Chapter 13
Days had passed since Sango's return and the discovery of the massacred village and Mitsuhime had fallen into a little pattern. Every day, before lunch, she would join Sango and Kagome, her new found friends, in the dojo, sipping tea and chatting. After lunch, she played with Rin in the gardens, and then chatted with Sesshomaru. Despite how strange it felt to talk so freely with Sesshomaru, she continued the visits. They talked about anything really, from their childhoods to political topics. Mitsuhime always felt the urge to tell Sesshomaru everything, to see if he could help her, but she always held back. He would despise me if he really knew why I was here, he would never help me.
It began to be physically painful for her to think about the fact that she would one day kill him, but the memory of Morinoko kept her moving, kept her strong. For Mitsuhime's sake, she would have to stay strong. Now if only the opportunity would arise, she thought furiously, before I find myself too far in.
In the early hours of the morning, Mitsuhime found herself maneuvering around maids to bring Tea to Kaede-san, still located in the ever far Shrine. She spun around, dodging an elderly woman with blankets and came to a halt when she crashed into someone else. Luckily, with fast reflexes, she was able to stay standing, the tea not even having been spilt. The maid, on the other hand, had fallen rather ungracefully.
"Here let me help-" Mitsuhime stuck out her hand, ready to help the maid up when she saw who it was. It was one of the twins that had been selected to work here along with her.
"Oh," the maid grunted. "It's you."
Mitsuhime frowned. She never liked this simpering girl to begin with, but now she was asking for trouble.
"Yes, me," Mitsuhime replied frostily. "You should watch where you're going."
"You should watch yourself! You could have gotten tea all over Inuyasha-sama's clean robes!" The twin snarled. Mitsuhime stifled a giggle. And here she had thought that Inuyasha only had one robe, considering he wore the exact same thing every day!
The maid caught her small smile. "Are you laughing at me?" the girl challenged. Mitsuhime rolled her eyes. Like this weak maid could take her on!
Mitsuhime ignored the question, moving on. Kaede-san wouldn't be pleased with cold tea, though she was too nice to ever word displeasure with it.
"You're not that special, you know!" The maid called out nastily. Mitsuhime froze and turned around, giving her a confused look. She had never thought herself special.
The maid smirked, all too happy to have Mitsuhime's attention again. "I may not understand Sesshomaru's fascination with you, but it doesn't make you better than me. It won't last forever, you know."
Mitsuhime snorted. "The soap fumes must be altering your comprehension, girl. I don't know what you are talking about." And with that, Mitsuhime turned back around and left the hallway.
Sesshomaru didn't have a fascination with her! That girl was just jealous that she was still a laundry maid and not the queen yet. Sesshomaru merely saw her as someone who he could easily talk to because she didn't place him above all others. It was a simple as that.
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Kagome was overjoyed to see Mitsuhime walk into the shrine. Mitsuhime was a nice girl who was easy to talk to. That, and Kagome made friends with everyone. "Mitsuhime-chan!" Kagome called out, waving at her.
Mitsuhime gave the tea to Kaede-san and waved back at Kagome, walking over. "Can you spare a few minutes?" Kagome asked hopefully.
Mitsuhime smiled. "Of course, Kagome-chan. I don't have anywhere important to be right now."
Kagome pulled Mitsuhime back down the shrine steps, grabbing her bow and arrows. "I have improved greatly and I just can't help but show everyone!"
Kagome positioned herself in front of a tree, readying her bow. Concentrating deeply, Kagome let her arrow fly. The arrow shot out with such accuracy, pink aura surrounding the arrow. It hit the tree with a satisfying thunk, pink aura showering everywhere.
Mitsuhime raised her eyebrows. She had seen several priestesses in her life, but never one with such power. Mitsuhime never had imagined that such a carefree girl like Kagome could possess such power in her small frame.
"That was impressive," Mitsuhime complimented. "I have never seen such power behind one little arrow." Kagome grinned widely, basking in the glory of the compliment. Kikyo stepped out of the woods, her basket full of herbs. She saw a proud Kagome and a stunned Mitsuhime and realized that Kagome had shown another her improved ability. Kikyo shook her head. So strong and yet so childish.
"Kikyo helped me to harness my powers and focus it in one area. She is a great sensei!" Kagome mentioned. Mitsuhime nodded her head. "I can tell."
Mitsuhime said goodbye to Kagome, realizing she should head back to the kitchen. "Ayame always knows when something takes longer than it should!" Mitsuhime laughed.
"Ayame should learn to lighten up!" Kagome replied. "I swear that girl is so occupied with only two things: an orderly kitchen and Koga." Mitsuhime couldn't help but agree.
Back in the kitchen, Ayame didn't seem to notice Mitsuhime's absence. "Oh!" Ayame yelped, running into Mitsuhime. "Mitsuhime! There you are! Did you leave?"
Mitsuhime gave her a strange look. "Tea for Kaede-san, remember?"
Ayame smacked her forehead. "Oh, yes. Now I do. Here, go and do something. You're not needed for a few hours."
Mitsuhime shrugged, walking right back out of the kitchen. "Well, that was useful," Mitsuhime grumbled to herself, walking down the halls. She was lost in thought, turning randomly down hallways.
"Oi, wench!" A gruff voice called out, startling Mitsuhime. He couldn't possibly be referring to her. Mitsuhime turned around anyway, seeing Inuyasha. He stalked over to her and with an inward sigh Mitsuhime realized he was referring to her.
"Inuyasha-san, I have a name," Mitsuhime sighed. "Mitsuhime, in case you did not already know."
"Whatever," he grumbled. "I want to know why you're hanging out with Sesshomaru."
Mitsuhime felt like smacking him. What was with this palace and their fascination with her and Sesshomaru?
Mitsuhime frowned. "I do not know what you mean."
"Sesshomaru does not like humans, that's what I mean," Inuyasha growled.
Mitsuhime met his gaze. "You do not question Rin's existence, do you?"
"That's different! And I'm talking about you here."
"Why should it matter who Sesshomaru communicates with?"
Inuyasha looked surprised. "Is that all you two do? Talk?"
Mitsuhime was taken aback. He surely couldn't be insinuated what she thought he was. "Look, I do not wish to know what you thought we were up to, but yes, that is all we do. We only talk."
"But Miroku said that when a man spends so much time with a woman it usually means-"
"I do not think that Miroku-san is one to go to about relationships. He hardly keeps the one he is in," Mitsuhime interrupted, not wanting him to go on. "Now excuse me while I spend my free time doing better things than talking of made-up love relationships!" Mitsuhime stalked off, intent on finding a quiet empty space. This palace had to have at least one!
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Sesshomaru walked over to his library, reading a letter sent from a local lord. He was upset about some other menial lord taking his land and wanted Sesshomaru to lend him part of his army. This lord apparently wasn't aware that Sesshomaru just didn't care.
In the library, he looked up when he heard a stream of cuss words emit from farther down. Usually he would suspect such language to be coming from his brother, but the voice was far too soft and feminine to be his brother's. Maybe Kagome has learned at new word or two, Sesshomaru thought dryly.
He was pleasantly surprised to see it was Mitsuhime who was currently stretching to reach a scroll out of her reach.
"I did not know that a lady like yourself knew such vulgar words," Sesshomaru finally said, startling Mitsuhime, causing her to drop the three other scrolls she had been holding.
"Oh, Sesshomaru-sama! It is just you!" Mitsuhime spoke rather loudly. "You startled me."
"Yes, you were otherwise preoccupied, I see." Sesshomaru gave a pointed look to the scroll she had been reaching for.
"Ah, yes. See, I may be taller than most girls my age, but I am still not tall enough to reach that dammed scroll."
Rather effortlessly, Sesshomaru reached up, plucking the scroll of the shelf and handing it to her. "Show-off," he heard her mumble.
"You are welcome."
"Oh, yes. Uh, thank you, Sesshomaru-sama. Uh, for being so tall and all."
He noticed she seemed rather flustered. He didn't realize that her earlier conversation with Inuyasha had her thinking unspeakable things. Killing the thought seed had been futile so she had resorted to reading to clear her mind. Sesshomaru being here was not helping.
"Well, excuse me. I would like to read these before I am forced back into the kitchen." Mitsuhime ducked her head, walking quickly away from Sesshomaru.
Normally, Sesshomaru wouldn't be happy that one of his servants was so flustered around him, but, for some strange reason, he found himself not caring. In fact, he realized, he actually liked the idea that maybe she wasn't as unfazed by him as she had originally made him presume. She does have the most unusual eyes, he thought off-handedly. Very stunning and beautiful.
End of Chapter 13
A/N: Thank you for your help with my question! I'll look up that one name and hope I can get some results!