With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise(s) of Inuyasha and Sincerely: I Became A Duke's Maid that rightfully belong to its respective owners: Rumiko Takahashi, Joora, and Roha.
While Kagome is glad that there was no longer any bad blood between herself and the young master having reached a mutual understanding with each other, his health took a turn for the worse. His vision got blurry. He would have to take more sleeping pills and painkillers every night just so he could rest. Not even the bedtime story she'd begun telling him, a modified version of her adventures in the Sengoku Jidai, could lull the young master to sleep. He would stay awake, asking what happened next to the traveling knight and the priestess in their search for the stolen, sacred artifact.
Over the next two days, Alejandro suffered a high fever, shivering all day and night. It broke Kagome's heart to see him like this. She wanted to do more for him, to ease his suffering in any way she could within her limited power, yet Tonya wouldn't even allow her to do that. When it was close to their curfew, her guard would pull her away from his side, where she would sit in a chair and hold his hand to assure him she was with him. That he wasn't suffering alone. Eventually, this pattern caught up on Kagome within the next day or two. There were bags under her eyes, a lack of appetite, and her sunny smile was dimming down. It thrilled the maids to learn about Kagome's deteriorating health for themselves. To them, it was karma for getting rid of Anna and acting so high and mighty.
But it was a different matter to Ibelina, her dorm mate. The honey-haired woman knew how much Kagome cared about the young master; Anna leaving the palace was tragic, and she didn't know if Kagome was a spy, it still gave the others no right to act like they did towards Kagome. Why, before she took charge and put her foot down, they didn't care one bit about the young master! Given to where she'd come from, it wasn't too hard to spot someone who meant goodwill or was weaseling their way through the ranks with compliments or gossip. At the moment, she'll take things with a grain of salt and make her assumptions from there.
It wasn't healthy to always worry about the young master when Kagome's own mindset and health was declining. The new workers were still settling into their new routine. Ibelina needed Kagome to be at her best until then. Most of the staff worked in the main palace. However more servants had transferred there after the incident.
But how can I help her, when she's been so stubborn? Ibelina thought long and hard until she got an idea. She didn't know if it would work, but she had to try!
"Kagome~. Since we're done for the day, why don't we do something?" Ibelina asked the dark-haired woman on the fifth day since the young master came down with his fever. Good Heavens, she looked like she was to keel over any moment!
"I'd love to, but the doctor said that the young master's condition will be critical within the next day or two," Kagome began pulling over the uniform. "I think I'll just go to bed early, in case something happens."
"Have you already eaten dinner?"
She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
Ibelina felt the last string of her patience being snapped at Kagome's word. That. Was. It.
I am done. Can't she see that by acting like this she'll make the young master worry once he makes a recovery, and - stop, stop. Breathe. Breathe, Ibee. In. Out. In. Repeat.
Inhaling a deep breath through her nose as to quell her impending temper, Ibelina stood up from her bed and walked over to Kagome, placing a hand over her shoulder. "I know how much you care about him, but...you need to take a break, Kagome. This isn't good for you, to worry about him when there's nothing you can do at this point -"
"Even if I could do something about it?"
"I know you've mentioned that the curse isn't contagious, with how the young master has relied on your hands to guide him around the palace, but... let's not think about curses. Not tonight. Just... please."
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
Ibelina smiled. "Well, I found some leftover fabric lying around and since no one has bothered to use it, we can make something from it! A little crafting project, if you will." Not even giving the dark-haired woman time to respond, she guided Kagome to her bed before heading over to their shared dresser. Shuffling through the drawers, Ibelina scoured for the material she'd been hiding. "Whenever I get anxious or can't fall asleep, I always find that making something simple eases the mind."
"By making, do you mean? -"
"Sewing, Kagome. Sewing."
Kagome gave her a flat look. "But I don't know how to sew anything except a button back together on a shirt."
"Then you already have the basics! All the more reason to hone your skills as a maid! You never know when it'll come in handy!" Ibelina chirruped with a grin, pulling out bright blue and light pink rolls of fabric. For the rest of the evening, Ibelina coached Kagome on how to make a handkerchief: threading the needle came first, then deciding on a pattern for it. Ibelina had some scissors - hand-me-downs that no one used anymore - to snip out two rectangles from the rolls.
"You're an excellent teacher, Ibelina. I always thought that embroidery was something that it required nobility to learn."
"What I'm teaching you is a trade secret, not even Lady Elaine has known about since she hired me years ago. I don't want anyone else to know, okay?" Ibelina said with a wink. Kagome smiled.
"Of course."
For the next two days after she'd tucked Alejandro into bed, Kagome would go straight to her sewing project for an hour before going to bed. This pleased Ibelina, who could rest easy and share an intimate project with someone rather than doing it all alone or when no one was looking. On the sixth day, though, Kagome didn't return to the dorms.
The former scholar ended up falling asleep by Alejandro's bedside with the handkerchief in her lap, something she had to wait to pull out until Tonya left after giving up to wake up her charge. Pretending to be dead or unconscious so many times in the Sengoku Jidai have paid off. It took Tonya a full half an hour until she left the room in a huff, grumbling under her breath at troublesome maids. What happened the following morning, though, could only be a miracle.
"- So exhausted that you ended up here." Kagome could feel some movement beneath her, followed by something warm and soft stroking the top of her head. "You silly woman." Blinking, Kagome's eyes opened as she regained consciousness.
She pulled herself up and off the mattress' side, looking up towards the source of the sound and almost screamed in shock. There was Alejandro, sitting up from his bed and smiling down at her with bright blue orbs. Traces of the curse weren't on his skin at all. Or at least, the marks weren't as visible on him as they were before. Was the curse... was it going away?
Without even thinking, Kagome leaned over and embraced Alejandro. "Thank goodness! I was so worried about you, young master. Your fever lasted for almost a week, you weren't eating and sleeping -" She choked, tightening her grip around his shoulders just a bit. It was one thing to read about Alejandro's suffering and have a slight understanding of it from a reader's perspective. Seeing this poor boy suffer in reality was like a safe had dropped onto her. Reality. This wasn't just a setting for a novel anymore. It was real, or at least until she reached the novel's ending. And she had no idea what would happen next. That alone terrified the poor time traveler.
"I-I'm all right. There's no need to worry about me -"
"If you dare to finish that sentence, my lord, I swear I will squeeze so tight that I won't let you go." Kagome warned, pulling away to glare down at Alejandro. "You're not alone, Alejandro. Never forget that."
Silence fell over the young lord and Kagome as they stared at each other. One wore a disbelieved expression and conviction for the other. They spoke no words. She didn't need them to realize that he had heard her message loud and clear. She felt his hands rest on her waist, and how they trembled. They stayed like in this position for a few moments until both heard a low growl emitting between their bodies. That was when Alejandro pushed away from Kagome, his cheeks dyed a shade of cherry-red as he turned his head towards the wall.
"T-Thank you for your concern, Saphy, but has the chef prepared for my meal today?" His words reminded Kagome that she shouldn't be here.
Oh. Tonya. Crap.
"I-I'll ask a servant to bring your breakfast right away," Kagome pulled herself from the young lord.
"You're not staying?"
"If what you said is true, then I might get into trouble with Lady Elaine. I am still under house arrest." Kagome felt a wave of panic upon seeing a displeased frown cross the young master's face, features twisting upon the mere mention of the older woman's name. She resisted the urge to sigh at the sight. Of course he would still feel that way after what happened, after all.
On one hand, she wanted to stay and comfort Alejandro, but she knew doing so and ignoring her chores was a one-way trip to getting fired. Her brain raced through her limited options, hoping there was at least one that would end in neither party being displeased with her.
What can I do? What am I supposed to do–
That was when she felt something fall out of her pocket. Blue-grey orbs blinked, eyeing her now-fallen handkerchief lying on the bedside. She leaned down to pick it up, only to have Alejandro beat her to it.
"What is this?" He asked, holding it up in the air with a scrunched brow. Kagome froze as his displeased expression seemed to have increased tenfold, glaring daggers down at the poor piece of fabric in his hand. It was bright blue with a white crescent moon stitched on the left side. The design was simple, though a challenge for the stressed young woman.
"Um, a handkerchief?"
Alejandro turned his attention to her, blinking before he spoke. He narrowed his eyes at Kagome, something akin to a pout resting on his lips, "Did you make this?"
"Yes?" She tilted her head. "Do you...like it?"
"It's terrible." Kagome felt her pride take a stab at Alejandro's brutal honesty. "The trimmings aren't symmetrical, and the pattern you created is too big."
"Well, does it help that I thought about you when I made it?"
"Then... this is for me?"
"Yes?"
"... Return here at your usual time. And you promised me to begin where we left off with the story! I want to know what happens after the priest goes to the palace of the missing princess!"
"Yes, yes~. I'll continue where we left off." With that being said, Kagome bolted towards the young master's chambers, all the while praying that she wouldn't get into more trouble that she already was in.
Meanwhile, the young master of the Vel Laviti family watched his peculiar maid go until she left him alone. He looked down at the handkerchief. When he had woken up, he saw Kagome's hand over his and the handkerchief next to her. No one had ever wanted to stay in the same room as him, much less overnight. Their mind set was, what if the curse would pass onto them? It wasn't worth it… he wasn't worth it.
But not her. Not Saphy.
He felt his cheeks redden. Scoffing, Alejandro turned over on his side and pulled the sheets over him. Curling up in a ball, he held the crafted article close to his chest. It was the most terrible handkerchief he'd ever seen…. yet holding it warmed his heart and eased his troubled mind.
Saphy…. come back soon. Don't leave me like the others have. He closed his eyes and fell into sweet oblivion after what seemed like he had gotten no rest in over a hundred years.
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