A/N: Thank you all you wonderful people who encouraged me to continue with this story. Apologies for the delay, but I had two papers one after the other and I am super stressed. I didn't want the quality of the chapter to suffer. To make up for it, here is a very long update.
Special thanks to YamiBakura1988 for taking the time to review each chapter and to Syron for poking me at regular intervals.
I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 26 – Something Old and Something New
When Inuyasha opened his eyes, the first things that registered were the many aches and pains in his body…and the harsh sunlight coming in from the open curtains.
Blinking open sleepy, tired eyes, the hanyou looked around hazily, tiny fists bunching weakly in silk sheets. He was in Sesshoumaru-sama's chambers, in his bed…but he could not remember getting into it. What had happened the night before?
"Inuyasha?"
He turned his head towards the familiar voice.
"R-Raia…"
"Sesshoumaru-sama's orders are for me to take care of you today until he returns."
With considerable effort, Inuyasha raised himself in bed. His bottom was sore as hell. But he could not remember Sesshoumaru-sama taking him the night before. And there was a scent on him…a horrible, stifling scent.
Inuyasha inhaled sharply, looking around for the source of the scent. His eyes were drawn to the traces of red on the creamy silk sheets. Blood…there was blood on the sheets. His fingers clenched involuntarily in mild panic and his eyes were drawn to the reddish brown thing coating his fingers and nails.
Bringing his hands up, his eyes widened at the dried, now almost brown blood coating his nails. He could even taste the bitter, sharp taste in his mouth. Alarmed and now a little frightened, Inuyasha turned towards the head servant.
"Wh-what happened?"
Raia saw the confusion and fear on the hanyou's face and she bit her lip hesitantly.
"I…don't think – that is, I think it would be better if you asked Sesshoumaru-sama that."
Inuyasha's eyes clouded over with worry but he lowered his eyes.
"M-may I have a bath?" he asked hesitantly, wondering if he had the privilege, before being punished for hurting whoever it was that he had hurt.
Raia nodded, gesturing towards the direction of the bath house. Inuyasha climbed off the bed and almost stumbled to the ground, wincing as the movement shot a sharp pain up his ass. The scent of blood was getting suffocating; Inuyasha felt his stomach clench in protest.
The bath house was located a little way outside Sesshoumaru's wing of the castle. Although the demon Lord had his own private, far more luxurious bathing chamber, Raia had not received explicit instructions to allow the slave to use it. This bathing house was a natural hotspring turned into an indoor bath, that was usually used by guests or soldiers or someone from the lower ranks who had earned a reward. Small and simple but clean, it was a perk everyone looked forward to and as Sesshoumaru's personal slave, Raia could not imagine the demon Lord minding Inuyasha using it, especially considering what he had gone through the day before.
"W-where is Sesshoumaru-sama?"
The hanyou's small voice brought Raia out of her thoughts and she turned her attention back to the hanyou who had undressed partly and gotten into the warm water.
"He had business to take care of," Raia answered.
Inuyasha nodded, scrubbing furiously at his hands and the blood stains on his haori. The red fire rat kimono was easy enough to clean but blood had seeped into the inner white haori and dried. No matter how the hanyou scrubbed, the slight light brown stain would not some off.
Tears formed in his eyes as his hands were soon rubbed raw from the scrubbing and the material came close to tearing. He turned desperately towards the silent servant.
"D-did I – who did I- that is, whose blood…"
Raia stared helplessly at the heartbroken look in Inuyasha's eyes. Sesshoumaru-sama would probably not be pleased for saying something but she could not bear to let the hanyou go on thinking he had done something wrong.
"It's…mostly Gaeten and Jaken's. They attacked you… do you remember?"
Inuyasha stared at his hands, now free of any signs of blood. He vaguely remembered talking to Jaken before his Master had to leave for somewhere. Then…then he had watched the sunset…in that room, the one with the important items.
Inuyasha gasped. "Th-the room! Take me there, please?"
Raia mentally winced, seeing the almost desperate, worried look on the boy's face.
"Inuyasha," she began, "I don't think that's-"
The tears that had formed in his eyes overflowed and trailed silently down his cheeks. Raia sighed and nodded.
Seeing the look on Inuyasha's face, Raia almost regretted her decision. A small fist clenched in her robes. Inuyasha looked horrified. Wide golden eyes took in the damage to the room and everything in it.
"I-I did this…?" Inuyasha asked in a hushed voice, standing in the centre of the room, eyes glued to the ugly bloodstain on the carpet. "All this- it's my fault…Sesshoumaru-sama trusted me… he trusted me and- and I destroyed-"
Voice breaking, Inuyasha could not help the tears now falling freely from his eyes. In his life with the slavers, he had made many mistakes - of course he had, no one could be perfect all the time – and he had been punished for those mistakes. Some were more serious than others and had earned him whip lashes and days without food and nights spent outside alone in the cold.
But they were mistakes, things that he had done wrong by accident. In all his life, he had never wilfully destroyed anything. The blood on his claws and the destruction of the room was not something that happened by mistake. He had…he had actually destroyed everything. The most precious, valuable items that Sesshoumaru-sama did not even allow anyone else to touch…he had destroyed them. Sesshoumaru-sama would never forgive him for this. Even if he slaved all his life, he would not be able to repay the demon Lord for the damage that he had caused.
And throughout the room, on the rubble and on the walls, there were bloodstains where Jaken or Gaeten had been thrown at the walls or on the broken furniture strewn about.
"I…I did this. I did it…I did it…"
Raia looked helplessly from the room to the hanyou. Well, what could she say? It was true, after all. He had done it.
Inuyasha turned despairing eyes up at Raia. "And Jaken and Gaeten…what- are they alright?"
Raia looked away. "Jaken is…injured but he will be fine. Gaeten…"
Raia trailed off and Inuyasha took a sharp intake of breath, correctly interpreting her silence.
"He's dead," he whispered, eyes slowly glazing over until they became entirely emotionless. "Because of me..."
The hands that he held out in front of him shook and though his skin was an angry red colour from scrubbing so hard in the bath, and there was not even a drop of blood on them, the scent of blood was suddenly once again suffocating.
"I killed – killed him…"
"No," Raia protested, beginning to panic slightly at the suddenly dazed look on his face. She had no idea what to do with this hanyou boy who seemed so struck at the idea of having taken a life. Demons never reacted like this, not even demon children. Was it his human blood that was inciting such a reaction?
In any case, it didn't look like Inuyasha had even heard her. He stared blankly at the large stain of blood on the carpet and then his claws.
"Sesshoumaru-sama," he said softly, seemingly talking to himself. "Sesshoumaru-sama will-"
"Will what?" came a deep voice from behind him.
Inuyasha spun around, eyes landing on the demon Lord standing quietly in the doorway.
Raia bowed her head in apology as Sesshoumaru walked in. She should really have known better than to bring the hanyou here. It would have been wiser to let the demon Lord do the explaining.
"Master," Inuyasha said in the same blank tone, hastily dropping to his knees and lowering his forehead to the ground.
Sesshoumaru walked over leisurely and came to a stop in front of the kneeling Inuyasha.
"Gaeten did not die by your hands," he stated calmly. Inuyasha raised his head hesitantly, looking at the demon prince in disbelief. The blank look in his eyes wavered.
"Gaeten received his just punishment by my hands for being a traitor…and for attempting to harm what belongs to me."
The calm, feelingless look on Inuyasha's face shattered and serene golden eyes were once again wide and vulnerable. "B-but – but the blood-"
Sesshoumaru gestured for him to rise and Inuyasha got shakily to his feet. "Gaeten attempted to kill you and your youkai fought back."
Inuyasha's eyes grew impossibly wider. "Y-youkai? M-my youkai..?'
Though the slavers didn't care about his monthly transformations into a human, they had made sure his youkai would never come close to the surface. They had told him that they had beaten the evil out of him. And sure enough, his youkai had never once surfaced, even after all their humiliations and torture and beatings.
A large hand landed gently on his face and Inuyasha snapped out of his musings. Long, clawed fingers wrapped around his chin and gently but firmly lifted his face up.
"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru whispered. "You are shivering."
The hanyou clenched his hands into fists and realized they were indeed shaking. His fingers and toes felt cold and numb. The demon Lord's grip did not allow him to turn his face away but he lowered his eyes. Sesshoumaru-sama had to witness his unrestrained, untamed side…the worst side of him. He did not know what the youkai had done but it was safe to say he had disrespected his master along with destroying some of his most prized possessions. He would be lucky to get away with his life.
"F-forgive me," Inuyasha mumbled and heard his own voice sound raspy and odd. "I have done nothing to deserve your mercy but-"
"No," Sesshoumaru interrupted sharply and Inuyasha flinched as if the demon Lord had struck him.
Inuyasha's knees trembled and only the demon Lord's grip on him kept him upright.
"Never apologize when you have done nothing wrong," Inuyasha heard his Master say, and he slowly turned incredulous eyes to meet the demon prince's.
"Jaken and Gaeten were the ones at fault for attacking you. You merely defended yourself."
Inuyasha gasped. "I- but this room. I did this…"
A ghost of a smile reached the demon Lord's lips. "Jaken is going to have a hard time paying for it."
Inuyasha's mouth fell open slightly. "Jaken-sama?"
"He and Gaeten were the ones who forced you to defend yourself. Since Gaeten is dead, it falls upon Jaken to fulfil both their dues."
Still holding the hanyou's chin in his grip, Sesshoumaru's thumb came to gently run over his slave's cheek in a barely there caress. Cold golden eyes softened imperceptibly.
"Did you think you would be punished for merely defending yourself?"
A small whimper escaped Inuyasha's throat. Defending himself…yes, he might have died if his youkai hadn't come to the fore. And he really had no control over his youkai but-
"I…everything here was very valuable. It's my fault…"
Sesshoumaru's eyes turned hard again.
"And you," he said, and his voice, that was suddenly commanding, made Inuyasha raise his eyes up to reluctantly meet his master's. "Your life has no value?"
Inuyasha lowered his eyes. "N-not more than the- the priceless stuff in this room…?"
"Inuyasha."
The hanyou flinched at his quiet tone. Had he said the wrong thing?
Inuyasha lowered his head. "Forgive me. My life…" he took a deep breath. "My youkai – I…I destroyed something that was precious to Master. My life is worth nothing in comparison. I wish I could promise that my youkai will never come out again but – but I ca-can't...ow!"
Inuyasha raised his hand to his hand slowly, reaching for his stinging ear, unsure what had just happened.
"M-master flicked my ear."
Sesshoumaru looked smug as he withdrew the clawed fingers that had, indeed, flicked one quivering ear.
"That," he said, "Was for saying my puppy is worthless."
Inuyasha whimpered, rubbing his ear gingerly. That had really hurt! "But I-"
"Your youkai only surfaces when your life is in danger," the demon Lord said. "You fought them to save your life. What happened after was not your fault.
Inuyasha remained silent but he knew that wasn't it. His life had been in danger plenty of times before – from demons, from the elements, from starvation – and his youkai had never once risen to the surface.
But something inside his chest loosened at the demon Lord's words. Not his fault…when was the last time anyone had told him that? It wasn't his fault. He – he had done something wrong, something which wasn't supposed to be done and he wasn't being punished because- because it wasn't his fault all of this had started in the first place. The concept of someone considering his intentions, not his actions, was so foreign to him that it took time for the demon Lord's logic to sink in.
Large golden eyes hesitantly searched the demon Lord's lighter, colder ones. "M-master is not going to send me away?"
For a moment, Inuyasha could have sworn he saw a smile in the Lord's eyes, though his lips had not moved, and then Sesshoumaru turned away from them and moved towards an upturned table next to which, there were the remains of an intricately carved sculpture.
"Well," he replied, turning his back to Inuyasha and Raia to look down regretfully at the remains of the beautiful sculpture, "I always did like that sculpture..."
Tears welled up in Inuyasha's eyes once again and Raia glared at the demon Lord behind his back. Was it necessary for him to tease the poor boy who was already so upset?
"I-I'm sorry," Inuyasha whimpered. "I will…"
"Why is this room not cleaned up yet?" a sharp female voice demanded from the doorway.
Inuyasha bowed hastily to the floor as the Lady of the West entered, looking distastefully around the room. Her scornful gaze turned to one of curiosity as she took in the wreckage.
"Did you do this?" she asked the kneeling hanyou who whimpered at being addressed by the scary lady.
"Y-yes, Tsukiko-sama," Inuyasha replied, keeping his forehead pressed tightly against the floor. He wanted to tell her that he would do anything to try and make up for the damage that he had caused but he could feel the imperious lady's eyes burning a hole in the back of his head and the words stuck in his throat. All that came out was a piteous whimper.
His ears flickered slightly as he heard a distinct sniff above him. "Hmm," she said. "Impressive."
Inuyasha looked up slowly, now fairly certain he wasn't going to get his head lopped off. Lady Tsukiko was staring amusedly at her son.
"Sesshoumaru, stop sulking over that inane sculpture. It was high time you got rid of all this rubbish."
Sesshoumaru turned to face his mother and glared. "It was not rubbish."
Inuyasha stared in surprise from the Lady to his Master. Raia had her head bowed but she had raised a hand discreetly over her mouth and Inuyasha had a sneaking suspicion that she was trying not to smile.
Sesshoumaru stuck his nose in the air regally and turned away from his mother towards the window, silver hair falling gracefully in place. "I happened to like it."
The Lady of the West rolled her eyes. "Get someone to clean this up immediately," she ordered Raia, "And have the carpets replaced as well. No matter what they claim, blood stains never completely come off of those things."
Raia bowed and hurried away and Tsukiko turned to her son.
"You must leave immediately to finalize the boundaries of those villages and towns."
Sesshoumaru turned around sharply, all traces of amusement gone, and nodded. His father had summoned him early that morning to inform him that the village headmen and the heads of the towns, who had been haggling about their boundaries had finally come to some sort of agreement and Inu no Taisho had asked his son to go immediately and finalize it before they changed their minds again.
"Come, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru ordered, heading towards the door after bowing shortly to his mother.
Tsukiko stared after her retreating son and the hanyou pup, who leapt up and stumbled after him immediately.
Amused golden eyes once again took in the wreckage that was the room, lingering over the light bloodstains on the walls where Gaeten and Jaken had been slammed.
Perhaps hanyou weren't such wastes of space after all.
"Mother."
Tsukiko turned around, to see Sesshoumaru smirking from the doorway. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"What?"
Her son had the cat-ate-the-canary expression on his face.
"If any other servant had dared destroy the simplest item in this House, you would have them punished severely."
For a millisecond, Tsukiko froze and then looked away haughtily.
"Well, the boy isn't a-a person. He's a puppy. So it does not count."
Sesshoumaru had his trademark evil grin on his face.
"Tsukiko-sama may be developing a soft spot for a hanyou."
Tsukiko turned around angrily but her son, who had his self-preservation instinct highly developed, was already gone.
It was late in the evening by the time Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha made their way back to the castle.
Nothing more had been said about the disaster Inuyasha had caused and the hanyou did not dare bring it up. He still could not believe he had not been punished for what he had done. That still did not mean he didn't feel bad about it, but at least it did not look like Sesshoumaru-sama was going to send him away. Maybe later, if his Master was in a good mood, Inuyasha would ask him about it.
The royal carriage made its way through a rough road between fields and Inuyasha's ears swivelled, flickering towards the source of a disturbance. Faint sounds of shouting and cries could be heard from the distance.
Inuyasha around in alarm as the demon Lord's aura darkened with anger.
"You worthless piece of shit, we can't extend your deadline anymore. I want
my money NOW!"
The man who was on the ground clung to the heavier man's leg, whimpering, with tears streaming down his face, "Please I'll give It to you as soon as I can. Take whatever you want but leave Satoko alone. My wife…please don't."
The man smirked and kicked out a few times, till the other man was thrown off and he lay sobbing on the ground.
Another man came forward and placed a foot on his neck, grinding down. "How many times have we done this, asshole? What the hell do you take us for? I told you the last time that I want my money TODAY!"
"But I don't have it!" the man cried out. "Please, Satoko has nothing to do with this…please don't…"
The men laughed. One of them stepped inside the house and came out holding a screaming woman by the wrist.
The man on the ground jumped to his feet and launched himself at the man. But while he was thin and emaciated, the man holding his wife was muscled and burly. The thug struck out on his chest with one hand and sent the slighter man flying. He crumpled in a heap on the ground, panting.
"Well," sneered the thug, "It seems Satoko and I are gonna have some fun after all." He glanced at the terrified girl in his arms. "Look at your husband over there, honey. Do you really want that little bitch who can't even protect you? Now me on the other hand…"
Satoko glared at him with hate filled eyes. "Let me go!" she ordered, then her eyes softened as she looked at her husband's prone form. He was far too honourable; he would keep on fighting even if it killed him "And my husband…please, please don't do this…"
The man raised an eyebrow at her. "That bastard doesn't have our money, doesn't have anything valuable in the house except you…what, do you expect us to just let him go for free?"
Satoko's eyes brimmed with tears, glancing despairingly at her husband. "I- we'll repay you as soon as we can, just please…"
The other thug sighed. "I'm getting a little tired of this, so lets' end this here..."
He pulled a weapon out of his waistband – a small, but sturdy looking scythe – and raised it high over his head to strike the man, smirking down at him, making sure his victim had plenty of time to see the sharp blade descending over his head. He was in no hurry, after all. Even if some straggling farmer saw them, which wasn't likely, the poor bastard would be too scared to do anything to a king's soldier. Even if he did, out of some foolish sense of bravery, it would be the easiest thing to take care of him. No one noticed a couple of weak-ass peasants disappearing here and there.
He had all the time in the world.
The slight man closed his eyes, steeling himself for the blow. If this was how his life was to come to an end, then so be it.
The man brought the weapon down with a cry, then cursed as his hand was arrested in mid air.
"What the-" he began, turning to look at whatever fool had dared to touch him. His face paled when he realized who it was."
"S-S-Sesshoumaru-sama…" the grip on his wrist tightened and he was spun around as easily as if he were a doll.
"Did you intend to kill him?" the demon Lord asked quietly.
The man looked away, heart beating a mile a minute. "I- n-no…"
He screamed as his arm was twisted and broken at the elbow. "You would lie to your prince?" Sesshoumaru asked lightly.
His attention turned on the man holding Satoko as the woman whimpered.
"Let go of her," he said, meeting his eyes. The man's grip on her tightened for a moment. Sweat began to form on his brow to have powerful golden eyes fixed on his. He released her and Satoko ran to her husband, kneeling at his side.
The other men began to back away, preparing to flee.
"Stop," Sesshoumaru ordered softly without turning around. The men hesitated. One of them took one look at the fallen thug and took off as fast as he could.
Sesshoumaru's poison whip sliced him into three pieces.
The others whimpered and promptly fell to their knees. "Forgive us," they cried as one. Sesshoumaru spared them a disdainful glance and turned towards the man on the ground. He silently offered him a hand.
The weakened, bruised man gasped, gaping up at him. "S-Sesshoumaru-sama," he said softly. "Is it- it is really you…"
When he failed to take the hand the prince had offered him, Sesshoumaru grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet.
"It has been a long time…Hiro."
A few minutes later, Sesshoumaru and Hiro sat on a rough bench in front of Hiro's hut while Inuyasha sat at his Lord's feet.
The rest of the thugs who had not resisted were tied up by Jaken on Sesshoumaru's orders and were now sitting on the ground, bemoaning their fate and that of all days, they chose today to extort money from the dweeb.
Satoko returned from the hut with a tray with glasses of water on it.
"I- forgive me, I have nothing more to offer you, my Lord," Hiro said softly, embarrassed. Sesshoumaru took the offered glass silently and turned his eyes back on his childhood friend.
While the boy had always been rather pale and sickly, now he had become literally gaunt. His cheeks were stretched and his eyes had sunk into his head. There were dark circles around them and they had lost their sparkle. Sesshoumaru noticed he moved slowly and with difficulty, distinctly favouring his left leg.
"What happened to you?" Sesshoumaru asked, "You look ill."
Hiro smiled, a small, sad smile. "I don't believe I have that many days left in me…"
"Hiro!" his wife admonished. "Please don't talk like that."
She turned to Sesshoumaru. "He does not allow his body to recover, working day and night on the field. His health was not that good to begin with and since those thugs started harassing us for the land, demanding "protection", he works day in and day out, trying to make enough money to satisfy those monsters. I keep telling him that it's no use, that the more money he gives them, the more they'll demand."
Tears gathered in her eyes and she raised the sleeve of her kimono against her mouth. "They'll just keep harassing him, beating him till he - till he…"
She broke down into soft sobs and Hiro reached out and took her hand in both of his. "I could not live with myself if I didn't do everything in my power to protect my wife and daughter. If it means kami-sama takes me a few years earlier, so be it but I worry about them." He glanced up at Satoko with eyes filled with love and fear. "After I am gone…"
"Hiro…" Satoko interrupted, gently squeezing his shoulder.
Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened with anger. Those thugs were going to pay.
"Why are you here?" he asked, glancing around at the small, almost untillable land. "I remember you planned to apply for the post of a clerk in the treasury."
"I did," Hiro told him. "I worked for 2 years…and then…"
Sesshoumaru frowned. "And then what?"
Hiro hesitated, hands twitching in his lap. "I-"
"What happened?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"T-there were…some of people who worked just above me offered me a bribe…they wanted me to participate in an embezzlement scheme. I refused and…" he made a half- hearted gesture. "Well, here I am."
"There are corrupt officers in the treasury?" he asked quietly, his soft voice not betraying his anger at the way the boy had been treated.
Hiro looked down and said nothing.
"Why did you not come to me?" he asked.
Hiro looked up at the prince in surprise. "I- I couldn't trouble you with my petty problems," he said. "I came back to my family farm and took over after my father passed away. I and Satoko were doing fine till…till about 6 years ago, these soldiers began to ask for money for protection."
"Soldiers?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Those vermin are soldiers in the royal army?"
Hiro nodded. "Foot soldiers…or- or guards, I think."
"I told him we should leave the land," Satoko put in, "but our daughter is still young and we had nowhere else to go. We…we asked her to go over to my sister's house for a few days till things calmed down here."
Hiro stared at the ground, seemingly debating something. Finally, he glanced up at the demon Lord. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" he said hesitantly.
The demon Lord turned his eyes back on him.
"I- I have a favour to ask of you." He took a deep breath. "After I am gone, could you see to it that Satoko and my daughter are taken care of?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened and Hiro flushed. "I- I know it may be too much to ask of you, prince but please I- I have nowhere else-"
"Hiro," Sesshoumaru interrupted and the other man stopped at the quiet command. "You and your family will accompany me to the castle now. I will make sure you get a deserving post and your family will be housed in the castle along with the other palace employees."
Satoko gasped and Hiro looked up with a start. "N-no my prince that is too much I-"
"Hiro," Sesshoumaru said, eyes softening. "You did not deem fit to come to me for your troubles. I see you do not abide by the bonds of our friendship so this is an order from your prince."
He glanced up at Satoko and then back at Hiro. "You are coming with me."
Satoko let out a little exclamation and bowed low to the demon Lord. Hiro stared at him for a long moment. Then he bowed his head and slowly slid off the bench. He got on his knees and knelt on the ground, bowing his head but before he could touch his head to the ground, strong hands caught him by the arms and raised him up.
He straightened, trembling, because Sesshoumaru's grip would not allow him to bow. Tears fell from his eyes and he kept his head bowed. "Thank you," he said, voice shaking with emotion. "I don't know how I'll-"
"Hiro," Sesshoumaru interrupted. The man looked up hesitantly.
There was a slight smile on Sesshoumaru's lips. "Shut up."
Once they were back at the castle, Sesshoumaru took him to Miroku. The prince had left a couple of trusted servants behind, informing them to bring the daughter to the castle once she returned. Hiro and his wife had protested but it did not seem wise to let Hiro go untreated for much longer.
Miroku cleaned and bandaged his injuries that he had received from being smacked around by the thugs. He asked the demon Lord and Inuyasha to wait outside while he spoke with Hiro and his wife.
A few minutes later, Miroku emerged from his office.
"There is nothing seriously wrong with him," he told Sesshoumaru. "His body has suffered because of overworking, not having enough nutrition and constant stress. He needs to relax for a period of time, mentally and physically. He's alright now, but any further stress could be very dangerous. Is that alright, Hiro-san?"
Hiro didn't meet the monk's eyes. "I- I'm afraid I can't do that, Miroku-sama. I don't have any money to fall back on and Sesshoumaru-sama was generous enough to give me a job at the palace. I'll work hard and-"
"You will do nothing of the kind," Sesshoumaru cut in smoothly. "I will make sure the work is not strenuous. And you will start the job only once these injuries have healed. How long will that take, Miroku?"
Miroku caught his eye and understood what he was implying. "It will take at least a 3-4 weeks," he said with a straight face. "Even if the wounds heal superficially within a few days, it will take at least 4 weeks before I can say they have completely healed."
Hiro looked from Miroku to Sesshoumaru, frowning. "That's really not necessary. I can't-"
"It's not an option," Sesshoumaru said sternly. "I cannot have castle employees' health in jeopardy. If Miroku thinks you need 4 weeks to recover, then you will take up work after 4 weeks."
"Miroku-sama, please, I know you are saying this to get me to rest but-" he began, turning pleadingly towards him.
Miroku shook his head solemnly. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."
Hiro quieted down sullenly, glancing up discreetly at the expressionless countenance of the prince who had, once before, forced him out of his solitude and lonely life.
It seemed some things never changed.
The thugs who had been harassing Hiro were held captive in the dungeon, awaiting punishment. The one with the broken arm sat propped up against the dungeon wall, groaning quietly. The others were shackled hands and feet. Some tried to sleep or were too depressed to speak but two of them were awake. News of Gaeten's execution had travelled quickly through the lands and right now, the money they had gotten out of the farmers did not seem worth it.
"We should never have agreed," whispered one of them to the other shackled next to him. "Sesshoumaru-sama has no mercy for traitors and that scrawny wimp seemed to be a friend of him." He sighed. "We're screwed."
"How were we to know that the prince would appear there?" the other whispered back fiercely, arms already beginning to ache from the weight of the shackles. "He hasn't travelled that way in years."
His friend groaned in despair. "We're going to die here. This would never have happened if he hadn't put us up to it. If it wasn't for him, we would never even have thought of-"
"That's not the worst of it," the other prisoner replied. "If they decide to torture us for the name of the person who put us up to this-"
The other man cursed sharply. "T-they can't. They don't know anything about anyone else being involved. The-they think we were just greedy…right?'
His friend shrugged, shackles and chains clanging loudly in the dark, quiet dungeon. "I am more afraid of him than of anything Sesshoumaru-sama would do to us."
The first man made a sharp disagreeing noise. "Sesshoumaru-sama would be no less cruel. Even if-"
"Shut up," the other ordered hoarsely, "If we betray his name to anyone at the royal palace, Naraku-sama's wrath will be worse than execution."
A/N: Review please! ^.^