Chapter 3: Kikyo
(A/N: I was asked by someone not to make Kikyo a spoiled brat and well I'm sorry, I cleaned her up as much as I could without screwing up the storyline. Hope it's enough.)
Last time
Kagome sat smiling quietly. Although these people were her enemies Kagome could feel no ill will toward them. They had suffered just as much as she had. "Come lets get you settled in." Izayoi took Kikyo's hand and lead her inside gesturing for several servants to help with the baggage. Kagome and Sango stood and keeping their heads bowed as they passed the young lords followed behind their mistress.
Chapter 3
Walking through the halls of the Palace of the Moon Kagome was reminded of home before they had started to lose their lands to the other 3 territories. The west had always been famous for it's wealth and to say it showed in every stone was an understatement. It emanated through the halls but managed to avoid haughtiness with its elegance. Blood red rugs ran along the halls, paintings in delicate gold frames hung along the walls, while black curtains were pulled back with gold ropes from the huge picture windows.
Upon arriving at Kikyo's new room they found all her luggage already there. 'I'll have to check for a servants entrance.' Kagome thought as she quickly scanned the room for any immediate threat. Finding none she began to take in the room itself.
It was a large room with a balcony at the far side that overlooked the palace gardens; the right corner of the room beside the balcony was blocked off by semi-transparent white drapes, behind which was a raised wooden platform with a futon on it. Along the same side was a long dressing table and further down a dressing screen.
Along the left side of the room were three doors; the door closest to the main door was a sliding screen behind which Kagome could smell warm water and bathing oils. The second was a set of double doors that obviously led to a closet while the third was almost invisible, tucked into the corner it more than likely held the futons and blankets for Sango and herself. All was illuminating in a gentle glow cast from the small oil lamps that lined the pale green walls.
Playing the ever good maids Sango and Kagome went and started to empty the chests of clothes into the closet and set the boxes of jewelry on the dressing table while Izayoi explained the procedure of things to Kikyo.
When Izayoi left to make sure things would be ready for dinner on time Kikyo turned and walked over to grumpily flop onto her bed. "Who does that human think she is! I mean the nerve of her to talk to me in such a way, and ¡touch me!" Kikyo made an annoyed sound while examining the ceiling. Kagome and Sango decided to do the only thing they could to prevent getting in trouble: they stayed silent.
(A/N: If you have read my other fic Chase Throughout Time then you already know what ¡! means. If you haven't then I'll tell you now. Doing ¡! around a word puts extra emphasis on it. This is usually used in Spanish though.)
After a few minutes Kikyo sat up and leaned on her elbows to actually talk to them (instead of give orders) for the first time. "You two would never touch me without permission, would you?" "No your highness." They both murmured quietly and bowed their heads before returning to their task. Kikyo eyed them skeptically before saying. "Mother said that you two were specially trained to come with me, though you both look like ordinary maids to me."
Sango decided to answer and spoke very gently compared to her regular tones, since she would be forced to endure any punishment that Kikyo saw fit to bestow. "Then we are doing our jobs well your highness." Apparently intrigued Kikyo continued her line of questioning. "What makes you so special compared to Kinta and Hitome?" She asked listing her two former maids (who had both been severely questioned for information on all of Kikyo's habits). Both girls froze in their work and looked at each other from across the room discussing with looks how much they should reveal.
Kikyo waited a little impatiently, she had seen maids do this many times before since they almost always came in pairs to assure that they didn't fight. Each set seemed to be able to read each other's mind and it annoyed her to no end being unable to eavesdrop.
Kagome was the one to answer since she had gotten her orders directly from the reigning lady of the eastern lands. "We are trained to notice things hime." Kagome decided it would be better to keep word of their fighting skills quiet just on the off chance they were being spied on. "Notice things like what?" Kikyo seemed very interested. Again another look was shared between the two and Sango took the question this time. "Behavior. We are also trained to notice traps and can identify most poisons and make their antidotes." She was extremely vague in her reply but Kikyo failed to notice.
Kikyo sat up fully looking worried. "Is there something wrong with the peace?" Kagome responded to her younger sister's question calmly. "Not that we know of hime. We are here because your mother is simply worried for your safety, as mothers tend to do." Kikyo sat back on her elbows again fully satisfied with her answer, before throwing her head back in an oddly feline yawn.
"I'm going to take a nap before dinner, after that I expect to be bathed and have a fresh kimono waiting." She told them standing up so one of them could help her remove the elegant but travel worthy kimono she had been wearing, whilst the other retrieved her nightgown. "Hai, hime." Kagome was thankful of this. She had had enough of the young girl's curiosity, and although they only had the small difference in age of two human years Kikyo was still very much the naïve girl.
Sango and Kagome settled on Kagome searching the room more thoroughly while Sango went with Kikyo to dinner since it would raise fewer questions about their training; Sango being far better with poisons and Kagome better with spells.
Kikyo woke two hours later in a bit better mood than when she fell asleep and gave both women their instructions. Sango went and bathed with Kikyo washing the hime's back and hair while in a well-disguised foul mood. Whereas Kagome went and searched through all the newly placed kimonos to find one suitable enough for what she knew they were grossly understating by calling a dinner.
She ended her search when she found the fine silk sakura petal pink furisode she had seen earlier and paired it with a pale purple obi. Along the hem of the furisode thread the same colour as the obi was sewn in the shape of sakura blossoms and although it was extremely plain compared to Kikyo's usual choice of dress Kagome had the feeling she would look stunning in it.
"You want ¡me! To wear that?" Kikyo gestured to herself then the kimono as she spoke looking unimpressed with Kagome's choice. "Please your highness. If you would just let us see how it looks first then decide. You will still have enough time to change if you think it inappropriate all the same." Kikyo rolled her eyes yet humored then anyway.
Once dressed just as Kagome expected she looked beautiful. Instead of ones attention being draw to the dress on the person it was drawn to the person in the dress. The colour gave her a slightly flushed looked, while her obi tied in the back to look like a butterfly then left to hang down made her look very tall and with her hair swept up in a bunkin-takashimada held with kanzashi she looked much more like a lady of her rank then Kagome had ever seen her.
Kikyo eyed herself in a full-length mirror they had found. "Yes," She turned to examine her back. "Yes with a bit of jewelry I think this will do well enough." Later as she and Sango left, Kikyo stopped to speak with Kagome. "Wash while I am away. Avoid my more expensive oils though do use something; I can't have you smelling like a soldier now can I?" With that she disappeared down the hall.
(A/N: Dame why do my more brilliant ideas always have to come while I'm ready to drop down unconscious? Anyway here is a glossary to help with some of the terms.)
Glossary:
Taijiya - Demon exterminator
Youki - Demonic aura
Ningen - Human
Hime - Princess
Furisode - Young, unmarried Japanese women wear this type of kimono with long flowing sleeves that reach almost to the ankles
Bunkin-takashimada - Traditional upswept Japanese hairstyle
Kanzashi – Delicate gold combs and hair accessories.