InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The King and I ❯ He's a sharp one, that monk.... ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

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The next few hours were critical for the girl's life. She had a high fever, from the infection of the harsh wound on her head. She would writhe and mumble in her sleep, but nothing intelligible. The other children had taken to the small garden in the back of Kagome's rather spacious hut.

I'd asked her what she'd needed all the room for. She'd answered with a pride she didn't even bother trying to hide.

"Because I need to take care of them. All of them."

She'd explained that she was more the doctor than the actual trained one in town. While he required a payment for his services, she did everything for free. In exchange, the grateful townspeople saw that she had a large house to treat her patients at. She refused any other kind of assistance, though money still found its way into her hands now and again.

"Then what do you live off of?"
"The forest around me. I save whatever money I get for bandages and anything else I can't find outside."

"And maybe a few drinks here and there, eh?"

She'd shot me a sheepish glance then instead of the angry one I'd expected.
"Hey, I'm not some lush if that's what you're saying. I need to relax just like anyone else."

The longer the day wore on, the more the ice between us seemed to melt. Not to say she stopped insulting me, but it seemed she wasn't quite as angry about my wandering eyes as she had been before this all happened. I was relieved when she finally dressed, though.

At some point in the afternoon, one of the townsfolk came to check on the children. He took all the children back home on the cart when he saw that his beloved doctor was far too busy to watch fifteen children. He also told me Miroku had gone looking for me hours ago. When he'd left, things seemed to get sort of awkward. We were completely alone, save for the little girl. Then she went ahead and asked the one thing I'd hoped she wouldn't bring up.

"I've never asked…why did you bring her to me…why were you there."

I just stared for a few moments, like a rabbit caught pillaging a garden. She smiled coyly and there was a playful gleam in her eyes. Swallowing hard, I tried to pull a Miroku and bullshit my way out of it.

"Uh…well you know, you got stuck earlier, and I mean, if it happened again, and there was no one there to help you, what would you have done? I just, you know, wanted to make sure the, um, kids were okay."

That coy look melted into a flat glare.

"Right. The children." With a small sigh she turned away, tending to the girl who'd begun to mumble again. There was a long uncomfortable silence.

"What's your name anyway?"

Her question caught me off guard, and before I could think twice about it, I'd already said it.

"Inuyasha."

"That's a funny name," she shot me another mischievous glance, "but kind of fitting."
I took it as a play on words, and rolled my eyes.

"You sure have a mouth on you, you know. How'd you get so-"

"Sassy? It's a gift. So why are you still here anyway?"

"I-I wanted to help. Did you want me to just drop her on your lap and run away?"

"You're only passing through though. Isn't your journey being delayed?"

"It can wait. I'm in…no big hurry to get there."

"Where are you headed, anyway?"

"The capital. I have business there." I grimaced inwardly thinking about the kind of "business" I would have to attend to there. She furrowed her brow.

"Not good?"

"No. Not something I want to do."

"May I ask?" I wanted very badly to tell her just what the hell I was doing in this backwards country to start with, but realized, it wasn't a smart thing to do to reveal my identity.

"There's something I have to…bring back from there. It's a promise I made my parents before

they passed."

"Oh…they've died. I'm sorry. "

"I hear that you can sympathize." I replied calmly. She seemed to become nervous, though.

"People talk too much around here. It's none of their business where I come from, or who my family was. I'm not here to get pity-I'm here to help."

"You don't have to get so defensive. I'm not accusing you of anything, Kagome."

Her hard looked softened when I said her name, and she smiled a tiny smile that she tried to hide.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry I hurt you last night. I was in a bad mood. All I wanted was a nice hard drink and to be left alone. But every time I go there, you'd think those men never saw a woman before. I suppose Mushin mentioned that to you."

"He did. And, it's okay, doesn't even hurt anymore."

"You heal quickly then." She watched me out of the corner of her eye, almost suspiciously.

"Yeah, guess I do. Anyway, I was a real asshole, and I'm sorry about that. I really didn't mean to…you know."

"But you've been doing that since we were at the lake. Did you not mean that either?"
I gulped loudly, my mind frantically scrambling for some kind of excuse. How the hell did she know that anyway!? I was being as covert as a fucking ninja, yet she still seemed to know I'd been ogling her.

An odd thought flashed in my head at the same time.

"I need you to walk behind that tree next to the cart, and on the other side of it, you'll find that plant…"

I shook it out of my head when I realized she was still watching me, looking about ready to burst into laughter.

"Keh! Vain wench."

She chuckled softly, musically, and I found myself inadvertently leaning closer to her. Another silence, this one comfortable, settled over the hut. The girl was sleeping peacefully now, her face lax, and with a much healthier flush to her skin.

"She's going to live. But she's scared. I can't imagine what she's been through. I only hope no permanent damage has been done. It was a deep wound."

I nodded, watching as she tucked the thin blanket up under her chin. Her actions were so gentle and motherly, and I had a brief flashback to my own mother caring for me when I was sick.

"She owes her life to you. Thank you. It must have been your fate to find her."

"It was more luck that fate. I got lost."

"Oh. I see."

She smiled again, keeping her eyes trained on her tiny patient.

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~K POV~

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He was trying to play off his good deed, more modest than bashful. I found it very endearing. At least he was honest most of the time.

But still I had to wonder.

Who was he trying to fool?

The spell over him was very powerful, but nothing could him the hanyou aura radiating around him from my senses. He didn't seem to even notice that I knew.

`It's probably best I don't bring it up. Not my business. He'll be gone tomorrow."

I tried to convince myself that the thought didn't disappoint me, but I couldn't help it. He'd been so helpful today, even a tad bit caring. I wasn't sure if he had even been sure of what he was feeling then.

It'd been a long time since any man had been in my home and not been terribly wounded.

It'd been even longer since I talked to one without making him that way.

I was finding it hard to focus on the girl, and to ignore the various emotions he was unconsciously projecting. Every now and then I would get curious, and "eavesdrop" on what he was feeling.

What I felt each time made me more and more nervous.

He was curious, too…

He'd brought up my parents, which had already put me on edge. Mushin was a gossip, and I had to admit, I did carry myself with an air of mystery. I told only what needed to be told to gain the trust I had now. I hadn't liked lying about my parents, but if these people had known where I'd really come from, things would have turned out much differently.

Playing the orphan had worked well for me. I was accepted, embraced, and eventually well respected.

Now I was the foundation that all the women depended on. The men were thankful for my advice when they had said or done the wrong thing. I was a doctor, not only of the body, but of the mind and soul.

It was all I'd ever wanted to be.

My life was as perfect as anyone could ask for. And all because I'd started out with a clean slate, and made myself the person I wanted to be.

This stranger, Inuyasha…he was sniffing around, looking for answers which he didn't rightfully hold claim to. He didn't even know me!

I had to keep it that way. I had to be strong, and stick to the story I'd created for myself.

But…

Still…there was such an odd air to him, aside from the hanyou aura. He was unhappy, and it seemed that he genuinely dreaded whatever business he had in the capital.

My nature demanded for me to somehow remedy that, to erase the negativity he tried so hard to push deep down.

I suspected the death of his parents had something to do with it, but that was a given. No, there was something else…emptiness, and a longing.

He felt alone. Completely alone.

Despite my satisfaction with how things had turned out in my home here, I'd never felt truly complete. I merely told myself that was to be expected-I could not let anyone come close enough to me, or my previous life, or my strange sense would be revealed.

And I not could handle the same rejection my own father had felt for me from anyone else.

That loneliness would forever be a part of me, the foundation for the happiness I had built here.

This Inuyasha…he would never know just how much we had in common.

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She was quiet.

Too quiet.

I'd been thinking, odd and random moments popping into my head-something about Kagome didn't sit quite right.

The entire time I'd followed her on the road, she'd seemed to know I was there. When I'd appeared at the lake, she'd looked right up at me, her concern preceding surprise-she'd known I was there before she'd even looked up. She'd known the girl was hurt before that too.

Then the odd things she'd said.

Like knowing exactly where the plant she needed was. Granted, that could be because she knew the area so well, but it didn't explain how she know I was scowling without even seeing me.

Those who knew me would have expected it, but I'd barely known her for even a handful of hours.

Her constant communication of what the injured girl was feeling was strange. She seemed so calm, so sure of herself. Like she could really feel it…

And how the fuck had she known I was looking at her?!!

Just looking at her, she seemed normal enough. There was no demonic aura coming from her, no apparent magic.

She was just a plain, average village girl.

Except she looked anything but.

I knew that good breeding in the court was responsible for some of the pretty faces I'd seen in my lifetime. Not to say my villagers were bug ugly or anything, but the right mix could make quite the difference.

And there was no way this girl could just be a peasant's daughter.

She was unearthly, angelic, and a number of other words I'd never thought I'd use to describe anyone but my mother.

It scared the shit out of me.

A faint breeze from the window carried a familiar scent to me. I groaned inwardly, and was about to announce that we had company before catching myself. So I merely waited until the monk was within normal hearing range.

Instead I frowned when she lifted her head, and glanced towards her door when Miroku was still a good ten yards away.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. She shot me a timid glance, and smiled.

"No, I just thought I heard something," her eyes flitted back to the door. "Would you mind checking around outside? It might be a villager, or someone injured."

I nodded, and left. Outside, I could already hear Miroku grumbling and cursing under his breath.

"Oi, monk! If Sango heard you, she'd be washing your mouth out." I smirked. He simply glared, not finding any humor in my words. He swung his staff so suddenly towards my head, that I didn't even have time to dodge it.

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?!"

"For walking off without a single word, or message, or bit of proof that you weren't dead, that our country was not kingless, and that I wasn't stuck in some trade route hub in a foreign county by myself. That's what that was for. Not to mention the fact that you knew I was looking for you, and a villager so kindly informed me that you were alive and well, and a mile past the edge of town. Did you get all that, my lord?" He hissed through clenched teeth.

"You don't have to get all mad about it." I muttered, then ducked as the staff made another trip towards me. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Something came up, and I had to help."

"Are you hurt?" He asked, finally with valid concern.

"Well, other than just now, no." I said rubbing my sore head. "I found some kid, banged up pretty badly. Couldn't just leave her there now could I?"

"I suppose not."

"She's getting better now. Someone's taking care of her."

"But the doctor is in town. Who lives out here that could treat-"

"Is everything alright out here? Anyone hurt?"

As if on cue, Kagome had come outside, probably to see what had happened to me. Miroku glanced quickly between her, then me, then her, and so on. A familiar, sadistic grin made its way over his face.

"Ah. I see."

As she approached, her concern wavered, and an also familiar annoyance claimed her inquisitive look.

"Oh, you again. I wasn't aware lechers worked in pairs these days."

"Hey! I thought you got over that! It was an accident, he's the lecher!" I shot back defensively.

"I'll be inside. If you want to make yourselves useful, bring me some water from that stream behind the hut. Watch out for the thorn bushes."

She turned on her heel and marched back inside.

We both stood in silence for a few moments. I was miffed, but Miroku seemed to have a more concentrated look on his face as he watched her walk away. I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"Cut it out-"

"Wait," he interjected, raising his hand to shush me. "Inuyasha…does anything seem strange about our young lady friend here?"

"Whaddya mean? Besides the fact that she really holds a grudge?"

"Yes, besides that."

"Well…," I began hesitantly. "She's pretty attuned to everything around her. I think she knew you were coming from way back there." I pointed to the beginning of the dirt path.

"You don't smell any sort of demon scent on her do you?"

"No, nothing like that. She's definitely human. What are you trying to say, Miroku?"

He looked pensive, but shook his head in dismissal.

"I'm not sure. Come, lets try to make up for the bad impression she seems to have of us."

"It's just you. She was fine with me before you showed up."

"Does that disappoint you?"

I stammered to respond, and by the way he grinned, he knew he'd caught me off guard.

"She is quite lovely. Nothing compared to my dear Sango, I must say, but still, very attractive."

"She's alright." I said softly as we made our way to the stream. I picked up the random bucket from the garden as we passed it, and avoided the brambles as warned.

"So what have you learned so far? Anything good?"

"No. She lives alone."

"In such a large home?"

"She takes care of everyone, so they built her a giant hut. She's better than the doctor in town, and doesn't charge. Says she lives off the land and stuff."

"Ah. A simple life. Very selfless of her. She is truly an orphan as well then? Has she said anything about her parents?"

"She got kinda weird when I brought them up." I knelt down and submerged the bucket once we reached the stream. I looked up at him curiously. "Hey-what's with all the questions anyway? You know something I don't or what?"

"Its nothing. Her aura is just very different from any I've encountered before. Then again, I have not met many mikos in my lifetime."

"Miko? She's a miko?"

"There's no mistaking that."

I frowned, and handed him the now full bucket of water.

"So…what the hell is a miko anyway?"

He groaned and I jumped out of the way as he threw the water at me.

As we walked back, he explained it as simply as he could.

A miko was a girl who possessed a rare, large amount of spiritual power. It manifested in different ways, each different for every miko. Some could see the future, some could heal with a single touch. The one thing each girl had in common was that they could use their powers defensively, even offensively. The effects of these attacks were devastating -especially when it came to youkai…

He told me that if she knew I was even half demon, she could kill me with a single blow.

"Then I suppose it's a good thing she doesn't know, eh?"

"Yes," he frowned, then sighed. "I guess it is."

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Miroku does not have the wind tunnel in this fic. His hand is still just as cursed though!

Anyways, hope you liked.

Thanks for reading!

~Sabichan~