A/N: Hello and welcome back fellow readers. Well summer is officially over and it's time to get back to the old drawing board. But that doesn't mean that we still can't have fun on the weekends right? The show must and will go on as each Friday at 8pm EST is promised a new chapter for both stories. I chose 8pm EST, because I figured that at that time, on a Friday, everyone will pretty much have everything done. Oh and, I still care what you guys think, just let me know how I'm doing. Drop me a line every now and then, okay? The following chapter focuses a lot on Kikyo, but believe me, the focus is legitimate. Read on and enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. He owns me! But not enough to pay my college tuition. The bastard!
Song Disclaimer: "Black Cat Bone" lyrics ownership of Laika.
Obessed, Devoured and Disturbed
Chapter 7: Desires of the Silent Heart: The Woman in the Pond
To long for one
who does not long for you
is like kowtowing to hungry demons
in the great temple
from behind
-Lady Kasa
The cool night air brushed all around her as she soundlessly made her way throughout the forest. Her faithful soul gatherers encompassed her in a slithering shield of life and death as endless thoughts rained through her mind.
Through birth, we are born into a new life. We live, and we fulfill what is meant of us. However, life is not everlasting. For it is through birth that we are promised death. Yet it was not meant to be that way with myself. I was destined to be born a priestess, gifted with the unusual powers to battle the demons and monsters that threatened to plague this world. And so it was through my birth that I was born into death, only to wander the earth amongst life. A life that will never truly accept me; a life where I do not belong.
Her mind slowly drifted to the image of a silver-haired hanyou, clad in red. His eyes holding such ferocity and danger, and yet still warming her heart with just a simple glance. A faint smile then crept upon her deathly pale lips as feelings, that not even rage or hatred could dilute, swept over her. And even still, it was you who brought light into my own inner darkness. It was you who truly made me feel...alive.
Her mental wanderings had caused her to slightly drift away from reality. It wasn't until she felt the damp chill at her ankles that she came out of herself. She had approached a small pond that seemed to glow with a holy light as the moon beat upon its calm waters. A blanket of mist shrouded its surface, swaying slightly with a western wind to reveal a petite figure perched upon a stepping stone.
Kikyo narrowed her eyes slightly as the figure slowly came clearer into view as the mist began to gradually fade away. It was a young woman. Dressed in the finest of royal garb, her waist-length silky black tresses danced around her form in the nightly breeze. She sat upon her knees gazing soddenly at an item held gently upon her lap. The mist had completely cleared by now and it was then that Kikyo realized what it was that the young woman held. A small vase rested between lithe fingers and within it was a withered peony.
Kikyo said nothing, but only stared at the woman as if studying her form. She appeared to be holding back tears as she lightly grazed a digit over the withered peony. Feeling foreign eyes upon her, the young woman decided to raise her head searching the area for her specter. She was certain that she was alone and could not be found. Her eyes then met with Kikyo's, and the two held their gazes without uttering a single word. Black pearl met with deep coffee as a strange look of what appeared to be mutual understanding lingered in their eyes. A smile spread upon Kikyo's face then. Pain has many ties.
The gurgles and babbles of the nearby brook brought a certain serenity to the waves of anger and hostility that surrounded the wolf prince. Leaning his back against a tree, he drew his knees up towards his chest as a means to block his reflection. It is said that at times bad thoughts can bring about one's own self-destruction, and the wolf prince was no stranger to that feeling. The cruel masochism of attempting to hurt the one woman he ever loved, and ever will love, was running a marathon in his mind and throughout his body. The repetitiveness driving him sick with distress, as flashes of what he had done continued to burn him internally.
His advances became more violent at her struggles, as the two then dropped to the ground, Koga hovering above a kicking and screaming Kagome. "Why are you doing this!" She shrieked as tears began to well up in her eyes...
"I know this is what you want, Kagome..."
"No." Koga buried his head into his knees trying desperately to shut out such bitter images of his love in pain; pain caused by none other than himself. No!
"No! Stop!" She screamed once again, the tears flowing from her lids with ruthless abandonment. "Don't, Koga...please!"
"No!" Koga shrieked as his eyes burned to hold back tears of his own.
She then felt him roughly beginning to lift her sundress past her hips and she could do nothing but cry at the feeling of the cool air of exposure...
"We can do it again, Kagome!"
"STOP!" Kagome screamed out so loud that a flock of birds escaped the tree that the two struggled underneath.
"GRRR! Dammit!" Koga punched his fist into the ground, destroying the soil that rested there. "I-I couldn't...I couldn't stop. I couldn't even control myself. Why? Why would I do that? Why would I try to hurt Kagome? I love her." Koga could feel himself trembling from the inside out, as if every nerve in his body had gone into complete shock.
"There is an unbreakable link between pain and love. Through love we breed pain, and through pain we seek out love."
The voice had returned to his subconscious then, his mind once again unknowingly becoming violated. Soon his mind would give, and then would be a time of complete detachment from self. He was enthralled by a very powerful force unbeknownst to himself. And power over the mind is almost inevitable to overcome.
"He will only hurt her, and then she will be forever yours."
A flash of crimson passed within his icy blue orbs then. "She is mine." His voice held such deep passionate ire that even the coldest wind refused to wash over his form.
"Then take her back. Open her eyes to what she truly feels. Open her heart, to you."
"Her heart to me." The shades of crimson in his eyes seemed to grow darker. Her heart belongs to me. Standing to his feet then, the wolf prince proceeded deeper into the forest, in determined search of what was rightfully "his."
An orb of light descended upon Kikyo's form, prolonging her existence in the world as she continued to eye and study the woman from afar. She noticed the pink shimmering light in her chest. So, she has a jewel shard. Her eyes burned upon the woman's form, as her brow furrowed in bemusement. There is something strange about her. Something, oddly...familiar. Seeing as the woman had nothing to say, Kikyo decided to leave her alone with her ponderings as she turned on her heels to head back into the forest.
"Priestess!" The woman called out noticing Kikyo's special robes.
Kikyo stopped then, turning to face the woman once again as she replied to her call. "Is there something that you wish to ask me?"
The woman did nothing but stare at Kikyo, giving her a look of bewilderment.
"You are troubled, are you not?" Kikyo continued, earning a saddened nod from the woman whose eyes once again fell upon her vase.
"I have...sinned horribly." The young woman's voice cracked as she spoke. With every breath she expelled, a small portion of her pain glided towards the dead priestess, and Kikyo could not resist the urge to listen and help. It was her way of attaching herself to the world; to life.
Helping others in need is the only way that I can feel...anything. "What is your sin?" Kikyo encouraged the young woman to continue.
"My protector...has fallen. And the fault is mine." The woman spoke, her eyes holding such guilt and regret that if one were able to see her soul, they would undoubtedly find one that had become lame and burdened.
"Your protector?" Kikyo iterated as she tilted her head to one side. The woman simply nodded. Kikyo could see that words could not easily be formed on the woman's lips, so she was certain to show her kindness and gentleness as she spoke. "Tell me then, what has happened?" Kikyo continued, the woman briefly catching her eye and then returning her gaze upon the vase.
"It has been long since it has happened, yet I shall never forget." The woman began.
"Aya-hime!" O Sadayo San called. The light of the full moon glittered across the large peony beds as the maid followed behind the young woman. The princess cherished her moonlight walks outside of the castle Adzuchi-no-shiro amongst the peony beds near the pond, and O Sadayo San, loved to accompany her whenever she was able.
The lord Yuki-Naizen-no-jo had recently arranged a marriage between his lovely daughter, Aya-hime, and the second son of the Lord of Ako. Aya-hime had made up her mind to try and love her husband-to-be, though she felt nothing for him. There were moments when she would think of him or speak of him with O Sadayo San, however, there was still something missing...love.
She continued on her walk through the gardens that radiated the light of the full moon, her maids-in-waiting following close behind. She could see it; her most favorite place to be in the hour...the pond that reflected the moonlight so perfectly. The place where the fireflies appeared to be fallen stars from heaven that would engulf her into a world of perfect peace and love.
Upon nearing the pond, she somehow missed her footing tilting and swaying rather dangerously towards the pond. She would have fallen into the water had it not been that a young man appeared as if by magic catching her. Just as he sat her back upon her feet, he vanished into the night.
Her maids-of-honor had seen her slip, but only a glimmer of light.
"To them it was no more than an unknown light. But I had seen more. I had seen the most handsome man that I could ever have dreamed." Aya-hime explained. "I spoke with my favorite maid that night. I just could not forget his face, his eyes...his gentle smile."
"…At least twenty-one years of age," Aya-hime said to O Sadayo San, "he must have been- a samurai of the highest order. His dress was covered with my favorite peonies, and his swords were richly mounted. Oh how I wish to have seen him a minute longer so that I could thank him for saving me from the water! Who could he have been? And how could he have gotten into our gardens, past the guards?"
"I ordered them to speak to no one of the occurrence, for surely my father would have sought him out and beheaded him for trespass." Aya-hime continued, the sadness growing heavier within her voice. "After that night, I fell ill. I could no longer eat or sleep, and my skin had turned pale. My wedding day with the young Lord of Ako had passed, but we were not joined due to my sickness. Father had sent for the best of physicians from Kyoto, but none could do anything to help me. I only grew more ill. No one understood, not even myself." A wry smile then appeared upon her features. "However, O Sadayo San, she knew of my condition."
"...We maids were asked to say nothing for fear of your lordship's anger. Since that evening it is that our beloved Aya-hime has been sick, sir." O Sadayo San explained to the lord of the castle upon his dearest daughter's condition. "It is sickness of the heart. She is deeply in love with the young samurai she saw for so brief a space. Indeed, my lord, there never was such a handsome man in the world before, and if we cannot find him the young Aya-hime, I fear, will die."
"Of course my father became upset upon hearing this." She continued.
"How is it possible for a man to get into the grounds?" Lord Yuki Naizen-no-jo demanded. "People say that foxes and badgers assume the figures of men sometimes; but even so it is impossible for such supernatural beings to enter my castle grounds, guarded as it is at every opening."
"That evening, I was filled with a weary sadness that bound me to my quarters. My maids had wanted to do all that they could to liven my spirits. And so they sent for a celebrated player, Yashaskita Kengyo. We sat in the gallery because of the hot weather as the musician played Dannoura. And then suddenly, from behind the peonies, he appeared once more; the same handsome young samurai. And this time, it was not only I who was able to see him."
"There he is! There he is!" they exclaimed, just as the young samurai disappeared again.
"I had never been so filled with joy and excitement. I felt as if I were floating in a dream upon the second glance of him. The next night as my maids entertained me with music of the flute and koto, he appeared again." Aya-hime smiled. "The guards had searched the peony beds that day for any sign of trespass, but they found nothing. Not even the slightest sighting of a footprint. It was all so strange."
"...I propose that one of great strength and renown capture this young samurai should he make another appearance." The lord of the castle decided as he sat at the head of his consultation. "A veteran officer with proper credibility perhaps." The lord scanned the room then, and it was more than obvious to whom the duty would be handed. "Ah, Maki Hiogo." The lord spoke, gaining the man's attention.
"Sir." The man nodded.
"You will fulfill this duty. I trust that you will not fail." The lord of the castle appointed.
"You have my word and undying devotion. I will not fail you, my lord." The man bowed as he accepted his mission without hesitation or question, and when the time came, he made sure to conceal himself among the peonies in all black garbs.
"My maids held yet another concert on my behalf, all of us gazing eagerly towards the peony beds. They had begun to play Sofuren, do you know of it, priestess?" Aya-hime explained.
"Yes, I do. Quite a beautiful piece." Kikyo nodded.
Aya-hime could do nothing but sigh and smile. "Yes, it is."
As the ladies continued to play "Sofuren," there arose the figure of a young samurai once more, dressed magnificently in clothes that were covered with embroidered peonies.
Everyone's eyes were fixated upon him, wondering why Maki Hiogo did not seize the man and capture him as instructed. Maki Hiogo had been as taken by the appearance of the samurai as the others that he was unable to move for he did not even want to touch the man, he held such beauty and nobility that touching him, for a moment, seemed disrespectful.
"Ah, I promised my lord!" Maki Hiogo came out of himself as he quietly approached the young man grabbing him taut around the waist. "I have him! Tell our lord that I-huh?" Just then, Maki Hiogo felt a kind of wet steam fall upon his face, its potency making him faint as he fell to the ground, still grasping the young samurai, as if symbolically holding onto his promise to his lord.
Everyone hurried towards the scuffle including a few guards in order to offer Maki Hiogo any needed assistance. It was then that Maki Hiogo came to his senses, and immediately shouted, "Come, gentlemen! I have caught him. Come and see!" But it wasn't until he looked at what was held in his arms that he discovered it to only be a large peony.
"By now, my father, my maids, and I had arrived to where Maki Hiogo lay. I could not believe my eyes."
"Ah," began the Daimio, "it is as I said. No fox or badger spirit could pass our guards and get into this garden. It is the spirit of the peony flower that took the form of a prince." He then turned to his daughter and her maids. "You must take this as a compliment, and pay great respect to the peony, and show the one caught by Maki Hiogo kindness as well by caring for it."
"I then carried the flower back to my room, where I put it within this vase, placing it near my pillow where it would then always remain. It was as if I had my love near me every minute, and as the days passed, I soon became healthy again." Speaking of these times seemed to stir joy up within her. "I tended the peony myself, and each day it seemed to grow stronger rather than fade away."
"I see." Kikyo responded as the princess continued on with her story.
"I had made a full recovery. I had become radiant once again; glowing. As if the beauty of the peony projected itself through me. Its protection and love reflected off of me and I was joyous. And it remained in perfect bloom. I felt free, and alive. Until my father came to me one evening." Aya-hime's voice grew sodden once again.
"...My dear Aya. You are more beautiful now than ever before. Your radiance fills the entire castle with a subtle warmth and happiness. I believe we both know the cause of such glimmering serenity and grace." Her father smiled as she glanced toward the ever-growing peony that sat beside her pillow. "You."
"Father?" Aya-hime tilted her head in bemusement.
"The peony spirit saw your inner divinity that night, that's why it protected you. And everyday it is your love and care that keeps it strong. And just as you keep it strong do you remain strong." Her father ran a gentle finger across her cheek causing her to smile. "And now is the time for you to grow stronger." He continued.
"Stronger?" Aya-hime furrowed her eyebrows.
"I see now that you are perfectly well, and as it stands, I can no longer put off your wedding to the young Lord of Ako." His voice held a sternness that Aya-hime knew better than to challenge.
"So, I still must..." She trailed, slightly perturbed by the raising of such an issue.
"Yes, I have continued on with preparations. The young Lord of Ako should be arriving soon. I trust that you understand this." And with that he left her quarters, alone with her thoughts.
"I knew that I could not disobey my father's wishes. I had a duty to fulfill, and so some days later, the Lord of Ako and his family arrived at the castle, and I was married to his second son." A single tear rolled down her cheek as she lowered her eyes, staring at her reflection in the still waters of the pond.
"So what is your trouble?" Kikyo questioned.
"I had returned to my quarters briefly after the ceremony to retrieve my belongings. And once I had arrived, I found the peony, dead and withered within its vase. From that moment on I was known as Botan-hime, the Peony Princess." She explained. Furrowing her eyebrows, she felt another tear fall from her chin. "So do you not see my sin? I killed my protector, because I was weak."
"And what do you feel was your weakness?" Kikyo questioned as another soul gatherer slithered around her, gifting her with yet another soul for her seemingly endless walk upon the earth.
"Our strength relied upon one another. The stronger I became, as did it. But I abandoned my strength, and followed my father's wish that I be wed to someone that I do not love. And in my weakness, I abandoned my protector and ultimately ended its life. I don't deserve forgiveness; I don't deserve life." Another tear fell, this time landing upon a withered petal.
Kikyo empathized with the woman deeply. The princess felt guilty and responsible for the death of her protector, and for that she was internally punishing herself. Everyday for her was a day a bitter reckoning, a day of self-loathing. "And so, it is penance that you seek." Kikyo stated. The woman just stared at the vase with a certain fire. "So princess, what type of penance do you think will be worthy? If you feel that you have ended the life of your protector, do you truly think that you could be forgiven? Or better yet, do you think that you could ever find peace within yourself?" Kikyo inquired.
"There is no penance great enough to wash away the stains of guilt and pain. But he told me differently. He told me that I could be free, if I gave him what he desired." She answered.
"He?" Kikyo studied the woman even closer. "Who is it that you speak of?"
"He told me that he could restore the spirit of my protector, if I gave him what he wanted." The woman continued.
"Who is he?" Kikyo pressed.
"A man. His voice was like thunder just before the storm." The princess mused.
"Do you know who he is?" Kikyo questioned.
"No, I could not see his face, for he wore the skin of a baboon to conceal himself." The princess explained, causing Kikyo's eyes to widen immediately at her admission.
Naraku. His name ran through her mind grimly. "What does he ask of you?" Kikyo questioned.
"He asked not much of me. He promised to restore the spirit of my protector in exchange for the jewel shard that holds me to this world." The woman finished.
So, it's as I suspected, this woman has died. "Your jewel shard."
"Not long after the discovery of my withered protector did I become filled with a deep sadness. I was crippled with sorrow and I felt that life was not worth living. I had only agreed to proceed with the marriage because I knew...I knew that my protector would always be with me. And as a result, it was my abandonment that ultimately destroyed it. I felt as if I didn't deserve to live. My protector had gone from me, and so what did I have to live for then?"
She sat the vase down amongst the moonlit peony beds as she said her final goodbyes. Turning towards the depths of the forest, she retrieved her dagger from her kimono sleeve, its blade glinting in the moonlight. "A life without love can only result in an unhappy death. And so in this moment, that my heart still belongs to the spirit of my protector, shall I go in happiness. Shall I go now with love upon my lips and soul, so that I truly can rest in peace." And with her last words she impaled the dagger into her heart, a tear falling from her eye as her lifeless body fell upon the moistened soil, the light of the moon shed upon the pond being her last image of life as she died.
It was then that he appeared from the darkness, jewel shard in hand as he easily removed the dagger idly staring at the trails of crimson that lingered there from its sorrowful sheathing. A dark smirk crept upon his lips as he tossed the blade onto the ground, inserting the jewel shard where it made its fateful touch. He watched as the wound quickly healed and the woman began to stir, the life-restoring properties of the shard spreading throughout her body.
"Your destiny has not yet been fulfilled." He spoke.
"Your destiny?" Kikyo was instantly becoming wary of the woman now as she continued to speak.
"Yes." The woman nodded simply.
"And what exactly did he say is your destiny?" Kikyo queried.
"My destiny is simply this," The princess lowered her head, her eyes closed in a most serene manner, "to fulfill...the desires of silent hearts." Within a fraction of a second, the princess' peony came into full bloom spewing out its essence and engulfing Kikyo in its sweet smelling, yet highly potent, power.
"Gnnaah!" Kikyo grunted as she immediately held up her bow as a means to block the attack. But she soon became overwhelmed as the peony's power completely took her over, seeping into every pore of her body, causing her to collapse.
The scenery in the forest soon melted away to reveal a mass collection of leafless trees and a murky swamp. The princess' appearance faded to that of a crimson-eyed demoness with deathly pale skin and blood red tresses that flowed in the midnight air. Her black kimono with red trimming seemed to swim around her like artisan's ink as she made her way towards Kikyo. "That was too easy." The demoness smirked as she knelt down beside an unconscious Kikyo. She lightly dragged her hand over her forehead removing the strayed silken tresses as a mother would. "Oh Kikyo, so strong, yet so weak. You know what you want, as do I. And I'm going to help you get it." Her red-wine lips curved into a devious smile as she retrieved her dagger from her pocket. She then dragged it across the palm of Kikyo's left hand, drawing blood. Then, using her fang, she lightly pricked her own finger grazing it across the fresh wound in Kikyo's palm. The cut then immediately healed, glowing red slightly and then slowly dying down. "It is done." She spoke aloud.
"Good Nozomi, now return to me." The thunder-like voice communicated to her telepathically.
"Yes, Naraku." And with that, Nozomi left the unconscious priestess there upon the ground. And now the stage is set. Inuyasha will die for certain. Nozomi sneered as she disappeared into thin air.
The orange light of the fire glowed over them as they all slept under the moon-filled sky. All except for one. Kagome had been unable to sleep peacefully that night, bad memories flooding her mind keeping her from doing so. "Grr." She growled to herself as she turned over yet again in her sleeping bag, her back towards the others. Her eyes rested upon the ground, eyes that held such a heavy disturbance; eyes that she would never allow Inuyasha to gaze into right now. He can never find out about that.
"No more tears Kagome. You won't ever cry again. I'll love you like you deserve to be loved." Koga ground out as he roughly tried to fight past her struggling legs in order to remove her undergarments.
"No! Stop!" She screamed once again, the tears flowing from her lids with ruthless abandonment. "Don't, Koga...please!"
Her eyes squinted shut as she inwardly winced from the recollection of that moment. Never. Koga had never frightened her so much. Though he had kidnapped her on their first meeting, there was still not that pure fear that filled her very core like it had done the previous night. Why? Why would he try to do something like that? I thought he loved me. Her eyes opened once more, watery and filled with tears that had yet to fall. Maybe I deserved it. I broke his heart. I was so selfish. I just used him. I don't deserve his love. I don't deserve to be loved by anyone.
She worried her lower lip in anguish. What kind of person am I? What kind of person have I become? Her mind briefly flashed to an image of Inuyasha, and though she knew that she should have felt comforted, she honestly could only feel, further disrupted. It was all for him. God, why do I love him so much? Why can't I stop loving him? Kagome could do nothing but sigh as her other self seemed to answer her by saying, "Because you don't want to." She would always remain bound to Inuyasha, because it was truly her heart's desire. But what about Koga? How does he fit into all of this?
"I love you so much, I'll never let you go." Koga breathed into her ear as the two continued to move upon the ground of the wolf den, their heated naked bodies intertwined with the other in a tie of unbridled passion.
"Please." Kagome sighed as she grazed her nails lightly upon his sweat-glistening back. "Never let me go."
"I won't." Koga whispered into her lips before taking them with his own.
"I won't..."
A tear fell then, traveling across her nose and onto her sleeping bag. Her mind and heart were both filled with confusion and guilt. She had thought she knew what to do, but now everything was so frightening. Koga had become dangerous, and she had the aching feeling that it was all just the beginning of something more. You fit. I just don't know where yet. She continued to sob quietly to herself, releasing all of her frustrations, and hopefully earning herself some sleep that night.
Inuyasha leaned against a tree, legs crossed in an Indian fashion, and arms folded. Though his eyes remained shut his sensitive ears could still pick up on the sounds of Kagome's silent tears. Why is she crying? He opened his eyes once his other self seemed to answer him saying, "Because she is hurting." His amber eyes continued to rest upon her crying form, and he wasn't about to pass up the chance. Crawling towards her, he placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder causing her to jump.
"Huh? Inu-yasha?" Kagome answered hoarsely.
He just stared at her for a while with scrunched eyebrows.
"What is it?" Kagome asked.
"I should be asking you the same thing." Inuyasha responded flatly.
"What?" Kagome gave him a confused look.
"Oh come off it Kagome! Why were you crying just now?" Inuyasha questioned grimly.
"It's nothing." Kagome waved.
"Don't give me that, tell me what's wrong!" Inuyasha demanded gruffly.
"I don't wanna talk about it alright!" Kagome snapped, a hint of venom in her voice causing Inuyasha to back down slightly. Though her magical hold on him had been broken, she still had that power over him that could turn him into a child with just the look of an eye.
Kikyo was like that. Inuyasha thought idly. Sighing, he decided to try and be supportive and actually show her kindness. She deserves that. Suddenly, Inuyasha gathered her into his arms, much to her surprise. He held her head close to his chest pulling her away slightly to stare into her eyes. "Whatever it is, I promise we'll get through it...together." A softness rested upon his face and it made her want to smile, cry, and pull away from him. She felt as if she were stealing undeserved affection and love, and a pang of guilt swept over her at the thought, causing a tear to fall onto her knee. Inuyasha took his knuckle, wiping the droplet away with a look of reassurance upon his features.
Letting her eyes fall to the ground, Kagome choked back her remaining tears. "Thank you."
In the distance they did not notice the figure standing amongst the trees. Far enough to conceal their scent but close enough to see and hear every activity that occurred before them.
His raven ponytail whipped behind him in the breeze as crimson eyes remained still upon the two individuals in front of him. Her heart belongs to me. She wants me. I'll show her that, even if I have to kill every life on this earth to do so. Including her.
A soul gatherer dropped yet another orb of light upon the fallen priestess as she lay upon the moistened ground amongst the murky waters of the swamp. Death was even more evident upon her form as her body became overcome with an unknown force.
"So, dear Kikyo, what is it that you most desire?"
Inuyasha, beyond death. Her unaware subconscious responded.
"Then you know what it is you must do."
Kill him.
"Good. Now awaken."
And by the command of the Voice, the eyes of the dead priestess shot open revealing pupils filled with a dangerous crimson glow. Her heart was no longer silent, and soon her desires would too be fulfilled.
Must've been the Devil who changed my mind. Must've been the wind blowing, not me crying. Half the joy of leaving was the space I left behind. Now I'm back, angel-headed, hollow-eyed.
xXx
Note: Excerpts from "The Princess Peony" taken from Richard Gordon Smith, Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan (London: A. and C. Black, 1908), no. 46, pp. 291-296.
P.S: Big props to my cuz for all of her support and guidance! I couldn't have done it without you. Slowly but surely she has been leading me further and further from the nest! Much love! XOXO ;-D
