Chapter 14

The next day they got passage on a ship that departed at noon. They spent three days onboard the ship before unloading in the exotic country of Sianne. Right away they could see a culture very different from their own. The people there could also see that the three travelers came from an area other than their own.

It was already past dinner time when they finally reached a relatively clean inn. The three had survived the journey in much better condition than the horses, so Kagome made sure that they were really well taken care of, giving the stable boy some extra coin to ensure they were given the best of treatment. They payed for their rooms and meal. Since she didn't want to convince or be convinced as to who shared a room with, she made arrangements for each one to have their own room.

After conversing for a while after dinner, they headed to their rooms, Kagome making sure that each room was occupied by the correct occupant. It had been one too many times that she had heard the crakc of Sango's hand against Miroku's cheek and her screamine 'Pervert!' at the top of her lungs. Before heading into her own room, Miroku's door opened and his head popped out.

"Kohaku, it's still early. Would you like to play cards for a while and talk?" Kagome nodded, and stepped into his room rather then heading to her own. They went and sat at the little table by the tiny fire, and Miroku pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket. They started to play.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Kagome asked, starting up the conversation.

Miroku looked up at her. "When we talked on the boat about visiting my family in Sianne, you mentioned that we could visit them tomorrow. When do you want to leave, and how long can we stay there?"

"We can leave right in the morning if you want. Right after sunrise and stay there all day. I don't leave for the Merchants fortress until the day after, so we have some time to spare," she replied, glad that he seemed excited about visiting his family.

Miroku nodded to this, and looked down into the cards. Then he spoke quietly. "I need to tell you something that I was afraid to tell you sooner. My family, my whole community actually, is not exactly a pouch."

Kagome's head jerked up. "What!"

Miroku winced a little at her tone. "It's just a city, not a city within a city." He looked up to meet Kagome's level stare. His face had gone slightly pink, and he was trying not to look nervous.

Now Kagome looked down into her cards. "Did Draid know about this?" She asked calmly.

Miroku shook his head. "No. I was brought there by a friend. He told Draid I was from the pouch in Mayker, for that is where I spent a while as you know. He never said where I had been before that."

"How did you get into the one in Mayker?" she asked.

"Actually quite by mistake. I went to one of the higher officials seeking employment through pick-pocketing, but the jobs he gave me turned out in the end to be initiation tests. What can I say, I got in. All I was looking for was a little adventure, and I guess you could say that I found it. And from there, well, you know the story." Kagome nodded her head.

"Thank you for telling me. I should slit your throat for lying to me, but I know how hard some of those test are, and only the truly worthy pass them. Is there anything else I should know? Is that hair a wig, or are you really a girl in disguise?" she asked, taking note of the irony of her question.

Miroku shook his head. "No, the hair is real and I am most definitely a male. My family knows what I'm involved in now, so no covers needed." He paused, seeming a little nervous. "Umm, my family is rather high on the hierarchy scale, but I'll let you see that when we get there." There was a moment of silence. "Are you angry with me?" He asked finally.

Kagome looked up to him. "No. Not really anyway. There's nothing that I can do about it now, and at least you told me the truth. I thank you for that." Then she smiled to herself, thinking of her own secrets. "You never actually lied to me. I never asked about your past in depth."

Miroku nodded. "I know, but I should have had the courtesy to tell you anyway. I just didn't know you as well as I do now, and wether you would tell Draid and abandon me for not speaking the direct truth."

Kagome shrugged. "It's ok, I understand. Sometimes you just have to get to see if you can trust people before you go off telling them everything. It's called politics." She shook her head and smiled to herself. "God knows I've done it plenty of times." He gave her a quizzical look, but said nothing. After a few games, Kagome finally went to pack it in. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next day they got up before the sun had risen. The three had a quick breakfast and then set out through the desert beach with Miroku in the lead. Within two hours they reached a line of tropical trees that was right along the coast. They started to walk through the jungle along a well worn path. Then Miroku veered off the path and started to lead them through a dense uphill path. They reached the top of a hill and then looked down into the valley below on the other side. It was covered in a heavy fog, and did not look inviting at all.

Miroku led the way down. as soon as they were a little way into the fog, they came to a solid wall of shatterd stone and jumbles of rock. He then led them along the wall until he reached a certain spot. He then pressed one of the stones. A section of the stones swung open. They walked in and the wall closed behind them. The passage had two rows of oil lamps on the sides! They lit the way to the other end, about ten minutes, where a double door gate blocked their way. Kagome was absolutely amazed.

Miroku went to the door and inserted the vial that was around his neck into a tiny hole that looked like part of the design work beneath the handle of one side, took it out, and did the same to the other door. Finishing this, he put the vial back around his neck and pounded on the door. The hinges gave no sound as the one door swung open. There stood a man dressed in all black, taller than Miroku, with flowing red hair. As soon as he saw Miroku, a smile lit his face, and he enveloped him in a huge hug. Miroku returned the gesture happily. The two walked in through the gates talking quickly in a tongue Kagome did not know, while Kagome and Sango followed quietly behind leading the horses.

The doors closed behind them, and another man dressed in the same black took his place in front of them. They reached a very large building, Kagome assuming that it was a palace and they probably had to announce their arrival. The structure was massive, dwarfing all other buildings. A boy came to them and took their horses, saying something to them in the same language before hurrying the horses off in the direction of what was the stables. Both women were absolutely in awe. The architecture was absolutely magnificent. It was a bit of Roman with a swirl of Greek meets with French moved to Arabia.

The fog wasn't over the city, only in a ring around it, but still it blocked the view from anywhere outside. The sunlight poured onto the soft blue marble with white trim. Large birds flew overhead, and had they not been so far away, Kagome would have seen that they had riders. The walls of buildings were covered with vines.

They entered the palace behind Miroku. It had a large tropical garden behind it, followed by dense jungle. The archway of the open doors was massive, at least twenty feet high. The hall was beautiful, clean, everything a smooth marble or granite. All having a blue tone. It was well furnished with a plush carpet running through the center, tapestries decorating the walls.

Kagome and Sango caught up to Miroku so that they were walking directly behind him. Suddenly at the other end of the hall, the man with the red hair suddenly departed, leaving the three standing at another arch that led to patio in a garden, the building being a loop around it.

Miroku stood there, looking out into the garden, hands behind his back. He then half turned and looked back to Kagome and Sango. A broad grin covered his face. Sango couldn't help thinking of how much of a God he looked like standing there with the garden backdrop, the sunlight pouring in over him, creating a partial silhouette effect.

Sango was the first to speak. "Is this the inn in which we're staying in?"

Miroku laughed. It was a good hearted laugh, not a mocking one. He shook his head as he looked to the ground. He brought his face back up and looked at the two. With a smile still stuck to his face, he stretched out his arms and turned to fully face them.

"This," he said "Is my home. Welcome."

A/N: Hmmm, a palace-like home...interesting...I wonder what this could mean...