The Innkeeper's Daughter
By Maraba L.
Author: Maraba L.
E-Mail: woad_isatis@yahoo.com
Last Modified: 10/20/00
Title: The Innkeeper's Daughter
Type of Work: Fanfiction: drama/romance
Spoilers: none yet
Warnings: mature subject matter, lemonish (later chapters), language
Keywords: Chichiri, Tasuki
Chapter 3
Stifling his shock, the monk carefully walked over to where the young girl sat. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow and his seishi mark pulsed almost painfully as he drew closer to her. As he carefully took a seat opposite Isatis, the girl gasped, her body jerked as her soul came plummeting back into her physical form. The girl opened her eyes dazedly and put one hand to her heart, which moments before had been glowing with violet flame as she raised her eyes to meet the monk's.
"You saw." Isatis said quietly, fear twining with sadness in her eyes.
Chichiri nodded once, reaching out quickly to take her hand in his. The girl gasped and looked at him surprised, the dropped her eyes quickly. The monk's expression softened as he massaged the back of her hand with his thumb, doing his best to project and aura of safety and comfort. "Why the fear, little one?" he whispered softly and reached out to touch the spot between her breasts that moments ago had been alive with God-fire. "I will not hurt you, no da."
She nodded slowly, "But...you might get hurt." A painful grimace flashed across her features and the girl stiffened slightly.
Chichiri smiled tenderly, " By your magic?" Isatis shook her head so the monk continued, "By your father? Your sister?" Again a razor sharp grimace of pain flashed across her face and the girl turned wide, frightened eyes on the man before her.
"I...have no sister." She gasped out, doubling over as if in agony.
The monk reached out to the girl, gathering her into his arms, trying to sooth her shaking. She nestled in his arms fighting back tears as he stroked her back. As she fought to calm her breathing, Chichiri frowned, catching the trace of a very malignant magic, not hers. His attempt to trace it was sabotaged by his concern for the anguished girl in his arms however, and he turned his attention fully on her, nuzzling her hair tenderly. "Shhh, you're safe here. It's ok, little one. I won't let your sister hurt you." He broke off as Isatis began to shake her head emphatically.
"No.." she winced again, her eyes closing in pain for a brief moment. "You don't understand...you don't see. I've tried to escape here for years....I...Rowan isn't a.." suddenly she broke off, face paling and body going rigid. Through clenched teeth, she gasped out. "This place....unclean." Then her eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted in his arms.
"Isatis??" Chichiri tilted her head back, alarmed at her pallor and the cold, clamminess of her skin. Pulling off his kesa, he wrapped the slender girl up in the warm fabric, wishing for the first time that it was Mitsukake's gifts that he wielded. Under normal circumstances, he would have gathered her up and rushed back to her home, but he knew full well that she would garner no help there so he merely held her close, warming her within the comforting circle of his arms and praying to Suzaku until color began to return to her cheeks and her eyes fluttered open dazedly.
"G-gomen.." she whispered softly, struggling to sit up.
Chichiri put a finger to her lips, "Shhh, no need to apologize, little one." He said quietly, concern plainly etched on his gentle features. "Are you alright, no da?" he stroked her hair away from her face as the girl looked away nodding once.
Isatis took a deep breath, " I must go....they.."
Chichiri didn't release her, " Wait... you said that you had tried to escape this place before....?"he broke off as her face convulsed in pain again, the girl nodding once and beginning to tremble. "Isatis?" The man frowned, feeling her life force struggling against something utterly unseen, yet utterly malign.
The girl gave a little cry and stumbled to her feet shakily. " Please...it's not safe for you here." She gasped then turned and fled before he could stop her.
The monk gasped as he felt the fingers of his God hammering at him, warning him, commanding him. But in truth, he needed no such impetus to help the fleeing girl, his heart and will having been claimed by her already. Slowly Chichiri pulled himself to his feet, gaze following the path Isatis had taken with concern. He knew well the symptoms and signs of a magical attack and without a doubt, he had just witnessed one of great magnitude. Frowning, he went off in search of Tasuki.
He hadn't gone far when he felt the auric surge of another seishi's presence. Chichiri stopped, leaning against a tree and within seconds, Tasuki broke through the foliage, face grim. "There you are! I was hoping I'd find you. Where's Isatis?" The ex bandit walked quickly over to he monk, his step carrying none of the usual rakish arrogance.
Chichiri sighed, " She....Kuso!" He cursed softly, making his companion's eyes go wide. "I came upon her meditating, Tasuki...she has a mark, like we do."
"WHAT? That's impossible!" the bandit sputtered, but the elder man merely held up a hand.
"Apparently not. It's not Suzaku though...I'm not entirely certain WHO it is. At any rate, we talked for a brief time. She was trying to tell me something about this place, about her family and I swear she was attacked magically." He shook his head. "Whatever happened, she was knocked unconscious. She's alright now, but I know I'm missing something very important." He cursed again softly. "I know I am."
Tasuki put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Well, maybe I'll be able to help you with that." Briefly, he outlined his morning's conversation with Rowan and his plan. " I figure I'll be able to search her rooms...."
"YOU DID WHAT???" The monk roared, turning to face the bandit-seishi utterly flabbergasted.
Tasuki had the good grace to look sheepish, " It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was hoping you'd have a spell or something to knock her out." He grimaced. "She's not exactly my type."
Chichiri was cursing softly, under his breath, "Tasuki, what were you thinking, no da?! I think that woman is quite dangerous!"
The younger seishi nodded, " I'm sure of it...but I wanted to dispel any suspicion about us...and she was suspicious, I think. I also figured it would be an effective way of gaining information. She's not the brightest creature on the planet." He smirked.
The monk just shook his head. "I can't believe you, no da! There's too much we don't know..."
"And this is a chance to find out." Tasuki insisted. "Look, I don't plan to actually...." He coughed and gave the monk an apologetic glance. "sleep with her...you knock her out with your magic, I search her rooms, she wakes up none the wiser and thinking she had the best night of her life." He grinned rakishly.
Chichiri only shook his head. "I don't want to use any magic if I don't have to." He held up a hand to forestall Tasuki's protest. "Frankly, I'm afraid it would be noticed, no da. Isatis, right before she passed out, said something about this place being unclean." He sighed and looked at his friend. "I may be able to work up a sleeping potion but next time, Tasuki...discuss your plans with me beforehand."
The flame-haired seishi nodded sheepishly, " I will...the opportunity presented itself and..."
"And you rushed right in, no da." The monk rolled his eyes. "it's not a bad idea in itself, but there are so many variables here. I know that we're missing something vital." He sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. "I can't believe you, no da." He shook his head at his companion.
Tasuki grinned, showing his fangs, " I just figured I'd put my natural charm to good use."
Chichiri snorted, "Natural charm, my ass, no da."
"Mine is cuter." The younger seishi teased as the monk rolled his eyes heavenward praying for forbearance.
By Maraba L.
Author: Maraba L.
E-Mail: woad_isatis@yahoo.com
Last Modified: 10/20/00
Title: The Innkeeper's Daughter
Type of Work: Fanfiction: drama/romance
Spoilers: none yet
Warnings: mature subject matter, lemonish (later chapters), language
Keywords: Chichiri, Tasuki
Chapter 3
Stifling his shock, the monk carefully walked over to where the young girl sat. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow and his seishi mark pulsed almost painfully as he drew closer to her. As he carefully took a seat opposite Isatis, the girl gasped, her body jerked as her soul came plummeting back into her physical form. The girl opened her eyes dazedly and put one hand to her heart, which moments before had been glowing with violet flame as she raised her eyes to meet the monk's.
"You saw." Isatis said quietly, fear twining with sadness in her eyes.
Chichiri nodded once, reaching out quickly to take her hand in his. The girl gasped and looked at him surprised, the dropped her eyes quickly. The monk's expression softened as he massaged the back of her hand with his thumb, doing his best to project and aura of safety and comfort. "Why the fear, little one?" he whispered softly and reached out to touch the spot between her breasts that moments ago had been alive with God-fire. "I will not hurt you, no da."
She nodded slowly, "But...you might get hurt." A painful grimace flashed across her features and the girl stiffened slightly.
Chichiri smiled tenderly, " By your magic?" Isatis shook her head so the monk continued, "By your father? Your sister?" Again a razor sharp grimace of pain flashed across her face and the girl turned wide, frightened eyes on the man before her.
"I...have no sister." She gasped out, doubling over as if in agony.
The monk reached out to the girl, gathering her into his arms, trying to sooth her shaking. She nestled in his arms fighting back tears as he stroked her back. As she fought to calm her breathing, Chichiri frowned, catching the trace of a very malignant magic, not hers. His attempt to trace it was sabotaged by his concern for the anguished girl in his arms however, and he turned his attention fully on her, nuzzling her hair tenderly. "Shhh, you're safe here. It's ok, little one. I won't let your sister hurt you." He broke off as Isatis began to shake her head emphatically.
"No.." she winced again, her eyes closing in pain for a brief moment. "You don't understand...you don't see. I've tried to escape here for years....I...Rowan isn't a.." suddenly she broke off, face paling and body going rigid. Through clenched teeth, she gasped out. "This place....unclean." Then her eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted in his arms.
"Isatis??" Chichiri tilted her head back, alarmed at her pallor and the cold, clamminess of her skin. Pulling off his kesa, he wrapped the slender girl up in the warm fabric, wishing for the first time that it was Mitsukake's gifts that he wielded. Under normal circumstances, he would have gathered her up and rushed back to her home, but he knew full well that she would garner no help there so he merely held her close, warming her within the comforting circle of his arms and praying to Suzaku until color began to return to her cheeks and her eyes fluttered open dazedly.
"G-gomen.." she whispered softly, struggling to sit up.
Chichiri put a finger to her lips, "Shhh, no need to apologize, little one." He said quietly, concern plainly etched on his gentle features. "Are you alright, no da?" he stroked her hair away from her face as the girl looked away nodding once.
Isatis took a deep breath, " I must go....they.."
Chichiri didn't release her, " Wait... you said that you had tried to escape this place before....?"he broke off as her face convulsed in pain again, the girl nodding once and beginning to tremble. "Isatis?" The man frowned, feeling her life force struggling against something utterly unseen, yet utterly malign.
The girl gave a little cry and stumbled to her feet shakily. " Please...it's not safe for you here." She gasped then turned and fled before he could stop her.
The monk gasped as he felt the fingers of his God hammering at him, warning him, commanding him. But in truth, he needed no such impetus to help the fleeing girl, his heart and will having been claimed by her already. Slowly Chichiri pulled himself to his feet, gaze following the path Isatis had taken with concern. He knew well the symptoms and signs of a magical attack and without a doubt, he had just witnessed one of great magnitude. Frowning, he went off in search of Tasuki.
He hadn't gone far when he felt the auric surge of another seishi's presence. Chichiri stopped, leaning against a tree and within seconds, Tasuki broke through the foliage, face grim. "There you are! I was hoping I'd find you. Where's Isatis?" The ex bandit walked quickly over to he monk, his step carrying none of the usual rakish arrogance.
Chichiri sighed, " She....Kuso!" He cursed softly, making his companion's eyes go wide. "I came upon her meditating, Tasuki...she has a mark, like we do."
"WHAT? That's impossible!" the bandit sputtered, but the elder man merely held up a hand.
"Apparently not. It's not Suzaku though...I'm not entirely certain WHO it is. At any rate, we talked for a brief time. She was trying to tell me something about this place, about her family and I swear she was attacked magically." He shook his head. "Whatever happened, she was knocked unconscious. She's alright now, but I know I'm missing something very important." He cursed again softly. "I know I am."
Tasuki put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Well, maybe I'll be able to help you with that." Briefly, he outlined his morning's conversation with Rowan and his plan. " I figure I'll be able to search her rooms...."
"YOU DID WHAT???" The monk roared, turning to face the bandit-seishi utterly flabbergasted.
Tasuki had the good grace to look sheepish, " It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was hoping you'd have a spell or something to knock her out." He grimaced. "She's not exactly my type."
Chichiri was cursing softly, under his breath, "Tasuki, what were you thinking, no da?! I think that woman is quite dangerous!"
The younger seishi nodded, " I'm sure of it...but I wanted to dispel any suspicion about us...and she was suspicious, I think. I also figured it would be an effective way of gaining information. She's not the brightest creature on the planet." He smirked.
The monk just shook his head. "I can't believe you, no da! There's too much we don't know..."
"And this is a chance to find out." Tasuki insisted. "Look, I don't plan to actually...." He coughed and gave the monk an apologetic glance. "sleep with her...you knock her out with your magic, I search her rooms, she wakes up none the wiser and thinking she had the best night of her life." He grinned rakishly.
Chichiri only shook his head. "I don't want to use any magic if I don't have to." He held up a hand to forestall Tasuki's protest. "Frankly, I'm afraid it would be noticed, no da. Isatis, right before she passed out, said something about this place being unclean." He sighed and looked at his friend. "I may be able to work up a sleeping potion but next time, Tasuki...discuss your plans with me beforehand."
The flame-haired seishi nodded sheepishly, " I will...the opportunity presented itself and..."
"And you rushed right in, no da." The monk rolled his eyes. "it's not a bad idea in itself, but there are so many variables here. I know that we're missing something vital." He sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. "I can't believe you, no da." He shook his head at his companion.
Tasuki grinned, showing his fangs, " I just figured I'd put my natural charm to good use."
Chichiri snorted, "Natural charm, my ass, no da."
"Mine is cuter." The younger seishi teased as the monk rolled his eyes heavenward praying for forbearance.