The Storm of Sadness
Every other day Lord Inuyasha would ask, more like order, Kagome to have dinner with him. Those evenings were not so bad; he would ask her things about her family and home country. Inuyasha has lived in this land for so long it was perfectly understandable that he would express such interest in other kingdoms. Whenever Kagome tried to ask about his life he always kept his answers very vague and short which sometimes frustrated her to no end. She had learned quickly that the best way to find out information was from other people like Koga, Shippou and Kaede.
This week Kagome was allowed to go down to the town and pick up somethings. Inuyasha had decided to pay her an allowance as he did the other servants. They weren't given much, mainly because they were given free rooms in the castle for their services, but it was enough to buy some new clothes and other essential things in the town. Walking down the streets she watched the transfigured people go about their day, some seemed to be in a hurry carrying supplies and lumber.
Kagome found a nice little shop where she was able to buy a nice white dress. Lord Inuyasha told her that he wouldn't be needing her as much for the following week, so that means she would get some more free time, so she wanted something comfortable and light to wear around the castle. One thing that was odd about the kingdom was that they were in the north, during winter, but the temperature was only just slightly cool like autumn. Kagome chalked it up to his highness's magic adding to the list of powers he possessed. As she was leaving the town she noticed the transfigured people were boarding up their homes and shops.
"Excuse me miss", she said getting a girl with cat ears and a tail's attention.
"Yes", she purred.
"Why is everyone boarding up the buildings?" Kagome asked politely.
"It's the week of the storm, don't you know about it. Oh wait you're that new girl Kagome aren't you?" she exclaimed excitedly.
"You know me?"
"Everyone knows who you are, Kagome the girl who was not transfigured, everyone talks about you", she didn't sound angry about how unaltered Kagome was like that man Naraku was. This cat girl was looking at her like she was a celebrity.
"What's the week of the storm?" Kagome questioned her.
"Well every year for this one week his highness creates a storm of powerful winds, pouring rain and crashing thunder and sets it upon the kingdom", she explained.
"That's sounds terrible, for what reason would he do that?" Kagome found such cruelty hard to believe.
"Well he doesn't do it on purpose", she remarked.
"Really?" how does he create a storm on by accident?
"I'm not sure how it works, but I think it has something to do with Lord Inuyasha's past. You should probably talk to Miss Kaede she would know all about it", she said waving goodbye and running off with her bag of food. It seemed old Kaede was the woman to go to for any information on his highness's past.
Just like the girl she met on the street said, the week started and so did the storm. Heavy rain pelted the window of her room and the crash of thunder woke her up a few minutes earlier than she normally did. Kagome dressed in her maid outfit and decided to go ahead and wait for Lord Inuyasha wake up by his door. Imagine her surprise when she arrived in the royal wing to find his highness leaving the bedroom, completely bathed and fully dressed. He was wearing a black cloak this time and didn't even spare her a word or a glance as he breezed past her. Kagome took note of his strange behavior, cleaned his quarters and took the sheets to the laundry staff as usual and headed to the throne room.
When she arrived Inuyasha was facing the window watching the down pour, the lightning would flash through the dimly lit room every few seconds. Kaede came in and gave him his breakfast and morning tea, he didn't each much of it. The old woman gave him a concerned look before taking the tray of left overs and leaving. Kagome watched him as he quietly stood from his throne and walked over to the large open window, just staring out into the rain without saying a word.
"Kagome", he finally spoke so softly she almost didn't hear him.
"Yes your highness?" Kagome waited for some sort of instructions.
"I won't be needing you today, you may have the rest of the day off", he said, never once turning around from the window.
"Thank you my lord", Kagome bowed politely and made to leave, the doors were held open and she smiled at the door men. As they closed it behind her she took one last look at Lord Inuyasha only to see him looking back at her from his spot at the window.
Kagome decided to put on her new dress and take the day to relax and find out from Kaede why Lord Inuyasha creates a terrible storm for the this particular week very year. She walked around the castle wearing a soft white sundress than went past her knees and accentuated her slim female body with short sleeves that left her shoulders exposed. She left her hair down and loose and put on some comfortable light gray slip on shoes. First thing she did was go to the library, his highness gave her permission to use it and even burrow a book as long as she returned it. Kanna greeted her and told her to make sure to be quiet as there were others in the library. She picked up a book she found last time she was here, a book concerning the life and history of the previous ruler of this kingdom, King Taisho, Lord Inuyasha's father.
"You like to read?" a voice whispered from behind her causing Kagome to jump as a shadow loomed over her table. She put the book down and turned to see Naraku standing a little too close for her liking dressed the same as when she first met him, in a long black torn cloak and baboon mask to hide his face.
"Y-yes" , she said quickly and quietly. Like before she could see something moving around from underneath his robe in different spots.
"You must have the day off to be dressed in such a way", he commented, ruby eyes glaring down at her with so much hate.
"I am, his highness doesn't require my presence today", Kagome said not liking how he was staring at her through the eye holes of his mask, she started to regret wearing such a form fitting dress today.
"Must be a nice cushy job you have", he remarked snidely.
"I didn't exactly have a choice in it", Kagome defended with a hiss, mindful of the library rules.
"Oh?" his head twitched just a bit.
"His highness forced me to be his servant I can't exactly leave yet", she explained getting up to leave, Koga and Kaede were right in warning her of Naraku, the guy was kind of a creep.
"Interesting", he commented gliding across the floor away from her. Kagome could have sworn she saw what looked like snakes coming out of the bottom of his cloak wriggling around like they were moving him across the floor. She wondered for a moment just what kind of creature Naraku was turned into.
'Something tells me his reason for hiding his face is not the same reason Inuyasha hides his', Kagome thought returning to her book. It was an interesting history about the king, but unfortunately it didn't have any information that she wanted on Inuyasha, it didn't even have the name of his wife, the sorceress. Just the date of when he passed.
'Wait a second. That date!' Kagome quickly scribbled down the date King Taisho passed in her notebook and walked over to the calendar by the front entrance to the library. According to the history book, the king died on the first of December and that date fell on Thursday of this week, today was Monday. Perhaps there was some correlation between that and the week of the storm, because from what she had heard this storm happened every year on the week of December first. Only one person would know for sure and that was Kaede. Good thing she planned on having lunch with her today.
Kagome walked down to the kitchen and politely asked for Kaede, they pointed her to the back room where the old woman was busy sitting at a table plucking a few dead leaves from her branch like arms.
"Does that hurt?" Kagome asked pointing at the leaves.
"Oh no, I barely feel it dear", Kaede turned to look at her. "Just another sign of me getting old. I probably won't be here much longer, I told Lord Inuyasha I'll pick a replacement head of the kitchen staff".
"I'm sure you still have more time than that", Kagome said trying to reassure her.
"I'll be fine dear", the old woman chuckled. "Now was there something you needed?"
"I wanted to see if you wanted some company for the lunch break", Kaede smiled at her and nodded her head.
"I was just about to head to the mess hall", Kagome followed the head cook out of the main kitchen and into the servant's dining hall past the double swinging doors. They sat down on one end of an empty table while Kaede helped herself to a bowl of soup and Kagome had a light sandwich.
"You look like you have more questions, pertaining to his highness I bet", she smiled knowingly.
"I just wanted to know about the week of the storm", Kagome waited for the old woman to gather her thoughts.
"Well that's another sad story. You see this week on December first is the anniversary of the death of Lord Inuyasha's father", Kaede said sadly.
"I read that in the history book, it didn't say much about how he died", Kagome looked down at her empty plate in thought. "It just said he fell ill and passed away".
"It was actually an assassination", Kaede interrupted her.
"What?"
"Yes, an unseen enemy named Ryukotsei secretly poisoned King Taisho and later attempted to seize control of the kingdom while Lord Inuyasha was busy mourning the loss of his father. The kingdom didn't exactly have a strong fighting force back then, one of the reasons why his highness employed the wolf pack as his new soldiers, but when the enemy saw how his highness transfigured their leader they turned and fled in fear and never returned", Kaede said triumphantly.
"What did he turn him into?" now Kagome was curious
"I wasn't their when it happened, but from what I heard Lord Inuyasha transfigured Ryukotsei into a horrid dragon and imprisoned him up in the mountains", Kaede took a slow sip of her soup like what she just said was a perfectly normal thing and not a fantastical and impossible tale. "Another nail in the coffin you might say for his disgust of human beings".
"Wow, its best not to get on his bad side", Kagome chuckled nervously. "So on this week every year he creates a storm that represents the sadness he feels over his father's death", she summed up.
"Not on purpose though", Kaede said placing her hands on the table. "Sometimes his highness loses control of his powers when he's under emotional distress, like extreme anger, sadness or happiness, though I've yet to see the results of the latter".
"Oh! So it's like that time when he got so angry at the people and turned everyone one into creatures", Kagome remarked
"Indeed, when his emotions get the better of him his power spills out and manifests in different ways", Kaede explained.
"So after all these years he still hasn't gotten over the death of his father?" Kagome looked away sadly, she could imagine what he was going through having lost her father two years ago, the wounds still felt fresh.
"It's not that simple dear; he didn't just lose his father. In an ironic twist years after he turned us into what we are, on this very same week his mother Lady Izayoi left the kingdom and has never returned since", Kaede thought back to the beautiful sorceress that was right hand to the king, the woman he married. It was so hard to believe that she would leave her son so abruptly.
"Why did she leave?" Kagome asked.
"Well nobody really knows but some say it was because she was upset with him and how he punished the citizens of the kingdom with transfigurations", Kaede set her bowl to the side, finished with it.
"So that part of the tale is true?" Kagome held her finger against her lips as her eyes teared up a bit. It just seemed so unfair to her, that Inuyasha had his father taken from him and then his mother abandoned him. It was no wonder he acted so cold and unfeeling, Kagome could understand how he must have closed his heart off to keep from being hurt again.
"Thank you Kaede", Kagome excused herself and left the mess hall. She headed towards Lord Inuyasha's office, she figured that's where he would be right now. Walking up to the double doors she was stopped by the two guards.
"His highness wishes not to be disturbed at this time", the wolf soldier on the right said.
"I'm sorry, but I'm Lord Inuyasha's personal servant", Kagome tried to use that to get inside.
"Didn't he give you the rest of the day off?" the guard on the left said sharply.
"Well yes he did, I just need to check if he needs me next morning", Kagome replied easily. "Please", she pleaded giving the puppy eyed look to the guards.
"Alright fine, only because you look so pretty", the right guard remarked letting her into the office. She approached the chair seeing the hooded figure sitting at the desk, head tilted down.
"Excuse me your highness", his head turned up at the sound of the girl's voice. Inuyasha was surprised to see Kagome after he dismissed her for the day. He was even more surprised to see her in a white form fitting dress that showed off her beautiful curves, elegant smooth neck and shoulders left exposed to his eyes. Good thing his face was hidden and she wouldn't be able to see the light blush that touched his cheeks.
"What do you want Kagome?" He asked quietly.
"Just wanted to see if you would… you know...", she trailed off.
"Yes", he waited for Kagome to continue.
"If you wanted some company", she breathed a sigh of relief that she finally able to speak her mind. Something about Inuyasha always made her nervous in a way she didn't quite understand. She could feel it whenever he gazed at her or spoke to her, or even his presence sometimes caused it.
"Company?"
"You just seemed so lonely today, I feel bad for leaving you by yourself", she supplied smoothly.
"Well I'm fine, I have no need of company", he said rather rudely.
"I was just trying to be thoughtful", Kagome defended. "There's nothing wrong with showing some sympathy to people".
"Sympathy and pity can go hand and hand you know", he remarked with cold disdain.
"Not to people you care about", she argued back.
"And you care about me, is that it", he sneered, not letting this go.
"Yes, yes I do care", Kagome said without hesitation, shocking Lord Inuyasha into silence.
"Do you now?" he questioned returning to his apathetic demeanor.
"Yes I do and I'm not the only one in the castle that cares about your wellbeing", she reprimanded him. "Just try to remember that", Kagome said placing her hands on her hips.
"If your done trying to scold me then please leave", something in his voice made Kagome remember how distraught he really was this week.
"I'm sorry", she said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear. Kagome quickly stepped out of the office and left him alone figuring she might have better luck tomorrow. Unfortunately the next day he appeared to be in a worse mood than yesterday.
After breakfast he dismissed her for the rest of the day just like before, and like yesterday Kagome later tried to ask if he wanted company again by stepping into his office. This time she walked up to the desk, but he didn't move or say anything.
"Your highness?" She questioned, it took a minute for her to realize the black and gold trimmed cloak sitting at the desk was in fact empty. Glancing around Kagome tried to figure out where Inuyasha disappeared to when she spotted the door to the balcony was left slightly open. Peering through the window she spotted him standing in the pouring rain, his mercury hair sticking to his muscular back and chest. She just stood there watching him with concern as he let the rain pelt him, he just stood on the balcony acing the mountains while lightning continued to flash across the sky. He suddenly turned facing the window, though Kagome couldn't see his face as it was covered by his long thick bangs, she could only see his yellow eyes staring at her through the glass. He moved over to the door and stepped inside, never taking his eyes off her. Kagome could only back away and avert her eyes out of respect.
"You can look you know", he said finally. Kagome could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she looked up and was finally gifted with the sight of Lord Inuyasha's face. Kaede was correct in what she said; the best word to describe his appearance was absolutely beautiful. He had a pale complexion, but that did nothing but add to his overall attractiveness. Inuyasha's smooth soft features, perfectly kissable lips, strong jaw line, combined with his large golden eyes framed by dark lashes and long thick hair of liquid silver gave him an overall ethereal appearance, like an ancient god of legend.
"Y-Your highness?" Kagome bushed heavily averting her eyes again by bowing. She wasn't expecting him to be so attractive and it was making her stutter and feel weak in her knees which was odd since she had met handsome men in the past, but none of them ever made her feel like this before.
"I said you may look upon me, why are you bowing?" he asked walking over to her. Kagome could see his feet in front of her and slowly her eyes made their way up the rest of his body coming to stop at his pecs and abs. It didn't help that he was well-toned with a lean muscular build that only increased his majestic appearance.
"Thank you, m-my lord, thank you for considering me worthy to see your face", Kagome stood up from the floor.
"Yes well I thought about and seem pure hearted and untainted by the things that normally disgust me", he commented glancing away while he talked. Kagome could have sworn she saw a light pink blush appear briefly on his face. "Plus I find your presence...acceptable".
"Acceptable?" Kagome looked at him oddly.
"Yes, while your demeanor would normal irritate me, I find myself not quite as annoyed as I thought I would be", he said trying to sound sincere.
"Thanks, I guess", Kagome wasn't sure if she was offended or not with what he said.
"Would you...like some tea?" Lord Inuyasha asked sitting down at the couch in the center of his office, he gestured to the other couch adjacent to his.
"I would like that", Kagome smiled sitting across from him. Inuyasha politely poured her a cup and handed it to her on a plate. They didn't speak much after that, choosing to sit in silence mostly, but they didn't really need to. Unknown to them the heavy down pour outside began to slow to a light shower.
MESS HALL
"I draw", Koga said picking a card from the top of the deck. He and few of his buddies along with Shippou, his new friend Rin and Miss Kaede decided to have a little fun and play a card game.
"So where's Kagome, she likes to play this too?" the wolf commander asked looking at his hand.
"She went to go see his highness", Kaede said.
"I've never seen someone this interested in Lord Inuyasha, its almost like she's obsessed with him or something", Shippou blurted out putting a card face down. Koga and Kaede chuckled at his words. "What's funny?"
"You'll figure it out when you're older", Koga said with a smirk.
"That's everyone's excuse to me for everything", the fox boy whined. He glanced at Rin who just shrugged.
"Don't look at me, I don't understand it either", Rin said playing with her horse ears.
"Well it appears to me that his highness has taking a liking to her", one of the wolf soldiers said drawing a card.
"Has he ever showed an interest in a woman like this before Kaede?" Koga asked since she knew his highness longer than anybody here.
"No never, though I once thought he held those same feelings for Lady Kikyo, but it turned out it was merely respect for her and what she taught the people at the church", The old woman said scratching the bark that was her skin. "I've seen the way his highness looks at Kagome and I can't recall ever seeing that emotion in his eyes before". Truthfully no one could understand what was going on in Lord Inuyasha's head but the man himself.
"She's a sweet girl, It's a shame his highness made her his personal assistant or I'd be all over her", Koga grinned playing a card face down.
UNDERNEATH THE CASTLE
In an old abandoned storage room, hidden within the castles sewer system Naraku glided in carrying a sack of something. He had repurposed the room a few years ago into a small laboratory dedicated to one purpose, to understand, negate and possibly steal the power Lord Inuyasha possessed.
It wasn't easy work, trying to wrap his head around it was difficult enough, but collecting samples was the hard part. Naraku opened the sack and took at four jars of rain water; it was his understanding that the storm was caused by his highness therefor each drop of rain contained a small bit of the magic he wielded. Unfortunately for him this storm only happened once a year on this week for some reason. If he could just extract that magic he would be one step closer to figuring this all out.
'Soon I'll be the one with all the power', he thought darkly as a red tentacle slithered out of his robe and grabbed the vial he needed to begin his research. There was just the other matter of the girl Kagome to deal with for now. For some reason he had yet to find out Lord Inuyasha spared her of his transfiguration and it infuriated him to no end. Naraku wondered if perhaps she was immune to his power, either way he needed to get her alone and away from his highness, so he could discover the secret she possessed.
That's that chapter, sorry for the wait I'm working on all my other stories at once and it's difficult to juggle. So now Kagome has finally seen his face, originally I was going to have her accidentally see his face and then he would get really pissed off, but I decided to start making him seem more human.
Sesshomaru is not in this story in any form, as I stated before Inu is an only child, he will not be making an appearance. As for Miroku and Sango, I did find a way to make them fit into this story, but they won't come into play until way later.
Next chapter I'm going to focus more on Inuyasha's perspective, so look forward to that.
Thanks for reading.