not help at all that the said hanyou had an arm around her middle and kept trying to make her lean into him.

The hanyou and the few youkai soldiers who came with him had set out to return to their castle two days after that youkai Kouga left. A runner had came with the news that the Lord Hojo and his family will arrive within that day, and the hanyou had been too impatient to wait for them to arrive. Taking about a couple dozen slaves with him, the hanyou had left for his castle with his men in the morning.

Kagome shifted again, wincing slightly at the growing pain under her legs. She glared around at the soldiers who had pants on and could side astride their mounts, while she had to sit side ways in her confining kimono, her thighs rubbing against the saddle with each step the horse takes. The hanyou had said she was lucky to be riding with him instead of walking like the other slaves, but right now she would rather walk than suffer any more of the chaffing. However, she could not make up her mind whether it would be too imprudent and audacious to ask him. Slaves generally do not talk unless talked to, or when relaying a message.

"Stop moving around! If you are uncomfortable, why don't you just relax instead of sitting there stiff like a statue." Inuyasha sighed at her exasperatedly. He tried not to think about what her endless wiggling had done to a certain part of his anatomy.

Kagome froze, and impossibly became even stiffer. She managed to stay immobile for a while like that, trying her best to ignore the steadily growing pain in her back. Glancing up at the sky, she could tell it was near evening and soon they would have to set up camp. Hopefully she would be able to stand it until then. She did not dare to think about how she would bare through another day of this torture tomorrow, maybe she would ask the hanyou to let her walk tomorrow tonight after they set up camp.

However, soon the ache in her back grew to be too much for her to handle. She was grinding her teeth together in pain, though she still sat resolutely straight-backed. Suddenly, a jolt as the horse stepped on a stone rattled her so bad that she fall against the hanyou's firm chest in surprise. Startled, she tried to push herself away after a few dumbstruck moments, but the arm around her middle had tightened and she could not get up. Swiveling her head to glare at him, she was just about to demand him release her when he cut her off.

"Don't even bother. It is obvious you are in extreme discomfort, so why don't you relax and stop being so stubborn. It is not going to hurt you if you leaned against me. I am your new master now." Inuyasha glared impatiently down at the now dumbfounded girl.

Kagome stared at him, deciding if she should just give up and get comfortable. Technically, even if he did not phrase it in an order, she still should obey whatever he said. However, it was the unidentified gleam in his eyes, and the slight change in tone when he said he was her master that convinced her to not rile the hanyou up any further. She was not sure what it had meant, but she was not one to tempt fate pointlessly.

Letting out a sigh of defeat, Kagome slouched against Inuyasha, letting him take the brute of her weight. She immediately noticed the pain in her back disappearing, and the chaffing decreasing. Not in so much pain anymore, Kagome relaxed against his chest. She was very tired, and her eyelids drooped as she unconsciously leaned her head against his chest.

Startled by the sudden change in the girl, Inuyasha looked down at the dark head now settled under his chin. He felt strangely warm inside when the girl finally decided to relax against him. However, he quickly ignored the sensation when the warmth start to pool in a conspicuous place.

Inuyasha dragged his attention from the girl now entirely relaxed against him to surveying the road in front of him. Anything to take his mind off the soft bundle against his chest.

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"We'll set up camp here!" Inuyasha called out to his men, while he slide smoothly of his horse, mindful of the unresponsive bundle still leaning against him. Using his hands to keep her from falling off, he observed her sleeping face. In peaceful slumber, the girl looked innocent, almost ethereal in her beauty. Inuyasha found himself hesitating to wake her up, not wanting to disturb the tennyo in her rest.

With a sigh, he pulled her off the horse into his arms. Letting one of the soldiers take his horse, he carried the girl to the tent that had been set up in record time for him. It was times like these he felt his annoyance at his glacial older sibling wane, it was Sesshoumaru's icy, no nonsense training that produced such efficiency in his soldiers. However, that did not mean Inuyasha liked the way Sesshoumaru shut himself off from the world.

Dragging his attention back to the girl in his arms, he felt slightly amused and very exasperated at the girl. For the better part of the day she had been stiff as a rock and trying not to come in contact with him at all, then suddenly she fell asleep against his chest. This human made no sense at all.

Inuyasha set her gently on the futon rolled out for himself inside the tent. With one last look at the puzzling girl, he exited the tent and jumped into a nearby tree. He rarely slept on the ground when he was on the road, much preferring the branches. Alert for any trouble, Inuyasha settled on a branch almost directly above where Kagome was obliviously sleeping.

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With a muffled shriek Kagome jerked awake, sitting up panting, trying to free herself from the terrors of her nightmare. Disoriented, she looked around trying to figure out here she was; nothing looked familiar. The last thing she remembered was riding with that hanyou, she did not remember falling asleep. Although, it would seem that she had.

Kagome started to crawl out what seemed to be a tent. As her head neared the flaps which seemed to be the doorway, a silver head poked in suddenly, glowing amber eyes staring into her own less than an inch away. With a startled yelp, Kagome threw herself backwards and away from her master's face. Taking deep breathes, she tried to calm herself.

Meanwhile, the hanyou had also reacted much the same way, and is now sitting in an undignified heap outside his tent. /...her eyes are actually a deep blue.../ Surprised at that absurd thought which appeared out of nowhere, he shook his head to try to get rid of it. With a scowl, he once again thrust his head into the tent, glaring in annoyance at the girl sitting on the futon with her left hand on her chest, as if trying to physically calm her racing heart.

"Hey wench, what were you doing yelling so early in the morning. Are you trying to wake the whole camp?" Inuyasha growled at her.

"S..sorry. I had a bad dream, that's all." Kagome answered timidly, the fear from her nightmare still lingering, leaving her somewhat cowed.

"Keh, just like you weak humans, terrified of just a dream." Inuyasha muttered as he turned to leave. However, he did not anticipate the murderous glare that was suddenly sent his way. "What? What did I say?" he suddenly felt like he was just a pup again, and was getting reprimanded by his father.

"Nothing." Kagome said carelessly, deciding to ignore the hanyou. She settled back down on the futon, preparing to go back to sleep.

"What do you mean, nothing? Nothing does not make you suddenly glare at me like that!" Inuyasha hated not knowing things, and this was pissing him off.

"Fine! Firstly, my name is Kagome, not wench or girl or anything else. Secondly, I may be human but I am not weak! And it was not "just a dream", do not speak of things you do not understand!" Kagome snapped at him, all her years of slave training getting thrown out the window. For some reason, this hanyou just seem to strike all her nerves the wrong way, riling her up.

Inuyasha was taken aback by her anger, directed at himself, her master no less. Now he was really pissed, though he must also admit, he was starting to admire her intrepid attitude.

"Don't forget, I'm the master here, slave! Are you tired of living that much?" Inuyasha flexed his clawed fingers in front of him, trying to intimidate the wench. "Besides, you never told me your name before..." This was said in a somewhat sulky tone, as if he was a child who was reprimanded for something that he was not guilty of.

Kagome blinked at him in surprise. /Oh...I really didn't ever tell him my name before now, did I?/ She felt a bit chagrined that she had snapped at him for something that was not really his fault.

"I am sorry. I forgot that I never told you my name." Kagome's face softened. "My name is Kagome Higurashi, what is yours?"

Now it was Inuyasha's turn to blink at her in surprise, not only was she apologizing, but she wanted to know his name? Did she not know her current situation? That she was a slave talking back to her master, and could be punished by death? Was she brave or was she just stupid?

Not sure what to make of the girl, he replied, "I'm Inuyasha." With that, he left the tent.

Kagome smiled slightly at the spot where a golden-eyed hanyou was sitting a moment ago. As she settled back onto the futon, she though about the conversation they had. She could not believe she just had a semi-normal conversation with her new master, and that she was still alive after having the audacity to snap at him.

/He really isn't that bad, just a bit childish and stubborn. Maybe we'll even become friends./ was her last thought as she went back into dreamland.

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Meanwhile, Inuyasha had settled back in his branch and was also mauling over what had transpired between them. When he was with her, he did not feel like the master at all. Instead, he felt like a child who was getting chastised. Even though he threatened her with his position as her master, she seemed to be not afraid. Also, he had realised that he would not actually hurt her.

Thinking about what she said, he wondered what she meant by it was not just a dream. What was her dream about? He had smelt her terror all the way from up in his tree, in fact, the stench of her fear was what had woken him in the first place.

When he fell back into slumber, his thoughts were still focused on one Kagome Higurashi.

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The next day found Kagome riding in front of Inuyasha again, the only difference being she no longer sat stiff like a rock. Instead, she was relaxed against him, letting his chest support her side. Sitting like this, she no longer felt such pain like the day before, and her thighs were spared from further chafing. There was only a little residue of pain from the previous day's chafing.

Kagome had tried to ask Inuyasha to let her walk, but he would not let her. Rather than getting into a pointless argument which she would not win anyway, she just complied with his wishes to ride with him. After the talk they had, she no longer think of him in a negative light. She could tell that under all the rash and rude exterior, lies a kind heart. She has always trusted her instinct, which told her the hanyou was not any danger to her.

Settling herself into a more comfortable position, Kagome decided to ask him about the chafing. "Inuyasha, do you think I could get anything else to wear that would not chafe as bad? My thighs are really hurting from the chafing from all this riding."

"Chafing? What chafing?" Inuyasha replied in bewilderment.

Kagome glared up at him, annoyed that girls were the only ones to ever deal with the discomforts of life. [AN: *cough* periods *cough* and all the "niceties" that come with it =__=;;] As best as she could, she tried to explain her problem.

After quite a bit of explaining, Inuyasha seemed to finally get the idea. "Well, what do you suggest?" he asked.

"Eto...it's not as bad if I lean against you while riding, but do you think you can some salve and a pair of pants for me at the next village we pass by?" Kagome suggested, hoping he would agree. She did not want to fight with him over this, but it was really uncomfortable in the kimono. [AN: eto - the Japanese way of saying erm...]

With a shrug, Inuyasha agreed with a "Why not."

Flashing him a brilliant smile, Kagome flung her arms around him in an impromptu hug. "Thank you so much! I knew you were nice!"

Inuyasha could only stare down at the top of her head in shock as she settled back after the hug. No one had ever hugged him ever since his mother passed away. It had felt ... nice.

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After 5 days of traveling, they are finally nearing the castle. Inuyasha had gotten her the salve and pants she wanted at a village they passed; the village miko kept giving them weird looks. Well, it was not everyday the half-brother of their Lord come barging in asking for a pair of pants and some salve for chafing of all things. Especially when they were for a slave such as herself; the iron bands she wore screamed to the world what she was. The bands told them that her services required her to not have any scars, as that was what the bands were there for: punishment without scarring. It was obvious what she could possibly be used for.

Wearing the pants under her kimono, with the irritated skin healing well with the salve from the miko, Kagome was no longer in any discomfort from the ride. The only problem was the numbing from her waist down, she wondered absently if she would be able to stand on her own after she get off the horse today. They had traveled hard without any rest in order to arrive at the castle within the day, and she could feel neither her bottom nor her legs anymore.

They had passed quite a few youkai villages, and Kagome had quite an eyeful from all the unique sights and sounds of the villages. She noticed that the number of youkai villages increased as they got closer to the castle, situated near the center of the Western lands. During these 5 days, she and Inuyasha seemed to be getting closer to each other. They could carry normal conversations with minimum insults exchanged, and almost seemed to be enjoying each other's company. The hanyou even finally succumbed to her endless "persuading" and conceded to use her name when talking to her.

"Kagome, we are almost at the castle. I know you're not afraid of me, and you don't show me the respect due to a slave's master," Inuyasha glared, "but at the castle there are many lords who will not hesitate to end your life at the slightest hint of disrespect, especially my brother. As the half brother of Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, I can get away with most things, and can protect you should anyone try to pick on you. However, do not cross Sesshoumaru no matter what. With a temper like yours, you should avoid him like the plague. If you managed to piss him off, which I don't think would be too hard considering it's you we're talking about, even I won't be able to save your life."

"I understand. I know the proper behaviour of a slave, and can act accordingly when I want to." Kagome grinned at him mischievously, "It is only you that I do not show the proper respect as a slave should."

Inuyasha gave her a half hearted growl, "What, do you think I would not hurt you?"

"I know you won't." She replied resolutely.

Inuyasha was slightly surprised at the conviction in her voice, as if she whole heartedly believed he would not hurt her. Since he had already admitted to himself he would not be able to hurt her days ago, he could not truthfully contradict her. He only bared his fangs at her playfully.

"Like I said, try to avoid drawing his attention to yourself. You will be my personal slave, which means you will probably be with me most of the time, and will have to see him whenever I have to meet him. During the time when you are not accompanying me, you will have to stay in my rooms." Inuyasha let her know.

"What? I have to either stick to you or sit in your rooms all day?" Kagome asked him in mild shock, not liking the sound of that at all. Even though she knew her place was a lowly slave, but the relative freedom she had had while being with Hojo, and the temporary freedom on the road with Inuyasha had given her a false sense of security. She could not imagine a life with nothing to do but following Inuyasha around. At least, she don't think he would force her to service him.

"That is, after all, what a personal slave does. However, after I show you all the servant shortcuts and you get familiarized with the layout of the castle so you won't get lost, you can wander around as long as you don't draw any attention to yourself. We'll worry about that when we get there." Inuyasha decided. He was afraid she might do something stupid and drastic if she got cooped up in his rooms for too long.

Satisfied for the moment, Kagome nodded. Just as she was about to ask more questions about the castle, she felt Inuyasha stiffen.

"We're here," He said tersely, "after we cross the main gates into the inner village, you should start behaving as a slave."

Bobbing her head in understanding, she looked up at the impressive stone walls surrounding the lands around the main castle. Craning her head to look at the castle, she was awed by the breathtaking structure. Like in the fairytales her mother used to tell her as a child, the gigantic castle stood tall and proud in the center of the large village surrounding it, alleviated above the world. Pristine white walls toped with dark blue roof tiles, with a red gold border finish lining the walls. The flag flying proudly around the castle portrays 3 white sakura with a red center, each inside a red hexagon with a white border. The three hexagons joined together at the center to form a roughly triangular shape, sitting on top of a blue and gold back ground.

[AN: The castle is like the olden day Japanese type, for a better idea go here: http://www.jnatravel.com/picture/imperial/osaka%20castle.jpg and here: http://www.luchau.org/webquestjapanese/castle2.jpg You can tell how immense it is from the tiny people walking along the bottom of the wall. As for the flag, it's basically the patterns on Sesshoumaru's kimono and sash.]

Kagome looked downward at her hands folded across her lap as they rode into the inner village. Eyes remaining downcast, her ears struggled to make sense of the buzz around them. As they rode up towards the castle, Kagome could not help but become curious about the owner of such a beautiful place.

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Alright, there you go! That took some time to write ... hope you all will like it! This chapter isn't too interesting either ... but hopefully things will start happening in the next chapter. Sesshoumaru is going to appear soon! In the next chapter! I'm so excited XD

A Big thank you and a Hug to all those who reviewed ^^ I really appreciate them.

~Kura

Next Chapter shall be around in about a week.