|| Tale Of The Heart's Slave ||
Chapter Two Golden Coins For Hanyo
My mother had told many tales about them so I was able to recognize him. Looking like a demon but with animal ears. Actually in this case, dog ears. Hanyous, in the other words half demons were very rare creatures which existed only in my homeland, on the other side of the Great Sea. In their veins boiled both human and demon's blood.
The thrill of seeing hanyou for the first time faded as I looked at his ears more closely. They were bloody. He walked slowly beside the other slaves and stood there like a man who waited for his doom.
The whispers were soon heard, horrified and confused questions about this silver-haired slave.
"What on earth is that?", "Look at his ears!", "It's even more disgusting than others!", I heard them spat. Rico Wilson spoke again.
"Dear people, calm down", he smiled but something about that smile gave me creeps. "This creature is completely under my control so fear not. This is a monster from far away and I have tamed it a long time ago. Just watch."
He then stepped off of the stool and walked to the hanyo whose face was still hidden as he hung his head. Rico held out his hand and like out of nowhere a large man hurried beside him and gave him a whip. My eyes widened from terror and I couldn't let out a word before Rico raised the whip and hit.
The other slaves flinched more violently than the hanyo himself and there was no sound or voice except the whip's slam. Maybe there was few gasps coming form behind me but the hanyo didn't let out even that. He just stood there like the pain was nothing, like he had already experienced it enough for not to cry anymore. The expression on Rico Wilson's face was sick; victorious.
And I too just stood there. The vegetable basket had dropped on the ground as my hands had flew to cover my mouth, the tears of shock forming into my brown eyes. Who were these people? They had come here middle of our morning, brought poor, suffering humans as slaves and now we were watching as their boss was torturing a man in a bright sunlight for no reason. And no one did nothing to stop it.
When he whipped the third time, my mind woke up, "STOP!"
I could even hear the necks moving when they turned to look at me. Rico Wilson's eye brows twisted together, frowning forcefully. The whip was on the air, ready for the next hit. The hanyou didn't react.
"How dare you? !" I spat through my clenched teeth and walked between him and hanyo. "How can you be so cruel?"
"Cruel?" he asked, looking at others around us, glancing at his men meaningfully. "I guess you don't understand this monster's dangerousness, girl. I'm just teaching to you how you have to treat these things."
"You're the monster. Hanyous are humans too!" I shouted, then turned to hanyou. His arms were full of scratches and little wounds which looked painful. I carefully touched his shoulder, talking to his face which was covered in his hair. "Are you okay?"
"Hanyous?" I heard Rico Wilsson say. "Oooh. So you're from the other side of the Great Sea."
I glared at him as gazed at me, smirking, "Interesting area, interesting creatures. I could find some work for you here too."
"You make me sick."
"Ms. Kagome!" I heard a voice from the group. I looked around and saw the shocked expressions of the people, God there was children even too but I couldn't really see who was talking to me. But I knew almost everyone in the village anyway. "Maybe you should let them do their work. They know how to deal with their slaves."
"I think they're right, girl", Rico Wilson smiled but I could see the annoyance. "Leave the hanyou and slaves for us."
I let my hateful gaze speak for words.
"Very well", he snorted and turned to men. "Drive this chick away, please."
Men who where almost three heads taller than me were suddenly standing in front of me and grabbed me by my arms. I heard many from the group yell and swore, "Don't touch our Ms. Kagome!", "Don't hurt her, please!" but no one really didn't dare to took step towards me and help.
Men dragged me away from the Rico Wilson and I saw him smirk more widely then turn back to hanyo and kicked his back, forcing him on the ground. I winced and tried to struggle off their grasps, mother's words ringing in my head.
Remember always help the one who is down, Kagome.
Their hands stayed on me, they lifted me, took me far behind the happening and the human group then dropped me on the ground. I glared, they only grunted something and walked back to their boss. Mrs. Berry and Ms. Scott ran towards me, both middle aged women and a bit plumbs.
"Oh Ms. Kagome, are you all right?" Mrs. Berry knelt beside me and touched my cheek. I nodded.
"What a rude men!" Ms. Scott huffed as they both helped me up. "First they act politely and talk nice things, bring beautiful clothes then treat you, honorable woman, this way!"
"How they treated me? How about those humans there? That man he tortured?"
They looked each others. "Ms. Kagome, we appreciate your kindness but those were slaves like Mr. Wilson said. And that... thing didn't really look like human. Did you notice his ears?"
"He is part of human", I explained. "Hanyou is human and demon's child."
"Hanyou?" asked Ms. Scott confused.
"Means half demon."
"How do you know about this?" Mrs. Berry crossed her arms over her chest.
"Hanyous live only there where I have come from too. On the other side of the Great Sea."
"You mean you have seen them before?" their eyes widened.
"No, but heard much. They are near of extinction."
"Thank God", I heard Mrs. Berry whisper. She spoke more louder when she saw my frown. "Oh, don't look at me that way Ms. Kagome. Are you saying that it is not scaring you, even a bit? I couldn't even stand a person who would be part of demon."
"That's excatly the reason why they are disappearing from the world", I murmured but they had already turned their heads back towards the happening further. Demons and half demons weren't so unknown in my homeland. There they were part of everyone's life.
"I really need that new dress", Ms. Scott sighed. Mrs. Berry nodded, biting her lip. "Ms. Kagome, will you be all right if we leave you here? I mean-"
"It's fine", I said. I guess they didn't hear the chill in my tone because they grinned happily at my answer, waved their goodbyes and see you soons and went to buy their dresses. Me? I couldn't even think about going near of those mad people again.
I sighed at my lost vegetables and trailed towards my home.
It was a night already. The fuss of traveling sellers had calmed down and many families had retreated to their huts.
I sat at my little table, pondering the events of the day. All day had been spent by cleaning and doing the dishes, washing laundry, taking care of my few goats and chickens. I hadn't had time to think about it but now he didn't leave my mind alone. That hanyou.
His fragile, beaten form had come immediately to my head when my chores had been done. The most disturbing thing was that I hadn't even seen his face.
After all those stories which I had heard since I had learned to walk, I had to, I just had to see him again.
Cursing and cursing myself crazy, I sneaked carefully to outside. I walked through the small meadow into the town. Lights were on only in few huts as I walked along the street. Soon I came to the centre where stalls and carriages stood. They laughed loudly, yelled, few sitting outside on chairs, few inside the carriages. I walked slowly closer, trying to see where the slaves were kept. The whole area smelled like alcohol and smoke. I tried not to get any attention, trying to just find the hanyou but then I heard a drunken yell; "Hey! Look what we have here!"
I turned to left and saw a bit thin man near me, holding a green bottle, his eyes wide from drunkenness. His cloak was dirty from mud, he had probably fell down few times. I heard the laughter die down from the others who sat on their chairs and I felt them stare at me.
"We have a lady here!" the man hiccuped.
"Apparently", considerably bigger man stood up, his expression dark. As I recognised him, he seemed to recognise me. "What are you doing here? Do we have to drag you away again?"
"No", I said as loudly as I could, executing my idea. "I want to speak with Mr. Wilson."
The men fell silent, someone let out a long whistle.
"Miss, Mr. Wilson is not a person who you can with speak just like that."
"Yeah, stay here with us. We could have fun", said the drunken man sultry and I felt his hand around my shoulders.
"L-let go!" I cried as his breath blew against my ear.
"What's happening here?" the voice said and one carriage's door opened. Rico Wilson stood there, in black clothes which were probably for the night. "Didn't I tell you three minutes ago to shut up? ! Useless idiots!"
"It's not our fault, boss. This girl came in here and insisted to meet you", they started to explain all at the same time.
"Shut up! What damn girl?"
"Thiz", the man who held me pushed me forward and I stumbled in front of Rico Wilson. His angry face changed immediately, his mouth fell open then closed and his eyes turned sly.
"You here", he smirked. "Did you change your mind about my offer?"
"No", I rubbed my arms, the chill getting through my thin dress. "I..."
"Yes?"
I gulped. I knew I was crazy but I just wanted to do what felt right. I couldn't leave him here. "I want to buy a slave."
Rico Wilson merely raised his eye brows, "A slave? You didn't seem very interested last time we see."
"I changed my mind about that."
He stroked his black bear, acting like he was thinking hard but I saw that he was only playing with me, "Slaves aren't cheap."
"I know", I said and pulled out a pouch from my apron's pocket, shaking it. It gave a pleasant chink sound. I saw his eyes twinkle and he made a sound with his tongue.
"I understand. Come with me, I'll show you the slaves", he offered me his hand but I didn't take it, only walked to his side. He turned to his men. "And you, try to do someting useful."
All hustle and bustle started over again as Rico Wilson leaded me pass the carriages to the area were was no lights. There stood the smallest carriage, dead quiet. We walked to it and he took a bundle of keys out of his pocket and opened the door. Heads turned and looked at me. They were crammed close each others, looking like that the heads were the only parts of their bodies they could move. It was so dark that I couldn't even see their figures, only light was their eyes which were bright with desperation and fear. They started to shake as they saw us, trying to shy away but it was no use in such a small space.
"I hope you understand that if you hesitant even a second as their master, they can run away or actually kill you", Rico murmured like the slaves hadn't been there. "You can't be soft with them."
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Fine. Choose who ever you want."
I stepped closer, almost in the carriage, eyeing them. I just hoped they weren't too hurt and my eyes turned sad.
Sorry. You're not the one I'm looking for. I'm sorry.
"I don't want them", I said quietly. I wasn't sure was there relief or helplessness in their eyes when they heard my words. "Where is he?"
"Who?" he asked, tilting his head like a innocent child.
"The hanyou."
Rico Wilsson looked at me for a moment, amused and chuckled, pushing me away as he slammed the door shut. Then he was laughing, "You can't possibly think that I'll sell that thing to you."
"I want to see him."
"It belongs to me! I'm not going to-"
The fact that he used the word 'thing' all the time, angered me even more. I opened my pouch quickly and he cut himself as he saw me empty the half of it on my hand. At least ten golden coins. There was that twinkle again. Greed.
"Gold is not a milk what you can get from goats, girl. How come you have it so much like a king?" he narrowed his eyes, almost drooling at my hand.
"Can I see him now?" I asked, ignoring his question. He stood there, his eyes holding mine then made a move with his head, asking me to follow him. The grass rustled beneath our feet, as we walked to his carriage. The others didn't even notice us from their drinking and I guess he was too tired to yell at them anymore as he opened the door and I stepped in his 'home'.
The carriage from inside wasn't all that brown and simple. Its floor was paved with crimson mat, table and chairs also colorful, there was paints on the wall. Many furniture made the small room look bigger than it really was. Next to his bed was a closet, its door's were made of glass so I could see the content; knives, whips, bottles which were full of something weird green liquid and nails. Next to the closet was the hanyou.
My eyes widened. He didn't look the same when I saw him the first time, he looked worse. His bare, muscular chest was bloody from the scars which looked still fresh, there was nails in his feet. He was wearing a small, dirty clothing which covered only his crotch. He was sitting in the corner, looking as small as possible.
"What have you done-" I made a move to walk forward, help him but suddenly Rico Wilson's arm wrapped around my neck, his left hand held my wrists behind my back.
His lips burshed against my ear, sending shivers of disgust down my spine, "Kagome, was it? Why do you want him? Though maybe I understand, you live here, spend normal, boring live. I can see what you want, risks and thrill."
He chuckled as I tried to struggle, "I like you. You're not as dumb as the others. I guess it's because you're not from here. Won't you join me? There would be no boring moments, you would have fun with me."
His grip was not weak. I felt sick as he inhaled the scent of my neck. But then my eyes noticed the hanyo who probably had noticed us too. The only thing I could see of his face was now one yellow orb through his long hair. It stared right at me and something happened then. I couldn't read the gaze he was giving me but there was something what made my heart beat faster and the want of taking him away from here only grew inside me. I had to save this beautiful man.
Finally I struggled out of Rico Wilsson's grasp and walked to him. He didn't try to escape, that was one many things what made him different from the other slaves. He just stared when I knelt beside him.
"If it rips your throat open, don't come cry to me", all slyness was gone from Rico Wilson's voice leaving a bitter tasted spat. I ignored him and slowly reached out, touching hanyo's injured chest. Something in his eyes changed and he looked down so that our staring competition was over. Somehow I couldn't be afraid of him and his claws which lay useless beside him on the floor. He didn't do anything as I moved my hand from his chest to his shoulder, feeling the muscles underneath his skin.
"I'll take him", I said softly, trying not to sound too threatening to hanyou. "How much you want?"
"This isn't about money", I turned around just to see his creepy eyes close to mine before he pinned me against the wall and pressed his nose against my throat. I gasped as his mouth nippled my throat.
"Let go!" I pushed his shoulders and squeezed my eyes shut but he stood against me like a mountain. His hands trailed down my waist to my hips.
"How much are you ready to pay, Kagome?" he breathed against my cheek. I opened my eyes and remembered the hanyou. My eyes trailed down. He was still sitting in the floor not looking at us who were just beside him but he obviously could hear everything with those ears which twisted on top of his head. I refused to just let Rico Wilson ravish my body when all he wanted to do was just toy with me and dominate because I annyoed him, acting like the hanyou wasn't there. I wanted his dirty hands off me.
"I said let go!" I shouted and slapped his cheek. His attention to my neck broke and dead fast he was backing away from me, eyes full of wrath.
"I asked", I hissed through my teeth. "How much you want?"
He walked to me, fuming and quikcly took the pouch out of my apron. "This will be enough. Now go and don't you dare come back. Go to hell and rotten there, both of you, filthy bitches!"
The next thing I knew was that he grabbed me by shoulders and pushed out off the carriage to the hard ground. Hanyou flew beside me too in the cold night. Rico Wilson stood at the door frame and spat loudly on the ground in front of us. I must have really hurt his pride. The door was slammed shut and I sighed, gazing at the hanyo who just hung his head sadly.
AN:
Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha