Chapter Ten:
The War Continues
Before you continue, I have to let you know something very important. This story is not going to be set in our reality, as in this story does not follow the timeline of the real world. I know some readers that are more informed about Japanese culture or about history in general like to point out little mistakes here and there when reading, that won't be necessary at all. This world will be completely made up. This Japan and other countries portrayed in this story will be far different than what you read in history books, though some parts may actually be the same, so please keep that in mind.
Now, on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
February 10th, 900 A.D.
Kagome dipped her bare feet into the rushing river water, looking down at her reflection in the rippling clear water. Light blue eyes stared back at her, shimmering with a knowledge she knew was not her own. Each time she looked into her own eyes she got chills.
The little girl in the rippling water looked like a normal child.
She wore a long sleeved starch white linen dress, her long, dark, thigh length hair held together with a black thong and laid against her right shoulder. Her feet were completely bare, having ditched her shoes hours ago.
Not an abnormal appearance for a normal seven year old child, if it were not for those eyes.
After all these years, Kagome would have thought that eventually her own reflection would not make her so very uncomfortable.
Sadly, that was not the case.
Kicking her tiny feet, Kagome disrupted the image.
Heaving a small sigh, her eyes drifted up to the fluffy white clouds drifting across the bright blue sky. Shapes of puffy animals brought a smile to her face. She so enjoyed the peace and quiet, it was a welcomed change from her boring and sometimes lonely life.
It was irritating that she often had to make her own fun.
No one really played with her, at least not the way she wanted. They were too protective so she couldn't really enjoy any type of games.
Everything was too dangerous to do.
Running was too dangerous; swimming was too dangerous, even climbing trees was dangerous. It made no sense to her at all. She never really got hurt, and if she did get a scrape here or there it was completely healed within a few seconds. Kagome just didn't understand why they wouldn't let her have any kind of fun.
And it didn't stop there!
She was never allowed to leave the confines of the barrier that surrounded the large castle that had become more of a prison than a real home. She had absolutely no idea what was beyond the high stone walls, what kind of people and things lived outside her cage.
Sometimes, she looked out the window of her bedroom, the tallest tower in the far south area of the castle.
From the high point, she could make out little smudges of huts and villages miles away.
She couldn't really make out any features of the tiny people but it didn't keep her from imagining what other people were like. She imagined that they were nice and friendly and played with her all day without making her be more careful.
Kagome wrinkled her nose at that phrase.
Nagato was always telling her that.
"Be careful, Kagome," and "It's too dangerous, Kagome," was his favorite things to say. It was darn irritating that she wasn't allowed to go anywhere or do anything; especially when she was cooped up below the castle whenever someone ventured too close to the castle.
Kagome shivered at the thought of the glass tank she was forced into at times.
It was a large, circular glass container filled with a sweet smelling liquid that always stayed warm. It wasn't uncomfortable, and she was able to breathe under the water, but it made her feel so very weak and tired. Whenever she was released from the container she always felt as though years had passed since she had slumbered.
And then there was the great hunger.
Kagome ran her tongue over the retracted fangs in her mouth.
The hunger was always the worst part of leaving the tank. It completely overtook her, sending cramps throughout her entire body, gnawing at her very soul. During that time, there was nothing more important to her than filling the emptiness.
Even now, there was a dull craving for substance, but it was manageable.
At least it was for now.
Standing, Kagome leapt over to one of the rocks sticking up from the river, balancing on one foot. Arms out, she tittered left and right trying to keep her balance. Wobbling a bit, she jumped over to another rock and then another. Her laughter bubbled up, spilling past her lips. As she hopped to the next, she lost her footing and slipped.
There was no fear or panic as she fell. Instead there was calm expectation.
She wasn't disappointed.
Levitating in the air, Kagome tilted her head backwards to glare at the tall, dark haired male standing at the river's edge looking none too pleased with her.
Dressed in a kimono, hakama and overcoat, he was as polished and darkly handsome as ever. Beneath his overcoat his armor flashed against the bright sun. His long, waist length hair was tied with a black leather thong in a loose ponytail tossed casually over his left shoulder.
Nagato was by far her favorite servaliyann.
He was the first servaliyann she had created herself. Most of her servaliyann had been created with a hot iron laced with her blood when she had been just a child in diapers.
But not Nagato, he was special to her.
He raised a brow, his shimmering green eyes narrowed at the little girl hovering in the air.
With a slight hand gesture he brought her closer. Kagome sighed, not even attempting to resist. Why bother?
It was no use.
The fun was over.
"You are being reckless," he said as she neared, his voice calm and deep, "How many times must we go through this?"
"It's not as though I would have been hurt," Kagome complained as her feet touched the ground.
"That is beside the point, this you know. You should not wonder this far from the castle; there have been too many curious individuals roaming close to the barrier,"
As if she didn't already know that. She'd heard the screams of those that got too close, smelled their blood as it soaked the earth even from high in her tower.
Kagome crossed her arms and looked away with a frown.
"Even if they get close to me they would be in more danger than I would," she reminded him.
"That will not always be the case. The years are passing quickly, and things are changing. People are changing,"
Kagome rolled her eyes.
"I see no change," she said, "but of course I don't get to see anything. I'm not allowed to leave the barrier of the castle and if anyone does wander close enough, you or someone else rush me off to the water prison,"
"It is not a prison, the tank is filled with-"
"Warm liquid used to keep my presence and aura suppressed and keep me from being discovered as well as stop the hunger until I am able to leave the container. I know that already,"
"Then why do you continue to resist?"
"Because I'm only seven years old and I'm tired of being locked away from the rest of the world,"
Nagato had to admit that at least part of her explanation was accurate. Although Kagome had been alive far longer than seven years, her physical appearance and mind set was of a seven year old child. At such a young age, children often resisted things they didn't want to do.
Kagome was no different apparently.
"You are not locked away from the rest of the world,"
"Then how come I can't leave the barrier? How come I can't go to any of the villages? How come the only people I meet and get to play with are boring old servaliyanns that won't even let me have any fun?"
Because right now, Japan was torn apart by war, famine and savagery; it was the worse condition Japan had ever been in. The war between the Agyptians and Japanese had raged for centuries with no foreseeable end in sight. The blinding hatred between the two had carried on through the years, passing down from one generation to the next.
Peace was a distance memory, compromise non-existent, and graves, mass graves were becoming more and more common.
The only way it would ever end was if one side crushed the other; that was certainly clear.
Of course, Kagome would know naught about the on going war, about the slaughter of her own people by Nagato's people. Yafeu had been explicitly clear.
Kagome was not to know of the world beyond the castle walls.
Any outside influence could tip the fragile balance of her mind in a way they did not want. Kagome was…different than a normal child. Her mind at times was completely muddled and unstable, a dangerous state for her to be in.
"See, even you can't give me an answer," Kagome complained.
"You have already been given an answer to each of those questions,"
"Have not,"
"You've been told why things are as they are, but I will tell you again if that is your wish," Nagato said.
"Fine, please tell me again,"
"Because Yafeu has willed it so,"
Kagome could have screamed at that stupid answer. It was always the same thing; 'Because Yafeu said so'. That was the universal answer to everything. Whatever Yafeu said was what everyone believed, and hell would freeze over before anyone disobeyed his commands. His word was law in their little community.
She was sick to her little tummy of it.
But that was all she could do really; complain and complain about it.
She couldn't change anything.
Yafeu was the closest thing she had to one of those parental figures she'd read about, and from what she could tell he didn't seem to want to harm her in any way or to have anyone harm her. He simply seemed overprotective and overly concerned. And because of that, she could never stay irritated with him for long.
"It is time to return," Nagato said sternly, "You know it will be time to feed soon,"
Kagome sighed long and loud.
That was that then. Nagato was done fooling around.
Kagome wasn't that sad to leave though. Truth be told, the hunger was beginning to gnaw at her insides.
She was more than ready for her meal.
The two made their way back to the castle, and by the time they made it to the stairs leading to the tower where her bedroom was located, Kagome was beyond hungry.
She was starving.
Her fangs burst free, her finger nails growing sharp and deadly. Her eyes brightened, glowing nearly silver, shot through with specks of deep blue flakes. With this physical change, a mental change occurred as well.
Calmness settled over her like a blanket, bringing with it a sharp thread of bloodlust.
Her body ached, and every fiber of her being strained towards the awaiting meal in her bedroom. She could smell it from the bottom of the stairs, could hear the pounding of its heart.
As they climbed the stairs her own heartbeat increased tempo, and blood rushed to her head, pounding loudly in her ears. Already her mouth was salivating, her stomach clenching and unclenching in anticipation of its meal.
It seemed an eternity before they reached her bedroom door.
Kagome threw open her door, and rushed inside. As usual, Yafeu was waiting for her, golden mask gleaming, deep blue eyes ablaze with cruel amusement.
Bright smile and fangs gleaming, Kagome ran to the tall, tan male. He wore a dark linen kilt about his lean hips, and a black, short sleeved linen top. His long dark hair was pulled back and up in a high ponytail with a black leather thong and on his feet were a pair of golden sandals that crisscrossed up to his calves.
His arms opened and scooped her up, his grin widening behind his mask.
"Did you bring me something good to eat today?" Kagome questioned, her eerily glowing eyes locked on the dark figure crouched against the wall at the far end of her bedroom.
She could smell the fear rolling off of her next meal, could hear the loud pounding of its heart. Her stomach growled loudly.
"Of course, my angel," Yafeu assured her, his own eyes wandering over to the woman hunched over against the wall.
Kagome squirmed, ready to eat. Yafeu's arms tightened around her, holding her still.
"Now, now, Kagome, remember your manners this time. Consume what you wish and do not play with the remainder,"
Kagome pouted at that.
Even at feeding time she wasn't allowed to have any kind of fun. But at the moment, Kagome wasn't really bothered by it.
She was too hungry to care much about being reminded about not playing with her food.
Yafeu released her. Kagome landed on her feet, turning instantly towards the female.
The woman, no older than twenty-three winters, stood, slowly backing away. Her kimono was dingy and torn, her dark hair tangled about her shoulders. Wide brown eyes watched the little girl approaching her with no small amount of terror.
It did not really bother Kagome that the woman feared her so.
She was used to it by now. She knew how scary her eyes were when the hunger was upon her, she knew the energy that radiated from her was just as frightening.
"I… I know what you are," the woman began in a trembling voice, "Evil little girl…child of the devil…"
Kagome blinked at that.
"Devil?" she questioned.
"Hai! Devil child!" the young woman screamed, "I've heard the tales. A young girl with eyes as bright as the blue sky and evil as the devil himself,"
"I am not a devil child,"
"Aye you are," the woman insisted, looking over at the young girl with disgust, taking in the tanned skin and blue eyes, "I am not surprised. I expect such evil from your kind. Filthy beasts! I cannot wait for the day when every one of you are where you belong; groveling at the feet of your betters!"
Reaching out, Kagome grabbed a fistful of dark hair and yanked hard.
The woman screeched as Kagome pulled her across the floor, forcing her to crawl on her knees. Bringing her down to eye level, Kagome easily held the woman down on her knees.
"You talk too much," Kagome said, "Yafeu said not to talk to or play with my food, ne Yafeu?"
The masked male nodded, his smile widening.
"Aye, precious one; you need not speak to her anymore. Remember, she is food nothing more,"
"Vile Agyptian creatures!" the village woman yelled.
The young woman had no more than a glimpse of sharp teeth before they were embedded into the side of her soft neck. Instantly, the woman fell silent, her mouth open in a silent smile, her hands pushing weakly at the small shoulders of the young girl draining the very life from her body.
The blood was thick and warm on her tongue, flowing freely from the wound.
It was, like always, complete and utter euphoria.
Her head swam, her claws twitched, and her little body trembled. With brutal strength, she clutched the woman closer, uncaring of the damage she inflicted upon the woman. Kagome clamped down harder on her neck as more thick blood slipped down her throat, bringing her hunger to fevered pitch.
She needed more…
Her jaws tightened, and more blood gushed, filling her mouth.
The woman gasped loudly at the increased pressure, blood dribbling from her lips. The woman fought weakly, her rapidly declining strength making her struggles completely useless. Kagome pulled hard on the captured skin and muscle in her mouth, tearing a chunk of flesh from her neck.
The woman convulsed, her pale hands going up to the blood streaming from the wound in a desperate, but futile, attempt to stop the extreme bleeding. Using her legs, the village woman tried her best to distance her self from her, her feet slipping in the blood soaked floor. Kagome watched the scene dispassionately, chewing slowly on the bloody meat in her mouth. Her eyes gleamed excitedly at the dark crimson blood coating her bedroom floor.
The warm sticky liquid pooled beneath Kagome's bare feet, spurting onto her white dress and staining it red. Walking towards the woman once more, Kagome grabbed her hair and pulled her close. Her fangs clamped down on the gushing wound again, letting the blood fill her mouth.
The young village woman last no more than a minutes against the renewed assault, and as her body shut down and her flesh began to cool, Kagome fed from her, devouring flesh, blood and organs.
From across the room, Yafeu watched with a smile of pride.
His little angel had become quite vicious of late; the effects of Apep's presence within her body no doubt.
It was a good sign.
Apep was finally beginning to stir.
Over the centuries, little Kagome had been displaying brief moments of the dark intentions deep inside of her. Instead of just feeding on the life blood of her victims, Kagome had begun to enjoy the killing, had become fascinated with the running blood that pooled at her feet, and the pained expressions on the face of those she drained.
Not only that, but her excessive hunger for something more than simple blood and death.
She was craving something deeper than substance.
She hungered for souls; or rather, Apep hungered for souls.
Even she didn't realize it. Too consumed with the hunger to feed to notice anything, Kagome failed to notice that the intensity of her hunger was steadily increasing.
But he had expected such, she was very young still. There was much she had to learn.
The door to her bedroom opened.
Yafeu and Nagato turned towards the door. A cloaked servaliyann kneeled on one knee, one fist crossed over his chest, the other at his side.
"Please, forgive the intrusion, master Yafeu," the cloaked male began.
"You are disturbing your Queen's feeding time," Nagato said, green eyes narrowed.
"Forgive me," the male said again, "Lord Jikininki is here again to see master Yafeu,"
Nagato's brows drew down at the news. He turned to Yafeu.
"What is that fool thinking? Has he not been informed that coming here is dangerous?"
Of course he had.
On numerous occasions; but the foolish male refused to listen to reason. He insisted on coming to the castle to speak with Yafeu personally every decade or so, as well as verify that Kagome was still here and thriving. After making sure all was as it should be, he would start with his usual pestering and impatience, demanding to know when their plan would be set into motion.
Little did that idiot know; the real plan had begun centuries ago.
"He's been warned time and again," Yafeu confirmed, "but the silly snake is hard of hearing,"
Yafeu turned his attention to the servaliyann still kneeling in the doorway.
"I will see him," Yafeu said.
"Shall I send him up, master?"
Yafeu looked over at Kagome.
His angel was still feeding, digging out vital organs and biting into the soft bloody masses with great relish. She ate like a woman starved. Face smeared with blood and chunks of skin hanging from her lips, he decided she wasn't fit for company at the moment. Besides, with that intense look in her icy blue eyes, he was damn sure she would not want to be interrupted any time soon.
"Nay, I will be down momentarily," Yafeu said.
"Understood,"
The cloaked male bowed his head, stood and left as quietly as he arrived.
"He is jeopardizing everything," Nagato commented as the door closed.
Yafeu crossed his arms and grinned.
"Aye, he is, but it is to be expected when one is involved in this type of activity, Nagato. You need not worry," his eyes wandered over to Kagome, "As long as she lives there is no need to fear that our goal will not be reached. Her destiny cannot and will not be changed. Apep will rise again,"
Yafeu walked over to Kagome. His sweetheart was still feeding, lapping up the blood on her fingers. Gently, he reached out and stroked her long dark hair, his grin turning soft.
"I will be back soon my angel, behave for Nagato until I return,"
Kagome didn't seem to hear him. Stopping the great hunger was all she cared about at the moment. It was fine with him though, it actually made him happy to see her so into her meal. With another pat on the head, Yafeu turned and walked towards the door, stopping before he passed Nagato.
"See that she gets cleaned up when she finishes," Yafeu commanded before heading out of the bedroom.
Descending the tower steps, Yafeu straightened his clothing and adjusted his mask. He could already hear Jikininki making demands to be let up to the tower. His demands would fall on deaf ears. The servaliyanns obeyed no one other than him.
Why Jikininki wasted his time trying to sway them to disobey their master, Yafeu had no idea.
At the bottom of the stairs stood Jikininki yelling at the servaliyann that had informed them of the demon's arrival. Jikininki pounced as soon as he saw Yafeu.
"How dare you refuse me entrance to the tower," he sneered, crimson eyes snapping, "You forget yourself, Yafeu. That girl belongs to me as much as she does you. What right have you to bar me from her room?"
Yafeu lips stretched in amusement as he took in the appearance of the demon lord.
His skin was a bit tanner than before, not as dark as an Agyptian male, but brown enough to be considered a tan. The change no doubt occurred from his time spent battling in Agyptia during this time of war. Scars and scratches decorated his face and clawed hands. Even his eyes had changed; they'd become hollowed and at times a bit haunted.
It thoroughly amused Yafeu to see the results of the Youkai's battle with his fellow brethren.
"Lord Jikininki, to what pleasure do I owe this visit?" Yafeu called out with his usual enthusiasm.
It was the same overly nauseating enthusiasm that ticked off Jikininki, irritating him to no end every time the two male met.
"Cut the bullshit," Jikininki growled, "I demand to know why you have made no progress regarding the girl. This war will be over in but a few more years, and once that happens, that damn Sounga will have more time to focus on my activities. I expected to have the ability to crush that mutt long ago,"
Yafeu threw back his head and laughed.
Jikininki's eyes narrowed dangerously, his clawed hands clenching.
How he hated that masked Agyptian.
Filthy diseased beasts…
When he was the new ruler of the known world he would make sure that the Agyptian people were little more than scum beneath his feet.
"You cannot rush this process, Jikininki," Yafeu cooed.
"That is Lord Jikininki to you, swine,"
Yafeu merely smirked, blue eyes dancing with open glee.
"You never cease to amuse me," Yafeu said, walking towards the front of the castle, "Your kind has always been without patience, or common sense. Did you think it would be easy to gain the power you seek? Honestly, you are the leader of your clan, such ignorance on your part is more than a little surprising I must say,"
"You son of a-"
"In any case, Kagome is nowhere near ready. She has years to grow and develop; trying to force something that cannot be forced will not speed up this process. It will merely slow it down or fuck it up entirely,"
Jikininki gnashed his teeth together.
"You play games, Yafeu, games that will get you killed," he hissed angrily.
Yafeu merely shrugged at that, adding a deep chuckle at the end. Jikininki stepped in front of the smiling male, forcing him to halt.
"That girl is centuries old by now, what more growing and development could she possibly need?"
"That girl is no older than a seven year old child," Yafeu explained, "Her growing and development is sporadic at best so there is no way of predicting how much time she needs,"
Jikininki's hands clenched.
Turning sharply away, he paced the length of the hall twice before stomping back to the grinning tanned male. The intense gleam in his eyes spoke volumes about what he was feeling at the moment.
"There is no need for such impatience," Yafeu said, "When it is time, you will gain that which you deserve. If you cannot handle Lord Sounga until then, then perhaps you cannot handle the power you wish to gain,"
At those words, Jikininki's face turned red.
His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed in warning.
Yafeu was not fazed by the look at all. He feared none but his own master, Adofo and the wrath of his God Apep.
After a terse silence, Jikininki stood straighter, his jaw relaxing only slightly.
"I will return in five hundred years. At that time, I demand to see progress or I will take matters into my own hands,"
That said, he turned and stomped away with long angry steps.
Yafeu watched the male depart, his grin firmly intact behind his mask.
OoOoOoOoO
Eyes closed, Sesshomaru reached up and pinched the skin between his eyes in irritation. His head was pounding, his eyes burning and the tension in his neck and shoulders had him as stiff as a rock.
Nothing was going as planned.
They were losing the war.
It was unbelievable, unconceivable…but true.
They were losing soldiers by boatloads, reducing their own population here in Japan, and because of the large amount of casualties, more and more males were forced to fight, males that had little training in the art of combat. And with the men gone, taxing labor fell to the women and young children to complete.
Those left behind were beginning to protest further participation in the war against the Agyptians quite clearly and quite loudly.
There was talk of rebellion and a secret peace treaty with the Agyptians among the Japanese people.
Sesshomaru had no idea if the rumor was true or not, but such gossip could not and would not be overlooked by him or the other clans.
Even within his clan there was unrest and unease.
The harsh conditions, the loss of their husbands, fathers and sons, it was too much for his people. His desk was flood with documents; cries for help, demands of aid for those in need and most of, thousands of thousands of letters pleading for the same thing; an end to the war.
Had he been in any position to grant that wish he would have, but his hands were tied.
The other clan leaders had outvoted his and his father's motion to come to a compromise with the Agyptian people in an effort to end the war. Not only that, but the Agyptian Pharaoh Bomani had refused any and every attempt of civil conversation and understanding.
They had no choice.
They had to fight or be annihilated, and he'd be damned if would allow his people and his country to be wiped out by those uncivilized beasts that were no better than the dirt beneath his booted feet.
Sitting back in his chair, Sesshomaru stared at the stacks of scrolls before him, replaying his thoughts.
It seemed that Izaoi was right, he had become somewhat prejudice against the Agyptian people. But he had good reason to be. Just look at what they had done, look at the bloody war they had begun, that had no end in sight, their refusal to even consider a peace treaty of any kind.
And then there was the wedge they were driving between him and his step mother. Over the years, the treatment of the slaves was a constant argument for the two of them. Sesshomaru refused to see them as beings of worth while she refused to see them as anything other than that. He would not change his low opinion of them and she would not change her unnecessarily high opinion of them.
But it didn't really matter what she thought. He knew what sort of people they were and would treat them accordingly whether she liked it or not.
They deserved nothing more than his contempt and disgust.
He would be the first to admit to his hatred of the tanned skinned, blue eyed garbage and he had absolutely no qualms about making that hatred known to the slaves he acquired and anyone else that happened to be present. The shipload of Agyptian slaves that were brought over to work were treated like the pieces of shit they were in his home and all throughout Japan.
Even hanyous were treated a hell of a lot better.
As far as the Japanese were concerned, the Agyptians were no longer people. They were slaves, property and nothing more.
Izaoi seemed to be the exception to that type of thinking, however.
She refused to treat their new slaves as less than what they were and at times, she often interfered with the punishments they were dealt when they were disobedient or did not perform their duties to satisfactory standards.
Yes, the punishments were harsh; public floggings, time in what was called "the hole", even beatings were considered acceptable when chastising a slave.
Izaoi called these methods barbaric.
Sesshomaru called them necessary and completely appropriate.
He stood and walked over to one of the floor length windows of his father's study. Outside, the once lush land of the Shiro clan was nothing more than a former shadow of its former glory. The homes of his people were dirtied and in need of repairs, the crops were wilting, the inhabitants as worn and tore down as their homes.
It made his blood boil at the sight of it.
To think that his mighty clan could be brought this low by some dark skinned savages was unbelievably sickening.
Even with the damn stones they were holding on by a thread.
Something had to be done. Drastic measures had to be taken to suppress those beasts and restore his clan and lands to their former glorified state. Though his father had sent him letter after letter voicing his wishes of refraining from doing anything too drastic until absolutely necessary, Sesshomaru felt that it was in fact necessary now.
This had gone on for too long.
He damn well hated to admit it, but that slimy bastard Matosi had in fact been correct.
This war needed to end and if it meant the eradication of any and every Agyptian being that dared to rebel against the Japanese people then so be it.
Sesshomaru was willing to commit to that.
He would have to go against the wishes of his father but as far as he was concerned, the needs of his people came before his father's. He was the head of the clan in his father's absence and he would make the decisions that benefited his clan.
A shuffling noise interrupted his thoughts. A familiar scent drifted to his nose. Sesshomaru continued to face the window, feigning nonchalance.
The sound of soft footsteps reached his ears.
He had no idea why he continued to humor him with this ridiculous game, but could not stop himself.
And honestly, he didn't want to. He had a fondness for the younger demon he called brother, though he'd burn in a lake of fire before he ever admitted to such affection.
The footsteps were right behind him now.
Clothing rustled, letting Sesshomaru know that his little brother was about to reach up and grab him. As the hanyou made the dive Sesshomaru moved, stepping to the side and watching as the young preteen fell to the floor.
Over the centuries his little brother had gone through quite a few changes. Though he was no where as tall as Sesshomaru himself, he had certainly grown more than a few inches. He'd filled out more, gained more muscle and a more mature outlook on life. His voice was probably the most significant and embarrassing change that had occurred.
It crackled, it broke, it went up and down in pitch in the most inopportune and inappropriate times.
"You are too noisy when you approach," Sesshomaru informed the younger male.
Growling, Inuyasha sat up, arms crossed, scowl place as he glared up at his older brother.
"I almost had you this time,"
Sesshomaru raised a silver brow at that comment.
"You were nowhere near close to sneaking up on this Sesshomaru. Your inferior stealth skills will give away your location every time,"
"They wouldn't be if you'd train me like father used to," Inuyasha shot back.
"I have told you more than once, I am very busy. You have instructors that can teach you all that is needed in combat,"
"But you and father are better than any of them,"
He was of course right about that. None compared to him and his father in the art of combat. They were in fact the best of the best.
"It matters not, father is not here to train you and I am too busy to do so myself. You can either continue to pout or you can learn what you can from your instructors,"
Inuyasha sighed and stood up, dusting off his fire red kimono and hakama as he did so. Crossing his arms he turned away in irritation.
"You could make time if you wanted to," he insisted.
Sesshomaru said nothing, merely watched the young demon with intense amber eyes. After a moment, Inuyasha sighed again.
"Alright, alright I'm going," he said heading towards the door, "but I ain't gotta like it,"
Sesshomaru could care less if he decided to like it or not. As long as he did what he was supposed to do he had no kind of complaint.
The door closed and Sesshomaru went back over to his father's desk.
Closing a few scrolls that were for his eyes only, he stashed them away before leaving the room. He was too tired to continue staring at the documents scattered around him. It was giving him a goddamn headache.
Just the thought of the mountains of paperwork brought tension to the back of his neck and shoulders.
He headed towards his bedchamber, completely oblivious to the servants and slaves coming and going around him. More than a few of the tanned slaves recoiled from him, fear instantly overtaking them. Each of the slaves knew that to be noticed by the young demon lord was in no way a good thing.
Most of the time, the unwanted attention resulted in some form of pain or embarrassing task.
They scattered, ducking into nearby rooms, some turned back in the opposite direction and moved as fast as their legs could carry them.
In the hall, with servants and slaves in the same area it was very easy to identify servant and slave.
Servants were Japanese individuals, dressed in blue and white livery. The servants were clean and well cared for. They often lived in the castle, yet some lived outside the castle walls. They were paid for their services and were treated fairly. Their duties included running the household and directing the slaves. No sort of heavy, hard work was given to the servants.
The slaves however were another story.
Slaves were the Agyptian people. Dressed in dingy, scratchy, hand-me-down kimonos or linen dirty, ripped up tunics. No shoes were given to them to wear and around their necks were collars infused with the power suppressant stones. They lived in cramp slave villages a distance away from the castle, cramped huts and barely any land to grow and harvest crops for food.
Slaves were forbidden to live inside the castle. Their labor included cleaning, cooking, serving, gardening, and anything else they were ordered to do. They were never paid for their work.
They lived only to serve.
Serve or die, that was the way of the life of a slave.
It was hell.
A hell Sesshomaru made sure the Agyptian people inhabited on a daily basis.
OoOoOoOoO
Sorry it took so long to update. There were a few things I had to figure out with this story and I wasn't really sure where I wanted to start this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it though! Now, I know Kagome's character is a little twisted and jacked up but bear with it for a while. You have to understand that Kagome was raised by crazy Agyptians with a thirst for blood and that is what she was taught. Her view of right and wrong right now is a little distorted but please bear with it.
Only two reviews? Awww, that makes me sad. Anyway, I will thank those kind enough to leave me their thoughts.
blooboboboobobob- This fic is going to be really dark and bloody so that suicide was just the tip of the iceberg. Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet XD. I am glad you are enjoying this story so far and I really, really hope to hear from you again!
MariisCa- So happy to hear you like the story! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and of course I await your next review!
Please be sure to review everybody, you know I love to hear your thoughts!
Laters!
~Sessakag