Song: Ambre - Nils Frahm
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Memoirs of a Miko
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The wind ran its icy fingers through her ebony hair as she grinned - her crimson eyes filled with nothing but relief and joy. He was dead, gone, and she was finally, finally free of him. Happiness flowed through her, warming her skin like the rays of an early summer sun. Her customary indifferent expression exploded into a radiant smile that she had never worn before, not even as a small girl. Everything was going to be alright. She was free. He was dead.
They'd come looking for her soon, to make some statement regarding what occurred, but for now it was just her, the wind, and the swallows, appearing to be dancing in the strong winds as she stood in the midst of it, eyes fluttering closed, peace coursing through her veins as she relished in the knowledge that that bastard was gone and could harm her or anyone else again.
Now she was free. Free at last. Free to do whatever she liked. Go wherever she liked. Say whatever she liked. Because she was finally free. Free like the wind she controlled.
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The second Sesshomaru entered the great hall, the angry and confused voices fell into an eerie, immediate silence. Anticipation crackled through the room with an almost tangible static. The morning they had all seen what was left of Naraku - his festering corpse displayed proudly at the head table without explanation . The message was clear but exactly whose message was it?
"House Tsukiko was challenged by House Kumo yesterday evening," the daiyoukai began in a cold, cruel tone that sent chills down their spines, "The altercation was the result of Naraku marking the human female on which Lord Chancellor InuYasha had imprinted upon. Does anyone wish to challenge the results?"
"Since when, exactly, has the Lord Chancellor established such a bond?" a burly looking bull demon hissed as he stood abruptly, "There has been no evidence such a bond was formed with the Lord Chancellor and therefore the mark stands. The human is now the property of House Kumo by right!"
"Seconded," another male with turquoise blue hair and cat like eyes bellowed, "While I empathize with Lord Chancellor on the loss of his intended, a human who has been marked becomes the property of the demon who claimed her by youkai law."
"Will the representative from House Kumo declare their intention towards the female?" Sesshomaru asked in an impassive tone as he gestured to the ebony haired female in the front who looked happier than he'd ever seen her, "Lady Kagura, as heir to House Kumo and the new leader, what have you to say?"
Standing fluidly, Kagura sighed before turning to face the crowd, "House Kumo relinquishes all claims on the human female and will not seek reparations. The female rightfully belongs to House Tsukiko. I wish the Lord Chancellor happiness in the dark times."
"Then it is settled," Sesshomaru responded in a bored tone as he sat down and reached for the drink waiting for him, "The display shall remain for three days."
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As Inuyasha sat against the head of the bed, balancing a stack of counterproposals Sango had brought him on his lap, he decided the people of the nation did not understand the financial state of the Western lands for if they did, he truly believed there would be a revolution by tomorrow morning. All of the proposals were for decreasing taxation instead of increasing it. One percent was already too high they argued. The less wealthy Houses should find another way to provide food for themselves rather than take from more lucrative ones despite it being part of the very terms on which the Western lands were created. In the beginning, the required contribution was 20% then 10% then 5% and now 1% - each new generation wanting to provide less and less. They didn't care whether there was enough food for the less fortunate members of society - they should have thought of that before the masses became peasants. In terms of monetary taxation, god forbid they pay any at all. It's not as though any spending was necessary for their military forces, government salaries, or the basic creature comforts many of them took for granted. That money should come from somewhere, anywhere else than out of citizen's pockets. Every other proposal was shot down for the same. Decreased taxation would mean there was even less money in the budget for things like education, medical treatment and other such "luxuries". Pay fewer taxes, have fewer programs. It wasn't like they needed them after all. Poor demons should just have more to offer and the problem would be fixed. Maybe he was being foolish to think anything was going to change and even more foolish to think anyone would listen to anything he had to say after he'd killed Naraku over a human woman. Perhaps he should stop resisting what his peers wanted and just keep things as it current stood.
Glancing down at the woman beside him, he sighed heavily and furrowed his brow as he reached over to move a few stray hairs out of her face. The head healer Kaede had brought Kagome some tea to soothe any pain as well as to prevent any further consequences from developing out of the events of yesterday. The miko had been asleep ever since – thrashing and moaning to the point where he seriously considered calling for Sango.
Baku like Sango weren't necessarily demons. Legend has it that when the world was new and the gods were making the animals, the baku were put together from the leftover bits and pieces at the end of creation. More spirits that dwelled in the shadows, thus the name of House Kage to begin with. Baku ate nightmares, were able to move faster than the speed of sound, master illusionists and shape shifters to boot. On top of everything, all the other demons feared their kind and avoided conflict with them at all costs. To face House Kage would mean certain death – whether it be through mind games or a strong blow from the legendary weapon of hers she wielded in her everyday form – forged from the bones of thwarted foes. On top of that, her true form, too, was intimidating - though he'd only ever seen it once himself. An amalgamation of sorts – an elephant's head, tusks, and trunk, with horns and tiger's claws – huge and lethal. The only reason he had grown so close to Sango was that his mother was human and didn't possess that instinct to flee before the spirits that scared other demons out of their wits. They'd grown up together, played together, mourned together. In many ways, they were similar. No one wanted to be associated with either of them – not intimately anyway. They'd often joked and still did that eventually they'd face the world together once they got old – it would never seriously happen but it was a nice joke all the same. Miroku, lecher though he was, would eventually get Sango and Inuyasha…
Kagome thrashed again in her sleep and Inuyasha caved – gently placing his stack of papers on the bedside table before scooting off the bed and knocking lightly on the door.
"Sango, you still there?" he whispered quietly – sighing in relief when he heard her appear in an instant and whisper back, "I was down the hall but I heard you. What's the matter?"
"Could you, maybe, ease her mind as she sleeps?" he asked tentatively before adding meekly, "If you could…"
"As if I couldn't," Sango clipped back softly before the door creaked open and she slipped inside, "I was listening to the verdict that was handed down by House Kumo. They relinquished all rights to, uh, Kagome but a few other houses weren't very happy with your actions."
As they whispered between each other, they missed the girl stirring slightly – remaining where she was as she listened to their conversation.
"I can imagine exactly who those Houses were," Inuyasha snorted softly before sighing, "I'm not going to tell her, before you ask. She's suffered enough."
"How is it suffering to be with you?" Sango asked in a pitying tone, "You've imprinted on her. Such a bond is relatively rare and such a love would be impossible to resist."
"More common than you think," Inuyasha laughed softly as he thought of Miroku, "I...I don't want to force her into anything, even that. I just want her to be happy and…and safe. That's good enough for me."
"But you love her?" Sango pressed as she arched a brow when he nodded numbly, "Don't you think she deserves to know?"
"What am I supposed to say?!" Inuyasha hissed before flinching when it came out louder than he intended, "I've only known you two days and by some fluke of demon physiology, I've now instinctively recognized you as my mate? You were just raped but that's fine because I love you?! That'd go over real well, don't you think? Humans would never understand and after what's she been through, I don't ever want to make her feel obligated. If…if eventually she…she loves me, I'll tell her but…but I don't think that's ever gunna happen and I've made my peace with it."
"You don't know that. You've been so kind to her and supportive. She might...," Sango sighed heavily before she crinkled her nose and glanced over his shoulder, "Oh no...I think the choice whether to tell her or not has been made for you."
"Oh fuck," Inuyasha breathed anxiously before doing the only thing he could think of in that moment – he opened the door and sprinted down the hall leaving a pitying Sango and utterly bewildered Kagome behind him.