One Hundred and One Nights
Story Twelve- The Fox and the King, Part I
Kagome watched the maids bustle around her. The letter crinkled between her fingers as she walked, her expensive gown brushing the exquisite tile work as she moved forward. The head maid branched off from the others, her eyes cold and her fingers stiff.
"Milady," She tilted her head and Kagome simply smirked at the simple act of defiance. She nodded her head and the maid took it as an invitation to continue. "Your husband will be returning from battle. Red, the color of victory would be more appropriate. Not...white."
"White is the color of death," Kagome started, folding the crinkled paper into a square and slipping it into a slit in her dress. She gave a gentle smile to the scowling woman. "We are not going to celebrate bloodshed, we will morn it."
"Yes, Milady," She huffed in annoyance and marched back to her post and began stringing the large white fabric into the exposed rafters. The head maid was correct, she should have been decorating with red to welcome home the men who had shed blood in defense of their kingdom and Lord. Instead, she went against the direct orders of her supervisor and changed the plans pre-made for her.
"Lady Kagome! A messenger hawk!" A boy cried, his arm wrapped in thick leather while a beautiful bird perched on it. It's keen eyes followed her movement and when she brushed a hand down its chest to the small bundle wrapped around its leg, it keened and she smiled. The boy blushed.
She unrolled the parchment with shaking fingers. She wondered if she wanted news of her husbands survival or of his death.
Dear, Lady Kagome
I hope all is well and that sleep finds you easily. I can not be graced with such a small mercy. It seems as if heaven and hell alike wish me to watch as they make their rounds. I think often of your story. I can no longer bare the drab tales spun by soldiers at night, for they are but waves to the ocean. This of course was an attempt to falter you but relating you to the vastness of the ocean.
I do hope you did not take it that you are overweight.
Yours Truly, Lord Sesshomaru
She questioned the release of the tight pressure in her chest.
()()()()
Sesshomaru shot a glare to the man riding to his right. The King to the East had met with his group just after dispatching a mass of rebels. His men were not only exhausted, but also running low on supplies. He had asked to house his troops in the King's castle only to be tasked with protecting the King on his journey to Sesshoamru's land to meet his wife. The man was despicable.
"So, is she beautiful?" He asked for the six time in the span of two hours. Sesshomaru nodded briskly but the huff of annoyance for the King raised his sour mood a bit. It flat lined again when a soldier chimed in.
"She is unbelievable! With hair as lush as chestnuts and skin as rich as the forest itself!"
"She smiles like sunshine and laughs like bells!" Another called, shouting over his friend.
"She's tall and broad, strong enough to take on six armed men!" One called, laughing. Sesshomaru smiled knowing his bride would have agreed with only one of the said statements.
"She must be some woman," The King laughed. Sesshomaru could feel the kernel of jealousy swirling around in his gut. The only thing consoling him from brutally murdering the King was the small shred of trust. It whispered that, unlike most of the King's concubines, Kagome would not be swayed by his money or lavish lifestyle.
"She is," Was his quiet reply.
()()()()
"Milady, I am severely against this idea," The head maid hissed, her rancid breath making Kagome's toes curl. She sighed with extravagance and felt the press of expensive fabric to her stomach. The dress was a navy blue, rich and deep. She'd had liked the way it made her waist look narrower.
"Than it is a good thing you will not be held responsible," She raised her chin when the horns sounded in the pavilion below. She clasped her hands together and walked briskly to the door. The men slid it open on well oiled hinges.
Her strut became smoother as she gained confidence. The pallor of her skin darkened when she note her husband was uninjured and well. He deftly untied his saddle and handed it to a waiting servant who bustled off to have it stored. Her shoes were causing her trouble on the steps and she reached down to tug them off.
She handed them to a Ladies maid to her right, who's eyes widened when her mistress's shoes were shoved into her arms. The woman moved more quickly now, the corner of her gown clutched tightly in one palm, her husband's latest letter in her other.
She slowed when they neared. Her hand dropped and her hem slipped to the ground. By now, a few men noticed the flushed woman and her lack of shoes. She moved forward to Sesshoamru, his back facing her as she marched forward.
She was getting rather annoyed that horses and men continued to step in her way. Just as she was about to reach out to brush a finger across his arm, another hand took her out reached hand, bringing it up to wet lips. Kagome watched the he man smile before her. Her mood spoiled by the look in the man's eyes.
"You must be the lovely Lady Kagome," He placed another kiss to her hand and she glanced over to Sesshomaru. He had spun around at her name and his eyes widened when he took in her state of dress. Her gown was dragging on the ground for her lack of shoes and her cheeks were a rosy pink hidden under a line of sun-made freckles that had spread across her nose. Her hair was spiraling across her face and down her back. Tho the thing that caught his breath was that she was smiling right at him. The hand encased in the king's grip was tugged free when she pulled lightly to place a hand on his cheek.
"Welcome home," Her voice was light and airy. He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. When he caught the disgruntled look shot to him by the King, he rested his mouth by her ear. "Do not be mad."
"What did you do that would anger me?" He whispered. She bit her lip and bobbed her head in the direction of his home. A single eyebrow raised into his bangs and she just rubbed her neck and lead the group up the stairs. He stoop beside her. "Do you not think yourself capable enough to plan a simple party?"
"I may have made it into more of a...remembrance of sorts," Before he could ask her what she meant, her feet took the steps two at a time and she slipping into the doors before the men reached the landing. He could feel his curiosity peeked.
As they reached the door, the lack of color struck him as odd. Every other time he had returned from battle, red streamers had greeted him at the gates. It became painfully apparent when the doors were opened and everything was covered in white. It was mourning.
His wife stood among the people gathered. He recognized them as the families of the men who died. A small smirk crossed his lips as he realized why she had apologized. He snuffed his chuckle, no need to seem morbid.
He stood before his wife. She was biting her lip with abaddon, looking anywhere but at the smirking male before her. When he reached out and pulled the skin from between her teeth, she shot him a withering glare. He simply nodded once, his point conveyed clearly.
"After this, I planned a banquet," She muttered, following him to their seats at the head of the tables. She absentmindedly took his offered elbow and the pair walked past awed men and women. "I invited veterans and those who recently lost someone. A few responded to my correspondence with...disdain, I suppose you could call it."
"And the others?" He asked, noticing the growing throngs of men and women, their dresses and gowns all rich colors that clashed wonderfully with the white backdrop. He applauded her vision and it seemed the King did as well. His eyes never wandered from her upturned face.
"They responded with vigor," She smiled, welcoming a poor merchant's wife to eat her fill when the woman looked at the lavishes with wide eyes. The born ruler held the delicate woman in her arms when she saw the printed portrait of her son displayed on a separate table laden with relics and mementos.
"Your wife is quite exquisite," The King reached for a glass of wine. He watched the Lady console the sobbing woman, the harsh lines of her painted face softening with a delicate smile. "From which noble house is she bore?"
"She is simply a council member's daughter," At the king's distraught gasp, Sesshomaru separated fingers from glass as he plucked the cup from the man to steal a sip before returning it. "Now can you see how truly breath-taking she is?"
The Lord left the gasping man in favor of greeting his surprise guests. Many forgot to bow when the spotted him, unsure how to act around someone they had forever been taught to fear. A woman wept at his broad shoulders and Kagome couldn't say she blamed her.
It was late into the evening when the gates were opened and the festivities flourished. Food stalls placed colorful flowers around their signs, men and women danced to the beat of poorly crafted drums. Powders were made and tossed, the hues saturating the white tapestries that adored he walls. It was only when midnight came, did the people wonder why they were celebrating.
Before he could stand and inform them, he looked to his left where his bride stood, her dress covered with splotches of red and yellow. He raised a hand to the raised dais and she sucked in a breath. Her shoes had been handed off and her bare feet cut clean lines in the dust covered floor.
The crowds quieted, their new Lady stood at heir helm, her disheveled hair fluttering in the cool night breeze. Her back was stiff and her mouth was curved into a stern line. It was only when she flashed a smile to her Lord that they saw the nervous twitch to her clasped hands or the rapid tapping of her foot.
"My people, you have never met me but I stand before you to tell you why you celebrate." She walked forward until her toes brushed the edge of the stage. The people leaned in close, whispering her words to those unlucky enough not to be in the packed ballroom. "So many are lost due to war and poverty. Tonight we celebrate, not their deaths, but their lives. So dance and sing for them and know that while the world my look gray after their loss, the world is only as interesting as the people in it."
Their cheers sounded out the door, down the steps, and into the night, her new subjects rejoicing in her wisdom and wiles. They called her name as she raised her arms up to the heavens, palms wide and head thrown back. Many imitated her, their howls of joy mingling with the cheers.
()()()()
"Impressive," The soft tone brushed the shell of her ear and made a revolting feeling curl in her stomach. She plastered a smile on her face and faced the King. His teeth were white and they shined in the darkness.
She had taken refuge from the calls and pledges that followed her the rest of the night. Her Lord smiled when she demanded they took shelter in their room. He let her retire, promising to return as soon as he saw his men found rest. Now she was blocked into a corner with this brute of a man.
"Thank you, Milord," She bowed politely and made to excuse herself. His arm snaked its way across her stomach and she could feel her resolve slipping. His fingers trailed the hem of the tie that held her dress snug. When she released a hiss of outrage he mistook it for a gasp of pleasure.
The fool.
The second he tried to press her to the wall, she brought her knee into his groin, his resounding grunt making her anger only grow. He pushed her away and brought his hand up. The smack across her face brought tears to her eyes.
The skin of her cheek burned and she could feel the tracks created from her crying. He stood over her, his eyes alight and his fists clenched. She had fallen, her dress splayed around her bare ankles. She brought her heel up and kicked him in the shin, hearing the crack made a twisted smile appear on her lips.
"You dare to attack me? The Lady of the West?" She stood proud, her back straitening even with the pain of falling. Her hip ached from landing on the ground but she raised her head, making sure he saw the glimmer of promise in her eye. "You will no longer be welcome in our home."
"Who do you think people will believe? A Lord's whore or a respected King?" He laughed, pulling himself up from the wall and watching as she refused to submit. "No one will think you were anything but willing."
"Sesshomaru will have your head."
He snorted, wiping the dust from his pant leg. When he straitened, her fist connected with his chin, a hard punch that make the shimmering anger in her gut release. He stumbled back, his lip splitting and his nose broken. He cried out and grasped the wall for support, meeting only the strong figure of the Lord.
A deep growl echoed in the empty hallway. The moon shimmered in the sky, the pale curtains fluttered in the night breeze. He watched the fear flash in his bride's eyes, realizing the compromising position he had found her in. He held up a hand to halt her, his lip twitching at the smell of blood. He spotted the torn skin on her cheek from where her earring had been pushed harshly into her skin. He shoved the revolting man from him before grabbing her chin.
His fingers shifted her head gently, tilting it to give him a better view of the injury. The small cut bled profusely and he carefully brushed the hair from her face. She grasped the fabric of his sleeve when his probing fingers pressed the side of the cut.
"Come," It left little room for discussion. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She was so damn close. She tugged lightly on his sleeve, her tired eyes drifting to half-mast. He wrapped his hand around her wrist and dragged her behind him.
"Please, let me explain!" She whispered, her voice light with fear. He just shot her a look. At her gasp, he looked forward again. No malice was in his gaze, if anything, he looked amused. Her palm pressed to the flesh of his hand before moving up to feel the steady thrum of his pulse. "What thoughts trouble your mind, milord?"
"Very good form," He replied, his voice light with amusement. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed the sick pleasure that had taken shape on the king's face. She wondered if he suspected Sesshomaru was playing him. "Do not appear too smug, I was expecting you to kill the poor bastard."
Her laugh was nearly snuffed but a delirious giggle slipped by. He smirked at her expression and the hand shoved in her mouth to bite back her outburst.
"Perhaps I shall keep you this way, quiet and still," He watched the candlelight bounce off the wrinkles formed at the corner of her lips. The shadows filled the hollows of her cheeks and made her eyes shine brightly, as if surrounded by kohl. At her amused snort, he waved his hand to indicate she could continuer to her room. "I will be up shortly. Pick your last story well, bride."
She ignored the shiver that raced down her spine at the remembrance that he held her life in the palm of his hand, his to flex and twist to suit his whims. The only reason the small smile remained on her lips was the teasing undertone his voice had taken while he said it. Both knew he was too enthralled at the moment to do much more than threaten.
Her thoughts pounded uncomfortable against her skull as she walked to her room.
She slipped into a bath upon entering her room, her coiled muscles loosened with the heat. The small fire to the side of the room was covered by a metal pail on which a huge cauldron sat, its metal legs holding scalding water. The boiling water rose into the air giving the room a heavy warmth that sunk into her bones. A few drunken couples stumbled past, their laughter at being in another's arms. She wondered if her husband even felt a slight affection for her.
Her nightgown clung in places but she ignored it in favor of opening the grand windows to let in the breeze. With the room cast into shadows and moonlight, she waited for a while, turning to catch the opening of their door. She smiled at her Lord shuffling across the cold floor to their warm bed.
"What have you for me?" He tired to sound excited but only managed to make her smile slip from her face. She kicked off the thick comforter and and rose to meet him in the center of the room. While she refused to comfort him, she did tilt her head to show her concern. He simply shook his head and gestured to the bed. She strutted forward and poured a glass of wine. He chuckled darkly.
"Do I amuse you?" She asked, withdrawing her outstretched hand. The glass of wine was pulled back to her chest and her expression of worry melted into one of anger. She threw the glass back, a small trickle of wine dribbling from the corner of her mouth to trail down the strong column of her throat only to pool in her clavicle. He watched its progress with rapt attention. When she shoved the now empty cup back into his hand, he could only smirk.
"The elven lord fell on the blade of the lost elven queen." She ended with an abrupt and solemn sentence. She moved on to start another story when his growl made her stop. She looked over her shoulder and frowned when she spotted his bared teeth, demanding she correctly finish the story. "Why? You already know the ending."
"Why do you act like so?" He demanded, not touching her but remain close enough he brushed her awareness. It made a shiver sliver down her spine but in fear or excitement was unclear. She looked away, seeming enthralled by the woodwork on the walls. "Answer me."
"Why do you look down upon my emotions?" She demanded, her voice holding all the steel in his. Her outburst startled him and he moved back a fraction of a second. She took advantage and shoved her face forward, their furious expressions distanced only by a breaths width.
He was silent, testing her words on his tongue. They appeared authentic enough with her wild screech and blood filled cheeks. He just sighed, pressing a hand back to rest his body on a support column. She shifted back to remain far enough away. If she hadn't look so distressed by his actions earlier, he might have laughed.
"I only meant to convey that feelings of kindness very rarely happen in places such as these, built by deceptions and lies," He reached out, tucking a stand of wet hair behind her head, delicately so as to not touch her skin. "It is refreshing."
"Yes well I refuse to continue our story. It is dull and I have lost interest," She waved behind her as she moved from the embrace of his arms. Sesshomaru watched the walls he had carefully tore down rebuild themselves.
"Is that to be the future for me, my dear?" He asked, following her around the room. He watched the wet fabric cling to the small of her back and the tops of her breasts.
"Only if you continue calling me dear," She confided. With a final point, he took a chair from the table and sat down, his royal robes beginning to grate on his nerves. Almost as if she were in his thoughts, she moved forward, grabbing the ties to his outmost garment.
"If you had wished for me to undress, all you must do is ask," He watched the woman snort before yanking on his back. He stood let the fabric slid from his arms and into hers.
"I hardly think we know each other well enough to banter about something as...matrimonial as sex," Even if her words were strong, he caught the blush that dusted her cheeks. He wondered if she had ever helped her father undress, did she know what to do?
"Matrimonial? You seem to have forgotten that in the eyes of the thousands of people out your window, you are a married woman," He watched the trepidation set in her eyes. He knew she was still worried about displeasing the masses. With a sigh, she pushed her insecurities down and strengthened her resolve.
"Now if only I could find the right man," She flashed him a grin and he followed the sway of her hips as she walked to the hangers placed on the wall. She folded the fabric just so as not to wrinkle it before draping it over the hangers. Her agile fingers caught his eye as she worked. He waited, a trait her rarely used, and it payed off when she realized why he silenced.
"Tonight is the start of the harvest season. I shall tell you of the Fox and the Man." She moved over to his desk, arranging his papers just so. He noticed she liked fiddling with anything she could grab when spinning her tales. "There once was a man who traveled across the world to find a bride. He would ask local men and kings alike, and many agreed, bringing forth their ripest daughters for his inspection. They all failed.
"You see, he was very wealthy, and his face was marveled at across the land. Some claimed the kami's created him for the sole purpose to warm lonely women's beds. Sadly, he was just a very rich man with very attractive features. Remind you of anyone?" She asked quietly, throwing a grin over her shoulder as she relit the candles that had been blown out. "As he left the final home of a King who had offered his eldest, he had given up and planed to return home. It was along the road he was traversing that fate intervened.
"A fox darted from the tall grasses, its tawny hide bloodied. The driver was preparing to run it over when the man called out, silencing the man. He convinced the fox to forgo running in favor of getting the strips of raw meat he had purchased from the King. After caring for the animal, bandaging its side, it fell into sleep. Upon returning home, he demanded the fox a pillow in his room so he could monitor the creature until he fell asleep.
"All was as he asked," She moved out to the balcony, her hair getting picked up by the slight breeze. He watched in fascination as her face contorted. He noted with a start she was creating this as she went. "It was in the middle of the night that a light shone brightly in his curtain-drawn room. Fearing for his life, he raced to the fox's bed only to find it empty. A voice asked just why he risked saving a dying animal and nursing it back to health. The King did not reply.
"The voice called agin, repeating the question but getting only silence. Finally, he spoke. "The creature was an innocent" he called, asking for himself and the animal to be spared. The voice only laughed. Soon the light faded and the man watched in amazement at the creature that walked forth.
"That is it for tonight," She concluded her night. He knew it would be pointless to argue. She would only end tonight's story as she did the last one. He lifted the covers of her side and she slid under, her face buried into the plush pillow. He ran a hand across her cheek and smiled when she nuzzled it quickly before falling into a deep slumber, content in the knowledge that her protector was but an arms length away.
Finals this week. What a joy.
