Morning Again
Chiyo woke up slowly, relishing the feel of the soft covers wrapped around her body. For several long minutes, she allowed herself to savor the relief that came with waking up warm and comfortable and obviously not in a dungeon somewhere. The relief couldn't last long, though, for as she became more alert the memory of where she was and how she had gotten there trickled back unpleasantly.
Feeling like she must be in some kind of nightmare, Chiyo sat up slowly and surveyed the room. It was lavishly decorated with red and pink velvet hangings. The walls and ceiling seemed to be painted gold. The floor was scattered with all manner of cushions and blankets, and there were just a few furnishings decorated with various knick knacks. Chiyo squinted around at the room, feeling uneasy. This did not stack up to what she knew of Naraku. Why was she being held in such a lovely place after so many months locked in the dankest dungeon imaginable?
The woman from yesterday sat beside the soft bed. She was dressed in a deep russet kimono, which set off her pale skin and dark hair nicely. She smiled at Chiyo gently.
"Good afternoon," She said in a soft voice.
"Where is my father?" Chiyo asked stubbornly, knowing what the answer would be. "I want my father."
"He's not here," the woman responded. "I don't think Naraku wants him to know where you are yet."
"Please," Chiyo said desperately, her voice cracking. "He's going to kill me or worse. Please help me get out of here."
"He's not going to kill you, young one," the woman said warmly. "Especially after he meets you. You are quite lovely, you know."
Chiyo felt sick at the implication. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she felt a surge of longing for Kazuto. How to find him here? He must be nearby. God, what she wouldn't give to see him again.
The woman stood in a rustle of silks, and her scent wafted over to Chiyo for the first time.
"You are hanyou?" Chiyo asked, surprised.
"Yes," the woman responded. "I'm Naname. I'm one quarter horse hanyou. You might see my son around here sometime. His father was a boar demon. Most of us here are part demon."
"Only part demon?"
"Yes. It's been awhile since we've had a full demon around, or even a full hanyou. Naraku has brought many part-demons under his wing. He protects us, when neither world is safe for us."
"That's not true," Chiyo said. "My father is the one who sought to protect part-demons. He built a school, but Naraku tore it down."
"Ah, that was a long time ago," Naname said sadly. "I'm afraid Naraku has learned some hard lessons since then."
"He killed my mother, didn't he?"
Naname sighed gustily, but didn't look away from Chiyo's piercing gaze.
"He did. I believe it was an accident. Your mother was very brave."
"It was no fucking accident. That jailer, he taunted me every day about my mother. About all the terrible things he did to her."
Naname looked confused. "Child, Eaton never met your mother. Naraku never even succeeded in capturing her. She was killed during his attempt."
Chiyo rolled her eyes. "You think Naraku tells you the truth about anything?"
Within a moment Naname had retreated to the door.
"I'll bring you some breakfast," She said, ignoring Chiyo's last comment. "Then I expect Naraku will want to see you so I'll help you wash and get dressed."
And she was gone.
Chiyo blinked tears out of her eyes as soon as the door shut. She sniffed a few times, then lifted herself off of the bed and examined herself in the large mirror hung on the wall opposite.
She was thinner than she remembered, but not totally starved. Her hair had been braided down her back and her concealment spell had worn off. It would take more energy than she had to reset it, and she supposed it didn't really matter now that everyone around was a part demon and all probably knew who she was.
She flicked her tail experimentally. It was still sore, but on the mend. She stretched a few times, did a few one-armed push ups on each side, and tried the door. It was locked. She scouted around the room a little bit, looking for something other than pajamas to wear, and trying to see if there were any other ways out (there weren't).
While she was busy snooping through the drawers of a black lacquer armoire, Naname returned with a bundle of clothing and a tray of food. The smell of miso soup and grilled fish wafted across the room, and Chiyo felt truly hungry for the first time in months. She sat herself cross-legged on the bed while Naname placed the tray of steaming food in front of her.
While she ate, Naname placed several articles of clothing into the dresser. She selected a kimono from the bundle she brought and laid it out near Chiyo on the bed. It was deep blue silk patterned with sakura blossoms.
"I'm not wearing that," Chiyo said around a mouthful of rice.
Naname chuckled and shook her head.
"That's what I told him," She said. "There are simpler pieces here in the dresser and in the wardrobe there. Wear what you wish. I'm certainly not going to force you into anything."
"Except being here."
"Well that is another issue," Naname said a little sadly. "But try not to get too down. This could turn out well for you in the end."
"Well for me?" Chiyo swallowed and choked a little bit, "I've been held and tortured for months on the order of the man who killed my mother and has a death wish for my father. Get me out of here, or at least get word to my dad. That will be turning out well for me."
"Naraku has no intention to harm you," Naname said directly. "He didn't know the conditions in which you were kept. He basically destroyed half the compound when he returned with you. That's how angry he was."
Chiyo considered this. He had seemed truly surprised and appalled when he had turned up on the doorstep of the prison. But what did it matter? He was her captor. He'd had her abducted and there was no way she was going to prefer life with him over life with her own family.
"If he really had changed," She said to Naname, "He would let me go. His keeping me here, having me abducted...it only proves he's still just after more power."
Naname shook her head, still sad, but she didn't respond. Instead she stood up slowly and gestured to the stack of clothing on the dresser.
"You should get dressed. He'll be here to see you shortly."
She left the room, and Chiyo spent a few moments trying to compose herself before swallowing the last of her food and shrugging into the clothing Naname had brought.
She was sitting primly on the bed, holding her arms behind herself, when the door opened next.
She didn't catch the scent in time to stop the acid whip she'd intended for Naraku from lashing out, but luckily Kazuto was fast enough to dodge it.
As soon as his scent hit her, Chiyo recoiled her whip and leapt off the bed, her eyes filling with tears. She hurled herself towards the black-clad figure, who closed the door with a snap behind him.
Kazuto barely had time to get a look at her as he tried to slip quietly into the room, only to leap to the side away from an acid whip. He heard an intake of breath and then a silver blur smacked him hard in the chest.
Then Chiyo's scent was all over him, and she was sobbing against him, and her arms were wrapped around his neck. He buried his nose in her hair, breathing her in. Tremendous, shattering relief coursed through him. He backed up to the door so that he would know if someone tried to enter, still holding her. She was sobbing brokenly and shaking. He whispered her name over and over again, tears tracking down his own face. He reached back and loosened her hair out of its thick braid, threaded his fingers through the silky mass.
"Chiyo," He said, "God, Chiyo. You're alive. Did he hurt you? Are you okay?"
Chiyo just shook her head against his chest. After a few moments she composed herself enough to look up at him, pulling back enough to wipe her eyes.
"Are you okay?" She asked him, instead of answering. Kazuto nodded.
"Chiyo, look at you," Kazuto said, stepping back to take in her appearance. "Are you hurt?" His voice broke as her asked her, and although his tears had stopped, he had to make an effort to compose himself. She looked haunted, and a little gaunt.
"I'm...I was hurt, but I'm okay now." She said. "Kaz, I thought I would never get out. Where's my dad? Is he coming? Are we going to meet him?"
"I don't have much time," Kazuto said, heart sinking at her words. "I had to jon Naraku's organization to get here. He doesn't recognize me, and apparently Kagura didn't hang around long enough to tell him I was with you. Your dad helped me get here, but I'm constantly being watched so there's no way to contact him."
"God," Chiyo sighed, leaning her head into his collarbone. "How are we going to get out?"
"We'll find a way. Maybe I can get a message out."
"How is it that you can be here with me now?" Chiyo asked.
"Naraku selected me to be your bodyguard. He sent me in here to check on you. He's on his way."
"He'd going to know about us Kaz," Chiyo said. "As soon as he comes in here he's going to be able to tell." Chiyo sounded hopeless. Kazuto leaned back enough to take her face in his hands.
"No," He said, "He will not know. Because we are going to lie. We're going to lie so much that it'll be hard to remember the truth anymore but he is not going to find out. I know you can do this."
Chiyo nodded, and smiled sadly.
"I thought of you every day in the prison," She whispered.
Kazuto swallowed.
"You were with me every moment," He said seriously. "Even before you were taken...you always were with me."
Chiyo's ears twitched.
"He's coming," She said, "Or someone is. Your scent is all over me," She bit her lip.
Kazuto grinned at her.
"No worries," he said, stepping her back. "Just hit me."
Chiyo stared at him. "What? No!"
"Chiyo," Kazuto said warningly, the way he would tease her before when he was training her, "Fight me right now. Give another reason for your scent to be all over me."
Chiyo's eyes widened in comprehension and she worried her lip.
"Woman, don't even think about going easy on me!" Kazuto hissed, raising a clawed hand.
Naraku was alarmed when the door to the girl's room didn't open immediately, but saw the reason as soon as he pushed it out of the way. The body guard's body lay stacked up against it. He was out cold.
Sesshomaru's daughter sat delicately atop the dresser. She was cleaning blood off of her claws.
Naraku took in her haughty demeanor, her creamy skin, and the expanse of silver hair tumbling around her shoulders. When she lifted her eyes to his in challenge, he smiled. Now this was a woman worth keeping.