InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Under the Blood Red Sun ❯ Kori? ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17: Kori?

“Kagome, please.” Sango asked as she held up a fine green gown with gold stitching. “You have to wear it for the Tournament this afternoon.”

“Why? I mean am I just a prize to be won?” Kagome fumed as she paced the rooms of the hut she was living in. A meow from the bed caused her to look over at the cat that was sleeping on her bed.

“Kagome, it is a matter of the Prince’s honor. Koga slighted him and now InuYasha feels as if he has to play dominant dog.” Sango said with a sigh, “Okay how’s this one?” Sango held up a blood red gown with no decoration and a very low cut.

“So I’m to be a prize?” Kagome said with a wicked smile. She made a grab for the red gown and Sango smiled. Kagome held the gown up to herself as Sango nodded approvingly.

“Yeah you are to be a prize, but Queen Rin and King Sesshomaru won’t allow that wolf to win, so you’re not really expected to go with anyone.” Miroku said as he gimped into the hut that had once been his. “Beautiful,” Miroku said as he bent over in obvious pain. “the dress would be on you Miss Kagome.”

“Miroku!” Sango growled as she rounded on the unfortunate monk. “What are you doing here!”

“My dearest Sango!” Miroku said as he collapsed to the ground. “A horrible she-beast is on the run, she chases me and intends to imprison me!”

Sango and Kagome eyed him with a bemused expression. “Honestly, I was tied as she advanced towards me with a vial of some horrible concoction!”

“Kagome, I’ll be back. Kirara watch the damsel in distress while I go and ‘slay’ the beast.” Sango said as she exited the hut, stopping by the door to pick up the giant boomerang that was hers.

“Umm?” Kagome said as Sango left. Kirara mewed and licked her paws. Miroku stepped close to Kagome and Kirara hissed. Miroku looked away as the cat stood up on the bed and advanced towards him, fur standing on end. Miroku backed away and sat on a plush chair that hadn’t been in the hut when he vacated it.

“InuYasha got you some stuff huh?” Miroku said as Kirara laid back down on the bed and purred softly. Kagome looked up at Miroku as she was laying the dress on the bed.

“No, Queen Rin brought these here. She said a lady needed her own things.” Kagome looked at him the pointed at the bed, “See even the bed is new and the straw is fresh.”

“So it is.” Miroku said as he eyed the new blanket and then the rug on the floor, in fact everything was spotless and clean. The wood floor had been completely redone and stained dark, to cover up the deeper stains of his ‘cooking’ Miroku supposed. The dark purple rugs and curtains, or drapes as he called them were removed and replaced with fine white linen that was breezy and cool in the hot summer months and he also noticed thick brown drapes to the sides of the window for the colder months.

The once dull and dusty walls had been sanded down and painted with white wash. The window frames had been redid and they now closed completely. The small kitchen area, a iron stove and several cupboards and a modest pantry has been sanitized with hot water and scrubbed clean. The hut still looked old but it had been given a new lease on life.

“She’s done a lot with the place hasn’t she?” Miroku said as he looked at the firepit in the middle of the hut. “Even new stones?”

“She said she didn’t want to leave a ‘stone’ unturned.” Kagome said as they turned to see the door open.

“Oh Kami!” Miroku gasped as a fuming Sango burst into the room. She was very angry and it shoved on her lovely face.

“She-beast?” Sango snarled as she rounded on the hapless monk. “Tied you to a bed?” Sango pulled a pair of mean looking manacles from a belt pouch. I’ll show you mean!” Sango whirled in a quick flash of movement Sango had Miroku cuffed and laying face first on the plush rug.

“My dearest Sango I didn’t know you liked it that way.” Miroku said as she turned his face from the rug.

With a loud and very audible thunk Miroku lay on the floor unconscious. “Ye have him Sango?” Kaede said as she walked slowly into the hut. A large and misshapen half demon followed her. “Jijenji please grab the monk and follow me.” the half-demon gently grabbed the monk and cradled him in his massive arms. He meekly followed Kaede out of the hut.

“Calling her a She Beast!” Sango fumed.

“So, are you going to fix me up for the games?” Kagome asked as she turned around and attempted to untie the laces of her dress. “Can you help me?”

“Yeah,” Sango said as she undid the laces with ease. “Kagome, you were never a seamstress were you?” Sango asked.

“No, I wasn’t. How can you tell?” Kagome asked as she shrugged out of the dirty brown dress she wore. She stood in a plain linen shift.

“Your back, it would have been bent or your muscles more prominent. As it is your too soft to be anything other than a noble born, for one your skin is too pale to be a laborer and your hands are not calloused enough to be one also. Your hair has been taken care of and it was cut to a length preferred by higher rankings. ” Sango said as she finally reached the conclusion. “You seemed depressed the week after the news that the king of the Eastern Lands had been assassinated as well as his daughter, not to mention the way you reacted the first time Miroku groped you. I may not be a scholar but even I have noticed that you are not who you say you are.”

“What are you saying Sango?” Kagome said as she pulled the scarlet dress over her head and adjusted it over her hips.

“I know who you are.” Sango stated as she laced the golden straps.

“And who is that Sango?” Kagome said as she picked up a simple brush and ran it through her thick black hair.

“Her Royal Majesty the Princess Kagome Higurashi, Heir to the Eastern Throne and Rightful Queen.” Sango said using all the titles she could think of. Kagome gaped at her with an open mouth as she dropped the brush with a dull clatter. “The question is why are you alive, the Fang never misses its mark.” *~*~*   DUN DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!! *~*~*  

“Lord InuYasha!” A prison guard said as he jumped to his feet. He had been lounging at a table covered with cards and scraps of food. A goblet was knocked over in his rush to stand and a dark red liquid spilled onto the cards, soaking them.

Apparently this guard was new because InuYasha for one couldn’t recall him and two the way he acted when he had descended the stairs to the castle’s dungeons. “At ease solider. There is no need of formality with me. Save that for my shit head of a brother, pompous ass.” InuYasha said as he opened the iron gate to the cells with ease.

“Yes sir!” he said as he saluted, “Are you making an inspection Sir?”

“Yes, my idiot of a brother instructed me to.” InuYasha growled as the smell of feces and sweat assaulted his poor nose. He wrinkled his face in agitation as he walked down the long hall passing several empty cells. He turned to the first one that held an occupant.

“You, why are you here?” he asked a young woman in the cell, she was huddling in rags in the corner.

“My lord!” she gasped as he opened the door, he held the keys in one fist. “I was lost in the woods that border the Western lands. I am from the Eastern Lands. I had escaped with my son but he is missing!”

“Escaped?” InuYasha asked.

“Yes, the lands are in turmoil now that the king has died and the new King, Naraku,” she spat the name with disgust, “took over.”

“Why are they in turmoil?” InuYasha asked as he helped her stand.

“The new king is executing any demon and half blood in the land. I had to flee my three year old son would have been killed. Everyone in the kingdom of the East knows of you and your noble brother and I knew he at least would be safe here.” She said as she covered her face in her hands and began to sob.

“Your son, he’s a hanyou?” InuYasha asked.

“Yes, he’s part neko.” The woman said as she lowered her hands. “His father was a scout in your father’s army. He was killed shortly after my son was conceived by a group of men called Black Miasma.” she drew a deep breath, “I am sure he still lives, will you find him? So he doesn’t die an early death? I will gladly rot here if only to have my son safe.”

“Do you have anything of his?” InuYasha asked and she nodded she pulled a small stuffed animal, a bear or a cat, he couldn’t tell from within the rags. He grabbed it and sniffed deeply, yes the scent was there a cat and by the faintness of it, a half blood, as pure as he was. Meaning the neko was powerful. “I can find him. Give me a day or two at most a week.”

“Thank you Sire!” she said as she fell to her knees.

“Now what was your occupation in the other kingdom?” InuYasha asked her as he stowed the toy away in his clothes.

“I was a simple seamstress. My name’s Kori.” she said.

“Kori?” InuYasha gaped at her as if she was a loon.