Can I Keep You: Working Aristocrats
Chapter 4
Working Aristocrats
Well, I'm sad to say that this will be the last update for a week or two. But I promise I'll be back soon so please read and review if you can. So here's the chapter.
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The crack of thunder alerted Kagome to the sound of the pounding rain.
But wasn't it sunny but moments ago?
The guards had led them to this door and then went inside, leaving them out there to wait it out.
The rain sounded so soothing.
InuYasha stayed by Izayoi's bedside.
She looked so pale and weak laying there, burning up from a fever as cold sweat drops rolled off of her.
Izayoi moaned quite a bit and called out to him in her uneasy slumber.
As InuYasha sat there, pushing a stray tendril of her hair away from her face, he felt like there was nothing he could do to protect her from danger.
His father stood behind him, came forward before kissing her hand in what InuYasha felt to be a final farewell.
"Why are you saying good-bye so damn soon? She's not going to die!" InuYasha said as he looked up at his father in anger.
"I am not saying good-bye forever...Just good-bye for now. It seems that there is nothing that can be done for her."
"And what? You're just going to surrender to that? Just say, 'Oh, she's going to die, lets just give up and say good-bye?' I won't. If you loved her, you'd do the same!"
"Do not question my love for her. Don't you see how much pain she's in? When she's gone, all that pain will wash away and she'll finally be able to rest in peace. If you love somebody, you'll let them go. Go by he same," his father told him as got down on his knees before Izayoi and pushed the hair off of her forehead before kissing it softly.
Sesshomaru snorted from the doorway and walked away.
"Such sentimental fools," Sesshomaru said to himself as he left the scene.
InuYasha's father whispered something to Izayoi that made her smile faintly before she whispered something back.
She then handed him a piece of paper and smiled weakly before they exchanged a few more whispered words that InuYasha didn't hear.
His father left him alone with his mother.
Her breathing became labored, quick and rough.
He wasn't one to show his tears, never was he such one, but he cried as he cradled her body in his arms.
She seemed so frail.
That body that was once so full of energy and warmth was now greatly deprived of this.
He let silent tears fall onto her face.
The face that was the personification of kindness and beauty.
She'd always been the one to make sure he knew that he was loved, to make everything feel better, to make him feel safe.
How could she leave him so soon?
"Mother," he said, his voice slightly choked. "Mother...Wake up. Please wake up."
As she heard his voice, the voice that she so loved, she opened her eyes.
"InuYasha," she said as she ran her soft hand across his cheek, wiping away a renegade tear in the process. "InuYasha. I'm so tired. I don't have much ti..."
"No mother! Don't you even dare finish that sentence. No, you're not going to..."
He couldn't bring himself to say 'die'.
He just couldn't.
He felt that if he said that, then it would make it a finality.
He stopped her hand as it gently stroked his cheek and held it there, savoring every second of her touch, gazing at her, burning her into his memory.
"InuYasha. Promise me something."
It now seemed that she was straining to speak.
"I'd do anything for you mother. I'd promise you anything your heart desired."
"InuYasha, promise me you'll never forget me," her voice dropping as she said this.
"I promise. I could never forget you. I won't say good-bye..."
"Then...I..won't either..." she said just before taking one last deep breath and slowly letting it out, eyes closing slowly as her hand went slack.
He gave it one last kiss before doing what his father had told him he should do.
He let her go.
InuYasha shook his head to clear the memory away.
Why was he thinking about something that happened so long ago right now?
Was it because it was raining on that day just as it was now?
But why now when he didn't bring up this memory on any other rainy days?
"Be ye thinking about it again InuYasha?" old lady Kaede, the high priestess of the kingdom asked as she stood before InuYasha.
"Yeah...and the whole damn thing still seems so wrong."
"Listen to me my boy. Sometimes the hands of fate go backwards, sending the whole process in an inescapable turmoil, making no exceptions to the outcome. That was a sometimes that none of us thought would ever occur, and we were all wrong."
"I know."
"You always that that whenever things got scary, even though you'd never admit it, that you could just run to her arms and feel completely safe. Feeling safe and being safe are two completely different things, two completely different things that are more different than we could originally think. No matter how safe any of us feel, we must realize that just like your mother, God rest her soul, we are not safe, are not in the clear. I have learned that we are never safe, and you should, too."
"I suppose you're going to go on with this, aren't you?" InuYasha said as he leaned against the wall.
"You might feel you're safe, you might think you're safe, you might think you know you're safe, but it's all contrary to those arbitrary viewpoints. What do we define as safe? When we're safe, are we out of harms way? Are we protected and secure? Are we not in any danger? Are we sheltered from anything that might be hazardous in any way?" Kaede said as she stood next to him.
"There are different kinds of dangers that hell can spit out," InuYasha said.
"True...but safety is such a...flexible word, able to be stretched into whatever we see fit, whatever we desire, whatever we want it to be. In this home, with your family, you feel safe, you feel secure, and you feel protected. But learn that sometimes it doesn't really matter what you feel."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you think that you think you won't experience the pain that the people in the world outside of the one you've always known have. And that's when you should learn that there is no inside or outside world, just one bit world with many twists and turns like one big complicated maze. And you might get lost in this maze, might have been lost in it all along, come to desperately search for a way out, any way out and search with all your might to find it. But will you ever find it? Or will you get lost in the maze. Listen InuYasha. Your life could turn into an agonizing tale of your subsistence, or maybe it won't, but turn into something great. The choice is yours."
"You know, you have a convoluted way of giving speeches," InuYasha told her as he went to his room.
Meanwhile, going on with Kagome...
The aura resonating around this room was very sinister indeed.
For some reason, Kagome didn't feel safe in the least lingering around this dank, dark door.
Sango shivered slightly and Kagome knew that she felt that something was wrong, here, too.
The guard came out of the room and shivered just a bit.
"That guy really gives me the creeps..."
"Well standing around this door really gives me the creeps..." Kagome said.
"That's understandable. Well, go inside. The man in there says he might give you a job. Just don't let him get under your skin..." the guard said.
Kagome and Sango lingered in front of the door after he left, reluctant to go in, but knowing that they had no choice.
"Suck it up Sango, let's go," Kagome told her before opening the door and going inside.
The room was very dark, very stifling, very resonating of an aura they didn't like at all.
Sango closed the door behind them and they made their way better inside.
"Come forward," they heard a voice speak.
"I don't suppose Toto could run over there and reveal an old man behind a curtain?" Sango said.
"No," Kagome told her.
They walked closer and saw a man with very long hair watching them, his red eyes glowing as he beckoned them forward.
He seemed to look them up and down, a sinister grin surfacing on his face, as if he were thinking thoughts about them that they'd much rather not know.
"I'm Naraku, the Lord's chief advisor and right hand man. So I heard that you two are looking for jobs here in the castle. I have just the work for you. How about..."
They slapped him at the request he made.
"We're not playmates of the sort. We won't submit ourselves to sexual confrontations for money like whores. We want some decent work," Kagome told him.
"That's okay. I like them feisty. We are always in need of more help. Whatever somebody asks of you within reason, do it for them and you'll be paid well. How soon can you two start?"
"Today, if it's possible," Sango told him.
"Fine. You're hired. Pay's fair, work comes in reasonable amounts."
"Our thanks go out to you sir," Kagome said before she and Sango hurried out of the room, hurrying away from it as fast as they could.
"Is he crazy?! Being his personal bath maids and playthings?! No way on this green Earth!" Kagome said.
"That man...there's a sinister air about him. I don't trust him in the least. Do you think...?"
"Yes...he's the one spoken of in the letter. We'd better keep watch on him. And we should locate...her..."
Walking down a hall, they came across an old woman who looked to be a priestess.
"Who be ye wandering so freely about the castle?" the old woman asked.
"Oh...we were just hired by Naraku but moments ago," Kagome told her. "My name is...Gome and she's..."
"Think of something good," Sango whispered behind Kagome where only she could hear.
"And she's Gogo."
Sango put on a smile and nodded.
"I never liked my name, but I can't get rid of it now," Sango said in a constricted way to make sure Kagome got the point.
"Aye, my name is Kaede. Be ye two well versed in the ways of medicine at task?"
"Well versed we be not, but versed we are nonetheless," Kagome answered.
"Very well. I happen to be the high priestess of this way. New in town are ye?"
"Very much so, only a days way ago in. We hope to prolong any travels and stay put for times currency of being," Kagome told her.
"Aye, I hope it all works out for ye. Personal acquired duties are about all. I suggest ye find one of own."
"We hope to gather the post when morning ride comes about," Sango told her.
"A fair duty indeed. In fact, I think it fit to relieve the guard of this since his work is to watch calm of collect," Kaede told them.
"An understood situation," Kagome told her.
"Well, I should be on my way," Kaede told them. "See ye about."
"Forwardly looked to," Sango told her.
Kaede left them alone and went about her own way.
"She seems pleasant enough," Kagome spoke.
"Agreed to that," Sango said.
"We should spread to assist," Kagome told her.
"Sure enough."
"Are you two new?" a young girl asked as she approached them.
"Yes, we are. Who might you be?" Kagome asked.
"My name is Rin, a young lady of this house. I happen as part of the host family."
"An honor of opportunity," Sango said.
"Such pleasure from meeting you," Kagome said. "I'm Gome and that's Gogo. We arrived in town but morrow's twice back."
"Our assistance was hired but moments to such second," Sango told her.
"Help is needed of constant. I speak on our behalf, we thank such luck," Rin spoke.
"Our welcome goes out, but truly necessity is not of the thanks," Kagome said.
"I beg to differ. I must be off now. Find to remembrance that the younger Lords of this castle might have dispositions of gravel at times. Bye."
After Rin left, Sango glared at Kagome.
"Gogo?!" Sango asked as she glared at Kagome. "You couldn't think of anything else? Gogo sounds like a sold at a whore house!"
"Well, I wanted to take something from our names. SanGO. So I got Gogo. It sounds okay to me."
"Well I have to live with it now. Never let a princess who happens to be your cousin choose your name...I already feel sorry for your future children."
"Whatever," Kagome told her. "You don't find any opposition in exploring the place, do you? It'll be a good chance to get to know the place and meet anybody we might come across."
"I have no bones about it. Lets go," Sango said she continued down the hall.
They met with some of the maids and servants and were given a tour of the castle, hoping to get a good solid feel of the place to add to their memory.
"Miru," Kagome said as she walked a bit behind the maid who was guiding them. "Could you tell us about...Naraku?"
Miru suddenly stopped and turned around with a bit of a shiver.
"Naraku give us all the creeps. He leers at whatever beautiful maids he sees around and sometimes gets his way with them, most against their wills. I find a feel of him not being trustworthy in the least and there's something most strange about him, something that just sends chills down the spine..."
"I could tell him to be such perversion. When we asked for jobs, he made suggestion that we be his personal bath maids and playthings," Kagome said.
"And what did you do?"
"We slapped him and Gome told him we won't submit ourselves to sexual confrontations like whores," Sango told her.
"Oh dear...Naraku likes the ones who resist just that much more..." Miru told them as she walked forward to a door. "That aside, this is Master Miroku's room. He is of relation down the line of the former Lady of the castle, Ms. Izayoi. Master Miroku may be found to be a bit of a pervert at times, but he's a kitten compared to Naraku."
"We'll keep that in mind," Kagome told her.
"Well, I've shown you pretty much all. Take care, I have duties to get back on to."
"Okay," Sango said.
They watched Miru leave and watched the path she took.
When they were sure nobody was watching, they followed her.
"I've found this place to be most efficient for privacy. You see, the walls have ears," Miru said when she saw Kagome and Sango approach. "You know not just how pleased I am to see you princess."
"Hey, what about me?" Sango asked.
"You too of course Ms. Sango," Miru said.
"Enough formalities. Let's get down to the skivvy of it. What's been going on?" Kagome asked as she sat down against the wall.
"As I said before, Naraku leers at us maids. He even gets his way with some...Takes them to his chambers against their will and uses them to please his urges. It's rape, I tell you, but none muster the courage to tell anybody of enough importance. They cry out for help, but not sound escapes their lips as he makes threats that quells their thoughts of verbal resistance. And his perversions of the young maidens is only the top of the cake. He is not to be trusted. Young Lords, sons of the one who holds power...You can tell they don't trust Naraku. And saying about it to their father has no effect. He trusts Naraku and that's all there is to it. You can tell Naraku's evil, sinister, untrustworthy. And yet, here he is, doing what he does."
"Has he tried anything with you?" Sango asked.
"I'm afraid so. Many times have I seen him staring at me, watching my every move and following me. Sneaking up on me when I'm by my lonesome, trying to force off resistance and take me to his chambers. But as you know, I'm not one of the weak," Miru told them.
"Okay. You've done good Miru. Sending you here was a good idea. Now, tell us about the young Lords of the castle," Kagome said.
"The eldest of the two brothers, Lord Sesshomaru, is a silent one. He's very much so handsome, but at times, cold as ice. He's always able to keep his cool and not fire off. But Master InuYasha on the other hand...He can at times be quick to anger. His tongue does not spit civil words at times. But he's very skilled with swords and other things. But one thing I've noticed is the women who sneak about with him. Ah, Lady Kikyo is quite fond of him. She's high society," Miru told them.
"So it's true. That mutt faced, dog breathed mongrel has been cheating on me with God knows who. I'll main him," Kagome said as she stood up.
"What plans do you make for him?" Miru asked.
"I'm going to cut him down to size. Just watch me. When I'm done with him..."
"What are your arrangements for being here?" Miru asked. "Deception of your parents is high riding."
"I know it's risky, but I have a plan. Sango and I are going to get the mail in the morning and if it just so happens that they've written, the letter will go directly to me and nobody else will know. And cover up letters will be sent to them of course."
"It sounds like it'll work to me," Sango said.
They got done speaking and they left the privacy of the room and went out to the hall.
Miru led them to a closet and pulled out some towels and took them to Sango.
"Here. I hear Master Miroku's bathroom is in shortage of towels. If you could just take them to him."
"Okay," Sango said as she headed towards Miroku's room.
She saw nobody in sight, but did see the room that she knew to be his bathroom.
Quietly opening the door, she entered without passing a look at all and closed the door.
"Why hello!" she heard a familiar voice say as she froze up.
"Um...I'm...I'm sorry...I...um..." Sango said.
"You came here to join me? How great!" Miroku said happily. "Come now, don't be shy. There's plenty of room for two."
"I didn't come here to bathe with you," Sango said sternly. "I came to bring these towels."
"And you can wrap up in one of them with me."
"I don't think I'll take you up on your offer."
"Have I seen you somewhere before?" Miroku asked as he leaned forward and took a good look at her.
"No...I don't believe so," Sango lied.
"Ah, but I never forget a beautiful face. Have I seen you around town before or something?"
"I believe not. I arrived in town very recently with a friend. I just started work here today."
"What's your name?"
Sango frowned before saying, "It's Gogo."
"Gogo...you inject venom into the name when you say it."
"Well I hate the name."
"I think it's nice. Though such a beautiful face should warrant a name of equal beauty."
Sango blushed.
"Wait a minute. I can't believe I'm standing here having a conversation with a guy who's taking a bath. I have to get out of here," she said as she sat the towels down right by the tub.
As she turned to go, Miroku caught her arm.
"Don't forget, my offer for you to join me still stands," he said before he kissed her hand and let her go.
Sango left the room in a hurry, blushing as red as a cherry.
"Prin...I mean Gome. Could you go to the young prince's archery session and groom his horse. It should be with him. I'm sure he won't mind if you brush the horse a few times while he's busy," Miru said.
"Sure thing," Kagome said as she took the brush from Miru and hurried away.
Going outside, she spotted InuYasha in his archery session.
She approached his horse and began to brush it gently.
Kagome watched InuYasha draw the bow and release the arrow while she brushed the horse.
"He's doing it all wrong. That's not how it's done at all," Kagome said to herself as she watched InuYasha practice.
"Excuse me?" InuYasha asked as he turned around, seeing Kagome there brushing his horse. "The hell I'm doing it wrong! You think you know better?"
"Snap. I forgot about his excellent hearing,' Kagome thought.
"Please. I could hit the mark blindfolded," Kagome said calmly as she continued to brush the horse.
"Then why don't you come over here and show me how the damn things done?" InuYasha challenged.
Kagome laughed lightly.
"No big deal. I'll come over and...school you...but only because your cocky demeanor warrants such a thing."
She sat the brush down and walked over to him.
She blindfolded herself and took a bow and arrow from him.
Standing before the target, she clutched the bow with her left hand and prepared the arrow with the other, pulling the string back and concentrating.
When she felt confident, she released the arrow and heard it hit.
Taking off the blindfold, she smiled in success as she saw that she'd hit the bull's-eye.
"Now that, my dear prince, is how it's done," she said before going back to the horse, finishing brushing it, and going inside.