A/N: Since having discovered a website with pretty much every manga known to man, I've been reading a lot. In the past week, I read Emma and From Far Away. I liked Emma a lot, because I like the historical time period, and even if the love story could be cheesy at times, I thought it was very well done. It made me go "awww" at the parts you were supposed to, at least.

And From Far Away...meh, not my favorite. I love "girl-goes-into-other-world" stories, if the original story that I'm working on is any indication, but...I thought From Far Away had so much potential, and the final battle fell short. The number one thing that left me unsatisfied was the love story. There was really no closure given to that. They both say 'I love you' and then...nothing happens. Ever. They hardly act like a couple despite the fact that they are traveling together and sometimes seem to be sharing a bed. (Just an 'oh yeah, they got married' in the Epilogue would have been fine, but nooo...) And I think the final battle would have ended better if Izark had actually gone all demon-y first, but maybe I've just been reading too much Inuyasha and my hopes for an "oh crap! we're screwed!" moment in all manga is too high.

Sorry if this was spoilers to anyone, but From Far Away has all volumes in stores and the entire thing can be found online, so it's not so bad. I didn't spoil Emma so much though, because I have yet to find it anywhere besides the internet, but I hear it is licensed for an American release.

Oh, and sorry for my lame attempt at poetry. Considering the meaning behind it, I had to make a song up as opposed to stealing an actual song. I apologize, because poetry, especially rhyming poetry, isn't my forte.

Chapter 10: Song of the Sea

As it was growing dark, the Wound of the Wind pulled into dock at Nassau Port. Kagome stood on deck as the ship smoothly pulled up to the dock. Her eyes were wide, taking everything in, as the wind blew her skirts slightly, almost edging her on. Many lights shone from the port town, and she could see even from the ship outlines of many people; sailors, prostitutes, townsmen, or those that really had no purpose, but some way or another ended up in the great, bustling town of Nassau, capitol of New Providence.

Five years ago, this port was a haven for piracy, as it had been since its founding. Even now it still was a lawless town—government officials turned a blind eye to pirates, as long as they spend their money gambling in Nassau's taverns. The Royal Navy had attempted to 'tame' this place years ago, but it didn't help. New Providence's economy had lasted far too long on those who were on the other side of the law to completely surrender to the will of the crown.

Already, the crew of the Wound of the Wind were getting restless—they hadn't been allowed to freely walk in a port for some time. And now, for one night—one glorious night, they would be able to walk and spend their prize money in any way they wished.

"You will be back at the ship by dawn," Inuyasha ordered, his amber eyes glaring towards all of them, leaving no doubt in anyone's eyes that he meant it. "Or, you will be given an extended leave in Nassau. Is that clear? Staying in one port too long is what got many pirates before us hanged."

His eerie words caused a small stir in the crew, before all nodded in agreement. Kagome was surprised to see how willing the crew was to take his orders. But, when she thought about it, perhaps it wasn't because he was intimidating—that was only part of it—but he had been a pirate for nearly twenty years and had never gotten caught. They all knew that if anyone, the Captain must know what he was talking about.

Kagome knew after the long voyage across the Atlantic, on a Royal Navy ship, men were given their money one they arrived in port, to avoid gambling. But here, it seemed men got their prize money the minute the ship received it. She heard from Sango that some pirate captains forbid gambling, but Inuyasha didn't care as long as there were no fights over it. His rule was law—once someone lost his money, he lost it, and it was his fault if he decided to play dice with a cheater. Instead of going to the quartermaster to receive their pay, like she saw on the Navy ship that time so long ago, men seemed to scramble off the ship at once, heading towards the bustling city of Nassau. By the way they acted, it seemed like they hadn't seen land in ages.

It was fairly obvious why they wanted to get into town—there were taverns with fine ale and willing brothel wenches waiting. But as for Kagome, she also wanted to take a look at this lawless town. She had wanted to travel the sea, and see new and exciting things, and if Nassau wasn't exciting, she didn't know what was.

Kagome walked closer to Sango and Miroku, to follow them off the ship, but just as she was nearing the gangplank, the ever-alert Captain Inuyasha stepped in front of her. Glaring down, he spoke, "I don't think so."

Kagome returned his look. "What do you mean?"

"You're not going anywhere, Miss Hopewell."

Stunned silent for a brief moment, Kagome's anger rose at his behavior. "I just want to go explore the town a bit. I don't see any reason why—"

"Oh, but I do," he cut her off. Seeing that it wouldn't do any bit of good now, Miroku and Sango sighed and left the scene, setting off for the town and all its wonders while Kagome stood humiliated on deck. "A woman like you, with no idea about how this side of life works, would run into trouble the instant your feet set on the ground."

"What? I would not—"

"You would," He cut her off, "From what I've seen of you, you find trouble easily enough. Or have you forgotten the little fall you had from the rigging earlier?"

Kagome clenched her fists like a child, glaring back at him. How dare he mock her for that! "I can handle myself, pirate!"

By now, they were yelling in each other's faces once more. "No, you can't! And that's why I'm not letting you off this ship, My Lady."

"But—"

"You're forgetting something else," he glared at her, his eyes more serious. "You are a newly kidnapped prisoner, and so your dear fiancé must be looking for you, if he is as loyal as you claim. So, it wouldn't be good to have you seen, would it?"

Kagome couldn't believe he was even bringing Kouga into this. "No, of course we wouldn't want that," she muttered, secretly hoping that somehow Kouga would be in Nassau and have a way to get her out of this mess.

Inuyasha turned swiftly, his long silver hair nearly batting Kagome in the face, as Kagome still glared back at him. "You can't make me stay here!" she yelled back, more out of retaliation than anything.

The captain finished walking down the gangplank, stepping over the long board that bridged the gap between ship and dock. The instant he set foot on the dock, there was a gleam of mischief in his eyes. In one moment, he took that long board in his hands, and flung it several feet away. Kagome was dumbstruck as the captain grinned in his triumph. "Oh no, what happened here? It appears, Miss Hopewell,that it is impossible to pass off the ship at this time."

It was true—the gap was too far for her to jump. There was no way to get down onto land until someone whom was already on shore set the board back up once more. "Damn you!" she cursed him, but the captain was already leaving towards the town, a dominating grin upon his face.

Furious, Kagome knew of nothing to help vent her frustration. Storming off, she practically ripped the door to Inuyasha's cabin off its hinges, slamming it shut at once. Looking around the cabin that had a odd sort of neatness, her eyes narrowed on the rather large feather bed that took up much of the floor space. Most of the other sailors slept on rough hammocks, but oh, no, the Captain of the ship got a real bed. One that, while Kagome was forced to sleep in the same room in order to keep up the deception, Inuyasha wasn't enough of a gentleman to give to her.

In an act of defiance, Kagome sat right down on the soft bed, and then, lay down to look up at the rough wooden ceiling. Though, her small rebellion didn't make her feel any better, and most likely, Inuyasha would laugh at her poor attempt as well. He'd say I'm acting like a spoiled child, but really, I don't care! He was acting like a spoiled child when he made sure I couldn't leave the ship!

Odd, isn't it? She thought to herself for a moment. That all I wanted was to leave land behind for the longest time to rejoin the sea, and now, all I want is to get off this damned ship! Maybe I'm like Father…he enjoyed sea travel, but enjoyed seeing where his travels brought him even more…

Father… her hand drifted over to grasp the necklace she wore, the last gift he had ever brought back from his faraway travels. He had told her that someday, she would have a grand adventure on the sea. That her destiny lay beyond the shifting waves. But, she had never expected this. To be kidnapped by crude, fearsome pirates, forced to play the part of a whore to a rude, selfish pirate captain who held far too many secrets.

What is my destiny? she thought for a long moment. Will it really be as Father said? Or in the end, will I be rescued and go back to Kouga? I do not know, but…I think I would prefer it if it was as Father predicted.

After a while, Kagome's thoughts became boring, and she figured she might find something else to do. But what? It wasn't like there was anything remotely amusing about an empty ship docked in a harbor. A harbor, she might add, that seemed like an interesting thing to explore, if a certain pirate captain had not forbid her to leave the ship.

But, there was one good thing about it being empty—there was no crew there to intimidate her. True, she was just barely warming up to the crew, even the cruel looking ones, but she preferred to stay out of their way, most of the time. But now, with no crew around, Kagome was free to wander the decks as she pleased.

Going over near the bow, Kagome looked down into the dark waters below. Now, at night, the iridescent blue was lost to a darker hue, but it was no less beautiful. While the sea by day was full of happiness, joy, and the feeling of going on a grand adventure, the sea at night was full of wonder, mystery, and a serene splendor that was all its own. The crescent moon shone down onto the waters below, its silver light sending an almost unearthly sparkle over the softly lapping waters.

It was almost like a scene Kagome had heard in a song once…long ago. A song of the sea that the Irish sung of, a song that her father had taught her. And before she knew it, Kagome found herself softly whispering the words into the wind.

A long time ago, in a far off land,
A tale unchanged by time,
On a night when the moon shone high,
The waves a lapping chime,

A shipwrecked man on a beach,
Waiting for life's end,
Until he spotted the sea siren near,
His destiny a fickle friend—

"Trading lyrics with Irishmen, have you?" A voice from behind cut her off. Shocked that someone was close enough to hear her, Kagome gave a small gasp and a jump to turn around, red faced. She should have known. Of course the only one rude enough to interrupt her like that was Captain Inuyasha.

Still red faced, Kagome turned around from him, muttering, "Does it matter, Captain? I suppose singing a sea tune is against your rules now."

Amber eyes glared back at her, as he came to lean up against the side of the ship as well. "You'll find, Miss, that a pirate ship has less inane rules than the Royal Navy. While hearing tone deaf men warble on isn't exactly my cup of tea, I can't very well expect to ban it without protest. We aren't serving here 'For God and King', but for our own interest. Every man gets a vote when it comes to such things, or captains face mutiny. And I like my position very much, thank you."

Kagome had heard before that most pirate captains valued crew's feelings more than that of the Royal Navy, but what did it really matter if you were risking life ending at the end of a rope to get a bit more freedom? That, and he says he cares about their wants, but he never seems to care for mine.

Changing the subject, Inuyasha asked, "That song of yours—'The Tale of the Sea Siren'—where did you hear it? It's a favorite of Irish sailors." While talking, Kagome noticed that the captain seemed to be looking out towards the sea as well, his eyes almost taking in the same feelings she felt before.

Putting that out of her mind, she answered his question. "My father was a merchant…many years ago. He worked with many Irishmen, saying they were the best mariners he knew." Her eyes softened for a moment as she remembered the father she had looked up to all her life. "He used to say that we Brits used the sea for our own purposes—to conquer new lands and to have the glory of Britannia rule the waves, but…the Irish worked for the sea, sailing it for the pure joy of it. It was something he found inspiring."

"Your father?" Inuyasha asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kagome didn't even look back at him. "He's dead now…He never came back from his last voyage. But," she began with a sigh. "Father was content. He always said a sailor should never die on land…At least at sea, your soul is free to sail as it did in life."

Going back to their previous conversation, Inuyasha spoke, "What your father said about Irish is true…I've known many Irish in my life, though not all I've met I'd like to sit down and drink a pint with." When he spoke the words, a darkness came over his eyes.

Kagome saw it at once. He's remembering, isn't he…something from his past. I wonder what happened to him, back then, but it would be rude of me to ask, wouldn't it?

But, in an instant, the Captain blinked, and the darkness was gone. He said no more of their prior talk, but instead changed the subject once again. "It looks like the Navy hasn't caught up to us yet…that's good. You're lucky, Miss Hopewell."

"Lucky?" She didn't get it, as she turned sharply back to him, her eyes narrowing. "Doesn't that mean you are lucky, Captain? You are the one that took me against my will, I might add."

"Nope," he shrugged, a teasing grin on his face. "Don't you know anything of pirates, Miss Kagome? Our favorite tactic when being chased by those navy dogs is to drop our cargo and run. If the Navy had caught up to us and gave chase, you would have been overboard in a second, I'm afraid. I would only hope you knew how to swim."

Kagome was stunned once more by his words, but this time, she was sure he was joking. Even so, she wasn't going to let him have the last word. "So you'd throw me into the sea as well to save your hide. I would have expected nothing less from a pirate."

Chuckling, the Captain left her again, to go back and check on his crew, and Kagome stayed firmly put on deck, her hands clenching her scarlet skirts in an attempt to control her anger. And here I thought we were actually having a decent conversation, she thought with distaste. Just as I thought, he'll never change.

The cobblestones of the bowels of London were rough against his bare feet, as he ran like he had never run in his life. The winding dark streets, and tall buildings were intimidating against the cruel night as he ran past, clutching his mother's hand. Everything seemed wrong…even the scent upon the air. His own mothers scent was clouded…it reeked of fear. His own was as well…knowing the scent of those in pursuit…the scent of animalistic joy from the chase.

"This way!" his mother's voice, usually so calm called to him, as they turned a corner. He didn't know where they were going or why, but he knew one thing…they had to get away from those men.

But his mother was weak, sickness had long lingered in her scent. And, as they ran into a dim alley, she slipped, and fell hard upon the ground.

"Mama!"

She looked back up at him, her kind face shrieking in urgency. "Don't stay here! Run!" They were coming.

"No, Mama! I won't leave you!" He grabbed at her sleeve. She tossed him aside.

"I told you, run! Get out of here, Inuyasha! Don't let them catch you!"

"But, Mama—"

"Don't just stand there! Run!"

Suddenly, a chill came up his spine. Turning fast, so that his silver hair whipped around, a small growl came from him as he saw the demonic-looking shadows coming ever close. They were here.

"What do we have here?" A deep voice chuckled, his large outline growing closer. "The bitch and her pup, hmm?"

The boy continued to growl, standing in front of his mother, but the woman cried out, "Leave him alone! He's just a child, let him go!"

Another voice spoke, "Just shut your gob, woman!" A large hand reached for her, but then there was another sharp growl from the boy as she swiped towards the man in front of him.

"What, going to fight us, brat? Come on, I could use the amusement!"

His mother gave one last plea, tears leaking from her eyes as she tried to grab him back. "Don't do it, my baby! Just run away, please!"

But it was too late, the boy didn't listen. He ran for those men, swiping at them with his tiny claws, his amber eyes lit with a fierce fire. Even as he was, it was hopeless. A hand knocked him aside with ease, as he fell back hard against the cobblestones. He was back up at once, the fire in his eyes never going out as he ran towards them again, ready to die to protect his mother…

There was a small gasp as Inuyasha's golden eyes snapped open, to see a view of the cabin's ceiling. Breathing heavily, he sat up on the bed, wiping the sweat from his forehead, his heart still pounding as he relived the memory of that night, that terrible night.

Mother…he thought with a small sigh, remembering her face as she pleaded for him to run away.

Trying to clear his head of the past thoughts, Inuyasha looked around his cabin for a moment. It was late, and slowly, the crew had been trickling back from their night in Nassau. Part of him wanted to put that dream behind him by finding his first mate and discussing their next route, but he knew that his first mate was probably still enjoying himself in Nassau with his woman, and definitely wouldn't want to be disturbed until morning.

Lecherous idiot, the Captain thought to himself, thinking of other insults to call his first mate, until his eyes fell upon Kagome, sleeping, as usual, in the large red armchair shoved into a corner.

He had always wondered how the woman could sleep so soundly like that, but she seemed more than content curled up in that way. It worked out for the better—he wasn't about to offer the bed to her when she was his prisoner, and even though he had been thinking to ask her if she wanted to sleep together to see how mad she would get, he figured he had teased her enough.

Still…watching her as she was in deep slumber, the moonlight shining upon her face, he couldn't deny the thought that occurred to him then. Even though I don't like it, she does look like Mother…

As he sat on the edge of the bed, Inuyasha let his face fall into his hands. In his mind, he clearly saw his mother's face as she cried out to him…with Kagome's alongside it. Heart feeling heavy, he asked the fates, Why?