Disclaimer, I do not own anything in reference to Inuyasha.
Wild Heart
Chapter 2: Investigating We'll Go
It had been a lot harder getting out of the house; so much that I'd had to wait an unbearable few days just to sneak out. It wasn't hard to find those girls again either; they seemed to inhabit the same place as before. The only difficult part had been finding that place from my leisured pace used while sightseeing. They waved when they saw me, something like relief flashed before their eyes.
"Are you alright? We were getting worried when we didn't see you for a few days." I nodded, I hadn't been in trouble unless they weren't talking about that. . .
"I'm fine, are you well? I couldn't find you . . ." They all diverted their eyes then and I knew they had run from fear. Rather pathetic seeing as how the poor creature was chained and fenced in. We began to walk down the opposite side that we'd gone before and the girls chatted about nonsense things. When I was fed up of boy talk I looked to Kiku and asked,
"What do you know about the Lord's sisters?" The girls fell silent immediately and Kiku looked around to be sure no one was listening.
"Aside from that they were killed gruesomely? Not all at once though. The youngest was the first to be killed." I nodded, this was already fascinating though it should be repulsive.
"She was about the same age as me, about 12 or so. She'd travelled outside the barrier into the wolves' territory, they nabbed her and all that was left was a few limbs and her bloody clothes." The twins shivered and Naoko looked away sickened.
"The second was the eldest, there was a rumor that she was in love with one of the wolves," I saw disgust grow upon the three girls that were listening. "and that he tricked her to go into the forest to meet up with him. One of the guards found her hollowed body." Naoko put a hand to her mouth.
"And the last?" I wasn't sure that I could listen further, none of this made any sense.
"She's been missing for years now." Not even a body to claim, that's terrible. I looked to Kiku then.
"How do you know that wolves even did these things?" She shrugged,
"Our Lord tells us. We believe him, why not? Who are we to trust if not the man that leads our village?" I opened my mouth to say something but couldn't, I had nothing to say to that.
The mirror was not lost on the two from the South, its miraculous reflective face an enjoyable value to them. Kanon watched her sister paint her face, she'd gotten up a bit earlier than usual. She knew her sister did this every morning, spent so much time in front of it, admiring the beauty she'd gotten from their mother. Their mother, D'ao Long had come from a place far in the Continent across the sea. Kanon didn't know the story of how she and their father had met but alas it happened and as the beautiful bride of a Lord by the sea she was happy and gave him beautiful daughters. However, she couldn't spare him a son.
Thus the girls took on her exotic beauty, all excepting two of the daughters, Kanon and her late sister Naomi. Kanon's hair was thick and black and her skin was pale and her face round and childish. Though her eyes were large and a deep silky brown she had the facial features of her father, a face that rarely was able to show emotion past anger or irritation and thus she had a naturally . . . hateful or fierce look about her.
Kanon watched as Airi fixed imperfections in her hair before rushing her sister to do the same as they were expected to be somewhere. A place in which Kanon would have loved but a person to meet there she couldn't help but despair.
Airi was taking her to have tea in the garden with Hina. Kanon wanted to gag.
But there she was, taking tea with her sister and that woman in the gardens that were dormant for the upcoming winter that seemed to gain on them so fast. She stayed silent as best she could, drawing out a straight face without emotion. As best she could. She could still see Hina scan around just to glimpse her face out of the corners of her eyes whenever she could as she and Airi talked about nonsense. And by nonsense she meant wedding things and rooming and such.
Hina would make a comment about Akio being infatuated and Airi would blush and comment on how handsome a man he was or how responsible and admirable . . . Kanon could barely stand it. The worst part was that she had no real reason to feel the way she did. Sure Ken was the only one abusing a being unjustly, and sure as a family they had a right to grieve and wish vengeance on those who murdered their sisters/daughters.
The way that had been chosen wasn't right though, surely not. Though she could understand the need for vengeance on those that harmed them, why did she feel as though something was horribly wrong though?
"Ah, my daughters were quiet ones too. Your mother must be pleased with such a behaved young lady." Kanon blinked coming out of her mind and away from the thoughts she'd previously had.
She merely nodded, not knowing what else to say as she politely sipped the tea.
"You are old enough to have a husband, has this not been looked into?" Hina seemed to look to Airi for these answers and Kanon refused to give herself the indulgence of mocking her and feigning illness to retreat elsewhere. Why would she punish herself?
"Well, as the baby in the family our father dotes on her," Kanon was surprised with the honesty in her tone. It wasn't completely true, he was mostly too busy to dote on her per say but he did seem to favor her. "I fear that he will run off any man brave enough to want her." They laughed as if at some divine comedy but Kanon couldn't see the humor. She'd been insulted at least three times in that sentence and she wasn't pleased.
"Ah, he is that sort of father. It's admirable though, a daughter is a precious thing. . ." The mood quickly turned sour but Airi seemed to feel the need to reach out and pat her hand in solace. Kanon wanted to leave, the woman looking terribly fake. It put a frown on her face, fake? Just like that though and Hina was back in gear.
"Kanon-san, you are such a tiny thing. Men like the frail look so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a husband. Perhaps a warrior to be worthy of your Father's nobility? If he is notably wealthy he couldn't possibly say no . . . " She said this as if that was the way of the universe but it wasn't so with their family. Wealth hardly meant anything; it was only a bonus if he could take care of his wife easily. No, honor and heart was what her father looked for in the husbands of his daughters. To go to a man that would respect them and to see them as the light of day. He wanted men that would love his daughters the way he loved his wife. His sun didn't rise unless she made it and that's how he thought his daughters should be.
So what had he seen in Akio? She'd be sure to remember and ask Airi how this arrangement even came about when she had the chance.
It made her think about how he really felt about the women in his life. He was a good father and wonderful husband. Their family was a close and happy one. He wasn't opposed to allowing sweetened indulgences or fantasies. Such as Ran and her husband who was nothing more than a rice farmer, or the sister just older than her, Ume who had wanted to learn to fight and how their father had allowed her to go off and train to be a shinobi.
Would her father always see her as his most precious jewel though? What if the day came when she did have a man that wished to marry her, would her father allow it or would he find some way to ruin it and keep her there? It had been hard enough for their mother to convince him to let her go this far up north with Airi.
He'd watched the wagon until it was out of sight, she'd too watched him as well.
She was thrown out of her thoughts again but instead of Hina's voice this time it was the sad voices of wolves in the mountains.
"The wedding is to be had in spring!" Airi grabbed ahold of her tiny teen sister and held her in a hug, her face bright and cheery. Kanon was depressed, it wasn't even quite winter yet . . . how could she wait for spring?
"I'm happy for you sister." She was, her sister was happy and so she could at least wish her a good life, it didn't matter that she herself was miserable it wasn't about her.
"I received a letter this morning. You were still asleep of course." Kanon looked eager then, a letter from mother perhaps?
"It's from Ran-chan. She delivered her baby safely, it's a baby girl." The girls laughed from excitement, Kanon couldn't wait to see the new baby in the family. Ran-chan was the second oldest, a bit biting to Airi she knew. As aunts they put such thoughts aside and ogled about the new baby and how they couldn't wait to see what she looked like. They parted after the excitement died down a bit, Airi was going to spend the evening with Akio and . . . Ken. Kanon realized this gave her the perfect time to get some answers, answers from the only person left.
The wolf himself.
I carefully snuck up to the fencing whilst looking around to be sure that no one was around. Though I knew I wouldn't have to worry about Ken himself busting me I didn't want anyone telling him either.
I looked about for the wolf; he appeared to be resting against the post.
"Hey. . ." I whispered, he didn't open his eyes. In fact, he didn't move at all. Had he heard me? I thought their hearing was supposed to be excellent.
"I'm Dan Kanon." My voice was a little above a whisper now and still nothing from him. I sighed and put my hands on the fence. This was going really great.
"Kouga." Gooseflesh arose on my arms and the back of my neck, his voice was rich and deep. Very pleasant despite the condition he was in. Perhaps pleasant wasn't the word I was looking for though. His eyes were still closed.
"I have some questions . . . will you answer them . . . Kouga-sama?" I gave him my most respectful tone; my grandmother had always told me to never judge a person without the facts to prove that they didn't deserve respect. I saw his lids slowly show his pale blue eyes and I was surprised to see amusement in them.
"No need to be so formal Kanon-san, I am but a dog in a cage after all." It hurt me to hear this, he breathed wild, and he would never be a caged dog.
"I don't believe so, I can tell differently. Please, did you kill them? Akio-sama's sisters, I mean." I wanted him to tense up, become offended; anything but all I got was a lazy look.
"No, no I did not." I knew it. I straightened and anger boiled in me.
"But my son did." I looked back to him, he was watching me then, watching me like a predator would its prey and I felt uncomfortable despite that I knew he couldn't harm me.
"Why are you here then?" He snorted and looked around him, at the mud and the dirty water trough he was forced to drink from.
"Someone has to pay, right? Though sister would be more like it. " I was so confused suddenly, I leaned back onto the fence.
"Wait, what? Are you saying that he only killed one? That you are here for . . . him?" He rolled his eyes and gave a tired look to me.
"Yeah girl, I'm here in place of my hormonal, irresponsible, cowardly son." My hands clenched, so noble . . . it was awful.
"Why though?" This made him tense, the first bit of emotion I could conduct from him that wasn't boredom or laziness.
"He is my flesh and blood, despite how traitorous he is I love him. I'd ask if you'd do the same for your family but I know how you hum-"
"Yes, I understand. I would too." He looked at me with something fierce then, he swallowed roughly and gave me a tender look.
"Would you?" I nodded, noting his voice having gotten lower.
"I don't always get along with my sisters, or even my parents but I would do anything for them." He nodded, clear agreement in his eyes, a youkai and I had common grounds.
"What Ken-san said before though, that isn't right. Not that I agree with this either." I gestured around him and I saw invisible hackles rise at the mention of Ken.
"He'll rot in hell before I allow him to hurt them." I nodded, I understood better now. He put his family first; it was how things should be. He was obviously the head of his family and he had the will and drive to protect them. I looked at the chain around his neck. All he needed was the freedom
"It's a key right? To unlock that?" he stiffened and squinted his eyes suspiciously.
"Don't suppose you know where it is?" I was nervous now; I would be in so much trouble for helping this crea-, Kouga-san. I had this plunging fear in my stomach of being beaten or such.
"It's in the shed over there." I turned to the way he had mentioned and saw what he was talking about. It was some sort of maintenance shed. I walked over to it and tried the door, it wasn't locked or anything. Guess with all the hate of wolves around here Ken hadn't thought about anyone letting him free. Inside was shovels and gardening tools. I saw spare chains and a few shelves. One of which had the key laying in plain sight. I grabbed it and made to leave before I stopped, I heard someone coming and my heart sped up. I peeked out of the crack in the door and saw two men with buckets.
"Here mutt, meal time."
"Like it deserves to be fed even . . ." The one who had spoken first was heavy set, he laughed cruelly as he threw what looked like raw pieces of meat at Kouga-san. I wanted to take those buckets and make them eat that nasty stuff. The younger man set his bucket down and started to walk to the shed, i tried to calm myself down and hid in one of the shelves and prayed he wouldn't come in here. To my relief I heard him messing around at the side of the shed before things fell silent. I waited until I thought I was safe to peek back out.
The younger man had gotten two wooden boxes for them to sit on, they were clearly going to be there for a while. . .
She was trying her best not to nod off, it was night time already and those jerks out front had sake and were singing and having a good ole time. She fingered the key and looked out in time to see Kouga charging and snarling at the now drunk men. She shivered at how feral he looked, the fatter man having fell off his box and yelling. The younger man waved Kouga off and helped the other man up while laughing. They kicked at the empty buckets and left, a breath released from Kanon as they did. She hadn't wanted to do things like this. She was going to free him then go home like nothing had happened. Now the house hold would know it had been her since she'd been missing all day. She caught Kouga's bright blue eyes watching in the direction of the men before they flashed to the shed. Was that her cue that it was alright to come out?
She slowly crept out and looked around, no one was out when the sun was completely gone and once the lanterns and torches were lit it meant that curfew was up and then there really was no one out. She quickly walked to the fence and he came to meet her but she realized he wouldn't even reach the fence. She gripped the key in one hand and tried her best to climb over the fence, the spokes were rough and she wasn't used to such things. She scraped her arm on the way over,
"Oh!" She didn't pause to look at it, only inched her way to Kouga before stopping, his eager eyes full of the light from before.
"You don't have a reason to hurt me right?" He huffed and rolled his eyes.
"Like I make a habit of hurtin' little girls." She gave him an angry look and put her hands to hips.
"I'll have you know I'm 17 years of age, that's hardly a little girl." He grinned then, devilish in nature and bathed in the light of fire he was more than handsome. She blushed but continued to inch forward. He suddenly jerked to the left, his eyes bright and his attention all in that one direction.
"What?" He looked back to her hurriedly.
"Someone is coming, hurry." He crawled to her and she knelt, pushing his hair from the lock to jiggle it. It popped open and she heard someone yell. The breath left her as she turned to see one of the drunken men from before. Then suddenly a whoosh of air went past her, similar to the one from before and the awful snarling was back and in the minute it took her to make sense of anything a raging wolf demon was at her side, his bloody arm around her waist and hauling her out of the fence. She gave a yelp of surprise as a man and a sword came out of a house hollering for someone to help when he dumped her in the road and practically flew at the man, dodging the sword and tearing his throat out.
Fear clenched at every nerve in Kanon's body as he came back for her, madness in those terrible blue eyes.
'What have I done?' There was more yelling and Kouga wasted no more time, he slashed at her, efficiently tearing her sleeve off and bloodying her arm. With her last scream of terror that could be heard throughout the village, he grabbed her up and threw her over his shoulder and retreated to the forest.
