Benevolently Unbound - A Sesshomaru Romance
"If I knew that every encounter that day would change my life and the way I saw, I might, if pre-informed, have left hours earlier. Today's events would mark my life changed and reinforce that my existence was not one that the god's breathed life into for their amusement."
"Jaken, Hurry!" She had lost her senses since morning. She had reverted for sure into the child she had been before hell decided to consume her life.
"Damn it woman! Keep still so can catch up!" The little toad demon hopped furiously as I left him behind. Although not but a few hours ago really, I was told for certain, that I could be in contact with humans, if only a little. I was still afraid I may suddenly return to what I was before, the monster that could not even be touched.
The little village burst with life. It was odd to think such a human-packed village was so close to the human-disliking demon lord of the West. Women bought breads and herbs, meats and spices. Men carried loads for people not able to carry the heavier loads. Children ran around with no worries. An audible sigh escaped my throat. It was relieving to see such normal actives, ones that I could now possibly enjoy.
"You need any help dear?" An old woman stepped from her shack of selling goods; her sudden appearance startled me.
"Ah, no. I was just admiring the view." I glanced at the old woman who settled into a chair.
"Are you in need of something?" At first I went to say no, but then caught myself. I am here for a reason.
"Ah yes… could you tell me where I might the herbalist in his area. I'm in need of some wares and items only he may carry." The old woman nodded her head a moment in thought and then clapped her hands together.
"Yes, yes. I know of him. He is on the out skirts of the village so to say. He sets up just up the side winding hill. Tell him that I sent you." The old woman smiled and sent me on my way. It was so strange to interact with people now; I feared I might forget my past in some way.
.
Never the less the path I walked was beautiful. I passed the small village by a bit and rounded up and around the hill over viewing a great green landscape with a lake a shade of blue that I'd never seen before. Eventually the dirt trail wound up the hill and I crested the peak; taking a glace to the village and in the distance the western estate which looked more like a fortress than anything else.
"Hello?" I could not see any stand and thought perhaps I needed to go farther. I called again for good measure. "Hello?"
"Hello." And everything went black.
.
The hours had passed. That much I could tell. I no longer left the warmth of the sun nor the breeze that carried that fresh smell from baked goods and spices. It had also grown colder, but that was the least of my worries. A heavy weight pressed me to the ground; dirt and something else mixed around my tongue and nausea rose in my stomach.
"Blood…" My mouth felt thick and my mind slow. My ankles and wrists were bound behind me and they had cramped painfully in the time that I had been out. Belatedly I realized that I was either moving or the ground that I lay against was. The cart I was jostled around was old and by the smell and feel; who ever had kidnapped me threw bags of dirt to cover me up; to hide me.
"She awake yet?" A man muttered somewhere around me and the bags on top began to shift. My mind raced and I fought does the urge to look at my attackers and pretend to sleep still as the last bag was removed. I repeated to myself over and over in my head. 'Be silent, be still.' But by the time I had said it a second time a foul smelling something wafted by my face and I convulsed unwillingly.
"She's awake. I was thinkin' you might 'ave hit her too 'ard. Might 'ave killed 'er when you tossed her 'ead. "
"That would have been a sorry loss." The other man turned from his place and I actually recognized a familiar face. Long blond hair, wavy and somewhat matted; he had been one of the hand attendants when she was under the south's rule.
"Rem. Been a while, no?" He smiled somewhat half heartedly and turned back to watch the road.
"You, you didn't die!" A joy I would never be able to explain to another person broke me inside. I had not killed less than I had assumed.
"No. I didn't'. Nearly though… I'm sorry to have to do this... I didn't mean to. I… never condoned what they did to you." I didn't understand. My mind was still running slow and the confusion only muddled me further.
"What are you doing, Takashi? What have you done?" I turned to try and sit up, but the other man threw me down again and glared before he threw a couple bags on me to stop my movements.
"I don't work for the south. They think me dead and I like it that way. But what a price I paid for my freedom. I have to make sure than if I'm to be let go, another person takes my place. I chose you because you are strong. Body and mind." He turned and looked at me for the last time before the last of the bags were thrown back on top.
I never did see his face again.
"That her?" An old woman's voice, dominant and strong. "You're free to go little Takashi." The shadows hid her face from view and I wanted to kill her, but not even that seemed to be with me anymore. No touch that was lethal to kill in the second it took to take in air; nothing. I wanted to kick and scream, but my throat burned and was dry with thirst which stopped me. I couldn't even lift my wretched head and I fought off moans of gratitude when they took me away: my limbs ached with pleasure to be able to bend again and no longer be in that horrid position. But as they shoved me head long into a cot I wanted to search for the closest thing to a knife and defend myself but there was nothing and I began to work at the ropes which bound me instead.
"I could just undo those… if only you'd ask." I cranked my head as far as I could to see the face of the sly voiced visitor.
"Who are you?" My words were as toxic as I had never been by touch. The man sat crossed legged in elegant robes of black and silver. Long black hair and beautiful as the satin on his robe which hung to his waist and tied back. A smile as sweet and innocent as the circumstance of their meeting was crude and inhuman. He had the face of an angel.
"You definitely don't lack for passion. It does match your beauty." He leaned forward and tucked his hand under my chin then took a blade from the table at his side, then sliding it down my back, cutting the restraints on my hands. I eyed the knife without hesitation. If the chance rose for its vacancy I would take it in a heartbeat.
"What do you want?" His grin was full of playfulness that I didn't buy for a second.
"You ask the right questions. Very apt I see. Another admirable aspect of yours, I think I will tell you of the uses I wish to… acquire from you." And he laced his fingers, still cross legged and leaned back.
"Just spit it out." I hate you. I wasn't sure why yet other than what I had already been through, but I could tell, by the end of this conversation I was going to loath him.
