Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
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Chapter 3: An Enchanted Castle
"Here." the girl said quietly handing him a cup of still steaming tea. She still hadn't removed her hood and he noticed, something he had missed because of the shadows created by the candle, she was wearing a pair of leather gloves.
"Thank you." Jon took it and took a sip gratefully. She had asked him if he had wanted dinner but he had declined. Somewhere in this crazy evening his appetite had disappeared.
The mysterious girl had taken him to a parlor room where a fire had already been crackling merrily in the fire place. Just like the great hall, this place was grand beyond his imagining. The fire place was taller than him and four times as wide. Carved into the back was an intricate design that looked almost floral. The couch he sat on was wide enough for five grown men and softer than a cloud. On one end was a pillow and on top of it a folded blanket.
"Are you comfortable?" the girl asked as she drew back slightly to stand in the shadows.
"You have been most kind." Jon smiled at her. She was really a darling girl. She almost reminded him of Eri, though obviously without the love of jewels. The girl dressed very simply. Much more simple, in fact, than the palace around her suggested.
"Why were you going through the forest?" she asked. "No one ever goes through the forest."
Jon sighed. "I suppose that makes me odd, huh?"
She tilted her head to the side and observed him as a scientist would a new piece of information that didn't quite line up with what he already knew.
So Jon told her everything. The messenger, his daughters, his captain, and the requests his daughters made of him before he left.
The girl said nothing the whole time, just listened in silence as he spoke.
"We can help with the dresses and jewels but I'm afraid we can do nothing about the rose." She smiled regretfully.
"I couldn't ask you." Jon protested. "You've been more than fair to me."
"It will be safer and faster to just return to the village." she said as if he hadn't spoken. "You are still very far from any other exit. So, we'll send you on your way tomorrow. And in the morning, I shall bring you dresses and jewels. I'm afraid your youngest will just have to be happy with your safe return."
"That will make my Beauty more than happy." he smiled at her as he finished his tea.
She took the empty cup from him and smile gently. "Will you be needing anything else?"
He blinked in surprise. She said that just as any well trained servant would. When he had lived in the city, he had visited many places that had servants that acted the very same way. Then she wasn't the owner of this castle? What did that make her then? A servant? Is that why she was so nervous at his presence? And if she wasn't the master of the castle, who was?
So many questions and not one answer.
He heard the door open behind him and the girl's eyes went over his head. For just a moment she looked…terrified. Like she was genuinely afraid of the newcomer.
Then a voice called out, "It's just me."
Relief crossed her face then she smiled. Jon turned but he couldn't see anything in the darkness of the room. It was almost as though the fire was creating more shadows than light.
"Where is he?" she asked.
"I haven't seen him." the voice said. It was completely masculine. Deep and powerful. "He might still be asleep."
"Is there any chance he didn't notice him?" she asked as she clenched and unclenched her hands in worry.
"Hard to say."
There was a tense pause where Jon looked between the unseen male and the strange girl.
Finally, when Jon thought the silence might just drive him mad, the girl sighed.
Then she smiled sympathetically at Jon. "I'm sorry. I know this all must be very confusing for you. But this is all we can offer you. I hope you sleep well."
She bowed to him respectfully before leaving him in the room. Just before she closed the door, she said, "Oh, and one more thing. Please, don't leave this room. It's…better that way." The way she hesitated made him think she might have meant 'safer' which didn't make him feel better at all.
The door shut with a soft click leaving Jon with only his thoughts and the fire crackling softly in the background.
He sighed and sank into the couch.
Aslan had been taken by the girl when she first left him in this room. She had come back without his faithful steed and had, instead, the blanket and pillow. She assured him that he was being well cared for. Not that Jon could question her. He was completely at their disposal until morning.
At least that beast from outside wasn't attacking him anymore. He was safe and that girl didn't look capable of treachery. Her male friend might but that wasn't who was causing him all this unease.
It was that unnamed 'him' they spoke of with just a tremor of fear in their voices. Was this 'he' the master of the castle? Was that girl going to get in trouble for letting him stay here? Then why would she let him in?
Oh, he was going to think himself to death!
There was nothing he could do about it. His horse was off somewhere in the castle and he had no chance of finding it. Not to mention that it was dark outside and that thing that had drove him here might still be here. No, there was nothing that could be done.
So, with just a touch of unease, he got up and grabbed the blanket off the couch. It was thicker than it first appeared and very soft.
He unfolded it and shook it out a few times before draping it over the sofa.
He sighed and looked into the fire. He wondered how his girls were doing. He was sure his Beauty was holding the house together, it would be just like her.
He folded the blanket back an sat back down on the couch.
Perhaps he had acted recklessly. He probably should have listened to his children, they were usually smarter than him anyway. Claude was a good man and a good captain, he would surely have everything under control. He had just wanted to lay eyes on him so bad. Claude had been his first captain when he first started his merchant business. He had gone to him with nothing more than a dream and a pocketful of money, most had called him a fool for taking up with Jon. Claude, however, believed wholeheartedly in Jon and his vision. When the first trading expedition had gone according to plan and had drawn in a good amount of money, it had been Claude who had been able to share it with him. For a while, before the incident, everyone had believed that Eri and Claude would marry. His death had hit her hard, nearly as hard as it had hit him.
If he made it home, he would wait just as Claude had instructed him. A few weeks wouldn't hurt him.
He laid his head down and pulled the blanket over his body.
That girl wouldn't lie, he was sure she was trustworthy. She would let him go in the morning with directions home.
The first thing he noticed, was the chirping birds.
He opened his eyes and sat up, his body was sore and creaky from the night on the couch. However, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could be.
The old man stretched and looked around him.
In the daylight, the room seemed to have lost it's dark mystery. Now it just looked…abandoned.
The large window set in the far left wall was dusty and cracked in a few of the panes. In one corner of the ceiling there was a large, though thankfully empty, cobweb. Now that the fire had burned down, he could see the hearth hadn't been cleaned in a long while.
If that girl was a servant, she wasn't one who cleaned.
He stood up and looked around. Everything around him, the bookshelf, the small table under the window, the very carpet he walked on, was covered in a film of dust.
Just how old was this castle? Now that he thought about it, he never heard of a castle being in this forest before.
"You're awake."
He jumped and turned. "Goodness!" he exclaimed as he pressed a hand to his racing heart. "You scared me out of a year of my life."
The girl giggled slightly. "I'm sorry."
She was wearing exactly what she had yesterday, the same hooded cloak that flowed only to her hips. A simple dress with a light brown skirt and white top and those same leather gloves.
In her hands was a tray with food.
"I brought breakfast." She held it up. It had toast, jam, a few slices of ham, and a couple of boiled eggs.
"Goddess." he said as his stomach grumbled reminding him that it had been a long while since he last ate.
She smiled again bringing attention to the purple slashes that were, indeed, on her cheeks. Were they make-up? A birthmark perhaps?
"Enjoy." she said, setting the tray on the table under the window. "I'll be back with the gifts for your daughters."
"You don't have to do that." he protested as she began to leave. "I couldn't possibly ask you."
She turned and smiled at him. "Please, it's been so long since we have had guests. Besides, we certainly don't need dresses and jewels. Allow me to serve you in any way I can."
She bowed and left the room.
Strange, she seemed happier this morning. Had she met with the 'he' they had spoken of? Had he approved of Jon staying?
Again, questions ran round and round in his head, driving him mad.
He didn't have to wait long. No sooner had he finished his breakfast than the door was opening again and she was coming back in with his saddlebags.
"I've already placed them in here." she said as she set them gently on the floor. "I can show you for your approval if you like."
"No, no." he shook his head. "You've been most kind. I can't ask for more from you."
"I am sorry about your youngest." she said regretfully. "But we have no roses to give."
"I understand." he smiled. "No one can be expected to give something they don't have."
"You're very kind." he stood up. "My daughters will be most grateful to you."
She smiled and picked the bags back up. "I shall take you to your horse now, if you're ready."
"Of course." he smiled. "Let me carry those."
"No, sir." she laughed. "You're our guest."
He laughed at the way she said it, as if she couldn't be more pleased about there being a guest around.
She led him out of the parlor room and back into the great hall which, despite it being day, was still mostly in shadow.
"Am I permitted to ask questions yet?" he asked playfully.
She giggled. "It would be easier if you didn't."
He smiled and didn't ask anything. She seemed so much happier this morning that he didn't want to bring back any of that fear from the night before.
The great door, which was easily the full height of the great hall, was already opened enough for the two of them.
She led him out into the courtyard and he gasped.
True, the stone walkway leading to the door was broken and cracked and had weeds growing between them.
However, the garden was a different story. Someone had obviously had to great effort to make sure that the garden had been tended. Flowers abounded everywhere, showing their colors and releasing their sweet scent for the whole world to enjoy.
"It is a sight, isn't it." the girl smiled at his dumbfounded expression. "The master does love his gardens."
"It's incredible." he admitted as he gazed at the magnificent colors. Blues, yellows, purples, greens, and…red? A rose?
He looked at the bushes lining the path.
"I'll be back with you horse." she said not noticing anything different about him. "Just wait here a moment."
Without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked away toward a wooden building off to the side. A stable, perhaps?
That didn't matter though, because he was looking at roses. Honest to goodness roses.
He stepped in front of a bush and peered down at them. They were in full bloom and the scent they released into the air was intoxicating. But the girl said they had no roses? Why had she lied?
He looked over to her retreating back but she wasn't looking at him.
Well, one rose couldn't hurt, he thought as he looked at back at them.
Decision made, he checked on the girl one last time and, when she had vanished into the stables, he reached down to a rosebud that had yet to bloom and grasped the stem, checking for thorns.
He pulled but it wouldn't pluck so easily. So he reached down and pulled the small knife out of his boot and cut the stem.
"Ah, perfect." he said.
"No!"
He turned at the screech and was sorry to see it came from the girl who was running toward him with his horse.
"Oops." he said sheepishly. "Got caught."
"No! No!" she yelled.
But she wasn't looking at him, she was looking over his head with that same soul gripping terror that had been in her eyes yesterday.
"You dare."
Jon froze.
The voice that had spoken was male but not the same as the one from last night. This one was much deeper, much darker, much more powerful.
Much more terrifying.
Jon couldn't move, couldn't turn to face this newcomer, fear had paralyzed him.
"I let you in my home." a hand clasped on his wrist and Jon saw, to his horror, that the fingers ended in sharp, deadly claws. "I feed you, I give you gifts. And you betray my hospitality." The voice was calm and all the more terrible because of it.
"Master, no!" the girl appeared in his vision. Her hood had fallen off and he could see on her head a pair of black, triangular dog ears bent down in fear.
"You were told not to go near the garden." he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You were told we had no roses to give."
"Master, please!" The girl clasped her hands together. She had removed her gloves and he could see on her hand the very same claws that gripped him now. "He has a family! He has daughters to care for! Please, let him go. He didn't mean any harm."
"You told him not to go near the roses." the voice growled. This growl did more to terrify Jon than the growl from last night. "He shall accept his punishment."
"Please, don't." she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "His daughters, he only wanted to get them gifts. His youngest asked for a rose to plant in their garden. Don't punish him for that!"
Jon thought it was hopeless. Whoever this newcomer was, he scared even her who was loyal to him, why should he expect any mercy?
However, the voice paused for a second.
"Very well." The clawed hand release Jon's wrist and Join collapsed in a heap. A large shadow came over him but Jon was too afraid to turn and gaze at this horrible man.
"Old man, you may take that rose home with you. It will grow in your garden and bloom before the season changes. When the roses all bloom, you will either return here to suffer your punishment, or send one of your daughters in your place."
"Master, no!" the girl begged.
"Silence, Kagome." the man said to her. "I gave you permission to care for the human as you asked provided he leave my garden alone. You have failed me. You will be punished as well."
The girl flinched though he hadn't raised his voice at all.
A hand grasped the back of Jon's clothes and hauled him into the air.
"Do you understand?" he asked him. "If you don't return here or send one of your daughters after the roses bloom, I will come and punish all of you."
Without apology, and with a terrible strength, the horrible master of the castle threw him out of the castle gates and onto a heap on the ground. A moment later, his horse was sniffing at his side.
"Remember, when the roses bloom someone will have to return to my castle."
