"The Other Wife"
by: E. Marie E-mail: Emw712@aol.com
Author's Note: June 1, 2003: *Sigh...well, so far, I have received very few reviews...but, I am not about to get discouraged here, people! Writing is a very selfish endeavor; I do this only for myself...and, I have to admit, I find it very appealing to be able to write Inuyasha into whatever situation I desire...bwahahaha!!!
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill. I don't own Inuyasha, but odds are, neither do you! So, you don't sue me, I don't sue you!
Chapter Three: "Archery" Lessons?
There he was. Inuyasha. Two feet in front of me. If I wanted to, I could reach out and stroke that marvelous white suit...I could imagine its soft feel, as I ran my fingers all the way up his...
"Kagome!" bellowed Lady Yura, her left eye twitching in sheer frustration. "Stupid child! Go, fetch that waiter directly and add another tea to the order!"
The heat of embarrassment radiated from my face; fumbling with my sewing, I rose from my seat, only to be staid by his hand, strong and guileless in the simple motion of urging me to remain.
"Let's not trouble the girl for my sake, madam. I will not stay here more than a moment," Inuyasha uttered, an edge of distaste evident in his voice.
Yura waved a jeweled hand in my direction. "As you will, Mr. Inu- chan, but I must insist you not treat every servant this way. Living alone in that wonderful mansion must have softened you in your treatment of the proletariat...or is that just your family's way?"
His grip on my arm tightened, and I dared not look him directly in the eye, so deep was my shame. Tears pulled in my eyes as he finally released me; falling back to the chair, I shifted my eyes slowly up his form, to find him, not looking directly at me, but at a point somewhere above my head.
Drawing in a breath sharply through his teeth, as if controlling the anger that rode beneath the surface of his very skin, he said to the lady, "I saw your companion practicing her skills with the bow and arrow. May I recommend you direct her to spend her time at the hotel's new shooting range? The targets were installed just last season and, from what I saw of her aim, this girl could truly use the practice. Unless of course, you are so uncouth as to not seek to improve your intimate charge?"
Lady Yura gasped in indignation. Even through my cloud of tears, I could see the vein on the side of her forehead swell with pressure, a sure sign of her seething anger. Throughout the highest social circles, Yura had been known for the past thirty years as the foremost in superficial "philanthropy" among her servants. My lack of skill in what she regarded as the sport of feudal kings had been a thorn in her side for the last several months, and for this man whom she sought so hard to impress to remark on that failing....I wondered if Inuyasha sought to have me discharged!
By the time Lady Yura's blinding anger had quelled and she was ready for a rebuttal, Inuyasha had vanished, slipped onto the nearest elevator, and was well on his way to the sanctity of a private room. Through the entire encounter, he had not once addressed me directly, nor had he called me by my name.
The next morning, I rose at dawn to see to milady's summons, only to find that she was "bedridden" with a "sudden case of vapors". These "vapors" had very easily diagnosed symptoms: whenever Lady Yura felt slighted by a member of her elitist clan, she would take to her bed for a few days, eating nothing but the finest French cuisine off the hotel's menu, terrorizing the maid service. Normally, I would sit by her bedside and read aloud articles from her favorite, vapid magazines, rubbing whatever parts of her anatomy "ached" the most, and doing random, meaningless tasks that exhausted me physically and emotionally. Since the blow Inuyasha dealt to her ego last night was so great (and was made in reference to me), I anticipated a day of backbreaking, heart wrenching....
"STOP!" cried the Lady Yura, as I entered the threshold of her suite. "Horrid girl, don't even dream about setting foot in here! You are to head straight away to the shooting range, a maid is already fetching your bow and arrows, and don't you dare return to face me until you are a competent archer, you impotent girl!"
Hiding my laughter, I retrieved my arrows from the already frazzled maid and made my way to the main foyer. No longer able to fight back my elation at this sudden chance at freedom, I executed a rather undignified skip into the main lobby.
"Careful, Kagome. Your mistress might catch you looking happy," called that voice from behind me.
Spinning on my heel, I gasped aloud when I saw Inuyasha, in well- tailored yet casual ensemble, this time, in varying shades of red, leaning against the cool surface of one of the lobby's marble pillars.
Clearing my throat, I found my voice at long last. "The Lady Yura is in bed with a sudden illness," I managed to squeak. "She has sent me to practice my archery-"
"Heh, at least that old bat is still predictable. That little barb I made last night was a gamble, but I was pretty sure I could win you your freedom. Kagome, I've done you a favor. Now it's your turn to show your gratitude."
Shifting my feet nervously, I clutched my bag and asked the inevitable question: "But what could I possibly do for you?"
Grabbing my wrist with what felt like great familiarity, he led me through the revolving door, out onto the lawn of the hotel, where a very expensive, very new automobile waited in readiness, top rolled down, engine running.
Looking in his eyes, I saw the first glint of humor I had seen in him. "Come," he said, opening the passenger side door. "Spend the day with me."
Knowing my reputation, my job, my well-being and, perhaps, my very heart were being jeopardized by this action, I did the only thing I could think of: I tossed my gold-tipped arrows and my bow in the backseat and got ready for the ride of my life.
by: E. Marie E-mail: Emw712@aol.com
Author's Note: June 1, 2003: *Sigh...well, so far, I have received very few reviews...but, I am not about to get discouraged here, people! Writing is a very selfish endeavor; I do this only for myself...and, I have to admit, I find it very appealing to be able to write Inuyasha into whatever situation I desire...bwahahaha!!!
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill. I don't own Inuyasha, but odds are, neither do you! So, you don't sue me, I don't sue you!
Chapter Three: "Archery" Lessons?
There he was. Inuyasha. Two feet in front of me. If I wanted to, I could reach out and stroke that marvelous white suit...I could imagine its soft feel, as I ran my fingers all the way up his...
"Kagome!" bellowed Lady Yura, her left eye twitching in sheer frustration. "Stupid child! Go, fetch that waiter directly and add another tea to the order!"
The heat of embarrassment radiated from my face; fumbling with my sewing, I rose from my seat, only to be staid by his hand, strong and guileless in the simple motion of urging me to remain.
"Let's not trouble the girl for my sake, madam. I will not stay here more than a moment," Inuyasha uttered, an edge of distaste evident in his voice.
Yura waved a jeweled hand in my direction. "As you will, Mr. Inu- chan, but I must insist you not treat every servant this way. Living alone in that wonderful mansion must have softened you in your treatment of the proletariat...or is that just your family's way?"
His grip on my arm tightened, and I dared not look him directly in the eye, so deep was my shame. Tears pulled in my eyes as he finally released me; falling back to the chair, I shifted my eyes slowly up his form, to find him, not looking directly at me, but at a point somewhere above my head.
Drawing in a breath sharply through his teeth, as if controlling the anger that rode beneath the surface of his very skin, he said to the lady, "I saw your companion practicing her skills with the bow and arrow. May I recommend you direct her to spend her time at the hotel's new shooting range? The targets were installed just last season and, from what I saw of her aim, this girl could truly use the practice. Unless of course, you are so uncouth as to not seek to improve your intimate charge?"
Lady Yura gasped in indignation. Even through my cloud of tears, I could see the vein on the side of her forehead swell with pressure, a sure sign of her seething anger. Throughout the highest social circles, Yura had been known for the past thirty years as the foremost in superficial "philanthropy" among her servants. My lack of skill in what she regarded as the sport of feudal kings had been a thorn in her side for the last several months, and for this man whom she sought so hard to impress to remark on that failing....I wondered if Inuyasha sought to have me discharged!
By the time Lady Yura's blinding anger had quelled and she was ready for a rebuttal, Inuyasha had vanished, slipped onto the nearest elevator, and was well on his way to the sanctity of a private room. Through the entire encounter, he had not once addressed me directly, nor had he called me by my name.
The next morning, I rose at dawn to see to milady's summons, only to find that she was "bedridden" with a "sudden case of vapors". These "vapors" had very easily diagnosed symptoms: whenever Lady Yura felt slighted by a member of her elitist clan, she would take to her bed for a few days, eating nothing but the finest French cuisine off the hotel's menu, terrorizing the maid service. Normally, I would sit by her bedside and read aloud articles from her favorite, vapid magazines, rubbing whatever parts of her anatomy "ached" the most, and doing random, meaningless tasks that exhausted me physically and emotionally. Since the blow Inuyasha dealt to her ego last night was so great (and was made in reference to me), I anticipated a day of backbreaking, heart wrenching....
"STOP!" cried the Lady Yura, as I entered the threshold of her suite. "Horrid girl, don't even dream about setting foot in here! You are to head straight away to the shooting range, a maid is already fetching your bow and arrows, and don't you dare return to face me until you are a competent archer, you impotent girl!"
Hiding my laughter, I retrieved my arrows from the already frazzled maid and made my way to the main foyer. No longer able to fight back my elation at this sudden chance at freedom, I executed a rather undignified skip into the main lobby.
"Careful, Kagome. Your mistress might catch you looking happy," called that voice from behind me.
Spinning on my heel, I gasped aloud when I saw Inuyasha, in well- tailored yet casual ensemble, this time, in varying shades of red, leaning against the cool surface of one of the lobby's marble pillars.
Clearing my throat, I found my voice at long last. "The Lady Yura is in bed with a sudden illness," I managed to squeak. "She has sent me to practice my archery-"
"Heh, at least that old bat is still predictable. That little barb I made last night was a gamble, but I was pretty sure I could win you your freedom. Kagome, I've done you a favor. Now it's your turn to show your gratitude."
Shifting my feet nervously, I clutched my bag and asked the inevitable question: "But what could I possibly do for you?"
Grabbing my wrist with what felt like great familiarity, he led me through the revolving door, out onto the lawn of the hotel, where a very expensive, very new automobile waited in readiness, top rolled down, engine running.
Looking in his eyes, I saw the first glint of humor I had seen in him. "Come," he said, opening the passenger side door. "Spend the day with me."
Knowing my reputation, my job, my well-being and, perhaps, my very heart were being jeopardized by this action, I did the only thing I could think of: I tossed my gold-tipped arrows and my bow in the backseat and got ready for the ride of my life.
