{The Path to the Heart}
{chapter 4 - to the northern lands}
~~~
"Kagome."
"Nn?" Kagome looked up sleepily at her mate. "What is it?"
"We're entering the Northern Lands today," Inuyasha said, not meeting her gaze. This did not bode well with her.
"So?"
"We need to stay at the Northern Palace - oyaji's making us."
"And?" Kagome was not enjoying this little game of trying to pry information from him.
"You need to pretend as though you are my slave," he said finally.
"Why?" she asked gently.
"Okita, the taiyoukai of the Northern Lands...doesn't like humans. He thinks the only humans that have any true purpose are those enrolled or graduated from The Academy. And...if he finds out you were once a priestess, he will try to have you killed." Inuyasha looked pained. "Love, I know that this isn't fair, but he will only let us be unless I say you're my concubine."
Kagome sighed. "Fine. But as soon as we're out of the Northern Lands, it's back to normal."
"Tarimee da!" he practically yelped out at her. "I'm not some sick bastard like-"
She placed her fingers over his lips. "Let's not bring back a past that is best forgotten."
"Agreed." He kissed the back of her hand gently. "There's the palace up there." Inuyasha pointed to a building looming in the distance.
"Don't worry, I remember how to act," she said heavily. Kagome positioned herself three steps behind the hanyou, mentally cursing fate. A soft brush from her mate's mind let her know she was not alone in her thoughts of unrest.
Inuyasha slid the door open, taking a step inside. A pretty girl was yelling at another female, both of which looked to be human. The former rather reminded the duo of Tsuraiuta.
"Miryoku," Inuyasha called out. She paused.
"Inuyasha! Where are your manners!? I haven't seen you in three years! Who in all the hells told you that it was fine for you to stop visiting!" She kissed him briefly, then gave him a big hug, which he promptly returned. Kagome felt anger rising up in her chest. What's going on here...? They seem to know each other far too well...
"Once more, Inuyasha, you forget your manners," she scolded. "Who's this here?"
"Kagome," he answered. "My mate," he added with a touch of pride. "But, Miryoku, don't tell Okita, you know how he feels about non-magical humans..."
"Of course," Miryoku said sadly. Then she brightened. "Goodness, here I am yelling at Inuyasha, and I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Miryoku - Okita-sama's maid. And mate. Human, only I'm a Dancer. Black magic's my forte."
"Nice to meet you," Kagome said, bowing.
"I don't know what we're going to tell Okita-sama about you," she said thoughtfully. "Could be dangerous."
"She's acting as my concubine," Inuyasha said smoothly.
"Ah. That'll let her sleep with you, ne?" Miryoku grinned wickedly. "And I'll have her serve dinner tonight. You still know where your room is? Good. Then go, go, shoo! Kagome, you come with me; I need to show you around."
Inuyasha kissed his mate's cheek softly, then pulled on a pair of slippers that Miryoku tossed at his head, continuing down the hallway.
Miryoku knelt down and shoved a tatami mat aside. Kagome glimpsed a small string with a bead attached to it. Miryoku pulled on it, lifting up a section of the floor up, revealing a small dark stairway. "Now who forgot to light the candles?" she muttered to herself, reaching into her kimono for flint and steel. She struck them together, and lit all the candles as she began to descend the stairs. "Well? What are you waiting for? Follow me!"
Hesitantly, Kagome began to walk down the stairs. They walked in silence for quite some time, running into other human slaves as they moved ever deeper into the underground networking of servants' and slaves' quarters, kitchens, and other smaller centers of activity.
"Miryoku-san?"
"Yes?"
"How long have you known Inuyasha?"
Miryoku paused. "Firstly, while you're here, that'll be 'Inuyasha-sama'. You can't be so familiar where there are so many ready to report you to Okita-sama. Secondly, I've known him almost as long as I can remember. We're good friends." She smiled. "Don't worry - I have absolutely no romantic interest in him whatsoever. It's hard to see the person you think of as a brother as a possible husband. He's all yours, Kagome-san."
Kagome breathed a mental sigh of relief. "What was that comment you made earlier; that you were Okita-sama's maid and mate?"
Miryoku laughed. "That's how I began - much like you did, I suspect - as his slave. He later fell in love with me. So now I'm his mate."
"But you don't love him?" the younger human asked, her voice skeptical.
"How could you tell? I only became his mate because I feared he'd kill me if I refused. He does stupid things like making me keep my hair up in these stupid buns, and buying all my clothes for me. None of them fit - too tight. There was one human who was passing through here at one point - I love him, not Okita-sama. But Nankahen did leave in the end-"
"Nankahen from Edo!?" Kagome interrupted.
"Yes, I think so...what of it?"
Kagome slapped her forehead. "He's a childhood friend of mine. He ran away from the village I lived in when I was about fifteen. Our parents had it all worked out that we would marry, but he left a year after the arrangement was made. He simply vanished one night, leaving a note behind in the language we'd worked out. I was the only one to ever figure it out, and in it he instructed me to never read it or tell of its contents to anybody in the village."
"Interesting," Miryoku said thoughtfully. "Did you want to marry him?"
"I was in the same position you're in with Inuyasha - I couldn't think of him as anything other than as a friend. There was another reason as well."
"What?"
Kagome looked ready to laugh. "He's gay."
Miryoku's eyes widened. She face-faulted. "I can't believe it~...Oh, well, it'll be a weird relationship when we meet anyhow...but I still can't believe it~..."
"Yeah. That's the truth. I was the only one in the village he ever told - it's why he agreed to marry me. I'd keep his secret, and would be free to have any other man as a lover that I wished, and he would do as he pleased. We would pretend that we were a happy married couple, perhaps that I could not have children to explain our lack of little ones. It sounded like a good idea to both of us; we would both escape marriages that neither of us wanted, and be content to live out our days as friends. But it was not to be," she said bitterly, for the second time since explaining events to Houjou.
"Do you know why he left like that?" Miryoku asked gently.
"The Shikon no Tama. Taiji-ya came and asked me to guard and purify it, and my father accepted for me. He left because the taiji-ya said that I would not be able to marry, and would probably die at a fairly young age. I think he fled because that in his heart, he couldn't bear to see my withdrawal into myself and die earlier than I should. He's caring in that way."
"I know." Miryoku said quietly.
Slowly, the two walked on, bonding even closer.
~~~
That night, Inuyasha sat with Miryoku and Okita as dinner was served. Kagome entered from a door to the south, bearing a tray laden with soup, tea, and sake. Okita's brow furrowed in concentration. "Who is that?" he asked Miryoku. "Is that a new slave?"
"My concubine," Inuyasha said calmly. "Miryoku thought that she could serve."
Okita chuckled. "Getting the most out of the humans before they die, eh? Worthless bugs, most of them." Inwardly, Inuyasha felt like beating Okita's face in, but he controlled the urge, reminding himself that Kagome's safety relied on how well he dodged Okita's questions.
"Tea or sake, Inuyasha-sama?" Kagome asked quietly, keeping her eyes downcast.
"Tea," he said, forcing himself to not look into her eyes and smile lovingly.
"Okita-sama?"
"Sake."
"Miryoku-sama?"
"Tea, please, Kagome-san." Okita snorted at his mate's respectful tone. She ignored him. After pouring their respective drinks, Kagome bowed, set their soup down, and walked away.
"You didn't tell me you bought a concubine," Okita said, amusement on his face.
"Not every idiot brags when he buys a beautiful woman to sleep with," Inuyasha retorted, not missing a beat.
Okita blinked twice, stunned at the insult. Then he burst out laughing. "Well said, my boy! Two compliments and an insult, all in one sentence!"
Inuyasha smirked. "I'm only staying tonight and tomorrow afternoon. I'll be gone by dinnertime."
"So eager to leave?" Miryoku inquired quietly. "You don't visit enough."
"Well said," Okita agreed.
"I have…things to do."
The elder youkai scoffed. "I'm sure. If you had so much free time, you would join the Academy. Miryoku said Mary Reed offered you a place there. I'd have thought you would jump at the chance to become a Black Dancer."
"I prefer to not use magic. Besides which, it's much more fun hanging around the Nishi Oukyuu and annoying Sesshoumaru and his little human pet." Inuyasha chuckled at Okita's shocked look.
"Human...pet...?"
"Aa. He got some little girl as his slave, and he treats her more like a daughter than a slave. She even eats with us." Inuyasha could barely contain his laughter.
The meal continued without further notable event, Kagome watching from the door.
~~~
Inuyasha lay on his futon, impatiently waiting for Kagome to return. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (but was only about ten minutes), a section of the floor popped up, and Kagome poked her head out.
"There you are," he said grumpily. "I've been waiting forever."
Kagome giggled. "I'm sure you have. I'm sorry I took so long, oh great master of mine."
"Damn straight. Now get under the covers. I'm cold, and I want to sleep." Kagome snuggled next to him, loving the restored feeling of being in his arms.
I love you, my mate, he whispered mentally.
And I you...
Suddenly, the same section of floor that Kagome had emerged from snapped up, and Miryoku appeared, her hair in disarray and a distressed expression. "Inuyasha? Kagome-san?"
"What is it?" Inuyasha asked, sitting up.
"A letter has come from Mary Reed. Hurry; there's no time! We have to leave now. The Northern Palace is about to be attacked, and there's no way I can defend it right now. If we don't go, then you will die!"
"What about everybody else?" Kagome asked, upset.
"The slaves and servants are underground; I've shielded them. Okita will survive – he is a taiyoukai. The rest will die. There is nothing we can do."
Inuyasha closed his eyes. "Fine. Miryoku, lead us out of here." Kagome whimpered slightly. Inuyasha reached out and lifted her into his arms.
"Follow me," Miryoku said. They ducked into the underground slave quarters, and Miryoku reached into the bag slung over her shoulder to pull out a huge flower-shaped ruby. She held it up, and a section of the wall to their left fell down. The group hurried through, Inuyasha still carrying his mate.
After hours of wandering through seemingly endless tunnels, hearing deafening bangs that indicated that the Northern Palace was falling. Miryoku's expression was increasingly grave. "I'm taking you to the Academy. Mary Reed will know what to do."
"And if she doesn't?" Inuyasha asked. "What will we do then?"
"Then we go to Kangae's hideout. Either he or his mate Shiroi will know how to respond to this." After that, the group fell into an uncomfortable silence again. Miryoku's face had gone blank, as if she were afraid to show that she was upset.
"How much further is it to the Academy?" Kagome asked, trying to break the silence.
"Perhaps another ten minutes while walking," Miryoku said tonelessly.
Inuyasha closed his eyes. "Who was attacking?"
"Naraku," Miryoku spat out angrily. "He wants the Shikon no Tama, and we have a shard." She reached into a small pocket at her hip and pulled out a glimmering shard. "But I fooled the bastard! I took it with me, and put a ward on the shrine where it's normally kept. He must be tearing the palace up looking for it."
"I think I've heard that name before," Inuyasha said thoughtfully. "Miroku mentioned him."
"Not surprising." Finally, they reached a tall, gnarled tree with huge knots all over its enormous trunk. Miryoku poked at one near the top, straining a little in order to reach it. Inuyasha finally put Kagome down. Miryoku pulled a ribbon out of somewhere, and let her buns down. Then she swept the top half of her hair up into a flat-lying ponytail. "Mary makes all the Dancers wear their hair up," she explained.
The knot she had pressed suddenly popped into the tree, then the gap widened to allow them in. Carefully, the group wandered in, groping the walls in the darkness. As they approached a doorway, they saw a beautiful woman dancing on top of a pillar. She wore a purple kimono with two huge pink flowers on each sleeve. Smaller, paler flowers dotted the main body, the lining in black. White stripes alternating with black were sewn into the bottom hem. Her obi was black and a very pale blue.
On her left, a small pedestal held fire, casting a flickering shadow on the room. On her left, another small pedestal held a crackling blue ribbon on light, which twisted and jumped. The very air seemed to swirl together, forming a pattern of green and blue swirls. Whoever it was dancing had long golden hair, which swished around her feet. Her eyes were closed, the lids painted black.
Suddenly, she raised both her arms and a huge fiery bubble appeared, a small child with long orange hair contained in the center. It exploded with a red flash. A girl stood next to the Dancer. /I understand,/ she said in a voice that seemed to speak into their minds rather than their ears. /I will guard the children. Luck to you, Mary-sama./ And with that, she faded away.
The Dancer turned to face them. "Good evening. I am Mary Reed, mistress of this place. Welcome to the Academy. I've been waiting for you."
~~~
Wauw, a cliffhanger! Well, sorta. Sorry this took so long. It's been crazy at my house recently. Um, I know that "Miryoku" sounds a lot like "Miroku", but blame Maron-chan, not me. See, Miryoku means "bewitching", and since she's more or less a witch (she uses more black spells than summoning Magics), it worked out till we remembered...OOPS...Miroku. I was all for changing her name but didn't want to risk the wrath of my editor. So she's Miryoku.
Don't forget to read and review!
-Katra Winner