InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Trust ❯ Chapter 10

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 10

Back in the village, Sango was using persuasive skills she never knew she had. The prisoners became surprisingly easy to interrogate when she threatened them with Hiraikotsu.

The damaged building she then annihilated only served to drive her point home. Sango was always normally a little reserved, but since they had gotten close to the village, she had been closed off, her withdrawal making her seem cold and harsh. Kagome had no idea what to do for her friend, while Miroku kept a watchful eye, hoping for an opportunity to reach her.

Sango left in the middle of the interrogation, unable to bear listening to any more of their tales of pillaging the area villages. Miroku waited for her outside the hut used to keep the prisoners.

"Sango," he said quietly. "Will you check on the children with me? Their dinner will be ready soon." A group of children had been left in the village, their parents dead or taken. Miroku had set up one of the buildings as a nursery of sorts, making pallets for them all and putting one of the older children in charge. Inu Yasha and Kagome had gone hunting, bringing back a buck. Some of the venison had been made into a stew, which was bubbling over a central fire. The rest would be salted for preservation.

For the most part, the children had quickly adapted to their rescuers, showing the amazing resilience of which only children seem to be capable. They were happy to be sent out to pick and clean vegetables and herbs for the stew, especially since they would actually get to eat instead of fighting over the scraps.

Sango hesitated, then nodded. It would be nice to do something that had nothing to do with battle, if even for a little while. She fell in stride with the monk, the two maintaining a comfortable silence.

"Sango," He began, "We will find what happened to your family. There is always hope, these children are proof of that. If you want to be strong for them, you must continue to hope as well." He turned and smiled at her. "And we as your friends will continue to be there when you need us."

She stopped walking, and turned her liquid eyes on him. The expression in her eyes hit him like a fist to the gut, and made his heart skip a beat in his chest.

"Thank you," she said finally. "I am lucky to have such friends around to lend me strength."

They looked at each other another moment, then he smiled, and motioned her to proceed him into the children's hut.

A chorus of happy cries greeted the two. Sango had immediately impressed the children with Hiraikotsu, and they were all soothed by Miroku's calm demeanor.

One small boy ran up to the monk, tugging on his robes. "Do you have any more stories for us, Miroku?"

He smiled down at the boy. "Remember? I said we would all sit down after dinner for a story."

"Oh, that's right." He thought for a moment. "Is dinner ready yet?"

Sango laughed. "Soon enough. I bet if you went over and helped Anya find dishes for everyone, it will be time for dinner before you know it."

The boy nodded agreeably and ran over to the older girl. Anya gestured to another corner of the room where children could be seen picking through a pile of pottery for anything usable. He nodded and scurried over to help.

The two adults walked over to Anya, who paused and gave them a small bow. "Do you need me for anything, warriors?"

Sango shook her head. "Actually, we're here to see if you need anything, Anya. Does this building fit all of your needs?"

"Yes, it's spacious enough for us all. We've found bedding for everyone and the meat you've supplied will feed us for some time."

Sango nodded. "Good…because I think we may send you back to the fort for your own safety. I don't like the idea of leaving you all here undefended before this area is cleared of all enemy fighters."

The girl's eyes widened, but she nodded firmly. "Just let me know, and I and the others will have the younger ones ready."

Miroku smiled at her. "We have no doubt of that. Please let us know if you or the children need anything."

She nodded her thanks, and the two adults took their leave.

They walked past the bubbling pot, being tended by an old woman. She had been spared because the invaders believed she was a witch and did not want to be cursed. In truth, she was a healer, having skill with herbs and plants.

She looked at them and smiled. "Good evening."

They nodded in return as she continued. "This stew will be done soon, thank the gods. I don't think I could stand any more of the excuses that have brought people past it since the smell started to spread."

Miroku grinned. "Maybe it was your company they sought, young miss." Sango rolled her eyes.

The old woman cackled delightedly. "Flatterer! You still can't have any until it's done." She turned to Sango. "You had better watch out for this one, dear. The strong, handsome ones are always trouble."

"You don't have to tell me," Sango grumbled.

Miroku looked injured. "I have no idea what you mean." To avoid a situation that was threatening to turn on him, he gave the two women a small bow, and walked off.

Unfortunately, his attempt at a casual air was ruined by the speed with which he left.

The old woman laughed again. "I guess it became a little too uncomfortable for him."

Sango snorted. "I am surprised he even noticed. The man has next to no sense of shame."

"That's all men, child."

The younger woman sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"He cares for you, child."

Sango felt her face heating. "I-no! He can't…He's a perverted, drinking, gambling monk! How can I feel anything for a man like---"

"I didn't say anything about your feelings, child. I was talking about his." The woman lifted a spoon of the stew to taste.

Sango hoped for anything to happen to end the conversation before she died of embarrassment. "Well, I…" she sighed and gave up.

"Once you realize how you feel, it's easier to decide what to do about it." The old woman said. "But you have to be fair. Consider his good points as well as his bad." She smiled. "Don't think about how you should feel…just find out how you do." She patted Sango on the arm. "You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. I'm sure you will do fine."

Sango didn't know what to say, so she fell back on manners. "Th-thank you. I will certainly think over what you said."

The old woman flapped one hand at her. "The stew is ready. You can let everyone know to come by and help themselves."

Sango grabbed at the chance to leave without seeming rude. She nodded, then walked to the nearest group of soldiers, letting them know dinner was ready. She walked on through the village, mind still on the old woman's words.

Kagome was tired. After the morning attack, her near death at the hands of the enemy, and all the work it had taken during the day to help the villagers resettle themselves, all she wanted was to have dinner and go to sleep.

Her mate was no help. Left in charge in his brother's absence, he had to attend to every matter that came up during the day. Still shaken by her earlier close call, he refused to let her leave his side the whole time. She also had to deal with the mental drain of his helpless rage every time he remembered what happened. It was a wonder she hadn't already fallen over from exhaustion, but she didn't want him to become even more over protective.

It was only the first battle, after all. She still needed to be there for Sango when they reached her home village of Ran.

So she held her tongue, repressed her emotions and followed him resolutely about his duties. When Sango announced dinner was ready, she almost cried in relief. Inu Yasha eyed her sharply, but subsided when she showed no other sign of upset.

They made their way to the village center, where the stew pot bubbled, and a crowd was beginning to gather. The children were beginning to make their way over from the other direction.

A few of the men were good-naturedly shoving each other for the stew. The shadow approaching overhead was the only warning they had before Nzinga landed lightly between the men and the fire. The damp edges of her braids from her quick bath in a nearby stream were the only sign of her earlier activity.

"Boys." She gave them each a hard look. "Don't you think you should wait for the children to eat first?" She gave them another look. "I mean the actual children."

Kagome and Sango each stifled laughs, while the men all looked slightly ashamed. They stepped back and made room for the approaching children, who were almost bouncing in their excitement.

The children, each with their own bowls and spoons waited as instructed for their meals. The older girls took turns ladling out servings, and the line moved relatively quickly. The adults waited their turns, some trying to grumble quietly enough not to be heard by the Kushite.

Once the children were all served, the adults started in. This line went much more quickly, and everyone was soon served.

Nzinga was among the last to serve herself, and settled near her friends. Inu Yasha and Kagome were arguing about nothing again, Sango said little, introspective as she ate. Miroku spent half his time watching her and the other half watching the children.

Everyone seemed occupied enough, she thought, sighing. Maybe no one will notice if I sit over here and brood.

She sighed again. I can't believe I allowed a claim! Even though technically a female was not supposed to be able to prevent a male from placing one, she had done so, more than once. It was not unknown. It almost always happened when the female was significantly stronger or more cunning than the male in question.

She snorted to herself. As strong as she was, she was pretty sure Sesshomaru was stronger yet…not that she was in a hurry to find out. He was definitely stronger in terms of physical power. Any children from the two of them would be formidable indeed.

Which brought up another matter. She had actually almost mated during this fertile period! When she thought back, it was not really much of a surprise. The need grew stronger with every fertile period that she went without mating.

And it had been quite a while since she had found a male she trusted enough.

She would not have gotten pregnant from this time at any rate. Until she actually accepted a male's claim, she would not bear his child. After her Ascendance, she learned that this was common among shifters who had been born human. The theory was that it was a safeguard against being fertile once every month.

She stared at the ground, growling unknowingly. She scowled at what remained of her stew, deep in thought until a hand tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She looked up into Kagome and Sango's concerned faces.

"Do I look that bad?" She tried for a wry grin, but couldn't seem to produce it.

"Well, we could hear you growling. Our brave men decided to leave us here to deal with it." Sango raised her voice for this last part, so it carried to the fire where the men were stubbornly pretending not to notice.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kagome asked gently.

"And before you answer, let me remind you that you've promised twice before to talk about it, and you haven't." Sango teased.

Nzinga smiled. "Alright."

She looked around at the group of men, who had somehow gotten closer to the whispering women. She rolled her eyes. Nosy!

"I saw a hot spring in the woods. How about a bath? We can all talk there." She suggested.

"Hot spring?" Kagome's eyes lit up.

"That does sound nice…" Sango said wistfully.

"Then let's go." Nzinga stood and held her hands out to her friends, helping them up.

"Where are you going, ladies?" Miroku called, trying to act as if he hadn't been listening in. Inu Yasha had his back facing them, but one ear twitched in their direction.

"Hot spring. Don't follow us, we'll be fine." Sango said shortly. They walked over to their belongings, gathering drying cloths and other supplies.

"It will be dark soon, it may not be safe. Please allow me to draw you all a bath here." Miroku offered.

"NO!" The shout came from multiple directions. Sango and Kagome looked embarrassed, while Inu Yasha and the newly arrived Sesshomaru merely looked resolute. Miroku acted as if nothing were wrong, and simply shrugged at the refusal.

"There is plenty of light left." Kagome said soothingly, trying to defuse the situation. Sango hoisted Hiraikotsu, and Nzinga brandished her morningstar.

"We're hardly defenseless. We'll be back in a little while. You saw it, right?" This last to Sesshomaru, who nodded.

"There. Sess knows where the hot spring is, so you can find us if there's danger. Danger." She stressed.

Inu Yasha didn't even bother to turn his head. "Whatever."

Rather than prolong the ridiculous conversation, the women wisely decided to just leave.

Miroku watched the women make their way into the forest, eyes narrowed. It always made him nervous when women got together like that. It usually spelled trouble for any men in their lives.

"Aren't you worried?" He asked his cousin.

"Why would I be worried?" he asked.

"Any man should be worried when woman get together and gossip like that. Especially when they leave to do it." He frowned. "They are plotting."

Inu Yasha sighed. "Shut up, monk. I have enough to worry about without you making shit up." But he too began to look uneasy.

"Maybe we should follow them." Miroku offered, after an uneasy silence.

Sesshomaru looked at them with disdain. "It would be best if you stayed here." He looked distant for a moment. "Nzinga passed this along from Sango: `Do not follow us! Tell the children stories like you promised them.' And Nzinga herself has threatened bodily harm if any of us go after them."

"Us?" Inu Yasha raised a brow, and watched his brother grow slightly uncomfortable. He snickered.

At the hotspring, the women were relaxing for the first time since they had left the fort. Marching left little time for keeping clean, so they were planning to take full advantage.

"Soooo…who wants to go first?" Nzinga asked.

"I think we established that it was your turn," Sango responded lazily.

"Fine…where to start." A short pause. "Sess has placed a claim on me." She stated.

Both women's eyes shot open. "You…you mean the way Sasha has done with him?"

"Yes…except I think he will handle it better than she does." Zi made a face of disgust at the mention of the other shifter female. "It's basically a statement of interest, but it can be sensed by other shifters. After you make it, you try to convince the other to accept it. When that happens, the claim is set, and the two are mated."

"When did this happen? Is that why he followed you? To ask? That's so romantic!" Kagome gushed.

Zi gave her a sideways look. "Not exactly. He didn't ask. That's not really how it is done." She touched her lips, remembering. "Although he didn't exactly choose an orthodox method."

"He kissed you?" Sango asked, eyes wide.

"Uh…yeah." Among other things.

Kagome looked at her friend knowingly. "You went further than that, didn't you?"

Zi shrugged, not meeting their eyes. "Well, I probably wouldn't have normally but…It's my fertile period, and I have gone without for so long that it was close to painful this time."

Sango's eyes still hadn't gone back to their normal size. "You mean, you two…today?" she squeaked.

Zi grinned hugely. "Not exactly…we didn't actually have sex. I wasn't ready to do that with him. But it was damn good, I must say. If it had to happen, it could have been worse."

Kagome was caught between wanting to join Sango in her shock, and wanting to grin along with the dark girl. The ability must run in the family…

She didn't realize she had said that out loud until the Zi burst into laughter and Sango gasped again. She clapped her hands over her mouth, but quickly started laughing herself.

"Sango, I don't mean to embarrass you…but you did ask."

"No, I understand…I don't mean to seem like a child." Sango sighed. Her physical experience with men was limited to training sessions and sparring. She had been kissed once, but it was not ranked among her most enjoyable moments.

"Well, if you ever decide to give Miroku a chance, I think he would be a good lover." Zi mused.

Sango didn't think she could get any more embarrassed than she had been.

"Sango, we're all friends here. You must have at least thought about it." Kagome chided.

"Well, I guess…I mean, how could I not, the way he always brings it up…" Sango stammered.

Kagome and Nzinga exchanged knowing looks, staying silent.

"What," Sango swallowed. "What makes you think he would be…skilled? I suppose he must have a lot of experience."

"He may well…but that's not why I think he's good in bed. Miroku loves women. He has always loved women. Even as young as we were, I remember that he would find out the likes and dislikes of his current interest and try to make them happy. And that's really what makes a good lover. Caring enough to find out what your partner enjoys and making sure they are as fulfilled as possible." Nzinga's brown eyes stared off into the distance.

She and Kagome heaved identical sighs, then burst into laughter, joined by Sango.

"Anyway," she continued once they had stopped laughing, "The point is that I think it would be worth your while to give him a chance. He obviously cares for you."

"You think so?" Sango asked wistfully.

Kagome snorted. "Even I can tell."

"Don't let yourself feel rushed, though. Don't go any further than you feel comfortable." Zi paused. "Of course, it's important to be able to tell the difference between discomfort and nerves. Nerves are normal in any new situation, even if you are willing. Discomfort can mean you're not ready."

Sango nodded thoughtfully.

"So, let's give Sango a break for a moment. Kagome, how is everything going with Inu Yasha? Aside from the physical side, of course?" Zi changed the subject, not wanting to overwhelm Sango.

"Oh!" Kagome started, surprised. "It's…fine."

A pause. "But…?" Zi and Sango prodded in unison.

"But…" she sighed. "It's the Bond. He's protective and attentive, and even kind sometimes…but I feel like it's only due to the Bond."

"What do you mean?" Her foster sister asked.

"Well…" Kagome paused. "If we had met normally, and gotten to know each other first before the Bond developed, I would feel more secure. But it formed immediately. It was so overwhelming. I can't help but wonder…if he would feel the same way without it."

She lowered her eyes to her hands, now starting to wrinkle in the hot water. Then softly, "I wonder if he cares for me out of duty, or true feeling. If he will ever start to regret the bond. If he will ever…grow to love me."

The two women were silent a moment, giving this statement the respect it deserved.

Then Sango began hesitantly, "I know I don't really have that much experience in these matters, but…he's obviously devoted to you, even if he does not express it well."

"And I certainly don't know everything about Bonds, but I have never heard of one forming between those who do not fall in love." Nzinga offered. "Think of it as an expression of your emotions, not the cause. Your souls recognized each other before your minds did, that's all."

Kagome blinked back sudden tears. "I know I'm being silly. I guess I have been repressing these doubts all along in order to make things easier." She gave a watery laugh. "And my mate is not exactly always the best one to bring them to."

The other two nodded in agreement.

"You missed courtship…which is when most of these issues are settled. You missed him trying to convince you he was suitable as a mate. He never had to prove his worth as a protector and provider. And you never got the period where you were the center of his prolonged attention." Nzinga gave a laugh. "Naraku always attacks at the most inconvenient times."

"Is that where you are now with Sesshomaru?" Sango asked. "The part where he has to prove himself?"

Nzinga eyes narrowed. "That is exactly where we are. Although he has not made as promising a start as he thinks he has." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking eerily like Inu Yasha during one of his broods.

Sango and Kagome exchanged looks. "I thought you said it went well earlier."

"It did." She tossed out. "But he has never had to prove himself before. Women apparently throw themselves at his feet on a regular basis." She stood up, suddenly angry.

"But I refuse to have a man who will not fight for me. Who is not willing to show how much I mean to him. It's only fair, as I would do no less for him." She clenched her fists, remembering their dispute earlier.

"That bastard just expected me to fall right into his arms with no resistance…like a pet brought to heel." She smiled fiercely.

She turned to her friends. "We should be getting back soon. We march tomorrow, I think."

They nodded, and the three women climbed out of the hot spring. Each was lost in their own thoughts as they dried, redressed and gathered their weapons.

Each was filled with a new resolve towards the man in her life.

Sango's was to not let the monk fluster her quite so much…and perhaps to do some flustering of her own.

Kagome's was to believe in her mate, trusting that his feelings were real and not a product of the Bond. She ignored the wistful feelings that Zi's mention of courtship had produced…or attempted to, at any rate.

Nzinga had managed to work herself into such a rage that the very air around her began to crackle. How dare he attempt a half-hearted courtship? Was she such a weakling to be impressed with the small amount of effort he had shown thus far? He had a lot to learn…

Of course, in her righteous fury she was not being completely fair. Sesshomaru had exercised extraordinary restraint in not taking her earlier that day. He could have done it, and by the laws of their people, he would have done nothing wrong.

Involved in their thoughts, the women made their way back to the village in the last light of the day.