InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ There I Was ❯ Village of the Taijiya ( Chapter 17 )

There I Was

Chapter Seventeen: Village of the Taijiya

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, I also don't own the name Raquel Casull, the creator of Scrapped Princess does.}

Authors Note: Yeah, okay, the last chapter was extremely ooc. I'm sorry about that, I need it for the plot. I promise it won't get that bad again. I'm also really sorry I haven't updated in a while either. I had midterms and needed to study. Anywho, we're back with Kagome now, and we probably won't meet back up with Sessh for a while, ja then.

-Flame

_-*~=~*~=~*-_

So…tired…I want to sleep so badly. I've been walking all day now and I have yet to find anything. The only thing that's happened is that it started snowing. I always have disliked snow; I think after this experience I'll hate it. Though, I guess on the plus side I figured out what happened when I sneezed.

I didn't turn Sessh pink, no matter how amusing I find that to be, it didn't happen. What did happen though, was I changed. I've never done this before; I completely changed the way I look. I now have really long, too long for my taste, auburn hair and jade eyes. Even if I do end up finding Sessh, will he even recognize me?

I sighed and trekked through the now ankle deep snow. The only thing I am glad is that my clothes from before changed as well. A kimono now adorned my body; nothing fancy like Sessh would have me wear, more like the ones Senkako would wear. Not only that, but it was wet, dirty, and torn. I was cold, but not as cold as I could be, still cold nonetheless.

I ran a hand through my snow covered hair and looked up at the sky. Am I seeing things? I looked closer and smiled. No, I'm really not, that's smoke! There's smoke in the sky, and you know what they say, where there's smoke, there's fire, and where there's fire, there's people! People! Civilization! Help! Yes!

I started running towards the smoke. What if the people aren't friendly? Who cares? There are people, people who can help me! I ran through the trees and nearly into a gigantic wall. Oh wow…someone doesn't like their neighbors. "Who goes there?" I heard a shot from the top of the wall. Uh…quick! Think up a name, I can't very well tell them I'm Kagome, Lady of the Western Lands. They might be in with Saiyako.

"My name is…uh…Raquel. Raquel Casull."

"State you're business."

"Please, I need a place to stay for the night. My town was…attacked by youkai and I'm the only survivor, please help me."

"You poor thing, come in at once." The doors began to open and two men came out. They walked over to me and helped me inside. Oh good, I found a village where the inhabitants aren't evil. They led me past the wall and I gasped at the village. Okay, maybe they're not evil because I'm human, but these people are youkai exterminators, taijiya I believe they're called. Wonderful I'm in a village full of taijiya and have a hanyou growing inside me.

"Bring her in here." I looked to see a young girl about my age, well not my age, but about the age I was before I mated Sessh. She had long raven hair past her waist and russet eyes. The men took me inside her home and left. The woman brought out fresh clothes and handed them to me. "You can change into these while I make you some tea."

"Thank you very much." I bowed and she smiled.

"No problem, it's the least I can do after all you've been through." I blushed and turned around as I changed. Ah…this new kimono was warm, it was made for the cold. It had a fur lining, no doubt youkai fur, and it was long. I brushed the snow out of my hair and faced the girl again.

"I'm sorry about imposing like this." She blinked and shook her head.

"No, it's not a problem. Why don't you tell me about your village while the water's boiling?" She sat down across from where I was standing and I sat as well.

"There's not much to tell, I mean we lived in a village far from others, and not many people or youkai for that matter, knew we were there. We weren't prepared when they struck. And my husband…my husband gave his life for me." I willed tears to fall from my cheeks and cover my face. My father always said I was a very convincing actress.

"Oh you poor thing." I felt her hand on my shoulder and whipped the tears away.

"No, it's alright. I can live." I rubbed my stomach. "I carry his child within me, that's all I need to remember him."

"Oh no…would you like something to eat?" She stood and brought over a bowl of fruit. "I know it's not probably what you're use to eating, but please take it."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a higher class person, aren't you?" I blushed and looked away.

"H-how can you tell?"

"You're speech is more refined."

"Oh." Oops.

"Please eat." I picked up a piece of fruit and began to eat. "My name's Sango by the way."

"Raquel." Sango stood and brought over the teakettle and poured me some tea.

"I hope it's to your liking."

"It probably will be, this fruit is just divine."

"It's nothing special." A man opened the flap and poked his head in.

"Sango, we need you, can you come here for a moment?"

"Of course. Raquel, you're welcome to lie on the bed in the corner if you wish."

"Thank you." I bowed and she left. Wow, I never though a taijiya would be so kind. I guess it just proves never to judge a book by its cover. I finished my tea and fruit and walked over to the bed. I think a nice rest would be a good idea. I lied down on the bed, not straw, but a real bed, and fell asleep.

_-*~=~*~=~*-_

I stretched and yawned with a smile on my face. It felt so good to wake up myself instead of being kicked awake. I stood from the bed and looked out the window. It was dark already, had I really slept the day away? I walked out of the house and stopped dead in my tracks.

The taijiya were in a circle surrounding the one and only Saiyako. They all had their weapons drawn and Sango was talking with her. I moved up closer and listened in to their conversation. "What do you seek here, youkai?"

"I seek a prisoner who escaped from my dungeons, have you seen her? She has raven hair streaked with red and bright blue-gray eyes. She is a small human, no taller than yourself, with a petite frame."

"What would you be doing with a human prisoner?"

"She has committed treason against myself and my own." Gah! I wanted to scream at the grammar coming out of her mouth. And she calls herself a Lady…

"I see, well we have not seen her, but we shall keep an eye open. Now leave." Saiyako bowed and left. I've never seen her so polite in my life, I didn't even dream it was possible. Sango sighed and walked back towards her people. "We will keep an eye out for the fugitive, but we shall question her ourselves, we'll see if Saiyako is telling us the truth or not." She lies! How can you even think of believing her?! I sighed and rubbed my temple as I walked up to the group as well, I have to leave soon. "Ah! How are you fairing, Raquel?"

I smiled politely and bowed my head. "Much better, thank you very much. I'm afraid I must be on my way though."

"Nonsense!" Sango walked over and hooked her arm in my own. "You can't be parading around in the cold in your condition. It could hurt the child." I paled at the thought. Could it really? Or is it just an old superstition of some kind? She led me back to her hut and let me go. "I'll explain it to my father when he returns and he'll gladly allow you to stay. In the meantime, stay in here and keep warm."

Oh wonderful, I'm a prisoner again…well I have to admit I do like it in here more than outside. I sighed and followed Sango around the hut. "At least let me assist you in some way. You've already been so kind to me, there must be something I could do."

"Can you cook?"

"Yes! I can cook anything you wish!"

"That would be a big help, when Kohaku, my brother, gets back from hunting you can get started on dinner." I smiled as Sango turned to busy herself with other work. How do I get myself into these kinds of things? I sighed and started to boil water, you never know when you need a good pot of boiling water, when her brother walked in.

He was short and had a tuft of hair on the back of his head in like a ponytail or something like that. He was carrying what looked like a deer or an elk and put it down in the kitchen. He blinked his eyes and smiled at me. "Hello, you must be the girl everyone's talking about." Oh great…I get to be gossip…I bowed and smiled back at him.

"Yes, my name's Raquel, it's nice to meet you, Kohaku, am I correct?" He nodded and smiled wider. He reminds me of Souta…this is going to be hard…

"I hope you enjoy living here."

"I do too." I bent down and started dinner. I looked at Sango and Kohaku in the corner of my eye and sighed. They remind me so much of Souta and myself. I wonder how long I'll be able to stay here before I crack.

Lets just hope it's not too long.