InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Spellbound Destiny ❯ Chapter 10: Honor Bound ( Chapter 10 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Elviria 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.27.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.1K | Visits: 408 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.27.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.1K | Visits: 408 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. The good Takahashi Rumiko has gifted us with such astounding characters.
Author's Note: I want to say thank you to all of you who have continued to read this story and have put me on their favorite author's list/alert list. I really appreciate it and am glad to see so many people who are interested in my story. And now here's Chapter 10. It's taken me a week to write it all out due to my busy schedule but I'm glad with the way it turned out. I also know how Chapter 11 will go even though I have only just finished Chapter 10 so be on the look out for it. I'm hoping to get it started this coming week.
Definitions:
Zori – flat and thonged Japanese sandals made of rice straw or other plant fibers, cloth, lacquered wood, leather, rubber, or synthetic materials. Zori are quite similar to flip-flops, which first appeared in New Zealand and the United States sometime around World War II as rubber imitations of the wooden thong sandals long worn in Japan.
Spellbound Destiny
Chapter 10: Honor Bound
Two weeks later
Kouga paced a safe distance from Inutaisho's palace. It was midday already and he had yet to catch a glimpse of Kagome or Inuyasha. Which meant that they may not have returned from wherever they had gone. Or they just weren't going outside the palace grounds. He didn't know how loner he could wait before he was called back.
It had been hard hard but he had finally gotten away from all the wedding preparations. The Elder and Ayame, and the rest of the council for that matter, had strongly objected to his leaving. They suspected Kouga would go straight to Inutaisho's palace and he did.
Now his frustration grew as the hours ticked by and there were no signs of his prey. He hoped he wasn't too late. Inuyasha couldn't have married Kagome yet. Their wedding wasn't a rushed affair, not like the shame of a wedding the Elder had pressured Kouga into. Which he still protested loudly. There was no way he was going to marry that red haired beauty! Never!
Kouga glared at the front gates of the palace, the two stoic guards still pillars of silence unable to answer the questions burning in his mind. If he could stake his claim and resolve this without Inutaisho or Lady Izayoi interfering, he could bypass the legal formalities in dissolving Kagome's current betrothal contract and leave those details to Inuyasha. It was no secret that he did not wish to marry her. Now if only they would just walk into his line of sight, he could confront them.
Kouga turned, about to pace back in the other direction when a glint of silver and a hint of red caught his eye. He ran over to the corner of his hill and stared in relief as Inuyasha and Kagome walked hurriedly down the path to the front gates. Behind them was the monk and another human woman he had never seen before.
Kouga didn't care who followed them. He stepped out of the shade and ran after his prey. He hoped his fast legs would allow him to reach them before they came insight of the guards.
O o O o O o O o O
Inuyasha was glad to see the palace in sight. He pushed hard for them to make it back from the Taijiya village quickly so they could fully study the bamboo scroll. He knew his companions were tired but he didn't regret the fast pace. A day of rest and then they could use his father's library to help decipher the code and the foreign language. The sooner they gained information on the Shikon no Tama, the better.
He slowed slightly, catching the strangest scent of wolves. Wrinkling his nose, Inuyasha came to a stop and glanced around, trying to discern where the scent was coming from. There was just enough wind blowing in several directions to mask the true source of the scent. Turning, he saw a blur rush out of a patch of trees. It stopped in front of Kagome. Inuyasha was stunned into silence as the intruder grabbed her hands in his own.
“Kagome,” the intruder said adoringly.
“Kouga!” Kagome was stunned. She had not expected him to show up. “What are you doing here?”
“I had to stop this mutt”—Kouga glared at Inuyasha—“from marrying you. You're my woman.”
Inuyasha fumed. “Who are you calling a mutt, ookami? And you stink, too.”
Kouga ignored him. He watched Kagome closely for the happiness that would transform her face. He was slightly stung that instead, annoyance clouded her face.
“Kouga, I'm not marrying you.” Kagome pulled her hands out of Kouga's grasp and backed away from him slightly.
“You don't have to force yourself to marry him. Come with me. I can give you the army you need and protection and anything else you want!” Kouga pleaded. His hands moved to emphasis his points, striking the air in front of her and almost hitting her breasts.
Kagome shook her head. She didn't know how much clearer she could be. “No, I'm marring Inuyasha.”
Desperate, Kouga pulled her closer and stunned them all by leaning in and kissing her. He put all his feelings into it, trying to force her to feel everything he felt. Hope of their future together, the passion he felt for her and the strange need to have her. It was so unlike anything he had every felt before. Yet it wasn't as strong now as it was when he had first seen her over a month ago at the festival. He eventually raised his hands up to cradle the back of her head in an attempt to deepen the kiss.
Kagome, too shocked at first to verbally protest, regained her senses quickly as his hands buried into her hair. Infuriated that he would take such liberties, Kagome pulled back sharply and slapped him before Kouga had the chance to twist his slimy tongue into her mouth. It felt gross. Sickening. Wrong! This was not the kiss she wanted!
Taken aback, Kouga turned his head back to look at her. Kagome stood with her hands balled at her sides, her face red in embarrassment and anger flashing in her expressive eyes. He heard growling behind him and instinctively knew it was Inuyasha. But his mind was sluggish. He could care less about the hanyou. Instead, every thought centered on Kagome. He couldn't believe she had slapped him. Wasn't he saving her from marring that hanyou bastard? It made no sense.
“Leave, you damned wolf,” Inuyasha bit out through clenched teeth. He wanted to tear Kouga apart. Kagome was his! His to kiss, his to hold and his to marry. His possessiveness didn't even register in his mind as he took a step to separate the two.
Kouga ignored him and focused on Kagome. He moved as if to touch her. She pulled away.
Kagome felt so angry, she couldn't speak. Kouga's kiss felt so different from Inuyasha's. It was not the kiss she imagined receiving for the rest of her life. Kouga was a nice enough guy but he was extremely possessive and not in a good way. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that he wouldn't allow her live the way she wanted. He had an obsessive nature to control everything, to force compliance and bend people to his will?even if unintentionally. And that trait of his didn't help. She wasn't strong or patient enough to deal with him.
He was also dense. Yes, she had been somewhat interested in him at the festival but not because she was attracted to him. At the time, she had thought she could live with him for the rest of her life. Now, things were different. The was no place for Kouga in her heart or her life. She was betrothed to Inuyasha and actually looked forward to their marriage. She cared for the hanyou.
Cared for him? The realization startled her a bit before she was brought back to the present. Later, she would explore what that meant. For now, the attention was taken off her as two ookami came running up to them.
Kouga turned to his two subordinates. “Ginta, Hakkaku, I told you to stay at the den.”
Ginta looked up, out of breathe. “We...came...as soon as we could.”
“It's...the Elder,” Hakkaku chimed in.
Kouga paled. That wasn't good. If the elder was upset with him for being gone so long, Kouga didn't know what the consequences would be. No one defied the Elder.
Ginta opened his mouth to speak again but Kouga cut him off. “Not now. We need to get back.” He turned and, without checking to see if his two subordinates were following, headed out of Kisashi at top speeds.
Ginta and Hakkaku turned and nodded respectfully to the four strangers Kouga had been conversing with and followed after their leader at a much slower pace. They hated the fact that their leader was renowned for his speed. They were never able to catch up with him.
Inuyasha stared after them, growling silently until their retreating backs were no longer visible. He turned and stormed down the rest of the path to the palace's front gates, leaving the other three to either stand still or follow him. He wasn't in the mood to cater to anyone else's feelings. He just wanted to get inside where he could try to obliterate the image of Kouga kissing Kagome from his mind.
The guards let him through without an issue, throwing each other strange looks when Inuyasha was out of sight. It was not their place to get into the affairs of the royals. Neither of them had been born fifty years ago before Inuyasha was sealed. They didn't understand his personality, especially since his parents were so nice and gracious and friendly. Inutaisho and Lady Izayoi never acted with a hot temper, at least not in front of them or the other servants. They turned back to their posts once they closed the gates. Their orders were to let no one other than Inuyasha, and whom ever was with him, inside the palace. The gates were to remain closed at all other times.
Inuyasha halted suddenly when he realized his father stood in his way. The incident with Kouga allowed Inuyasha's scent to reach Inutaisho and send him hurriedly walking to the front gates. Kagome took up her position next to him.
Sango and Miroku stopped several paces behind them to give them a bit of privacy. Miroku wasn't all that concerned but Sango couldn't help but stare at the great Inutaisho. She remembered all the stories about him and even saw a few paintings of his likeness once. Inutaisho held himself calmly with a regal air. Only his eyes, which shone brighter than Inuyasha's, showed his anger and worry. Sango wasn't sure what to expect from him. Would he act like Inuyasha with a hot temper? Yell at them? Curse them?
Her thoughts did not prepare her for the softly spoken words he intoned through clenched teeth. “Await me in my chamber.”
Inuyasha gulped. He had expected his father to be angry but not this angry. Part of his own temper stemmed from Inutaisho. Unlike him, his father had learned over the centuries to control it and not let it hinder him. Inuyasha was too young yet to fully understand what his father had been through all those years or what his father's life was like.
Now, Inutaisho's temper flared red hot and if it was possible, it would have flayed Inuyasha alive. Inuyasha obeyed without question. He didn't want his father to berate him in the middle of the palace grounds for leaving like he had. He heard Kagome follow close behind him. The thought of her by his side gladdened his heart.
Sango made to follow but Miroku stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned to him, puzzled.
Miroku shook his heard. “Let them deal with it.” He guided Sango down a side pathway to the kitchen entrance. “We can wait here and get something to eat.”
Inutaisho watched his son and future daughter-in-law enter the palace before following them. His immediate emotions where a tangled mess. He felt utter relief and joy that they were alive and well. His anger quickly replaced them. He was livid that his son left home without telling anyone. And the worry Izayoi suffered upon learning her son couldn't be found that day was inexcusable. His own worry was pushed to the back of his mind for the moment. He needed to let his son know he could not just up and leave whenever he wanted.
Inutaisho walked into his chamber only a few short moments after Inuyasha and Kagome. They sat with some distance between each other opposite to where Izayoi and Mitsuko sat. Inutaisho decided it was best not to sit and instead stood in the center of the room. Inuyasha wouldn't look at him.
“I cannot understand...” Inutaisho paused, at a lose for words. Nothing seemed to express his current state of mind. He settle with saying what was in his heart. To bare his emotions out for them all to see. Even if that meant he yelled in the end. “How could you leave without telling us,” he intoned irately, surprised his voice had stayed at a normal level. He gestured over to Izayoi. “How could you put your mother through days and days of worry?”
Inutaisho paced at his son's continued silence. “How could you take Kagome-san with you? Without telling her mother? Mitsuko-san was in near tears when neither of you could be found!”
Kagome looked up at her mother. Her face was pale and her eyes were red and swollen. She had been in tears. “I'm sorry mama.” She glanced over at Inuyasha. His ears where pinned to his head and he was silent, brooding. He obviously didn't want to talk so she stepped in. She turned back to the adults in the room. “He didn't take me because he wanted to. I wanted to go with him and wouldn't take no for an answer. I forgot to tell you we were leaving because we left in such a hurry.”
Inutaisho paced the length of the room, unable to keep still. If he didn't move, he was afraid he would end up hurting Inuyasha. And that was something he could not live with. No parent should harm their child, for any reason. His anger was great but he could control it.
On his third trip back to the door, Inutaisho stopped abruptly in line with Inuyasha. “I can only image you didn't tell us because you thought we would stop you, and your right about that.” He lifted a hand to his forehead and rubbed it. Though youkai didn't often get sick, his worrying and anger was taking its toll on him. A small insistent headache was forming right between his eyes. Ignoring it for now and trying to force himself to calm down, he continued, “But if you had just come to me, I would have given you Tessaiga to protect you if I could not persuade you from leaving.”
Inuyasha jerked to attention at that. It was understood by the whole family that Tessaiga and Tenseiga were only to be given to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru respectively upon their father's death. Inuyasha's eyes riveted on his father's figure, noticing for the first time that he carried only two katana and not three. Tessaiga rested in its scabbard on his left hip and slung across his back was Sounga. Tenseiga was not in his possession.
“Sesshoumaru received Tenseiga before he left to fight at the border. I have no use for it being here in Kisashi. Though I am angry with you for leaving without letting any of us know, now that you are awake, it is time that you also receive your birth right.”
Inuyasha couldn't speak. His throat closed up with emotions he didn't want to face. He was sorry he had made them worry but he did it because if his father knew he was going to Aniri to find out about Kikyou, Inutaisho would have forbade him. The only choice he had was to not tell them.
Inutaisho gently removed Tessaiga from it's place on his left hip and walked over to his son. Inuyasha stood, his eyes expressing what he couldn't say aloud. Inutaisho accepted his unspoken apology and passed Tessaiga into his son's hands. Inuyasha grasped it reverently, awed by the weight and feel of the renowned katana.
“It will take time for you to use its full power but be patient and use it to protect those you love.” Inutaisho watched his son closely. He waited until his son looked back up. “Just tell me one thing, did you learn what you wanted?”
Inuyasha knew what his father was asking. Did he learn what had happened to Kikyou? “Hai, I did.”
Inutaisho nodded solemnly and turned to face his wife. It was not their place to ask what their son had found nor how Inuyasha was coping with that information?what he planned to do. When the time came, Inuyasha would act as he saw fit. Though Inutaisho had a sinking suspicion that Naraku was involved somehow. That bastard was always involved now-a-days. It wouldn't surprise him to learn if Naraku's plans were just beginning fifty years ago.
“Come, koishii. Let's leave Mitsuko-san and Kagome-san alone for a moment.” He headed for the shoji door, following his wife after she glanced at Inuyasha. “Are you coming, Inuyasha?” he threw over his shoulder.
Inuyasha looked up at his parents then at Kagome. She smiled at him, somewhat reluctant to let him leave but she needed to talk to her mother alone. “It's okay. You can go.”
Inuyasha carefully took Tessaiga and left her with her mother, saddened that she didn't want him with her for this. It did give him time to get acquainted with his new katana. Before now, he had never touched it. Only looked at it on his father's hip or heard tails about the many feats it could do and seen the many paintings around the palace depicting those feats.
Once they were alone, Kagome moved to sit next to her mother. She clasped one of her mother's hands in her's and placed it on her knee. “Please don't be mad at me. I really am sorry I left without telling you.”
Mitsuko smiled wanly. “It's okay. I was upset and very worried but I'm not angry with you anymore. I'm just glad you're safe. Where did you go?”
“Aniri.” Kagome went on to explain why they were there and whom Inuyasha wanted to find. Her mother's eyes became wide, shocked as Kagome told her about Kaede—her long lost relative. She went on to tell her mother about Sango and the Taijiya village. How Naraku had attacked them. She left out, as her promise dictated, the part in the cavern with Inuyasha's human transformation.
By the time she was done, her mother looked as if she could not take any more, the information swamping her mind too unreal. Yuichi never knew about his father's cousins or the black history between themselves and Inutaisho's family. And of course her father-in-law talked about the Shikon no Tama but as a fable, not something that really existed. It wasn't as big of a shock that her daughter possessed miko powers. That she had learned from the time her daughter was a small child. But the scope of her powers and the fact they were enhanced by the Shikon no Tama that resided in her very blood was hard to comprehend.
Would her daughter survive long enough to take back Avaren? Would she be able to have children? Would they be deformed in some way because of the power her daughter held? So many other questions ran through her mind that a headache started to form.
Kagome brought her back to the present by squeezing her hand. “It's okay, mama. I'm fine.”
“But for how long?” her mother asked, concerned. “This spirit, Midoriko, never said how long you could live like this. If it is even possible for you to live like this. She said you would have to purify her and the youkai she held trapped within your body. It's not natural to have those creatures inside you.”
“Mama, calm down,” Kagome chided. It was no use having her mother worked up about what they could not control. “She never said anything about the Shikon no Tama harming me. Just that she and the youkai will have to be purified at some point. I don't know how or when that will happen or what affects it will have on me but I am fine right now. If it becomes a problem, we'll worry about it then.”
Mitsuko stared at her daughter. Her calm demeanor and her actions were so different than what she was used to. In the little over a month she had been gone, Kagome had matured. She was now a young woman, capable of making her own decisions and acting as she wished. She seemed wiser though how that could be possible in so little time was hard for Mitsuko to understand. Still, if Kagome didn't believe her life was in danger, it did neither of them any good for Mitsuko to worry.
“Alright,” Mitsuko said with a small smile. She lifted her hands up to cradle Kagome's face. “Just promise me that you wont go running off any more without telling me.” Kagome nodded. “And if anything strange starts to happen to you, don't hide it. I mean it. I don't want to find you collapsed somewhere here in the palace for hours before anyone could find you because you didn't tell us you weren't feeling well.”
“I wont hide that, I promise.”
“Good.”
They were startled out of their private conversation by a scratching at the shoji door. “Come in,” Mitsuko called.
A female servant opened the door and bowed in greeting. “Dinner is ready, Hime-sama, Higurashi-sama,” she called out to them then left, closing the door behind her.
“I hadn't realized how late it was,” Mitsuko commented to no one in particular.
Kagome sat starring at the closed door. It was hard for her to get used to the servants addressing her as their Hime. Ever since her betrothal to Inuyasha was made public, they changed the way they acted around her. Instead of the respectful distance that a guest of their lord received, she was now accepted by most of the staff as part of the family and was afforded the same caring intent they gave to their ruler and his family.
Without any conscious thought, Kagome stood and followed her mother down to the dinning room. They entered one that wasn't as formal as the main dinning hall the festival had taken place in. She was startled to see that two extra place settings had been arranged and even more confused when Sango and Miroku walked in a few short minutes after her.
“Inuyasha told us about your two friends you found on your journey and I've offered them a place here for the time being. They have offered their services in the battle with Naraku. Anyone who is against him is an ally.” Inutaisho seemed to have read her mind as he answered her questioning look.
Kagome shot a grateful look Inuyasha's way but he didn't seem to notice. He was quiet and as dinner progressed, she noticed he barely spoke more than a word or two?usually to ask for more food?and left as soon as he was done eating. She wanted to follow him, to see what was wrong. He was never so quiet unless he was angry. But tonight, the anger was gone and he seemed calm for once.
Instead of going after him, Kagome stayed by her mother's side, afraid her presence wouldn't be welcomed by Inuyasha yet. She talked with Lady Izayoi about her journey with Sango to get her mind off the hanyou and even shared the fascinating concoction Sango called soap. Lady Izayoi was most interested in the cleaning bar and asked Sango to make some for her own personal use.
Sango was flattered, blushing heatedly. Soap making was imparted to every woman of her village so when her husband came home dirty with dried blood and grime from youkai fighting, the wife could offer a relaxing bath with something that would get him clean. Lady Izayoi was making a big deal out of such a skill. But, Sango guessed, to someone outside her village, the skill was quite unique.
“Well,” Inutaisho interrupted everyone's thoughts. “It's getting late and I can see how tired our guests are. I think it's time we let them go.”
Kagome stood gratefully. She was tired but more importantly, she was eager to see Inuyasha and worried about how he was taking the day's events. Her mother followed her out and down to their room and helped her dress in a simple cream colored sleeping yukata. She chatted aimlessly but Kagome couldn't concentrate on her words. She itched to go and explore the gardens for Inuyasha. She wasn't sure how she knew it but she was positive that he had secluded himself up in one of the many trees outside. The question was which one.
Seeing her daughter's distraction, Mitsuko finished up with brushing Kagome's hair in silence. Something was on her daughter's mind that made it hard for Kagome to concentrated on anything else. Mitsuko was just glad to have her back and basked in the feel of her hands running through her daughter's silky hair, the touch of her skin against Mitsuko's hands and knowing she was real?not a dream. So many nights had passed where Mitsuko would awaken in a cold sweat, dark bloody visions of her daughter's death pervading her mind. Too many of them mirrored the night Yuichi was killed. Now her heart was at ease and she hoped the visions never returned.
“Alright, I'll leave you now, Kagome. I know you haven't been listening to me chatter on and on.” Mitsuko turned Kagome in her arms and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well.”
Kagome watched her mother leave before she stood. With deft fingers, she braided her untangled hair over her right shoulder and found a pair of straw zori to slip on her feet. She looked again at the main shoji, hoping her mother wouldn't return soon, and then headed for the garden shoji. She slid it open quietly and stepped out into the cool night air.
Her nerves started to fray as she became more aware of what she was doing. They would be alone, like in the cavern, and no one would know if they kissed again. The thought stirred her heart into thumping wildly and her body warmed. An insistent tugging pulled deep in her stomach. She felt excited at meeting him alone, talking with him alone and just being near him.
Getting back to her task, Kagome scanned the trees in her private garden, hoping to see Inuyasha's familiar red and silver figure but knowing he wouldn't be there. Her need to stay clear of him that first week and the chaos of the questions today had made her forget to ask where his private chamber was. She doubted his favorite tree would be anywhere near her. It was more likely his favorite tree was outside in his own private garden. She just had to find it.
Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She focused on her senses, waiting for some small inkling of which direction to take. Something tugged at her over on the right. The feeling grew as she focused more. Warmth flooded her mind, settling cozily like a blanket. She smiled. It was Inuyasha. His very essence encircled her in phantom arms, protecting her and keeping her safe.
Her feet moved without conscious thought?taking her to him. Her eyes remained closed as she felt with her mind his presence growing stronger with each passing step. When she was only a few feet away from him, she opened her eyes to gaze at his back. His beautiful silver hair blew in the breeze. The moonlight caused it to glow like a beacon calling to her.
Kagome walked silently to the tree and sat at its base, uncaring of the dirt and grass that would stain her sleeping yukata. It didn't matter?at least not to her. She bent her head back against the tree and breathed in the fresh night air, waiting for Inuyasha to come down. He knew she was there. His superior hearing and sense of smell allowed him to track her every move from the time she came into his side of the palace. She wasn't going to push him to come down. He needed to do it on his own?to open up to her if he so wished.
Inuyasha stared at Tessaiga. Its weight settled in his hands like a stone. He had already unsheathed it several times but the katana refused to transform into its true self. It was pathetic. His father had finally given him the heirloom he was destined to have and now Inuyasha couldn't make the damn thing show itself.
His ears twitched and his nose picked up a very tempting scent. Kagome. He didn't acknowledge her as she moved in and sat under his tree. He didn't want to talk yet. Too much was going through his mind. He still couldn't believe he held Tessaiga in his hands, gifted to him by his father before his father was dead. The fighting he and Sesshoumaru had done all those years ago?which felt like yesterday to him?no longer mattered. He held the famed Tessaiga, the katana that could kill a hundred youkai in one sweep of the transformed blade, and it felt...disappointing. He could not figure out how to get it to work.
Frustrated, Inuyasha allowed the last bit of the blade to slide back into the sheath. It clicked softly when the hand guard hit the wooden edge. He slipped the katana into the left side strap at his waist and jumped down. On silent feet, he moved to Kagome's side and sat next to her.
She broke the silence. “They were very worried about you. Your parents, I mean.” She paused to look at his profile. He remained still and silent. He was brooding. “I thought you had told them you were leaving. I know I would want to know if my son was leaving for a long period of time after he had been taken away from me once already.”
Inuyasha looked at her, turning his head so quickly his hair covered half his face for a few seconds. He wanted to be angry but he couldn't. She was right. He didn't want to admit it aloud. And he didn't have to. Kagome herself distracted him from her comment.
“May I see your katana?” she asked hopefully. Her eyes stared into his with such pleading he couldn't say no.
“Here.” He handed her the sheath gingerly. He was amazed when she actually took the blade out. No one but hos father, and now himself, could remove it. Sesshoumaru had proved he could wield it but only after it was out of the sheath.
Kagome stared in wonder. Tessaiga was so much heavier than her own katana. She wasn't sure what it was made of. The ragged edge and the rust on the blade told a story of neglect yet the loving way both Inuyasha and Inutaisho touched it said that it was a greatly loved weapon. It was contradicting. She balanced Tessaiga in her hands, figuring out how it would be held then placed it back in its sheath and handed it back.
“It's suppose to transform,” Inuyasha quietly commented as he grasped the katana and held it in his lap.
“Transform?”
He nodded. “You've seen some paintings of it around the palace. A giant katana with a tuft of white fir over the guard. It, like it's sister Tenseiga, was made out of one of my father's fangs. That's why it's so heavy. My father's blood gives it life.”
“But you can't make it transform,” she stated matter-of-factly.
He shook his head and pounded the ground with a closed fist, frustrated. “No.”
“We'll figure it out.” Kagome grasped Inuyasha's fist and watched the small cuts heal almost instantly. It still amazed her that he could heal so fast.
He looked at her skeptically. How the hell could she possibly figure out how to transform the katana when he couldn't? She was human?a very attractive human?but a human none-the-less with no hint of youkai blood. She could not call out to the katana and make it transform. Not that he could either. But that was beside the point! He had no knowledge of the katana and his father wouldn't impart any other advice to him than what he said this afternoon. Be patient and use it to protect those you love. What did that mean?
Inuyasha was distracted by Kagome's body. She leaned her head against his shoulder. It startled him. Why was she getting so close? He stared at her head, willing her to turn it so he could look into her eyes and read her thoughts. She did, almost as if reading his mind. Her beautiful brown eyes held happiness and comfort.
“We'll figure it, somehow. I promise. You wont be alone in this or anything else, if you'll let me stay by your side.”
Inuyasha swallowed hard. He couldn't get rid of the lump that had formed. She wanted to be with him?a lowly hanyou? Without any restrictions? He nodded, unable to do anything else.
His frustration evaporated for the moment in the face of her words. Could he allow himself to believe them? Yes, yes he could. He was willing to tale the chance. Kagome had never lied to him. She was kindhearted and truly seemed to care about him. He didn't want to think too deeply yet about that but for now, he liked the idea of her being with him?helping him
Satisfied, Kagome buried her head deeper into his shoulder, loving the feel of his silken hair against her cheek. It felt perfect. Kissing him would have been great but just sitting with him, listening to some of his problems made her feel like she was becoming part of his life. Finally. He was letting go of his tight guard on himself. It was worth the trip outside.
“Arigatou,” she heard him whisper softly. She smiled secretively. He hadn't meant for her to hear him, talking so low she wasn't even sure herself how she heard. But she had and it made butterflies dance in her stomach.
Inuyasha felt wholly relaxed. A small comforting presence settled in the back of his mind, lulling him into a dreamy half awake state. He felt at peace here with Kagome in his little garden. His problems floated away. And soon, the two of them were asleep, side-by-side with their heads nestled against each other.
That was how Inutaisho found them. The great inu youkai couldn't help but smile. No matter how much his son protested, Kagome was already inserting herself into his very being?much the same way Izayoi had done to him all those long years ago.
Inutaisho turned and left quietly with a shake of his head. Izayoi had been right. Kagome was just what their son needed. Maybe after this little intimate moment, Inuyasha wouldn't be so gruff. Only time could tell. He hoped to watch every moment of their lives as he could and protect for as long as he was able. If only Sesshoumaru would relent and find a mate too.
O o O o O o O o O
Kouga stood at the summit of the mountain den, barely winded. His two subordinates were way behind him but he didn't care. A summons from the Elder was urgent business, regardless of what it was about. Taking a deep breath, he plunged ahead, eager to get it over with and go back to Kagome.
He almost missed the first sign, so subtle, no one but the best of trackers would have found it. A faint whiff of something sickly sweet and metallic hit his nose. Blood. He still had an hour to go before he reached the top but he sped up, his heart pounding at what that could mean. Regardless, it didn't bode well. There had to be a lot of blood for him to smell it so far down the mountain.
Racing to the top, he cleared the last bit of congested foliage and stopped dead in his tracks. His skin paled to a deathly white and his eyes blurred?he was shocked. Bodies of friends and comrades were scattered from where he stood to beyond his sight in the den. One body was just a few steps away from him. The arm was outstretched in an attempt to grab the weapon that lay only a hand's-breadth from him. His stomach held several deep wounds but nothing was as bad as his slit throat. It was cut cleanly and deep, allowing for the maximum amount of blood to be spilled.
Walking amongst his fallen brethren, Kouga noticed they all shared that one common feature. Each one's throat was cut deep with some sort of very sharp edge that allowed for massive blood loss. The smell become more and more abrasive against his sensitive nose. He almost became sick but held his will over his own body. He needed to find survivors, not wallow in his own vomit.
Finally at the entrance, Kouga stilled. “Is anyone there?” he shouted and listened. A soft whimpering echoed back to him.
Careful not to disturb the bodies, he made his way inside. Close to the back of the den, Kouga noticed the Elder on the ground. He moved slightly and Kouga jumped to help him up only to discover that the Elder, too, was dead. Sickened, Kouga placed the Elder off to the side and bent on one knee to discover what was under him. It was a hole.
A bright patch of red peeked out and he could barely make out very bright and wide green eyes. “Oh, Kami-sama!”
At Kouga's shout, Ayame lifted her head all the way out and placed her hands on the edge of the hole. Kouga immediately moved to help her, pulling her up with little effort while ignoring the blood that covered her almost from head to toe. He cradled her pale form in his arms, rubbing her back and whispering words in her ear. He didn't care if blood soaked into his armor and furs. She needed him.
Ayame pulled back slightly, rubbing her eyes and composing herself. “I'm fine now. Really.”
Kouga didn't want to let her go but she was now his leader. They weren't mates yet since the wedding was still two weeks away. He had no right to help her emotionally. Besides, I don't want to, he mentally berated himself. Turning back to the elder, he examined the body and took in every last detail.
“What happened?” he asked without turning to face her.
Ayame took a shuddering breath and looked over at the Elder. “We had wolves posted at the boundaries. They came running in with news of an intruder. No one expected them to come so quickly, barely a half hour after the wolves had warned us. It wasn't enough time. I helped all the women and children escape and was already on my way back here to convince the Elder to leave too when they came. Three of them. They smelled like death and decaying flesh even though they were alive. They wanted to see blood. That's all they cared about. The Elder through me down that hole and then stopped them from seeing it. On his last dying breathe, he crawled over and covered the hole with his body, protecting me.”
Kouga growled menacingly. The blood all over her wasn't her own, it was the Elder's. Ayame had been helpless to save him trapped as she was under his dying body. “Did they say anything?”
Ayame shook her head. “It was strange. They didn't talk at all. Only strange unintelligible noises. And...and they had the same exact red glowing eyes. They weren't related. One was a bear youkai, one was a snake and the last was a kitsune.”
Kouga nodded and stood up. “For now, clean yourself up and go to the women. Take them to one of the other den sites. Ginta and Hakkaku will be hear shortly and I'll send up a call for the rest of the ookami to come.”
“But I need to be here,” she protested.
“No, you need to calm the women and the children. When I know who is alive and who is dead, I'll come for you. Just stay at the other den with them.”
Ayame reluctantly left Kouga to his gruesome task. She wanted to help, as was her duty, but she was also thankful she wouldn't have to move the dead bodies. She couldn't handle that too. The blood that drenched her made her queasy and the remembered sight of the Elder's dead body over the hole, suffocating her with the noxious scent of death, made her want to scrub every patch of skin and orifice until she was rubbed raw.
Kouga let her go even though his instincts screamed at him to follow her and comfort her. Now was not the time. As they would become the leaders, the ones their friends and family looked up too, they had to be strong for their pack. He exited the den and sent up a howl. Wolves raced from their hiding places from the surrounding areas and were sent to the more distant clan members with the message of the slaughter.
He turned back to the den, his mind going numb, as Ginta and Hakkaku ran up. He ordered them tersely to help him pile up the dead. In the process, Kouga took in every man's face and name?if he knew them?and vowed to learn the names of those he didn't. He would never forget this. Nor would Ayame.
Ayame's face came back to him, haunted as it was when he had taken her out of the hole. His throat closed up at the thought of her hurt in any way. His mind became a buzzing beehive of thoughts. They would not be mated right away. First they would mourn their dead then Ayame would become the new Elder. After that, they would marry and become mates. There was no getting around that fact now. Nor did he want to anymore. On his honor, he swore he would use his new position to not only protect her and the clan but to find the bastards who slaughtered their family. He would use any means necessary to find the killers, even if he had to join Inuyasha's group. The thought left a bad taste in his mouth but he would do it.
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Author's Note: I want to say thank you to all of you who have continued to read this story and have put me on their favorite author's list/alert list. I really appreciate it and am glad to see so many people who are interested in my story. And now here's Chapter 10. It's taken me a week to write it all out due to my busy schedule but I'm glad with the way it turned out. I also know how Chapter 11 will go even though I have only just finished Chapter 10 so be on the look out for it. I'm hoping to get it started this coming week.
Definitions:
Zori – flat and thonged Japanese sandals made of rice straw or other plant fibers, cloth, lacquered wood, leather, rubber, or synthetic materials. Zori are quite similar to flip-flops, which first appeared in New Zealand and the United States sometime around World War II as rubber imitations of the wooden thong sandals long worn in Japan.
Spellbound Destiny
Chapter 10: Honor Bound
Two weeks later
Kouga paced a safe distance from Inutaisho's palace. It was midday already and he had yet to catch a glimpse of Kagome or Inuyasha. Which meant that they may not have returned from wherever they had gone. Or they just weren't going outside the palace grounds. He didn't know how loner he could wait before he was called back.
It had been hard hard but he had finally gotten away from all the wedding preparations. The Elder and Ayame, and the rest of the council for that matter, had strongly objected to his leaving. They suspected Kouga would go straight to Inutaisho's palace and he did.
Now his frustration grew as the hours ticked by and there were no signs of his prey. He hoped he wasn't too late. Inuyasha couldn't have married Kagome yet. Their wedding wasn't a rushed affair, not like the shame of a wedding the Elder had pressured Kouga into. Which he still protested loudly. There was no way he was going to marry that red haired beauty! Never!
Kouga glared at the front gates of the palace, the two stoic guards still pillars of silence unable to answer the questions burning in his mind. If he could stake his claim and resolve this without Inutaisho or Lady Izayoi interfering, he could bypass the legal formalities in dissolving Kagome's current betrothal contract and leave those details to Inuyasha. It was no secret that he did not wish to marry her. Now if only they would just walk into his line of sight, he could confront them.
Kouga turned, about to pace back in the other direction when a glint of silver and a hint of red caught his eye. He ran over to the corner of his hill and stared in relief as Inuyasha and Kagome walked hurriedly down the path to the front gates. Behind them was the monk and another human woman he had never seen before.
Kouga didn't care who followed them. He stepped out of the shade and ran after his prey. He hoped his fast legs would allow him to reach them before they came insight of the guards.
O o O o O o O o O
Inuyasha was glad to see the palace in sight. He pushed hard for them to make it back from the Taijiya village quickly so they could fully study the bamboo scroll. He knew his companions were tired but he didn't regret the fast pace. A day of rest and then they could use his father's library to help decipher the code and the foreign language. The sooner they gained information on the Shikon no Tama, the better.
He slowed slightly, catching the strangest scent of wolves. Wrinkling his nose, Inuyasha came to a stop and glanced around, trying to discern where the scent was coming from. There was just enough wind blowing in several directions to mask the true source of the scent. Turning, he saw a blur rush out of a patch of trees. It stopped in front of Kagome. Inuyasha was stunned into silence as the intruder grabbed her hands in his own.
“Kagome,” the intruder said adoringly.
“Kouga!” Kagome was stunned. She had not expected him to show up. “What are you doing here?”
“I had to stop this mutt”—Kouga glared at Inuyasha—“from marrying you. You're my woman.”
Inuyasha fumed. “Who are you calling a mutt, ookami? And you stink, too.”
Kouga ignored him. He watched Kagome closely for the happiness that would transform her face. He was slightly stung that instead, annoyance clouded her face.
“Kouga, I'm not marrying you.” Kagome pulled her hands out of Kouga's grasp and backed away from him slightly.
“You don't have to force yourself to marry him. Come with me. I can give you the army you need and protection and anything else you want!” Kouga pleaded. His hands moved to emphasis his points, striking the air in front of her and almost hitting her breasts.
Kagome shook her head. She didn't know how much clearer she could be. “No, I'm marring Inuyasha.”
Desperate, Kouga pulled her closer and stunned them all by leaning in and kissing her. He put all his feelings into it, trying to force her to feel everything he felt. Hope of their future together, the passion he felt for her and the strange need to have her. It was so unlike anything he had every felt before. Yet it wasn't as strong now as it was when he had first seen her over a month ago at the festival. He eventually raised his hands up to cradle the back of her head in an attempt to deepen the kiss.
Kagome, too shocked at first to verbally protest, regained her senses quickly as his hands buried into her hair. Infuriated that he would take such liberties, Kagome pulled back sharply and slapped him before Kouga had the chance to twist his slimy tongue into her mouth. It felt gross. Sickening. Wrong! This was not the kiss she wanted!
Taken aback, Kouga turned his head back to look at her. Kagome stood with her hands balled at her sides, her face red in embarrassment and anger flashing in her expressive eyes. He heard growling behind him and instinctively knew it was Inuyasha. But his mind was sluggish. He could care less about the hanyou. Instead, every thought centered on Kagome. He couldn't believe she had slapped him. Wasn't he saving her from marring that hanyou bastard? It made no sense.
“Leave, you damned wolf,” Inuyasha bit out through clenched teeth. He wanted to tear Kouga apart. Kagome was his! His to kiss, his to hold and his to marry. His possessiveness didn't even register in his mind as he took a step to separate the two.
Kouga ignored him and focused on Kagome. He moved as if to touch her. She pulled away.
Kagome felt so angry, she couldn't speak. Kouga's kiss felt so different from Inuyasha's. It was not the kiss she imagined receiving for the rest of her life. Kouga was a nice enough guy but he was extremely possessive and not in a good way. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that he wouldn't allow her live the way she wanted. He had an obsessive nature to control everything, to force compliance and bend people to his will?even if unintentionally. And that trait of his didn't help. She wasn't strong or patient enough to deal with him.
He was also dense. Yes, she had been somewhat interested in him at the festival but not because she was attracted to him. At the time, she had thought she could live with him for the rest of her life. Now, things were different. The was no place for Kouga in her heart or her life. She was betrothed to Inuyasha and actually looked forward to their marriage. She cared for the hanyou.
Cared for him? The realization startled her a bit before she was brought back to the present. Later, she would explore what that meant. For now, the attention was taken off her as two ookami came running up to them.
Kouga turned to his two subordinates. “Ginta, Hakkaku, I told you to stay at the den.”
Ginta looked up, out of breathe. “We...came...as soon as we could.”
“It's...the Elder,” Hakkaku chimed in.
Kouga paled. That wasn't good. If the elder was upset with him for being gone so long, Kouga didn't know what the consequences would be. No one defied the Elder.
Ginta opened his mouth to speak again but Kouga cut him off. “Not now. We need to get back.” He turned and, without checking to see if his two subordinates were following, headed out of Kisashi at top speeds.
Ginta and Hakkaku turned and nodded respectfully to the four strangers Kouga had been conversing with and followed after their leader at a much slower pace. They hated the fact that their leader was renowned for his speed. They were never able to catch up with him.
Inuyasha stared after them, growling silently until their retreating backs were no longer visible. He turned and stormed down the rest of the path to the palace's front gates, leaving the other three to either stand still or follow him. He wasn't in the mood to cater to anyone else's feelings. He just wanted to get inside where he could try to obliterate the image of Kouga kissing Kagome from his mind.
The guards let him through without an issue, throwing each other strange looks when Inuyasha was out of sight. It was not their place to get into the affairs of the royals. Neither of them had been born fifty years ago before Inuyasha was sealed. They didn't understand his personality, especially since his parents were so nice and gracious and friendly. Inutaisho and Lady Izayoi never acted with a hot temper, at least not in front of them or the other servants. They turned back to their posts once they closed the gates. Their orders were to let no one other than Inuyasha, and whom ever was with him, inside the palace. The gates were to remain closed at all other times.
Inuyasha halted suddenly when he realized his father stood in his way. The incident with Kouga allowed Inuyasha's scent to reach Inutaisho and send him hurriedly walking to the front gates. Kagome took up her position next to him.
Sango and Miroku stopped several paces behind them to give them a bit of privacy. Miroku wasn't all that concerned but Sango couldn't help but stare at the great Inutaisho. She remembered all the stories about him and even saw a few paintings of his likeness once. Inutaisho held himself calmly with a regal air. Only his eyes, which shone brighter than Inuyasha's, showed his anger and worry. Sango wasn't sure what to expect from him. Would he act like Inuyasha with a hot temper? Yell at them? Curse them?
Her thoughts did not prepare her for the softly spoken words he intoned through clenched teeth. “Await me in my chamber.”
Inuyasha gulped. He had expected his father to be angry but not this angry. Part of his own temper stemmed from Inutaisho. Unlike him, his father had learned over the centuries to control it and not let it hinder him. Inuyasha was too young yet to fully understand what his father had been through all those years or what his father's life was like.
Now, Inutaisho's temper flared red hot and if it was possible, it would have flayed Inuyasha alive. Inuyasha obeyed without question. He didn't want his father to berate him in the middle of the palace grounds for leaving like he had. He heard Kagome follow close behind him. The thought of her by his side gladdened his heart.
Sango made to follow but Miroku stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned to him, puzzled.
Miroku shook his heard. “Let them deal with it.” He guided Sango down a side pathway to the kitchen entrance. “We can wait here and get something to eat.”
Inutaisho watched his son and future daughter-in-law enter the palace before following them. His immediate emotions where a tangled mess. He felt utter relief and joy that they were alive and well. His anger quickly replaced them. He was livid that his son left home without telling anyone. And the worry Izayoi suffered upon learning her son couldn't be found that day was inexcusable. His own worry was pushed to the back of his mind for the moment. He needed to let his son know he could not just up and leave whenever he wanted.
Inutaisho walked into his chamber only a few short moments after Inuyasha and Kagome. They sat with some distance between each other opposite to where Izayoi and Mitsuko sat. Inutaisho decided it was best not to sit and instead stood in the center of the room. Inuyasha wouldn't look at him.
“I cannot understand...” Inutaisho paused, at a lose for words. Nothing seemed to express his current state of mind. He settle with saying what was in his heart. To bare his emotions out for them all to see. Even if that meant he yelled in the end. “How could you leave without telling us,” he intoned irately, surprised his voice had stayed at a normal level. He gestured over to Izayoi. “How could you put your mother through days and days of worry?”
Inutaisho paced at his son's continued silence. “How could you take Kagome-san with you? Without telling her mother? Mitsuko-san was in near tears when neither of you could be found!”
Kagome looked up at her mother. Her face was pale and her eyes were red and swollen. She had been in tears. “I'm sorry mama.” She glanced over at Inuyasha. His ears where pinned to his head and he was silent, brooding. He obviously didn't want to talk so she stepped in. She turned back to the adults in the room. “He didn't take me because he wanted to. I wanted to go with him and wouldn't take no for an answer. I forgot to tell you we were leaving because we left in such a hurry.”
Inutaisho paced the length of the room, unable to keep still. If he didn't move, he was afraid he would end up hurting Inuyasha. And that was something he could not live with. No parent should harm their child, for any reason. His anger was great but he could control it.
On his third trip back to the door, Inutaisho stopped abruptly in line with Inuyasha. “I can only image you didn't tell us because you thought we would stop you, and your right about that.” He lifted a hand to his forehead and rubbed it. Though youkai didn't often get sick, his worrying and anger was taking its toll on him. A small insistent headache was forming right between his eyes. Ignoring it for now and trying to force himself to calm down, he continued, “But if you had just come to me, I would have given you Tessaiga to protect you if I could not persuade you from leaving.”
Inuyasha jerked to attention at that. It was understood by the whole family that Tessaiga and Tenseiga were only to be given to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru respectively upon their father's death. Inuyasha's eyes riveted on his father's figure, noticing for the first time that he carried only two katana and not three. Tessaiga rested in its scabbard on his left hip and slung across his back was Sounga. Tenseiga was not in his possession.
“Sesshoumaru received Tenseiga before he left to fight at the border. I have no use for it being here in Kisashi. Though I am angry with you for leaving without letting any of us know, now that you are awake, it is time that you also receive your birth right.”
Inuyasha couldn't speak. His throat closed up with emotions he didn't want to face. He was sorry he had made them worry but he did it because if his father knew he was going to Aniri to find out about Kikyou, Inutaisho would have forbade him. The only choice he had was to not tell them.
Inutaisho gently removed Tessaiga from it's place on his left hip and walked over to his son. Inuyasha stood, his eyes expressing what he couldn't say aloud. Inutaisho accepted his unspoken apology and passed Tessaiga into his son's hands. Inuyasha grasped it reverently, awed by the weight and feel of the renowned katana.
“It will take time for you to use its full power but be patient and use it to protect those you love.” Inutaisho watched his son closely. He waited until his son looked back up. “Just tell me one thing, did you learn what you wanted?”
Inuyasha knew what his father was asking. Did he learn what had happened to Kikyou? “Hai, I did.”
Inutaisho nodded solemnly and turned to face his wife. It was not their place to ask what their son had found nor how Inuyasha was coping with that information?what he planned to do. When the time came, Inuyasha would act as he saw fit. Though Inutaisho had a sinking suspicion that Naraku was involved somehow. That bastard was always involved now-a-days. It wouldn't surprise him to learn if Naraku's plans were just beginning fifty years ago.
“Come, koishii. Let's leave Mitsuko-san and Kagome-san alone for a moment.” He headed for the shoji door, following his wife after she glanced at Inuyasha. “Are you coming, Inuyasha?” he threw over his shoulder.
Inuyasha looked up at his parents then at Kagome. She smiled at him, somewhat reluctant to let him leave but she needed to talk to her mother alone. “It's okay. You can go.”
Inuyasha carefully took Tessaiga and left her with her mother, saddened that she didn't want him with her for this. It did give him time to get acquainted with his new katana. Before now, he had never touched it. Only looked at it on his father's hip or heard tails about the many feats it could do and seen the many paintings around the palace depicting those feats.
Once they were alone, Kagome moved to sit next to her mother. She clasped one of her mother's hands in her's and placed it on her knee. “Please don't be mad at me. I really am sorry I left without telling you.”
Mitsuko smiled wanly. “It's okay. I was upset and very worried but I'm not angry with you anymore. I'm just glad you're safe. Where did you go?”
“Aniri.” Kagome went on to explain why they were there and whom Inuyasha wanted to find. Her mother's eyes became wide, shocked as Kagome told her about Kaede—her long lost relative. She went on to tell her mother about Sango and the Taijiya village. How Naraku had attacked them. She left out, as her promise dictated, the part in the cavern with Inuyasha's human transformation.
By the time she was done, her mother looked as if she could not take any more, the information swamping her mind too unreal. Yuichi never knew about his father's cousins or the black history between themselves and Inutaisho's family. And of course her father-in-law talked about the Shikon no Tama but as a fable, not something that really existed. It wasn't as big of a shock that her daughter possessed miko powers. That she had learned from the time her daughter was a small child. But the scope of her powers and the fact they were enhanced by the Shikon no Tama that resided in her very blood was hard to comprehend.
Would her daughter survive long enough to take back Avaren? Would she be able to have children? Would they be deformed in some way because of the power her daughter held? So many other questions ran through her mind that a headache started to form.
Kagome brought her back to the present by squeezing her hand. “It's okay, mama. I'm fine.”
“But for how long?” her mother asked, concerned. “This spirit, Midoriko, never said how long you could live like this. If it is even possible for you to live like this. She said you would have to purify her and the youkai she held trapped within your body. It's not natural to have those creatures inside you.”
“Mama, calm down,” Kagome chided. It was no use having her mother worked up about what they could not control. “She never said anything about the Shikon no Tama harming me. Just that she and the youkai will have to be purified at some point. I don't know how or when that will happen or what affects it will have on me but I am fine right now. If it becomes a problem, we'll worry about it then.”
Mitsuko stared at her daughter. Her calm demeanor and her actions were so different than what she was used to. In the little over a month she had been gone, Kagome had matured. She was now a young woman, capable of making her own decisions and acting as she wished. She seemed wiser though how that could be possible in so little time was hard for Mitsuko to understand. Still, if Kagome didn't believe her life was in danger, it did neither of them any good for Mitsuko to worry.
“Alright,” Mitsuko said with a small smile. She lifted her hands up to cradle Kagome's face. “Just promise me that you wont go running off any more without telling me.” Kagome nodded. “And if anything strange starts to happen to you, don't hide it. I mean it. I don't want to find you collapsed somewhere here in the palace for hours before anyone could find you because you didn't tell us you weren't feeling well.”
“I wont hide that, I promise.”
“Good.”
They were startled out of their private conversation by a scratching at the shoji door. “Come in,” Mitsuko called.
A female servant opened the door and bowed in greeting. “Dinner is ready, Hime-sama, Higurashi-sama,” she called out to them then left, closing the door behind her.
“I hadn't realized how late it was,” Mitsuko commented to no one in particular.
Kagome sat starring at the closed door. It was hard for her to get used to the servants addressing her as their Hime. Ever since her betrothal to Inuyasha was made public, they changed the way they acted around her. Instead of the respectful distance that a guest of their lord received, she was now accepted by most of the staff as part of the family and was afforded the same caring intent they gave to their ruler and his family.
Without any conscious thought, Kagome stood and followed her mother down to the dinning room. They entered one that wasn't as formal as the main dinning hall the festival had taken place in. She was startled to see that two extra place settings had been arranged and even more confused when Sango and Miroku walked in a few short minutes after her.
“Inuyasha told us about your two friends you found on your journey and I've offered them a place here for the time being. They have offered their services in the battle with Naraku. Anyone who is against him is an ally.” Inutaisho seemed to have read her mind as he answered her questioning look.
Kagome shot a grateful look Inuyasha's way but he didn't seem to notice. He was quiet and as dinner progressed, she noticed he barely spoke more than a word or two?usually to ask for more food?and left as soon as he was done eating. She wanted to follow him, to see what was wrong. He was never so quiet unless he was angry. But tonight, the anger was gone and he seemed calm for once.
Instead of going after him, Kagome stayed by her mother's side, afraid her presence wouldn't be welcomed by Inuyasha yet. She talked with Lady Izayoi about her journey with Sango to get her mind off the hanyou and even shared the fascinating concoction Sango called soap. Lady Izayoi was most interested in the cleaning bar and asked Sango to make some for her own personal use.
Sango was flattered, blushing heatedly. Soap making was imparted to every woman of her village so when her husband came home dirty with dried blood and grime from youkai fighting, the wife could offer a relaxing bath with something that would get him clean. Lady Izayoi was making a big deal out of such a skill. But, Sango guessed, to someone outside her village, the skill was quite unique.
“Well,” Inutaisho interrupted everyone's thoughts. “It's getting late and I can see how tired our guests are. I think it's time we let them go.”
Kagome stood gratefully. She was tired but more importantly, she was eager to see Inuyasha and worried about how he was taking the day's events. Her mother followed her out and down to their room and helped her dress in a simple cream colored sleeping yukata. She chatted aimlessly but Kagome couldn't concentrate on her words. She itched to go and explore the gardens for Inuyasha. She wasn't sure how she knew it but she was positive that he had secluded himself up in one of the many trees outside. The question was which one.
Seeing her daughter's distraction, Mitsuko finished up with brushing Kagome's hair in silence. Something was on her daughter's mind that made it hard for Kagome to concentrated on anything else. Mitsuko was just glad to have her back and basked in the feel of her hands running through her daughter's silky hair, the touch of her skin against Mitsuko's hands and knowing she was real?not a dream. So many nights had passed where Mitsuko would awaken in a cold sweat, dark bloody visions of her daughter's death pervading her mind. Too many of them mirrored the night Yuichi was killed. Now her heart was at ease and she hoped the visions never returned.
“Alright, I'll leave you now, Kagome. I know you haven't been listening to me chatter on and on.” Mitsuko turned Kagome in her arms and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well.”
Kagome watched her mother leave before she stood. With deft fingers, she braided her untangled hair over her right shoulder and found a pair of straw zori to slip on her feet. She looked again at the main shoji, hoping her mother wouldn't return soon, and then headed for the garden shoji. She slid it open quietly and stepped out into the cool night air.
Her nerves started to fray as she became more aware of what she was doing. They would be alone, like in the cavern, and no one would know if they kissed again. The thought stirred her heart into thumping wildly and her body warmed. An insistent tugging pulled deep in her stomach. She felt excited at meeting him alone, talking with him alone and just being near him.
Getting back to her task, Kagome scanned the trees in her private garden, hoping to see Inuyasha's familiar red and silver figure but knowing he wouldn't be there. Her need to stay clear of him that first week and the chaos of the questions today had made her forget to ask where his private chamber was. She doubted his favorite tree would be anywhere near her. It was more likely his favorite tree was outside in his own private garden. She just had to find it.
Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She focused on her senses, waiting for some small inkling of which direction to take. Something tugged at her over on the right. The feeling grew as she focused more. Warmth flooded her mind, settling cozily like a blanket. She smiled. It was Inuyasha. His very essence encircled her in phantom arms, protecting her and keeping her safe.
Her feet moved without conscious thought?taking her to him. Her eyes remained closed as she felt with her mind his presence growing stronger with each passing step. When she was only a few feet away from him, she opened her eyes to gaze at his back. His beautiful silver hair blew in the breeze. The moonlight caused it to glow like a beacon calling to her.
Kagome walked silently to the tree and sat at its base, uncaring of the dirt and grass that would stain her sleeping yukata. It didn't matter?at least not to her. She bent her head back against the tree and breathed in the fresh night air, waiting for Inuyasha to come down. He knew she was there. His superior hearing and sense of smell allowed him to track her every move from the time she came into his side of the palace. She wasn't going to push him to come down. He needed to do it on his own?to open up to her if he so wished.
Inuyasha stared at Tessaiga. Its weight settled in his hands like a stone. He had already unsheathed it several times but the katana refused to transform into its true self. It was pathetic. His father had finally given him the heirloom he was destined to have and now Inuyasha couldn't make the damn thing show itself.
His ears twitched and his nose picked up a very tempting scent. Kagome. He didn't acknowledge her as she moved in and sat under his tree. He didn't want to talk yet. Too much was going through his mind. He still couldn't believe he held Tessaiga in his hands, gifted to him by his father before his father was dead. The fighting he and Sesshoumaru had done all those years ago?which felt like yesterday to him?no longer mattered. He held the famed Tessaiga, the katana that could kill a hundred youkai in one sweep of the transformed blade, and it felt...disappointing. He could not figure out how to get it to work.
Frustrated, Inuyasha allowed the last bit of the blade to slide back into the sheath. It clicked softly when the hand guard hit the wooden edge. He slipped the katana into the left side strap at his waist and jumped down. On silent feet, he moved to Kagome's side and sat next to her.
She broke the silence. “They were very worried about you. Your parents, I mean.” She paused to look at his profile. He remained still and silent. He was brooding. “I thought you had told them you were leaving. I know I would want to know if my son was leaving for a long period of time after he had been taken away from me once already.”
Inuyasha looked at her, turning his head so quickly his hair covered half his face for a few seconds. He wanted to be angry but he couldn't. She was right. He didn't want to admit it aloud. And he didn't have to. Kagome herself distracted him from her comment.
“May I see your katana?” she asked hopefully. Her eyes stared into his with such pleading he couldn't say no.
“Here.” He handed her the sheath gingerly. He was amazed when she actually took the blade out. No one but hos father, and now himself, could remove it. Sesshoumaru had proved he could wield it but only after it was out of the sheath.
Kagome stared in wonder. Tessaiga was so much heavier than her own katana. She wasn't sure what it was made of. The ragged edge and the rust on the blade told a story of neglect yet the loving way both Inuyasha and Inutaisho touched it said that it was a greatly loved weapon. It was contradicting. She balanced Tessaiga in her hands, figuring out how it would be held then placed it back in its sheath and handed it back.
“It's suppose to transform,” Inuyasha quietly commented as he grasped the katana and held it in his lap.
“Transform?”
He nodded. “You've seen some paintings of it around the palace. A giant katana with a tuft of white fir over the guard. It, like it's sister Tenseiga, was made out of one of my father's fangs. That's why it's so heavy. My father's blood gives it life.”
“But you can't make it transform,” she stated matter-of-factly.
He shook his head and pounded the ground with a closed fist, frustrated. “No.”
“We'll figure it out.” Kagome grasped Inuyasha's fist and watched the small cuts heal almost instantly. It still amazed her that he could heal so fast.
He looked at her skeptically. How the hell could she possibly figure out how to transform the katana when he couldn't? She was human?a very attractive human?but a human none-the-less with no hint of youkai blood. She could not call out to the katana and make it transform. Not that he could either. But that was beside the point! He had no knowledge of the katana and his father wouldn't impart any other advice to him than what he said this afternoon. Be patient and use it to protect those you love. What did that mean?
Inuyasha was distracted by Kagome's body. She leaned her head against his shoulder. It startled him. Why was she getting so close? He stared at her head, willing her to turn it so he could look into her eyes and read her thoughts. She did, almost as if reading his mind. Her beautiful brown eyes held happiness and comfort.
“We'll figure it, somehow. I promise. You wont be alone in this or anything else, if you'll let me stay by your side.”
Inuyasha swallowed hard. He couldn't get rid of the lump that had formed. She wanted to be with him?a lowly hanyou? Without any restrictions? He nodded, unable to do anything else.
His frustration evaporated for the moment in the face of her words. Could he allow himself to believe them? Yes, yes he could. He was willing to tale the chance. Kagome had never lied to him. She was kindhearted and truly seemed to care about him. He didn't want to think too deeply yet about that but for now, he liked the idea of her being with him?helping him
Satisfied, Kagome buried her head deeper into his shoulder, loving the feel of his silken hair against her cheek. It felt perfect. Kissing him would have been great but just sitting with him, listening to some of his problems made her feel like she was becoming part of his life. Finally. He was letting go of his tight guard on himself. It was worth the trip outside.
“Arigatou,” she heard him whisper softly. She smiled secretively. He hadn't meant for her to hear him, talking so low she wasn't even sure herself how she heard. But she had and it made butterflies dance in her stomach.
Inuyasha felt wholly relaxed. A small comforting presence settled in the back of his mind, lulling him into a dreamy half awake state. He felt at peace here with Kagome in his little garden. His problems floated away. And soon, the two of them were asleep, side-by-side with their heads nestled against each other.
That was how Inutaisho found them. The great inu youkai couldn't help but smile. No matter how much his son protested, Kagome was already inserting herself into his very being?much the same way Izayoi had done to him all those long years ago.
Inutaisho turned and left quietly with a shake of his head. Izayoi had been right. Kagome was just what their son needed. Maybe after this little intimate moment, Inuyasha wouldn't be so gruff. Only time could tell. He hoped to watch every moment of their lives as he could and protect for as long as he was able. If only Sesshoumaru would relent and find a mate too.
O o O o O o O o O
Kouga stood at the summit of the mountain den, barely winded. His two subordinates were way behind him but he didn't care. A summons from the Elder was urgent business, regardless of what it was about. Taking a deep breath, he plunged ahead, eager to get it over with and go back to Kagome.
He almost missed the first sign, so subtle, no one but the best of trackers would have found it. A faint whiff of something sickly sweet and metallic hit his nose. Blood. He still had an hour to go before he reached the top but he sped up, his heart pounding at what that could mean. Regardless, it didn't bode well. There had to be a lot of blood for him to smell it so far down the mountain.
Racing to the top, he cleared the last bit of congested foliage and stopped dead in his tracks. His skin paled to a deathly white and his eyes blurred?he was shocked. Bodies of friends and comrades were scattered from where he stood to beyond his sight in the den. One body was just a few steps away from him. The arm was outstretched in an attempt to grab the weapon that lay only a hand's-breadth from him. His stomach held several deep wounds but nothing was as bad as his slit throat. It was cut cleanly and deep, allowing for the maximum amount of blood to be spilled.
Walking amongst his fallen brethren, Kouga noticed they all shared that one common feature. Each one's throat was cut deep with some sort of very sharp edge that allowed for massive blood loss. The smell become more and more abrasive against his sensitive nose. He almost became sick but held his will over his own body. He needed to find survivors, not wallow in his own vomit.
Finally at the entrance, Kouga stilled. “Is anyone there?” he shouted and listened. A soft whimpering echoed back to him.
Careful not to disturb the bodies, he made his way inside. Close to the back of the den, Kouga noticed the Elder on the ground. He moved slightly and Kouga jumped to help him up only to discover that the Elder, too, was dead. Sickened, Kouga placed the Elder off to the side and bent on one knee to discover what was under him. It was a hole.
A bright patch of red peeked out and he could barely make out very bright and wide green eyes. “Oh, Kami-sama!”
At Kouga's shout, Ayame lifted her head all the way out and placed her hands on the edge of the hole. Kouga immediately moved to help her, pulling her up with little effort while ignoring the blood that covered her almost from head to toe. He cradled her pale form in his arms, rubbing her back and whispering words in her ear. He didn't care if blood soaked into his armor and furs. She needed him.
Ayame pulled back slightly, rubbing her eyes and composing herself. “I'm fine now. Really.”
Kouga didn't want to let her go but she was now his leader. They weren't mates yet since the wedding was still two weeks away. He had no right to help her emotionally. Besides, I don't want to, he mentally berated himself. Turning back to the elder, he examined the body and took in every last detail.
“What happened?” he asked without turning to face her.
Ayame took a shuddering breath and looked over at the Elder. “We had wolves posted at the boundaries. They came running in with news of an intruder. No one expected them to come so quickly, barely a half hour after the wolves had warned us. It wasn't enough time. I helped all the women and children escape and was already on my way back here to convince the Elder to leave too when they came. Three of them. They smelled like death and decaying flesh even though they were alive. They wanted to see blood. That's all they cared about. The Elder through me down that hole and then stopped them from seeing it. On his last dying breathe, he crawled over and covered the hole with his body, protecting me.”
Kouga growled menacingly. The blood all over her wasn't her own, it was the Elder's. Ayame had been helpless to save him trapped as she was under his dying body. “Did they say anything?”
Ayame shook her head. “It was strange. They didn't talk at all. Only strange unintelligible noises. And...and they had the same exact red glowing eyes. They weren't related. One was a bear youkai, one was a snake and the last was a kitsune.”
Kouga nodded and stood up. “For now, clean yourself up and go to the women. Take them to one of the other den sites. Ginta and Hakkaku will be hear shortly and I'll send up a call for the rest of the ookami to come.”
“But I need to be here,” she protested.
“No, you need to calm the women and the children. When I know who is alive and who is dead, I'll come for you. Just stay at the other den with them.”
Ayame reluctantly left Kouga to his gruesome task. She wanted to help, as was her duty, but she was also thankful she wouldn't have to move the dead bodies. She couldn't handle that too. The blood that drenched her made her queasy and the remembered sight of the Elder's dead body over the hole, suffocating her with the noxious scent of death, made her want to scrub every patch of skin and orifice until she was rubbed raw.
Kouga let her go even though his instincts screamed at him to follow her and comfort her. Now was not the time. As they would become the leaders, the ones their friends and family looked up too, they had to be strong for their pack. He exited the den and sent up a howl. Wolves raced from their hiding places from the surrounding areas and were sent to the more distant clan members with the message of the slaughter.
He turned back to the den, his mind going numb, as Ginta and Hakkaku ran up. He ordered them tersely to help him pile up the dead. In the process, Kouga took in every man's face and name?if he knew them?and vowed to learn the names of those he didn't. He would never forget this. Nor would Ayame.
Ayame's face came back to him, haunted as it was when he had taken her out of the hole. His throat closed up at the thought of her hurt in any way. His mind became a buzzing beehive of thoughts. They would not be mated right away. First they would mourn their dead then Ayame would become the new Elder. After that, they would marry and become mates. There was no getting around that fact now. Nor did he want to anymore. On his honor, he swore he would use his new position to not only protect her and the clan but to find the bastards who slaughtered their family. He would use any means necessary to find the killers, even if he had to join Inuyasha's group. The thought left a bad taste in his mouth but he would do it.
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