Chapter 52

Deleana's Secret

It was a long time before we could get to a village. Most of the way there was spent in forests. Now that I look back, there were a few good moments. I didn't realize it then, but we were all silently mourning our loss.

The village wasn't as nice as the one I went with Sesshomaru, I almost cried at the memory, but it was still pretty. The village had a lot of plant-life and flowers. The flowers were mostly yellow and white, which matched the crackled road. If this were another time, in another place, I would probably started singing, "follow the yellow brick road," because that is what the road through the village was.

We were almost through the village, the birds chirped in the nearby trees from the forest ahead, when Jenny stopped me.

"Hey! Stop, please." Jenny yelled.

"Why?" I turned and looked at her face. She was frozen, stone cold as was Raine.

"Umm… well… look at yourself."

I looked down at my feet, I could see the black shoes and the craggy golden ground below them. Just like Sesshomaru did when we were too far apart, I was disappearing.

"We can't go further." I stated.

Jenny and Raine didn't argue.

We decided to stay in an Inn. It was a two-story cottage. Raine, Jenny, and I shared a small room with a big bed. It was still daylight, so I went on a walk. The village was wealthy considering it was small. I walked through the village, not paying any attention to anything or anyone when I heard a familiar voice.

"Satsuye darling, I really want this pedant. It matches my hair."

"As you wish, my dear."

Deleana and Satsuye stood outside of a small jewelers shop, looking in the window. Deleana noticed me before they went inside and waved Satsuye on.

"Strange that you are not with Sesshomaru," Deleana stated.

"I supp-ose," I choked. I really didn't need Deleana to see me like this. I think she caught on because she said,

"What happened?" Her eyes penetrated me. I knew, somehow, that I could trust her. "Come here." She walked with me to an iron bench. "Sit with me." She sat down and so did I.

"Sessho-maru kissed ano-ther woman and did-n't notice m-e," I cried. Deleana handed me a napkin. I wiped the tears and snot off my face. Deleana stared into the sky and closed her eyes.

"I am going to tell you something," Deleana stated. She stared into my eyes. "But you must not tell a living soul." I sniffled and nodded. I would never break a promise. Deleanas' eyes landed on two doves in a nearby cherry blossom tree. One dove jumped closer to the other and the other hopped away. A third dove flew down in between the two and the jumping one flew away. Deleana sighed. "I've never told anyone this. Not even Satsuye or my sister." A tear fell down her face. She gently wiped it away with a tissue she pulled from her dress. "When I was younger, I lived with my father, sister, and brother. My sister had a large group of friends. They were always around, talking with my sister. Therefore, that left me to play with my brother. It was years ago, but so vivid to me. My brother, Kaydron, enjoyed a particular game. We first 'played' it when he turned thirteen. He bit me." She looked into my eyes. "Do you remember what I said about the painful memories flowing into the victims mind?" I nodded. 'It meant that Kaydrons' memories both bad and good would flow into Deleana.' She continued, "The only painful memory he had was every time he remembered that I was his sister. He wanted me and I could feel it through the blood he sucked from me." Her eyes hardened. "I take it that you remember that blood stimulates sexual hormones." I nodded, how could I not.

"What happened Deleana? What did he do to you?" I could imagine if Sesshomaru bit me, I would be immobilized for quite some time.

"He raped me. I didn't know what was going on until I woke in his arms without any clothes on." Her tears poured down her face. She covered her face with her hands. 'She needs to be comforted,' a voice said. I pulled her head down on my lap.

"It's okay," I cooed and ran my hand through her hair. "He's gone now and you have Satsuye."

"He doesn't even know and we haven't even had sex!" She cried harder and I caressed her hair. She blew her nose. "I've been avoiding it since we've been together."

"I am sure he would understand. Just tell him you don't want to talk about it."

"I can't. I'm afraid. I don't want to wake like that ever again." She bawled. I didn't know what to do for her.

"It is okay love, I understand." Deleana froze. Satsuye emerged from the darkness. Dried tears streaked his face. Deleana slowly sat up, but kept her face hidden from him. He walked over and kneeled before her. He reached up and caressed her face. She fell into him and cried. He wrapped his arms around her. He kept saying things like, "everything is going to be all right" and "we'll get through this."

After Deleana calmed down, she asked, "Who is the girl who was kissing him?"

I cringed at the memory. "Silk," I stated.

"Was there a glass nearby?"

I looked at Deleanas calm eyes. Her make-up was smeared. I thought back and tried not to cry, which was becoming much easier. "Yes, there was. Why?"

Deleana closed her eyes. "It's not Sesshomaru you should be mad at. Though, I am surprised that he didn't see through Silk's little trick."

"Wha-?"

Deleana smiled, a devious smile. "Do you remember when I spoke of Phoenix and love potions?"

"Yes, but I don't know what the has anything to do with-"

She rolled her eyes. "Awhile ago, I started playing with black magic. I wanted to create a love potion comparable to the affects of those made of Phoenix blood. I did, eventually, though it doesn't work well." She sighed. "I could only get it to work for a few minutes. Afterwards, the guy would drop lifeless and couldn't move for a few days." I tried to interrupt and failed. "That is what your beloved Sesshomaru is under."

It didn't really make sense that he had only sent females servants away. How could I have been so blind? Silk ordered Jaken to tell the female servants to leave, not Sesshomaru. She must have threatened him. I bet Jaken is being tortured right now. Wait, Tiffany is still there. It must've been part of Silks plan to use her in case I found her out. Shit!

"How do you break the spell?" I asked.

"You kiss him."

"Silk kissed Sesshomaru. Why didn't he wake then?"

"He must be kissed by his true love. Which, would obviously be you. If, of course, he already admitted it to himself." Great. Why does this remind me of a fairytale? I am not prince charming and Sesshomaru is no Sleeping Beauty. Well, he is drop dead gorgeous and sleeping. This just sounds too confusing.

"You also have to kiss him at midnight on the full moon night after he's been 'out' or all of his memories will be erased," Deleana added.

"When is the next full moon?"

"I believe it is tomorrow night."

"Dang."

"Ah! An almost cuss word. Bravo." She pretended to give me a round of applause. "Well, I really think that you should go plan an attack with your little 'friends'."

She was right. Damn, this is going to suck.

~Meanwhile- 3rd person w/ Kurama~

Kurama paced around the window inside his small mansion. He sensed something was wrong. Sesshomaru was never late, never especially, when it had something to do with the defense of the castle. He was supposed to send word within hours of the supposed minor battle, to tell Kurama how things went, but it was over a day.

Kurama peered out the window draped with velvet curtains over the horizon. The sun was setting. He would just have to go talk with him, he decided. Now, this very hour if he could. He opened the window and leaped through it. He landed on the grass quite gracefully and bolted into the nearby forest toward the southwest.

He stealthily entered the castle. No one was around. He hurried through the halls and stopped when he heard laughter. He peered inside the doors. Silk, the servant Tiffany warned him about was laying across the bed. Her hands were stretched out toward Sesshomaru. Kurama silently gasped. He had no idea what was going on.

"Ah! Dearest darling. I will make you forget about her." She caressed Sesshomarus face. He didn't move. His eyes were empty, a lifeless body. "All your memories of her will be in vain. If she comes here, I will kill her myself the pitiful wench!" His body trembled. Whether in rage or anger, Kurama couldn't tell. Kurama could tell that no matter how Sesshomaru felt, he was powerless to stop Silk.

Kurama slowly backed away. He couldn't do anything about Sesshomaru until he had rescued Tiffany. His instincts told him to find her quick and get her out of this place. Kurama quickly sped off toward the direction of her scent.

Aqua had watched the spectacle fold out before her very eyes. She saw Kuramas fluid expressions as he watched Silks' onslaught of Sesshomaru. Aqua privately wished that Sesshomarus girl would hurry and get over here and take Sesshomaru away from Silk. If the full moon arrived before she kissed him, he would rest forever in an eternal sleep and Silk would overtake rule of the Western Lands of Demon World. Silk would use her ties to Lord Darce of the Southern Lands and they would overtake Demon World together. Their only problem was Sesshomaru, though. He would thwart all attacks against him. Darce thought that Silk or Deleana could get to Sesshomaru. If Deleana succeeded rather than Silk, Silk would kill her off and Darce would take care of Sesshomaru in his state of madness, but then that girl came into the picture. All of their plans were ruined for the sake of that girl. Aqua didn't mind her though. Actually, she admired her. Aqua like how she didn't stoop to trickery like Deleana or Silk and how she cared very deeply for Sesshomaru. Aqua was falling for Sesshomaru only because how much he cared for the girl and how he refused Deleana and Silk.

Aqua couldn't stand the display with Silk no longer; she would help the girl of Sesshomaru's. She had no doubt that the girl would figure out Silk's little trick. Aqua sprinted down the stairs; she had no time to lose.

Kurama stopped in front of the doors where the scent of pine and honey suckles was seeping through. It was Tiffany's scent. He could smell her clearly now. He leaned his ear against the door and heard sobs. She was crying. He sniffed for other scents than hers. She was alone, he decided. Rysa and Silk had left long before he arrived.

Kurama jiggled the handle; it was locked. Thankfully, Kurama was a renowned thief and locks were easy for him to pick. He extended his nail on his right index finger until it was about two-inches long. He inserted his nail into the lock on the door and turned the handle.

Tiffany was startled when the door rattled. She didn't want Silk or Rysa to come in again. She scurried off under the table grabbing a candlestick and taking it with her. The cloth was long enough to conceal her, but she didn't dare underestimate demons. If they got close, she would whack their ankles with the candlestick. They would fall; she hoped that they would be down long enough to make her escape. Tiffany peered through a hole that a moth made. The door opened and legs swiftly stepped in.

Kurama entered the room. He could still smell her, but he couldn't see her. He decided that she was hiding. 'Of course she was,' he thought. 'Silk and her minion must've terrified her.' "Tiffany," he called.

Tiffany almost ran out from the table when she heard his voice, but she restrained herself. She knew from watching Inuyasha and Naruto episodes with her sister that demons could change their disguises and their voice. She wasn't going to be a fool and believe whoever it was.

"Tiffany," Kurama called. "I know you are hiding under there." He sighed and sniffed the air. She was under the table. He walked over and stood in front of the table. "Tiffany," he said. "Don't make me drag you out from under the ta-" He lost his balance and fell.

Tiffany had whacked his ankles. She rushed out from under the table and bolted for the door. Her hand was on the door handle before she looked back, her eyes landed on his.

Kurama stared at Tiffany for quite awhile before he spoke. "Please don't leave."

Tiffany was perplexed. How could an imposter make her feel the need to help him off his feet and apologize? Why was she compelled to apologize and cry for what she did to him? She slowly walked over to him. "Why not?"

"Because I will have to come after you," Kurama grimaced. His ankle throbbed.

Tiffany decided that there was no way that he was an imposter and knelt next to him. "Are you okay?" She suddenly wanted to cry. Again.

Kurama moved his foot and grunted. "Not really." He smiled slightly.

Tears flooded Tiffany's eyes and she sobbed. "I'm sor-ry. I should've we-nt with my sis-ter when she left the cas-tle."

Kurama cupped her face and kissed her tears. "There is no need for you to cry." He touched his ankle and a blue light appeared. It healed his ankle, enough for him to be able to leave.

She sniffled and wiped her tears on her kimono.

Kurama stood, with difficulty. "We need to get out of here."

"What about Sesshomaru-sama and Lloyd and Seifer?"

Kurama picked her up and cradled her in his arms. "I am sure your sister will handle it. Besides, she will have less to deal with when you are safe."

"But she doesn't know that Sesshomaru-sama is under a spell."

"I'm sure she will find out. More than likely she will meet up with Deleana and find out from her."

Tiffany sighed, dejected. "Alright."

Kurama darted out of the castle, with great haste. He saw no one and not a single soul saw him as he leapt from tree to tree to his home in the North.

Later, if anyone were around they would've heard a high-pitch scream from the castle when Rysa told Silk Tiffany had escaped.

~Back- 1st Person w/ the Main Character~

"Okay so do you remember the plan?" I asked.

"It's like the easiest plan in the freakin' world." Jenny scoffed. "Raine and I take out Rysa while you take out Aqua and Silk. Easy-peasy."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you sure you two are up to this?"

Jenny and Raine both nodded their heads.

Raine smiled. "Yeah! I miss Seifer-kun. He was fun to play with."

"I am going to pound Rysa's head in for touching my Lloyd."

I shook my head. "Let's get to sleep. We head out in the morning."

"Yeah!" Jenny and Raine shouted. It was going to be a long night.


Okie-dokie. We are finally caught up with the newest chapters posted. I will post the next three soon- by the end of September. I preferably want to post them all at the same time. Until then, adieu.