InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Price of Vengeance ❯ Chapter 13: To Be Safe ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter Thirteen (To Be Safe)

An overwhelmingly earthy smell assaulted the woman's nose as she stirred restlessly. A shudder went over the white body as a dull throb of pain shot through her. Full lips tightened into a grimace, and Kagura let out her breath with a hiss.

"Here, now, don't move." A gruff voice growled at her, and the wind youkai tried to shy away as a callused palm tightened on her shoulder.

"No..." She breathed, hating herself for adding, "Please..."

Claws dug, not ungently, into her shoulder and she stilled, shivering. Lashes fluttered on the pale cheek as she tried to open her eyes.

"Rest easy now." The voice rumbled, and someone---something---whined.

Whined?

Kagura tried to open her eyes, but her lids felt too heavy. A hot, panting breath roamed over her face, and a cold, wet nose sniffed in her ear. She twitched in reaction.

"Get on, now, you mangy mutt!" The raised voice made her delicate ears ring. Another whine and a scrabble of claws clicking on stone signaled the beast's departure.

*Where am I?*

The wind youkai tried to remember what about the scent that thickly surrounded her should make her feel tense and wary. Before she could open her eyes, a cool, damp cloth was placed over them by her rough-handed caretaker.

"You should rest, woman." The voice rumbled. "You've not healed as quickly as you should."

Kagura could not rest, had never been able to rest. Fear twisted in her belly, and she tried vainly to move exhausted limbs. She ignored the darkness over her eyes, and tried to extend her senses around her. She rested on fur hides---part of the earthy scent came from the mustiness of them. She could feel the softness of a simple yukata against her tender skin, and the heavy weight and warmth of more furs covering her. Emerging awareness sharpened her hearing---and the pain.

She hurt everywhere. Dull throbs of her heartbeat sent tingles down her arms and legs. For a moment, she ignored the heady pain and focused on the simple wonder that she could feel her own heart beating in her own body.

*Naraku...*

Horrific memories had her stiffen and cry out weakly.

"Here, now, what's this?" The voice grumbled again. "Another nightmare?" The furs were drawn back, and Kagura shivered involuntarily as her yukata was loosened. The callused hand squeezed her shoulder in reassurance, and the voice was gruff with kindness. "Here, now, girl, it will be all right. You are in pain from your wounds. No need to worry. I just need to put some numbing salve on your burns. Don't worry now."

Soothing lotion was rubbed over her skin with careful gentleness. Kagura relaxed a little under the ministrations, but she was still worried. Who was caring for her? Where was she that someone WOULD care for her?

The voice rumbled on, as if the owner thought she might be more relaxed and calm by hearing his gruff speech. "Poor thing. Someone hurt you bad. Don't worry, now. You're youkai, and you'll heal all right. It just takes time, girl. Don't worry. You'll be beautiful again."

*Beautiful...*

Naraku's mocking voice filled her mind, as the dark hanyou stared down at her broken body with lust turning the red eyes into glowing coals. Kagura gasped in fright at the awful memory. She tried to move away from the clawed hands that reached for her, and the sharp torture of pain that would follow. The claws clamped on her shoulders, and she moaned feebly, tears falling down her ashen cheeks.

"Here now, girl." The gruff voice was filled with care. "Don't worry, now. Easy, girl. Easy. Your safe, girl. You're safe. No one here will hurt you."

The longing of the thought tumbled through the wind youkai's exhausted mind as darkness claimed her once more.

*Oh...to be safe...*

*~*~*~*~*

Kagome sunk down onto the pile of pillows as the wooden door thudded shut behind the disappearing Taiyoukai. She felt weak and uncertain, and more afraid than she had ever been in her whole life.

*What is he thinking? What does he want?*

Her confused thoughts tumbled through her mind, circling like mad dogs.

*Mad dogs.*

Shuddering, she curled her legs under her, unconsciously drawing in upon herself. SesshouMaru was a mad dog. Nobody could predict what he would do, or why. His aims were always shrouded in mystery, and no one could understand his reasoning.

He had tried to kill InuYasha numerous times. And her. So what was different now? Why had he captured her, and then not killed her? Could he want her for her Jewel-detecting abilities? That was the reason why so many youkai in the past had abducted her, because she could see the Shikon shards and they wanted her for their own petty ambitions of false power.

But SesshouMaru was already a powerful Taiyoukai. He did not need the Jewel shards to enhance his own strength.

So why her?

Kagome sighed, irritated with herself. A wisp of a thought was just beyond her reach. She knew if she let herself relax, it would come to her. But she was too disturbed by the Lord's awful behavior of before.

*That pervert actually licked my neck!*

Indignation burned through her, and she rubbed unconsciously at the spot. Eyes widening, she realized that there was no scab there, where his razor sharp claw had pierced her skin. Softly feeling over her whole jaw for the spot, her fingertips could find nothing.

But she could not deny the memory of the sharp, sudden pain, or the burning tingle afterward. She shivered. The puncture had burned like a paper cut. Ooh! Ouch!

Which put her in mind of the small, tender knot forming on the back of her head, where SesshouMaru had smacked it into the wall when he nearly strangled her. The stupid youkai was as uncouth as his disdained hanyou brother when it came to man-handling her. She was really getting tired of it! The pair of them forgot their own strength.

Unless SesshouMaru had been deliberate.

That thought sent another chill down her spine. The Taiyoukai was unbelievably fast. And with his cold, expressionless face, you couldn't tell what he was going to do, which made him even more dangerous, to Kagome's way of thinking.

Her musings were interrupted by the creak of the wooden door in the other room being pushed open. Kagome reacted instantly, jumping up and squashing herself against the furthest wall, behind a stout table. She instinctively grabbed for a candlestick holder. She could at least hurl the heavy, brass piece at the Taiyoukai's head.

The patter of bare feet and a smothered giggle widened Kagome's eyes. Curiosity won out over caution, and she crept out of her corner. A small, black pigtail poked out from the corner of the arch that divided the two rooms. Blinking, Kagome couldn't believe it when two big brown eyes followed. The eyes blinked back at her, and then the rest of the girl emerged around the arch.

"Hi." The little girl said.

"Oh. Hello." Kagome was at a loss.

The girl gave her a wide, gap-toothed smile. Her whole face lit up, and Kagome couldn't help but smile back. The little girl was wrapped in an expensive kimono of big blue flowers on a yellow background. The kimono was of good quality, if slightly dirty and the worse for wear. The little girl had a smudge on her cheek, and one eyebrow appeared thicker than the other due to another smudge just above it on her forehead. She was adorable.

"You're pretty." The girl said, and Kagome blushed.

"Uh, thank you. So are you." Kagome answered. She stepped forward, instantly liking the engaging little child. "I'm Kagome. What's your name?"

"I'm Rin." The girl pronounced.

"Well, Rin, it's nice to meet you." Kagome smiled.

Rin dropped a faint attempt at a bow. "Pleasure." She said with a cute stutter over the word. Dropping the 'pleasantries', Rin explained seriously, "That means me too. I'm glad to meet me, too. No, wait. That means you, too. Right? It's nice to meet you, too."

"Right." Kagome assured the child seriously, though her brown eyes warmed with amusement. She knelt in front of the child, so she wouldn't loom over her like an elephant.

"I'm SesshouMaru-sama's ward." Rin said conversationally. Kagome's mouth fell open in frank surprise.

*His ward? SesshouMaru has a human girl for a ward?*

Rin giggled. "You look like Jaken, with your mouth all open like that."

"Jaken?!" Kagome felt indignation rise. No way did she look like that ugly little toad!

"Oh, just your face." Rin tried to make her feel better. "You're much, much prettier than Jaken. He looks like a toad."

Kagome flashed her an understanding smile, full of agreement. But they were interrupted by the toad's entrance.

"I do not look like a toad, you stinking little wolf-bait." The screechy voice echoed off the stone walls and proceeded the googly-eyed imp into the outer chamber. "I know you're in here, and wait until I tell Lord SesshouMaru what you've been up to. Playing in the dirt and running about the castle in places where you don't belong. Why, I can't wait to see what he does...to..." The imp paused in his tirade as he realized just whose room he was in.

"Oh, my." He swept the Human-Head Staff in front of him, as if to deflect Kagome's presence. The yellow eyes bulged, and his mouth fell open. Rin giggled, flashing a bright smile at Kagome.

Jaken glared at the pair of them, before turning his ire on Rin. "You stupid little moldy turnip! Just look where you've gone! You aren't supposed to be in here! Lord SesshouMaru's gonna---"

Kagome stood up, bristling. She deliberately walked in front of the giggling girl, and glared at the ugly, green imp. "Don't talk to her like that! Don't call her names, you stupid toad!"

Jaken's eyes narrowed into evil little slits as he thudded the end of the Staff into the floor to emphasize his squawk of outrage. "Ha! Who are you to tell me what to do? I'm Jaken, first advisor to me lord SesshouMaru, and you are just a lowly ningen brat who me lord stuck here in this moldy damp little cell. Just you wait until me lord hears about---"

"Jaken."

They all froze at the cold voice.

The Taiyoukai stood there in all his icy, untouchable arrogance. Kagome flinched back, away from the steely golden eyes. She protectively shoved Rin behind her, backing away even as Jaken hunched his shoulders.

The imp's yellow eyes swept to the right, trying to peek at his Master before he swivelled his scaly neck around. Clutching the Staff with three sweaty claws, he made a desperate plea.

"Lord SesshouMaru! Am I glad to see you! That stupid turnip ran away from me, and I found her in here trying to free the prisoner. I think they were trying to escape, but, thankfully, I came along and was just about to stop---"

"What?" Kagome glared at the imp, distracted. Righteous indignation at the toad's blatant lies burned through her, and she didn't even acknowledge the Taiyoukai as her eyes narrowed on the imp. "You lying little toad!"

Rin giggled.

"I am NOT a toad! Stupid little stinking ningen!" He turned back to face Kagome, outraged dignity causing him to shake with wrath. Gripping the Staff of Skulls, he gave an impressive growl. "We'll see what kind of toad I am when I fry you to a crisp with my Staff. No stinking ningen can talk to me that way!"

"Jaken." The Taiyoukai voice was bored and emotionless, but the golden eyes were narrowed with impatience. "You will leave. Now."

"B-But Master!" The imp protested at a particularly screechy volume that even made Kagome wince as it rang in her ears.

"Now, Jaken." The Lord was cold. "I will deal with you later."

The imp was the picture of abject defeat. Shoulders slumping, he crept slowly past the Taiyoukai, giving him hurt little looks out of the corner of his eyes. The answering golden glare made the imp grab up his robes and scoot past the Lord's side, the Staff wildly swinging as he disappeared around the white hakama.

Rin giggled again from behind Kagome. Kagome had been frozen in shock at the little byplay, but she was recalled to her senses as the golden gaze was focused once more on her. Stepping backwards, further into the bedroom, she herded Rin behind her, shielding the little girl from the Taiyoukai's wrath.

SesshouMaru watched her, a flicker of---something, Kagome couldn't even begin to guess what---going through the molten eyes. She didn't understand how his eyes, lighter than InuYasha's and yet so similar, could go from heated to cool so quickly. He seemed to sense her trepidation, and, although his stance did not alter, he seemed to become more casual.

*Well, Shards, where am I supposed to go?* Kagome thought ruefully to herself, as she glanced around the stone walls. Boxed in, again. But there was no way that Mr. Overly Stiff and Obnoxious was going to lay a finger---er, claw---on that sweet little girl as long as she was around!

"Rin." The voice was cool, but the little girl perked up.

"SesshouMaru-sama." She was actually grinning at him, giving him the same light-up-the-room smile as she had given Kagome. Kagome couldn't believe her eyes. The girl, who had been hugging the back of Kagome's leg, inched past. Kagome made a swooping grab for the blue-blossomed yellow kimono, but the girl was slippery as a fish, and ran to the Lord with a little skipping dance. She stopped in front of the white-robed Taiyoukai, who towered above her like some severe guardian angel and gave him a cheeky grin.

"I've missed you, SesshouMaru-sama."

Kagome blinked.

"You're dirty." The Lord said coolly.

A small foot circled the floor as the girl looked down and clasped her hands in front of her.

"You need a bath." The girl looked back up, eyes trusting. "See to it."

"Yes, my lord!" Rin turned back to give Kagome an airy wave, and then skipped out of the room. Kagome watched her incredulously. Did she really just see all that?

"Miko."

*Uh-oh.*