Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.
Note: The first three chapters of this short story have been moved from the collection "Taiyoukai's Butterfly," to accommodate the rules against story duplication. All of the chapters were written in response to various prompts on Inuyasha-centric fan-writing communities on LiveJournal.
At the Gates
She had stopped just out of sight, to remove the straw hat and unbind her hair. Now, she stood before the gates, her black, calf-length hair swirling in the late-winter breeze. Hardship had chapped and reddened her face; she wore the straw cape and patched clothing of a peasant, and the cheapest of woven straw boots. But, tall she stood, chin up and shoulders back. Held next to her body, wrapped in a sling made of an intense-red material-not at all hidden-was the white-haired, prick-eared proof of what most would call her 'shame.'
Two soldiers approached, long spears held warily before them. "What do you want, onna?" asked one.
The other was less restrained. "On your way, youkai's whore! No sluts here!"
She did not seem to hear them, her stance unyielding, her eyes scanning what could be seen within the walls. Spotting one of those she had hoped to see, her voice rang out, clear and strong, with the cultured cadences of a woman born to a noble family. "Honorable Captain Satoshi," she called. "Bid one of your men to inform the lord, that the lady Izayoi would exchange words with him."
Everyone froze momentarily, staring at the slender figure accented in black and red. Voices rose, crested, then quieted as the captain stalked forward. He stopped even with the opening, and met her serene, but unyielding gaze.
His eyes fell. He managed not to bow. "The lord will be informed."
Author's Note: This piece was written for the LiveJournal Community "Issekiwa," for the prompt 'Proof.' It was originally posted on October 13, 2011. It won first place.