"What do you think you're doing, stupid wench?" Inuyasha barked from the bed. "You shouldn't be wandering around the ship alone!"
"But I'm not alone," she smiled, stepping aside and letting Miroku enter as well, which he did, with an apologetic shrug. "Mr. Miroku was kind enough to guide me here, and he'll take me back to Sesshoumaru's cabin as well. Besides, we're in port. No one else is on the ship."
"Keh, whatever," the hanyou grumbled, settling himself back down against the pillow.
Coming closer, Kagome frowned when she saw how badly scored his back was. There didn't seem to be any bleeding, but lesions were raised and puckered against his skin. They were also still an angry red colour, though Kagome was relieved to see that Miroku hadn't lied, and the cuts had been treated.
Seeing the girl's intent stare, Inuyasha's eyes softened in understanding. From a well off family, it was likely Kagome had never even seen a scraped knee, much less a whipped back.
"I'll be okay," he felt the need to explain, drawing her gaze back to his. "There actually won't even been much scaring, because the poison in my bastard of a brother's whip cauterizes the wounds, and thanks to my demon heritage, I'll be better in another day or two."
"Are you sure?" she asked, remorseful for the part she had played in his pain. Kneeling beside his bed, she gently touched the edge of one line.
"Yeah, I'm sure," he told her gently, smiling crookedly. "I would've been okay if you hadn't spoken up, too. And then you wouldn't have to endure Mister Frigid Britches."
Kagome giggled slightly but soon sobered up. "I can't stand the thought of other's hurting, and for you to be hurt in defence of me…I couldn't let you do that. Not when I could do something about it."
"…Thanks," Inuyasha replied after a while. Most of the people he knew would rather let another take the blame than admit their own wrongdoing, especially if a half-demon was involved. For a slip of a girl to so readily step up when others wouldn't made Inuyasha enormously proud.
Silence fell, each lost in their own thoughts, before Kagome looked over at the inu-hanyou slyly. "Bet you were surprised when you found out I wasn't Kikyou."
"Keh! Of course I was surprised! Here I was, thinking I'd picked up my fiancée as planned, and instead her younger cousin was waiting for me!"
"I wasn't waiting for you!" Kagome exclaimed, outraged at his insinuation. "I was going to look through her things to find out just what she'd been hiding, only to be kidnapped from my own home instead!"
Cheeks puffed out in mock rage, they both dissolved into laughter at the circumstances of their meeting. "For what it's worth, sorry about kidnapping you," he apologized.
"And I'm sorry about…you know." She looked away, sad again.
"Hey, I already told you not to worry about it," he reminded her harshly. When she didn't immediately perk up Inuyasha looked imploringly to Miroku for help.
"Inuyasha is right, Miss Kagome," Miroku easily interjected, stepping forward. "Even had he managed to bring Miss Kikyou aboard, Captain Sesshoumaru still would have punished him."
Inuyasha smacked his face into his pillow. Real smooth, Miroku, that's sure to comfort her.
"Is Sesshoumaru that hard?" Kagome asked, her recent thoughts about the Captain now brought into question by Miroku's assurance.
"My brother ain't that bad," Inuyasha said to her, glaring at Miroku. "He doesn't give us more than we deserve. When Sess found out that I was seeing Kikyou, he told me to stop seeing her, and I didn't listen. I broke rank when I kidnapped you, because I intended to bring Kikyou on board, which was against my captain's orders. If Sesshoumaru hadn't punished me for that, the rest of the crew would have thought they could get away with similar stuff, and that could lead to mutiny."
"Oh," she murmured, finally understanding, at least, his reasons behind whipping Inuyasha. Even if I had confessed that I wasn't Kikyou in the beginning, he still would have whipped Inuyasha – his position as captain demanded it.
"Why didn't Sesshoumaru want you seeing my cousin?" she asked.
"Because of who she's related to," he answered vaguely. Miroku looked like he was butt in and explain further, but a stern look from his quartermaster stopped him.
Who she's related to…? Suddenly remembering Sesshoumaru's words from two days previous, Kagome found there was another question she needed Inuyasha to answer.
"Spawn of the man who betrayed and killed his brethren..."
"There was another reason I wanted to come see you," she confessed belatedly. She paused, and looking up at Miroku, begged, "Could you wait outside for me? Please?"
"Of course," he hesitantly agreed, and with a nod to Inuyasha, stepped outside into the hall to wait.
Kagome didn't speak for a few minutes, almost as if to make sure Miroku wasn't listening at the door, before finally leaning forward. "Why does Sesshoumaru seem to hate my father? How does he even know him?"
Inuyasha couldn't breathe for a minute he was so shocked by her inquiry. Finally, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Do you know your father's involvement in the sentencing of caught pirates?"
"I know that he passed the anti-piracy laws when he was made Lieutenant Governor ten years ago," she answered hesitantly. "But other than that…."
"Morgan – your father – is responsible for nearly a hundred pirate executions, all carried out in Port Royal," Inuyasha explained, continuing when he saw that Kagome wasn't surprised by this revelation. "Port Royal isn't the only city that performs the execution of pirates, and that isn't the reason pirates – not just Sesshoumaru – hate him. It's because your father…used to be a pirate too."
Kagome frowned, her eyes closing off in denial. "No, you're mistaken. My father worked in the British Navy, that's how he became Lieutenant Governor. He's not a pirate."
"Not anymore," Inuyasha agreed, wincing at the withering stare he received. "Look, Kagome, I'm sorry, but there's no other way to get around it – Henry Morgan is one of the most ruthless men that ever plundered in the Caribbean. He just happened to be plundering for the right team."
For what seemed like hours, silence reined, the only noise in the cabin Kagome's heavy breathing as she tried to wrap her mind around the idea that her father used to be a pirate. If it's true, then it's not the execution of pirates that is hated…but the seeming betrayal of one of their own.
For a large part of my childhood, I was raised by Nanny because Father wasn't home. I was always led to believe he was in the Navy, but…Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka's fathers all served as well, and they were home more often than Father ever was, though I wasn't allowed to play with them until Father was appointed Lieutenant Governor…
"…Your brother's hatred for my Father seems more personal than just that," Kagome finally murmured, unable to look up at the pirate who was steadily destroying any thoughts she'd ever held about her family.
"A few years after the laws were passed," Inuyasha elaborated, swallowing thickly, "Morgan captured one of the most famous pirates of all, Inu no Taisho…our father."
Kagome's face lifted and Inuyasha could finally see the tears leaking down her face that previously he could only smell. "Did he…?"
"Yeah," he answered hoarsely, looking away. "Another pirate, Naraku, is a partner of sorts, with your father. Naraku worked on your father's ship before captaining his own, and he betrayed my father to yours. Pops was captured and executed without trial."
Inuyasha watched, confused, as Kagome stood abruptly, her hands clenched. "I'm sorry, I can't…I can't believe that!" Spinning around, Kagome opened the door and ran passed a surprised Miroku, who watched her race down the corridor before turning back to his long time friend.
"What did you say to her?" he demanded.
Inuyasha sighed. "Something she wasn't ready to hear."
Kagome didn't stop running until she had to, leaning against a wall to catch her breath.
Father…could you really have done all the things Inuyasha said you did? Are you not the man I thought you were…?
She didn't know who to believe. Not present, her father was unable to defend himself against Inuyasha's accusations, but she was reminded of what Shippo told her. There was always a reason for something Sesshoumaru did, and while it may not be obvious to those around him, his reason was justified. Kagome couldn't think of any other reason for the demon captain to so loathe her father, and she couldn't think of a reason for Inuyasha to lie to her.
If her father really had been a pirate, though…did that matter to her? Inuyasha was a pirate, and he had shown nothing but kindness to her – had even apologized for kidnapping her. Sesshoumaru had fed her even after she tried to steal from him, Shippo kept her company while she wiled away the hours in Sesshoumaru's cabin.
Maybe it wasn't the status that made the man, but his actions that did. If so, then it wasn't her father's history as a pirate that should bother her, but his actions afterwards to his fellow pirates.
"Wot's this? Are ye lost, little dove?" a rough voice called out, making Kagome's head jerk up.
I thought none of the crew was meant to be on board today…!
"Um, no, I'm fine, thank you," she said politely, edging away from the wall and taking a step back. "I was just heading back to the captain's cabin."
"Wot's the rush?" the leering pirate asked, his larger frame making her feel claustrophobic as it seemed to completely fill the walkway. "Might as well 'ave a bit o' fun, since ye finally came out o' the cabin."
"No, I don't want to. I want to – hey!" she shouted when the man grabbed her arm, pulling her against his chest. She leaned back as far as possible when he bent his head down, his disgusting breath wafting over her. "Let go of me!"
Chuckling, the pirate reached down and grabbed her bum in one hand, harshly squeezing the soft flesh. "I won't be doing that, little dove. Give us a kiss now."
"No! Stop! Sesshoumaru!" she cried out, unable to think of anyone else who would be able to help her.
"Don't bother callin' fer help, little dove," the man sneered, pressing his lips hotly to her neck and making her shudder. "No one will hear you cry —!"
Nerves wound tight, Kagome couldn't help crying out in surprise when the man's body was suddenly seized and yanked away from her. Hearing the crash of impact against the other side of the corridor, she looked up and stared in awe at Sesshoumaru's burning eyes.
"Sesshoumaru…?" She couldn't quite comprehend his presence, and before she could question it, Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall behind him.
Sesshoumaru…saved me. But how did he hear me if he was in town? And if he hates my family so much, why would he save me?
"Sesshoumaru," she began again, but stopped when he glared at her over his shoulder.
"Be quiet," he demanded angrily. Giving her arm another tug to pull her closer, he walked back out onto the quarter deck and into his cabin, slamming the door shut behind them.
Facing the captain with a huff, Kagome could feel her temper rising to replace her apparently unwanted gratitude. "I just wanted to say —hey!" she yelled, shocked, when she felt her clothes being torn from her.
Face set into a cold mask, Sesshoumaru ripped Kagome's shirt out of her startled grip, throwing it behind him.
"Stop it!" she cried, more frightened than when the human had assaulted her mere minutes ago. Have I escaped one rape only to fall into another…?
"Uh!" Shoved atop the bed, Kagome scrambled to get away but was halted as Sesshoumaru grabbed her bare hips and held her in place, ripping her last piece of clothing away, leaving her naked on the bed.
Cringing, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and curled up into herself as tightly as possible. She jerked up in surprise when the cabin door slammed, and realized that once again, Sesshoumaru had punished her and then left without a word.
Except this time he took my clothes with him! She shrieked internally, seeing that her carefully folded dress had been taken, along with her pants and shirt that the demon captain had torn from her body.
Outside the cabin, Sesshoumaru could barely contain his rage.
I told her to stay in the cabin! I fed her when she complied with my wishes, showed trust by leaving the ship, and now the instant this one's back is turned, she disobeys! Staring down at the remnants of Kagome's clothes in his hands, Sesshoumaru threw them overboard with a grimace, wanting to rid himself of the foul smell of the man who had assaulted her, unable to fathom his loathing of another man's scent on them. He clenched his shaking hands into tight fists, ignoring the prick of his claws into his flesh.
Well, at least she won't leave the cabin now.
Sighing, Sesshoumaru ran his fingers through his bangs and picked up the parcel he had dropped on the deck in his hurry to reach Kagome after she screamed for him.
It was a regular market day for him and Shippo in town. Sesshoumaru usually went with Jinenji to oversee the purchase of foodstuffs for the ship, and then stayed on the ship until the men had satisfied their desires in town. But today, Miroku had suggested he look into a change of clothing for Kagome, and so, with Shippo in tow, had browsed the clothing stalls for something appropriate.
Why he had gone along with Miroku's recommendation, he didn't know. There was no reason to get the girl better clothes, as she seemed content enough in pants and a shirt, yet he had gone along with it, a strange desire to see her clothed as a woman in the back of his mind.
He had heard Kagome's and Miroku's muffled conversation those few days ago, though, and had decided not to dally in town, so that he might get back to the ship before the rest of the crew and make sure Kagome was safe in his room, only to hear her cry for help. Sesshoumaru could still feel the anger within him that he had felt when he saw the human male with his hands all over what was his to protect.
Curling his lip slightly, the inu-youkai glared at the package in his hand before spinning around on his heel and stalking below deck to hide it somewhere, and deal with the human who had thought to disobey his orders.