InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow's Warrior ❯ Dancing in Circles ( Chapter 8 )

Here is the chapter with the banquet. I'm sorry to those who expected it to be in the last one, originally it was but then it got to long and I decided to cut the chapters in half.

Please Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Spinning and spinning the masks take hold.

Forever performing for one untold.

A night of drinking, music and deceit.

A night of hopeless dancing on ones feet.

 

 

The walk to the fort was painfully peaceful and uneventful. The sun was starting to set and everything seemed perfectly content where it was. All the people she passed on her way were friendly and many of them were going the same place as her. For Sango everything was so placid and boring that she had nothing to distract her thoughts from the night ahead of her.

 

`Why should I be nervous about this? I have been working undercover for weeks and going to banquets is nothing new. Why am I worried?'

 

As fast as her mind spun questions, however, she realized she already knew the answers.

 

Sango had always dreaded banquets, and the dances that followed, since she could remember. As a little girl, the crowded, smoky rooms and the noisy heavily intoxicated people had never been much fun. A night at a banquet meant a night of her having to dress up and act like a “little lady”.

 

When she grew older and became the age when most girls started enjoying dances Sango despised them even more. For a small town centered around a military fort such as Agnus, banquets served as prime time to find an eligible bachelor to rope into marriage or an especially dashing solider to go roll around in the hay with. To Sango, both of those ideas seemed repulsive but her best friend had always found those parts of the dance most enjoyable.

 

Sango would be lying to herself if she didn't admit Miroku had something to do with her opinion toward dances and banquets. The thought of a banquet coming up would always make Miroku and absent minded sparring partner for the week before the banquet. He was always preoccupied with the “creatures of the fairer race” as he put it, but around dances he would become unbearable.

 

At the events themselves, he had never been any better. Dancing with every eligible female with in ten years of him and flirting shamelessly, he had always made a fool out of himself. Sango would watch him absently during the festivities; never admitting to the focus she was paying towards her friend and never daring to consider why she was caring at all.

 

Breathing deep to chase memories and anxiety of the past away, Sango absently kicked a stone to the side of the path. She was nearing Miroku's house now, her residence for the last week or so. It was so uniform next to the rest of the officer houses that having any attachment to such a house seemed absurd. They were all the same.

 

When her family had first moved back to Agnus they had lived in a house nearly identical to Miroku's. So boring and uniform Sango couldn't even remember which specific house it was anymore. Her father had gotten them a house in the town after a year or two in the barrack like house. She had no attachment to the identical house she had lived in for a few years, but the abode she was sharing with Miroku already seemed more like home than her private one back in Celedig.

 

Puffing out a small breath of air Sango raised her eyes from the ground, which she had been absently staring at while thinking, and look at the fort now looming in front of her. Music could be heard through the oncoming darkness and lanterns had been placed along the path as a straight guide to her inevitable destination.

 

She couldn't turn back now. Sango knew that, she figured she hadn't been able to turn back since the second Naraku had killed her family. Her life was a set path, things falling into place that she had little control over even if she wanted to defy them. She had been led to the Shikons by a mix of friends and fate. Her helping them was an agreeable decision, but it wasn't like she could have ever said no and lived if she had wanted. From there the plan had formed not by originality but by desperation, they took the only opportunities open to them. She had spied because it was her job, lied because it was a necessity, and followed the narrow path they lay in front of her. A path that now led to a boisterous compound that held such superficial happiness for some yet only torture for her.

 

“You would think you had Satan himself as your date with a frown like that.” A voice interrupted her thoughts. “Come now Sango, I'm not that bad am I?”

 

Sango retorted somewhat harshly from getting startled, “At least I know never to trust Satan. With you I never know what to think. Your sweet talking can turn people around so much that they start believing black is white.”

 

“Well sometimes it is, my lady, and they have just been looking at it wrong there whole lives.” He walked towards her with a sly grin plastered on his face.

 

Sango gave a little smirk back. “Then those people are fools, easily led and manipulated.”

 

“Ah, but it so hard to tell the fools from the wise sometimes.” Miroku stopped in front of her and took her hand. “Enough of that talk. Tonight is grand ball, and I am your handsome escort. We must join the festivities before they leave us behind.”

 

“Handsome?” Sango said incredulously trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice as deadpan as possible.

 

Miroku fell to his knees putting his hand on his heart. “You wound me fair lady.”

 

“Hope you aren't wounded too much.” Sango called as she brushed past her date, “Like you said, we don't want the festivities to pass us by and you are far too heavy for me to carry and make decent time.”

 

- - -

 

“Sango, again! Now again. No faster, you have to make your movements faster.” General Tajiya shouted at the fourteen year old girl poised aggressively and panting hard in the center of the training field.

 

She moved again as the General instruct, jabbing her sword forward, then spinning and bringing her sword around her back as if to block an invisible opponent.

 

“Not fast enough. Again! The split second you are losing could cost you your head, perfect it now and you won't have to deal with the separation anxiety you will get from parting with your head.”

 

She ground her teeth and clenched her jaw but said nothing back instead readily obeying his orders. On the field and in the practice ring he was the General, not her father. There would be no talking back to him and no sympathy to gain.

 

“STOP! Go stand to the side Sango.” He motioned to the side and waved over the other student. “Miroku you are up. Let's see if you can do it.”

 

Miroku licked his lips and picked up his sword. His eyes were focused and determined. Taking his stance he went through the same movements his partner had done only moments before eliciting a much better response for their teacher.

 

“Much better Miroku. I see you have been practicing.” The General said clapping and coming to his pupil's side. “Your speed, as always, is excellent. Even your technique could be considered acceptable this time.”

 

Sango silently watched the praise and bit her lip, silently fuming.

 

“That is all for today. I will be home late tonight Sango be sure to tell your mother.” The General nodded towards his two students and quickly departed.

 

Bending down to gather some stray weapons, Sango busied herself ignoring her friend a short ways off.

 

“Hey San, if you want we can stay a few minutes and work some more.” Miroku's hesitant but generous voice offered.

 

Pausing she thought about it. No matter was angry she was at him for being better and how much she felt like just sitting down and sulking, Sango knew that he could help her. Swallowing her pride she set down the weapons and looked up.

 

“Thanks.”

 

After all he only beat her at this move. She would get him next time.

 

- - -

 

When the young couple stepped into the coat room of the main dining hall, Sango heard her partner intake a sharp breath. It was the first that Miroku really saw her in her fancy clothes, it already being too dark outside to see details properly. She didn't know if she should feel happy about attaining that reaction from everyone or slightly put out because how she normally looked must be some contrast to get such dramatic results. At least Naraku wouldn't recognize her at first glance tonight.

 

“You look… you look, wow.” Miroku tripped over his words as he stared mouth slightly agape at his dress.

 

Sango rolled her eyes but couldn't keep a small smile away, “You look like a fish with your mouth hanging open like that.”

 

“With a goddess in front of me, how can my mouth do anything else but hang in awe? Sango you look like the sweetest dream of God handed down from heaven.” Miroku gushed still a little flustered.

 

Sango blushed fiercely under the close scrutiny and praise of her appearance. “Miroku, I am not one of those fickle girls that swoon at your compliments. You can stop over exaggerating.”

 

Miroku looked a bit taken aback. “Sango I am only giving you the praise you deserve.”

 

Sango snorted a little, “Well it is making my teeth hurt it is so coated in sweets.”

 

“But that is what you deserve, to be spoiled till it hurts.” Miroku held his arm out to his date. “Now my lovely lady Sango, shall we make our grand entrance.”

 

Sango closed her eyes and shook her head a little at his carefree and always light hearted antics. “Why yes Captain, we shall.”

 

 

 

There entrance was a grand one. Everyone in the room turned to see the couple. Men wanted to see the mysterious woman Captain Miroku Houshi had brought tonight and the women wanted to see the Captain while glaring at the lucky girl on his arm.

 

The Captain always found the most enchanting women to bring to the dances, though he seldom spent much time with any single person during the dances. Other soldiers could usually wait only a few minutes before he would leave his current beauty and move on to another. They then could sweep in and all have an opportunity to spend time with her, but tonight was different.

 

His date was as beautiful as ever, if not more so than his others, but her manner and her air were different. She wasn't weak, clingy or overly cheerful as his other dates had always been, and instead of being completely occupied in the Captain, as again was usual. It seemed to be him completely enthralled by his date.

 

During the meal the two's actions were peculiar. The woman would yell and glare at the Captain one minute, only to almost choke on her drink from one of antics the next. True the Captain kept up his sweet, silky demeanor that he always held towards other women, but it was changed. His sly and charming comments had less behind them, as if he did not care how the other women reacted. The whole room noticed the shift, except for his date, who seemed to glare at every woman on which the Captain smiled. There was definitely something between those two.

 

 

 

Sango sat staring at her plate, pushing the remaining food around with her fork. Naraku had not made an appearance yet, and besides him there were few other people in the room that could draw her interest.

 

Everyone in the room treated her as a stranger though she had known many of them a good deal of her life. She decided she liked it that way; it was better than the forced small talk of old acquaintances or the pitying glances and apologies about her family's tragic accident.

 

Everyone in the room, however, seemed to be on very well acquainted with her escort, particularly all the women. She had lost count of the number who had stopped and had conversations with Miroku, all of them batting there eyes while he joked with them lightly. She hated to sound like a violent person but if she heard one more simpering “Ooo Captain you're so funny!” she was going kill something.

 

“I don't think your food will disappear no matter how many times you move it around your plate.” Miroku said slyly reaching for the fork in Sango's hand and placing it down beside her plate. “I think it is time we tried a different amusement to keep you from falling asleep on me.”

 

Miroku stood and offered his hand toward Sango. Standing also she took it, hesitation and curiosity filling her eyes.

 

“I think a little dancing would be in good order.” Miroku said giving his brilliant smile and taking Sango's hand to lead her to an adjacent ballroom where loud, boisterous music had been coming from for quite some time.

 

 

It was always possible to tell just how long dancing had been going on no matter what time you walked into the ballroom. Banquets and dances always seemed to follow a set protocol and course of actions.

 

At the beginning of the night the dances preformed were organized and stately. High ranking officials from the Empires capital liked to imitate how the state of affairs were conducted back at home, and most of the commoners and soldiers in attendance merely stood along the walls watching and drinking. During this period of time Sango most remembered dancing. Most well to do girls used the orderly portion of the dance to scope out prospects and have fun before their over protective mothers took them home.

 

After an hour or two the dancing style would start to change. Those who had spent the first part of the festivities against the wall nursing mugs and bottles would become less in awe by the regal dancing styles and more driven by the alcohol they had consumed. That was when the really fun dancing began.

 

Dancers would give up formal steps in favor of just spinning their partners around. Those without dates would jump about to the music. The more the night wore on the more unorganized and drunken everything would become. By the time everyone would finally head home few would be walking straight and the band would start to slow sad laments for lost love, meshing and slurring many of the notes and harmonies.

 

When Sango and Miroku arrived the dance was still in its proper stage, with only a few hints of people starting to lighten up. The stiff movements on the floor and the planned formal dances were still the main focal point of the dance. This was the hell Sango had always remembered having to stand through, bored to death dancing mechanically.

 

“Look at all these young kids. I think we we'll have to show them how real dancing was done.” Miroku commented lightly prodding her in the ribs.

 

“The dance looks exactly the same to me.” Sango answered back.

 

“Ah but they have missed all the feeling and passion in the dance. It has lost its complete point.”

 

“Must have been a point I never discovered.” She mumbled dryly.

 

“You discovered it Sango. Remember all the times we danced together when we were kids? Hmmm do you want to go get some drinks?”

 

“You always did like these dances. Drinks sound great.” Sango didn't care that she was suppose to be working right now she needed something. “It has been so long since I have been to these things.”

 

“It has only been two years for you since you left Agnus.” Miroku absently led Sango through the crowds continuing their conversation. “I'm sure you went to plenty of banquets in the years I was gone.”

 

Sango shook her head to his first comment, “No I haven't been to one of these in years. It must be at least four.”

 

“Are you telling me that a beautiful woman like you didn't go to any dances for the last two years you lived here?” He asked incredulously.

 

“No, never could stomach them, and it was usually you who talked me into them.”

 

“O yes I remember how you used to whine to your parents about going for weeks.” Miroku rolled his eyes at the memory.

 

“I did not whine. I made good points.” Sango spat back jokingly.

 

“The only reason you hated these events so much was because of how much you worked yourself up against them.” Miroku countered.

 

“My complaints made sense. I saw no reason for falling asleep while standing around at these things and I always left before the rowdy dancing took over.”

 

They had arrived at the impromptu bar set up with large jugs of mead and other forms of liquor.

 

“Now,” The Captain turned towards his date. “what would my lady like to drink?”

 

Sango scanned over the selection thoughtfully. “Nothing too strong I want to be coherent enough to hit you if you try anything.”

 

“You doubt my honor?” Miroku said looking taken aback.

 

“O I know your honor. I also know how you act around anything that is female.”

 

Miroku smiled brilliantly handing Sango her drink.

 

“After you are done with that, would my lady do me the honor of dancing with me?”

 

“I haven't danced in so long Miroku. You will have a horrible time dancing with me. I'll walk all over your feet.” She protested.

 

Miroku raised his eyebrow slightly, “Someone with as much grace as you Sango could never lose it. You fight far too well to ever claim that you can't dance.”

 

Sango shook her head, “Miroku you know I had to stop that too.”

 

“So you always say.” He answered cryptically. “Come on Sango, just one dance.”

 

Sango let out a puff of air and conceded. This was reminding her far too much of the last time he begged her into dancing. God hope it turned out completely different.

 

- - -

 

“Sango one dance won't hurt you.” An eighteen year old boy pleaded as he followed his fuming friend.

 

“Miroku every time I dance with you your hands end up on my butt. Besides I'm sure there must be one girl in this room you haven't danced with at least three times yet.”

 

Miroku stopped following and hung his head a little, an action that made Sango pause in her escape from him.

 

“Just one last dance, Sango please. It's important to me.” His voice sounded different and the boisterous front she was so used to on him faded. For once Miroku seemed serious, something was wrong.

 

“What's wrong Miroku?” Sango questioned peering into her friend's face.

 

“Nothing, don't worry about it. Will you dance with me?”

 

Sango chewed her lip for a second. “Fine, one dance, but then I'm leaving. You have forced me to stay long enough.”

 

Miroku's face brightened and he displayed his killer smile but a tinge of sadness still lined his face. So slight that only Sango would ever detect but still it troubled her. She had to find out what was bugging him.

 

Taking their places on the floor amongst other dances, Sango didn't miss the looks other girls were shooting at her while gawking at her partner. Turing quickly to see how he was reacting to the attention Sango was surprise. Usually Miroku would be waving and smiling back at his admirers but for once the only person he was staring at was her. His intense gaze met hers and she flushed furiously. He was looking at her curiously, like he was trying to imprint her image in his mind.

 

“What?” Sango asked her hands reaching to see if she had something on her face.

 

“Nothing, you look beautiful tonight Sango.” Miroku said almost wistfully, “You look like you are too good to belong in the world of men. I'm afraid that if I look away you're going to disappear and be nothing more than a shadow. I just don't want to let you go.”

 

Sango raised an eyebrow at his words, but still her voice pitched a little higher. “Miroku, stop that. Have you already drunken too much? I don't know what you are talking about but I'm not going anywhere.”

 

Miroku paused for a second and took a breath, “I know Sango, but I am.”

 

The music began that second but the couple in the center of the room didn't move.

- - -

 

 

The music began and Sango absently worked her way through the mechanical steps of the dance. The continuous movement allowed her a great opportunity to search the room, and apprise those who were currently attending the dance.

 

“Sango you're thinking too much.” Miroku's voice cut.

 

Turning back to her partner she blushed. It wouldn't do for her to completely ignore him. She had a mission but she couldn't alert him by her overly cautious and calculating behavior.

 

“Umm sorry. I already told you I find dancing boring and painful.”

 

Miroku gave a sly smile and winked, “That my dear is because you walking your way through the steps. If you want to do it right you need to feel the music, live the dance.”

 

“Miroku you sound crazy.” Sango scoffed back.

 

“Maybe I am. But allow me to show you how this dance should be done.”

 

With that Miroku spun Sango around a few times before pulling her back closer. He then continued the steps of the dance, this time making them elaborate and overblown as if to mock the other dancers. Every few steps he would use an elaborate spin move again till Sango couldn't quite figure out which way was up or down. Instead of feeling mortified as she should have, Sango instead threw her head back and laughed.

 

Good or bad for the first time in years she didn't think about her parents, she didn't think about the mission. The only thing that registered in her mind was the spinning world around her and the man standing there with her.