InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Protector of Her Heart ❯ The Meaning of Chivalry ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10: The Meaning of Chivalry

 

“Your Highness! Your Highness!” Hannah called as she burst into the queen's rooms, her green eyes fearful and her brown hair flying all around her face. The dowager queen, who had been reading a book, stood up immediately with the servant's intrusion.

 

“Hannah, what is it? What is the matter?” she asked, standing up abruptly with a worried look on her face.

 

Pausing for a moment to catch her breath, Hannah continued, “It's the princess, Your Highness! Her fever keeps rising, and they don't know if—”

 

The queen's gasp cut her short, as reality of her daughter's imminent death hit her all at once. But, like a queen should, she put aside the fullness of her emotions to face the world. “I must go to her…” she whispered, her voice almost lost, like a child's.

 

Hannah nodded, “Yes, hurry, they think that by sunset—” the maid gulped, blocking a tear that was forming in her eye. “It's best that we go soon.”

 

Without thought for anything else, the queen followed Hannah as she led out the door, noticing many courtiers also watching as she left. She didn't look at them directly, and that caused many of them to know the truth of what was happening.

 

It was hopeless. Their princess would die. That very night.

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

Inuyasha pushed the horse he had liberated from the stables further, galloping into the heart of the city at incredible speed. Come on, move! He kicked the horse once more, and despite the neck-snapping pace, it still wasn't fast enough for him. He knew that the palace physicians would not have the rare herbs required for the cure he remembered from his childhood, but a common city herbologist might. But getting into the city and finding someone who specialized in medicinal herbs took time; time that he didn't have.

 

Damn it! He internally cursed, glancing around at poor, thatched roofed houses as he flew past them. This is taking too long! Kagome, don't you die on me!

 

People in the streets stared at him as he galloped past, and he supposed that it was a strange sight; a silver haired man pushing his horse to go faster at the heart of the city. But the spectators also led to many near accidents as more than one had to be pulled out of the path of the horse's hooves.

 

Finally, as he turned a corner near the bridge over the river, his sensitive nose caught a familiar scent. Ratsweed…but that only grows in the Demon Lands, so it must be—! Pulling the reins, the beast skidded to a halt as he turned the horse sharply around, heading back towards the east side of the city, following the scent.

 

The trail led him to a shop near the main street, with a bowl and pestle shaped sign out front—the sign of the apothecary trade. More scents of rare herbs and medicines filled his nose, almost making the hanyou sick, before he tied up the horse to a fencepost of a nearby house and walked in.

 

A small bell rung as he opened the door, making a small, old man walk out of a backroom. “What can I do for you—” the apothecary stopped when he caught sight of Inuyasha's unusual hair, and like the normal reaction of humans, his eyes flickered up to the ears as well. Inuyasha only rolled his eyes under this scrutiny, having received it several times before. “Uh…sir?”

 

Getting right to the point, Inuyasha, slid a list over to the aging and stooping man. “I need these herbs in those amounts. Now.”

 

Taking more time than the hanyou thought should have been taken, the herbologist took out a small pair of spectacles and peeked through at the list. “That's quite a number of rare herbs there—”

 

“Yeah, but they're in small amounts,” Inuyasha cut in. “Can you get them now?”

 

Sighing, the apothecary carefully placed the list back down on the counter. “Let me see what I have…” he murmured to himself, walking into the backroom, leaving an irate and impatient hanyou behind.

 

Every second seeming to take forever, Inuyasha paced around the room, eyes flickering back towards the place where the old man left every few seconds. He marched over to the window and looked out, seeing the sun sink lower in the sky. He didn't have time for this! He was running out of it as it was!

 

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, the apothecary came back, carrying a bag filled with herbs. “Is that it?” the hanyou asked impatiently.

 

“I have everything here you asked for,” the old man replied, before adding, “Except for the bark of the moonflower tree…it's very rare and—”

 

Growling and grabbing the apothecary by the scruff of his collar, causing him to gasp slightly, Inuyasha asked, “You don't have it?” in a threatening tone.

 

Scared now of the demon that said with his eyes that there was a painful fate awaiting him if he didn't comply, the apothecary stuttered, “Y-yes…I-I-I'm afraid that we're f-fresh out and—”

 

Dropping the man, Inuyasha exploded, “Do you understand what happens if you don't have it? If you don't get that now, then she will die!”

 

Trembling in fear, the old man said, “W-well…I might have something that w-will work…it's been substituted for the bark of moonflower before…”

 

“Get it!” the hanyou roared, sending the apothecary running back into the backroom, coming out bearing another dark green plant and nervously placing it on the counter.

 

Inuyasha swept it up, tossing some silver coins in the man's face before rushing out and jumping back on his horse. He had used up all the pay he had gotten on this new post, but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was getting these herbs back to Kagome, and fast.

 

But as he kicked his horse back up into a fast gallop, his heart sank as he saw the sun beginning to set on the horizon. No…please…I was too late to save Mother…Don't let me be too late to save Kagome too!

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

The hanyou didn't even bother to take the horse back to the stables as he jumped off as soon as he was inside the gates of the palace, running towards the entrance. The sun was but a sliver on the horizon, only a deep orange light amongst the dark blue. Inuyasha knew that once the sun had set, Kagome wouldn't last long. What if it was too late already? What if she already had…?

 

No…he wouldn't think that. He rushed up the stairs toward her room, his silver hair flying out behind him while some residents of the palace stared, only one thought on his mind. He would save her. He had to save her. He wouldn't let Kagome die now. He wouldn't fail her like he failed his mother.

 

But…

 

Upon bursting into the door of Kagome's room, he found that many were inside, including the dowager queen. When he last saw Kagome's mother, she hadn't shed a tear, but now, her handkerchief was pressed to her face, already wet from tears. Hannah was holding Shippou as he softly cried, with tears slipping softly down her face. Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri where no where to be found, but they were nearby, since wailing was heard in the hallway.

 

Inuyasha's heart couldn't have sunk more, as the scene hit him like a blow to the stomach. No…it can't be…she can't already be…

 

No one said anything to his sudden entrance, and continued not to speak as he slowly made his way across the room, towards the door leading to Kagome's bedchamber. His heart thumped in his chest with fear at what he would find inside. Inuyasha hesitated, afraid, but somehow, with a small breath for courage, he turned the handle and opened the door.

 

Many were in her room, maids huddled in a corner, weeping, while physicians and priests were standing around Kagome's bed, the physicians doing nothing while the priests gave soft chants towards the sky. There could only be one reason why priests would be here…

 

He was brought back years ago, when he had come to save his mother to discover he was too late. No…no…this isn't…Kagome isn't…Clenching his teeth against the pain that hit him in his heart for the second time in his life, Inuyasha looked upon the princess, lying motionless and deathly pale upon her bed. She can't be dead!

 

The priests continued to chant, the incense they were burning filling his sensitive nose, while Inuyasha strode over to her bedside as if in a dream. No one tried to stop him, all already resigned themselves to the fate of their princess. And though he knew what it looked like, he had always been a fighter. He wanted to know for sure, despite the fact that he didn't hold much hope in his heart now.

 

Gently, he reached out and touched her fingers. They were as cold as ice, so different from the heat he had felt before. “No…” he whispered, his legs failing him as he sank to his knees. “No, Kagome, please…” he continued to say, hearing the priest's chanting loud in his ears.

 

“You can't be dead…” His fingers closed around her hand, and being at an awkward angle, her wrist too. Inuyasha shut his eyes tightly, clenching his teeth as his inner pain tore him apart. I was too late…I failed her to…I couldn't save her! Why couldn't I save her?

 

But as his fingers touched her wrist, he felt something that made his eyes shoot open in shock. Wait… gripping her wrist more tightly, he felt it again. Faint, but it was still there. A pulse! She was still alive!

 

“She's still alive!” he yelled back at the priests and physicians, feeling warmth in his heart despite her situation. “Hurry, do something! She's alive!”

 

“Of course she's alive,” said the balding royal physician. “But her fever rose too high, and there's nothing we can do. It's only minutes before she's gone.”

 

Standing up and thrusting the bag of herbs in the royal physician's arms, Inuyasha commanded, “There's something you can do! Boil those and give her the broth. Its medicine and I've seen it work before! Give it to her now and she can still live!”

 

Glancing at the moment at the bag Inuyasha had tossed at him, the physician asked, “And where do you have the authority to demand this of me, knight? I am a physician that has studied for years in the royal university, and you are just some demon that had the good fortune to win that damn tournament—”

 

“Just shut up and listen to me!” the hanyou roared, grabbing the man and forcing him to his eye level. “If you give her this medicine, then you have a chance to save her, but if you don't, your princess will die!”

 

The priests had stopped chanting and the maids weren't weeping anymore as they listened to their exchange. The royal physician started to retort, “I could have you hanged for this—”

 

“Oh, why are you so stupid?” exasperated Inuyasha, trying to decide another tactic. “If that princess dies, then who are they going to blame, idiot? I'm sure I wouldn't want to be in your position if word of this gets out—”

 

“All right, all right!” the physician roared, snapping up the bag of herbs. “I suppose it's worth a try, but some distractions—” he looked straight at the hanyou as he gave orders to his colleges. “Will have to wait outside.”

 

Giving a final glare, Inuyasha muttered, “Fine,” and left her bedroom, and her fate, in the hands of others.

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

Inuyasha joined Kagome's family and friends as he waited outside, the time since he left seeming like an eternity. But minutes passed by, with no word from her bedroom on what was happening in there. He wished he could have stayed, but obviously after his outburst, it would not have been allowed.

 

I brought her the herbs in time, he remembered. I did all I could…it's up to them now. While he didn't have much faith in human medicine, he hoped on everything he had to hope on that they would be able to save her, now that he had brought the cure. It depended on them and her own strength to pull through. Please Kagome, don't give up!

 

The room was silent once more, without any weeping. Her family and friends had been told that a cure had been brought, but the physicians didn't know how effective it would be. No one dared to cry, not with a hope that Kagome would make it. Inuyasha had heard some whispered prayers, and for once in his life, he felt like praying as well. But since he was never a very religious person, he didn't know who to pray to. Because of the way he had been treated as a hanyou, he had decided long ago that if there was a god in the sky that supposedly helped others through their problems, it had ignored him, so he would ignore it as well.

 

But if this worked and Kagome made it, then perhaps he should start rekindling faith with whatever being controlled the threads of fate and time…

 

All gave a small jump as the door from Kagome's bedroom opened and an ashen faced physician walked in. The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife as they all stared at him, waiting for word on what was happening to Kagome, if she had lived or if…

 

Slowly, the physician took a deep breath and said simply, “Her fever broke.”

 

There were gasps and tears of joy from the women as they heard the news, and even Inuyasha, felt the urge to smile. Kagome did it. She survived. He had kept his promise to her.

 

“She's still unconscious, and will wake soon, but for a few weeks, she will still be very weak.”

 

Those words only solidified the truth. Kagome would live. There was nothing to fear now. More relief flooded Inuyasha than he had ever felt before.

 

The queen stood up and asked, “Can we see her?”

 

The physician nodded, “Yes, it would be best if only family came now.”

 

Turning towards Hannah, the dowager queen asked, “Hannah, can you go find Souta? I don't think he's come out of his room yet.” Hannah bowed and took off, while the queen merely wiped the happy tears off her face and left to go see how her daughter was doing.

 

And Inuyasha merely sighed, sitting down on one of the couches in the room as it hit him over and over. Kagome was safe. She would live. He hadn't broken his promise. He had saved her. He hadn't failed her as he had failed his mother.

 

And perhaps…in saving Kagome, he had also redeemed himself from the mistake of being too late to save his mother as well. He knew, somehow, that it was because of her that he had been able to save her. Smiling to himself, he thought, Thank you, Mother…

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

A while later, after he had remained in the room for some time, unwilling to go anywhere else until he knew Kagome was completely all right, the queen and Prince Souta came back in and looked directly at him. Smiling sweetly at him, the dowager queen said, “She's asking for you.”

 

Standing up slowly, he asked skeptically, “She is?” But the queen nodded, and without a second thought, Inuyasha proceeded into her room, slightly worried about how weak she would be after the ordeal.

 

But his breath caught in his throat as he saw her, still pale, but awake and alive. Kagome was propped up into a sitting position with pillows, but as she looked on him, she smiled, sending his heart soaring in relief.

 

“Kagome…” he sighed, kneeling by her bedside. “You're awake…”

 

Kagome didn't even wonder about the use of her first name from him, and merely nodded. “Sorry I worried you, though.”

 

“Damn right you worried me,” he muttered, making her give a small chuckle at his abrupt crude language. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Better,” she replied. “Much better, I suppose…But I'd feel better if they said I'd be able to get out of bed a lot sooner than two weeks.”

 

“Keh, they're right, woman. Considering what you put us though, you shouldn't be out of bed for a few months.”

 

Though his tone was heavy, Kagome's heart warmed hearing about how much he was worried about her. And… She looked away for a moment as she spoke, “You know…the physicians told me it was you that brought the remedy.”

 

Inuyasha's golden eyes widened for a moment, and he looked away as well as a small blush came on his face. He hadn't expected for that to happen…he thought the humans would want to take all the glory for themselves. “Well…when I was young, and I lived in the Midlands…the same sickness came through my village. Sometimes people would get better, and sometimes they wouldn't.” Pausing for a second, he finished, “My mother got sick, but the village herb woman said she had found a cure for the disease. I tried to gather all the ingredients to help her but…” he trailed off, leaving no doubt in Kagome's mind what had happened.

 

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, her eyes filling with sympathy.

 

“It's okay,” he said at once, looking back at her. “It's been a long time since then.”

 

Her soft smile that sent thumps to Inuyasha's heart returning, Kagome gently grasped his hand. “In any case…thank you for saving me.”

 

His blush was fully prominent on his face now, and he looked away, towards the window that showed the darkness of the night to avoid embarrassment. “Um…it's…It's no big deal, right? I mean…I'm supposed to protect you, aren't I?”

 

Grinning slightly to herself at his bashfulness, Kagome spoke, “Yes you are, but…what I was going to say before all this happened…We may have started out as just a princess and her knight protector, but now I feel that…perhaps we could be…friends.”

 

Inuyasha's head whirled around to stare back at her. “Friends?”

 

Nodding, she explained, “Yes…I mean…aren't you already referring to me casually anyway?”

 

He blinked for a moment. He hadn't noticed. “I am?”

 

Another chuckle came from the princess. “Didn't you just call me `Kagome' when you came in?”

 

“I did?” he thought for a moment. Well, perhaps he did. But when did that happen? He really hadn't noticed under all the worry he had for her over the past days. Perhaps it was because he hadn't paid attention to titles until he had been captured by humans and forced to work in the Human Lands as a knight under lords. When he wasn't worried about etiquette, he returned to his original state of mind. And he liked that state much better, in fact.

 

“Well, do you think we could be friends, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked softly, her eyes worried for a moment about how he would take her using his first name as well.

 

He didn't answer for a moment, but then his hand squeezed hers slightly, and he smiled a smile that made Kagome blush for a moment, her heart racing. “Okay.”

 

As Inuyasha watched her, returning his smile with her own blush across her face, he remembered all the worry he had for the past days, and now the rush of relief at seeing her safe and sound. He had risked many things in racing to save her life, and promising to fully protect her as he had sworn. He had never understood before why knights would risk everything to protect the weak and save the lives of the misfortunate, but now as he saw the beautiful woman smile, healthy once more he knew.

 

Seeing a wonderful smile on the faces of those that had no hope before because he had risked his life to put it there…that was the true meaning of chivalry.

 

Kagome didn't know what Inuyasha was thinking that made him smile softly like that, but whatever it was, it made her heart race to see him like this, smiling freely in her presence. Her heart thumped as she looked at him, so handsome with his unusual silver hair and cute ears, and gorgeous amber eyes. At first she thought he was nothing but a crude, rude knight, but now, after he had saved her…

 

Turning away slightly as her blush became redder, she thought, I suppose…that after they get past his cold exterior…it would be easy for any woman to fall for him…

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

A cloaked man watched the scene through a mirror in the shadows, grinning at what he saw before him. This information would prove very useful indeed.

 

Kagura briefly glanced at the mirror. “So, were you intending to kill the girl? Because it was such a waste now of sneaking in and placing that infected meat on her plate…they should really hire some tasters, lest someone tries to poison her…”

 

“No, that was not my intent at all,” her master spoke, cutting his servant off. “I wished to find out how much Kagome mattered to Inuyasha, and now I know.”

 

With a flick of his wrist, the image disappeared, and he turned to face Kagura. “We now have something else to our advantage. Kagome trusts him, and knows nothing of his original intent to steal the Shikon no Tama, and he seems to have forgotten it now.”

 

Smirking, he continued, “But Inuyasha could not have fully forgotten his original motive for coming to her side at all. Even if he is falling in love with her, despite the fact that in his heart, he knows he will never be worthy of her at all.”

 

“This will help us?” Kagura asked skeptically.

 

“Of course. Even if it is forgotten now, I promise you now, Kagura. Whatever becomes of him and Kagome, there will come a day when his original lust for the Shikon no Tama will become his undoing, and the undoing of her as well.”