Sorry for the long wait I have been effectively stumped on this, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I also wanted to thank everyone that has reviewed, followed, favoured my story and added me as Favourite Author it really gives me inspiration thank you all.

With out further delay I give you...

The Imprisoned Heart
by
Firebird Phoenix

Chapter VII

Lady Kagome impatiently waited for InuYasha it was already past noon when she finely sent for InuYasha, she couldn't put off gathering her herbs any longer. She hadn't slept her mind tortured with visions of InuYasha's suffering, Captain Itsuki's twisted grin burned into her mind.

InuYasha knelt staring at the ground waiting for the Lady Kagome to acknowledge him. InuYasha was grateful the Lady Kagome waited to send for him, his wounds finely stopped bleeding they throbbed angrily burning hot with infection.

"InuYasha..." Kagome started, looking at him for a long moment before changing her mind and put her paintbrush down, she sat for a time thinking gnawing a bit on her lip. Sighing deeply Kagome picked up the chain collar given to her the day InuYasha arrived, she stood before him paralyzed wanting so desperately not to chain him but knowing she had no choice. Kagome's heart dropped when she heard the collar click shut, she picked up the chain and headed for the door with InuYasha following obediently behind, they left the castle without incident, Kagome unable to hold her head high her bangs hid her shame-filled eyes.

"I see you've learned your place here my Lady." Said Captain Itsuki mockingly, Kagome whirled around to give the wretched Captain Itsuki a piece of her mind, her voice lost at the sight of InuYasha obediently standing there, his beautiful silver hair hiding his eyes, she held her tongue and refused to answer the Captain and left to the sounds of his laughter echoing in her ears.

The moment they exited the castle gates to the opium fields Kagome removed the collar and handed it to the guard; he promised to return it to her on her return. Kagome and InuYasha walked silently thru the forest, he kept a large distance between them she would glance at him when she knelt to pick a herb he never once looked away from the ground, silently and submissively guarding her. Kagome's heart and spirit ached, she thought when she stopped the Captain from abusing him the other day, he would take his frustrations out on her, not InuYasha, all of his pain and suffering was entirely her fault. Again, they stopped by the creek, InuYasha sat beneath a large tree nearby as she built a fire to boil her water, and she asked the kitchen to pack her a large lunch, of chicken and rice with dumplings.

"InuYasha come here, would you?" InuYasha readily obeyed his face like stone and his hair covering his eyes, kneeling before her again like yesterday, Kagome sighed deeply.

"Please remove your shirt and turn around." His stone face grew solemn but he obeyed, stripping off his shirt and turning his back to her. Kagome pushed his hair aside a gasp escaped her lips his wounds reopened and bleeding, flaming red with infection, only an Enchanted Weapon could cause such wounds on a demon. Guilt weighted heavily on her heart this was entirely her fault, had she not embarrassed the Captain, he wouldn't have punished InuYasha.

Kagome's potion will help the infection but healing would be slow and probably scar. She dressed and bandaged each wound on his torso before asking him to put his shirt on. InuYasha watched her as he dressed, carefully preparing her tea, then she offered him half her meal, curious he decided to throw caution to the wind.

"What are you playing at?" InuYasha asked defiantly, Lady Kagome stopped halfway thru biting into a piece of chicken, surprised he spoke so brazenly after acting so submissively.

"In truth, you were hurt because of me and I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't do something about it. And besides what use would you be to me if you were hurt and hungry." Kagome lied about the last part; she didn't want to confess to him that his soul called her, that she desperately wanted to help him. Instead, she thought up something that a Master might say, as she spoke each word her soul cried out, wounded by her deception.

The Lady Kagome's words hurt InuYasha, was he nothing but slave to her. Some part of him deep down hoped he could be something more to her. Perhaps part of him thought he already was, she had chosen him to be her protector, given back his mother's robe, treated his wounds, and protected him against the Captain.

'All those things, I thought she might care for me. But she is just a kind Master; I will never be anything but a slave to her.' InuYasha thought to himself, his heart ached as if someone had ripped it from his chest and stomped on it, without realizing he has allowed himself to care when he swore to himself it he never would. He would rather live under the whip of Lord Akago then Lady Kagome's kindness. He glared up at Kagome angrily prepared to yell at her but stopped when he saw her glassy tear filled eyes.

'She's crying, is it... is it because of what she just told me, was it just a lie?' His anger fizzled into nothingness, Lady Kagome noticed him watching her she smiled trying to blink away her teary eyes suddenly losing her appetite she took two dumplings and gave the rest to InuYasha who gratefully ate it. His hunger more satisfied then it had been in years he asked to watch over her from the treetop, his energy and strength returned he leapt to the treetop easily.

'She told me I was nothing more than a slave to her, but she cried after she told me. Why would she lie about that, it is not abnormal for a Master to care for a slave, so why? Naraku, he would use me against her... But she is his ward could he really be that evil.' InuYasha knew the answer before he asked the question. Lord Naraku was a monster even by demon standards and he would most certainly use Lady Kagome's feelings to entertain his twisted mind. InuYasha felt pity for Kagome to have a man like Lord Naraku as a Guardian. InuYasha spent the rest of the day following Kagome as she gathered more herbs. InuYasha actually liked getting away from the castle he almost felt free out here just him and the Lady Kagome and it beat whatever difficult job Naraku forced on him, trying to see how long it would take for him to die.

"Where are you from InuYasha?" asked Lady Kagome bending to pick an herb.

"You know where I'm from." said InuYasha in a matter of fact way.

"I mean, where were you born?" Lady Kagome glanced at InuYasha noticing the pained look enter his eyes; his bangs hid his eyes as he answered solemnly.

"I was born in the West."

"The West, what was your village like?"

"Like any other place I guess." Said InuYasha, Lady Kagome smiled sadly to herself; they walked together in silence before Kagome spoke.

"I was born in the West also, in a small village on the Ocean shore." Said Kagome looking at InuYasha with a smile, InuYasha unsure how to answer said nothing.

"What's the Ocean like Kagome?" Kagome stopped looking back at InuYasha surprised he called her by name, not wanting to allow him the chance to catch himself she quickly and happily answered.

"The Ocean is beautiful, endless water that touches the sky and swallows the sun at night, with calming waves that can quickly turn into raging beasts that can swallow a man whole if you anger the Dragon God Ryōjin. Legend says that Ryōjin swallows the sun when it touches the sea and transforms into the moon to search for a beautiful maiden to take back to his Kingdom below the sea." Said Kagome smiling thinking of her home, for a moment InuYasha saw the sadness leave the Lady Kagome's eyes when she spoke of her home, they sparked like the stars on a moonless night.

At dusk Kagome and InuYasha headed back to the castle walking together in a comfortable silence with InuYasha by her side like equals. That quickly changed when they reached the castle gate and Kagome forced to collar InuYasha, their small piece of paradise with crushed with the hard truth of reality. A guard was waiting for them when they reached Kagome's home; she sighed deeply and reluctantly handed InuYasha's leach to the guard. She stood outside her home as she watched InuYasha being lead away, longing to demand InuYasha to stay with her but she couldn't without good reason or Lord Naraku might grow suspicious. InuYasha glanced back her over his shoulder his golden eyes filled with longing to stay with her and fear for what awaited him in the Kennels.

The ground shook a large lesser centipede demon burst from the ground in front of Kagome. The demon reared his head back a loud roar erupted from it shaking the buildings. Kagome stood paralyzed as the massive demon rushed at her with his gaping jaws. The young Guard dropped InuYasha's leash and raced to save the Lady but he wouldn't make it time. InuYasha heart stopped when he saw the demon grab Kagome in it jaws, ripping into her side and tossing her into the air like a rag doll. InuYasha ran toward Kagome catching her just before she hit the ground, he looked at her listening for her heart beat, he pulled aside her ripped clothing, sighing with relief, just a flesh wound, might not even leave a scar if properly treated. InuYasha was surprised when he noticed she was smiling, as she lay unconscious in his arms, but he didn't have time to worry about that the centipede demon tossed the guards away with its massive body and came for Kagome again. InuYasha gently laid Kagome down standing in front of her prepared to defend her. The demon arched high above InuYasha coming down at him from above its jaws open wide to devour him in one bite, InuYasha cracked his figures lunging up into the demons mouth crying out.

"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer." He cut thru the demon like nothing letting the pieces of its corpse fall. InuYasha stood proudly over his kill, the human guards sitting dumbfounded staring up at him. The Enchanted Beads tightened around his neck pumping spiritual energy into his body, electrical current passed thru his body seizing his muscles and purifying his demonic power, it felt like someone was ripping him apart from the inside out, sending him crashing to the ground paralyzed his limps twitching lightly. InuYasha looked out the corner of his eye at Lord Naraku standing behind him scowling.

"Take him to the post." Ordered Lord Naraku, two guards dragged InuYasha away as Lord Naraku walked over to Lady Kagome lying in a pool of blood, staring down at her with a stony expression.

End Chapter