I want to thank all my reviewers for their positive feedback. You guys are great. I'm sorry I'm not responding individually to each of you, but I will name you. Nina, Tiranth (who filled my inbox with reviews!), LadyLanna, del-kaidin, and pruningshears (I will answer your question about Francesca when she wakes up ^_^)
Kaemon: -door slam- I have a complaint!
Lilac: -yawns and opens her eyes, mumbling- Wha?
Kaemon: How come Keitaro got to write his own story, and I didn't even get asked?! You're making me out to be a jerk, and not telling my side even close to right.
Lilac: -yawns again and looks at the clock- Come on Kae, I gotta go to work tomorrow morning, can't this wait?
Kaemon: No, it can't, unless you just want to prove that you're playing favorites. We already know you like Francesca better than anyone else, I mean, you even made her look like you.
Lilac: Actually, that's not completely true, my lovely copper locks are compliments of Lady Clairol, but that's beside the point. And I'm not playing favorites, I haven't done anything to make you look like a jerk.
Kaemon: Oh really? I'm the one who gets drunk and kisses Francesca, I'm the one who's acting like a male chauvenist and behaving like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, I'm the one who is an incompitant in battle and gets knocked out a few minutes in. You're really being fair to me!
Lilac: -sighs and crawls sleepily out of bed- I could do worse, I could make you exactly like Kouga, then the readers will really hate you, you know that? As for the male chauvenism, men of that time were like that, especially men of highborn status. Granted I only know that's true in Western European 15C society, and I don't know if that was the case in Japanese 15C society, so sue me for using creative licensing. And I didn't even write the last chapter, Kei did, so take it up with him!
Kaemon: Fine then, make it up to me. Turn on this strange box, and let me tell my side.
Lilac: -turns on the computer, signs in, opens Word- There, push these buttons, letters form on the screen, knock yourself out. I'm going to bed, 6 am comes really early! -collapses in bed-
*************************
He had a lot of nerve, I couldn't believe he was doing this to me, especially after I made my intentions perfectly clear. This one thing, why couldn't he just leave this one thing alone and to me. I should be the one she was clinging to, I should be the one holding her close, murmering softly to her when I think no one else is listening, or watching. She shouldn't even be in this state, Keitaro should have kept her far away from this battle, but no he couldn't even be counted on for that.
"Troubled brother," I heard Naoko say softly, as his horse sided along mine. We were still running from the storm, which was not moving fast, and it looked like we would clear this plain and reach suitable shelter before it came down on us.
"Only thinking of where to camp for the night," I said through gritted teach, fixing my gaze on the horizon. A group of moderately high mountains lay before us, and on the other side of that, lay the Western Lands. I shivered despite my best intentions. I didn't like Sesshomaru, he was the monster of my dreams and the fact I had to behave sociably with a-a youkai lord was beyond my comprehension. Mother and Father told me how many times he tried to kill them during their travels, all the troubles he caused. Nevermind the times he aided them, and pretended that he only did it to serve his interests. He was a youkai, and they were not to be trusted.
"We should reach the village at the start of the path through the mountains," Naoko continued and I wasn't sure if he bought my excuse or was just being conciderate. Sometimes with my brother you could never be sure. He was the only man I had ever met that I would not want to end up on wrong terms with. You were never quite sure what he was thinking.
"Let's hope they're willing to let our rag tag group in," I said, glaring at Keitaro who rode ahead. I saw his ears twitch slightly but he never turned around. Perhaps he didn't hear me after all. Our horses were exhausted form the day's run and I could see their growing weariness.
"Wheter they like us or not, we have to stop or our horses will drop dead," I decided and Naoko sped up to relay the news to Keitaro and Maeko. The latter nodded her head while the former seemed to make no response but hold his charge closer.
We let our hourses slow to a walk as we approached the village. The sky seemed to sweep up black upon us as we passed the first hut. One building stood out above the rest, since it had more than one floor. It was large and well lit from inside, the warm smells of cooking food filled our noses.
"Wait here,"I said, and swung off the back of my horse, greatful for the chance to stretch my stiff legs. Warm laughter and bright light from a large firepit in the middle of the hut greeted my eyes as I slid open the door panelling. All of which seed to freeze as I entered.
"We're looking for a place to rest for the night," I announced and everyone seemed overly nervous, staring at my katana and back at me.
"And who is we," spoke up a man in the corner, dressed in a threadbare kimono.
"My travelling companions and I."
"You're a young man, sleep outside," he retorted.
"We have 2 young women with us, one of which was injured in an attack totady, and cannot stand to be out in the coming storm," I drew myself tall, to make myself perhaps look more serious.
"Oh for the sake of heaven," chided an older woman coming in from another room, "Can't you see they're travel weary? Come in young sir, and your companions as well. We have a small room, not much comfort but its warm and dry," she offered.
I bowed to her, "I am much in your debt mother," I said bowing respectfully before hurring outside to tell the others. Kei sat stone still on his horse, Francesca still sleeping in his arms, and I turend my head to keep that image from burning in my mind.
"They have a room for us," I said and began unloading the horses. Tangy rain-laced wind whipped around us, and I knew we had just beaten the storm in. The man who had spoken up inside came out but paused when he saw Keitaro.
"Oh no, we don't want none of his type in here," he said, spitting at the ground beneath his horse, "The rest of you can stay, but the dirty halfbreed sleeps outside like the dog he is."
I blinked and felt my jaw drop visibly. I had heard of prejustice towards hanyous, my uncle often talked about the mistreatment that he suffered as a child, and while I harbored only a dislike for the youkai who harmed humans, I had never judged anyone for their birth.
Keitaro simply closed his eyes and leapt off his horse. He walked over to my brother and handed his delicate package to him.
"Take care of her, I'll be back after the storm passes," he said and bent to kiss Francesca's forehead gently, a tender look on his face that I had only seen him take with Kohana.
"Kei, I'm going with you, I won't stay in any place that won't let my brother stay," Maeko spoke up but he shook his head. "Mother would have my hide if she knew I let you out on a night like this. Stay with the others. Besides, someone has to stay with Francesca and defend her honor against our cousin," he gave me a wink, from eyes that were desperetely trying to look truly humored. Then he dissapeared into the darkening village. The old man spit in his direction and grabbed the reins of our horses, leading them into the small stable beside the in.
A rumble of thunder brought me back to my senses, and I grabbed the packs we had removed and hurried everyone into the inn. Kirara purred and shook off the few rain drops from her coat and followed Naoko and Maeko up the stairs motioned us by the woman.
There was only futon, which she offered to bring in more but we declined, she was already hospitable enough.
"Alright then, if that's what you want, I'll bring you some more blankets in the least for this young lady, she looks pale as death, and the warmth could help her, " she offered. "We have plenty of food downstairs, and you're more than welcome to have some."
Once she left, Maeko turned on me with a ferocity that was worthy of her father. "I can't believe you stood there and said nothing while they treated my brother like that!" she yelled.
I flinched, "Well what else was I supposed to do, the storms about to hit and we had no other choice."
"Still brother," spoke up Naoko, "I should hope your actions only reflect your concern fro Francesca's wellbeing, rather than your own feelings of competition for Keitaro."
Damn him, my baby brother was getting too perceptive. I gave him an innocent smile," Dear brother, causing a conflict with the owner would only have resulted with all of us being soaked. Besides Keitaro is resourceful enough. I'm sure he's well and dry," Maeko gave me another angry look and I felt guilty. I really hadn't give that a thought, but the more everyone mentioned it, the more I realized that in some way they were right. Francesca would wake and see me there and if this storm held out long enough, she would be accepting my proposal before we reached Sesshomaru.
Wait! What was I thinking? I looked shamefully down at my hands. My cousin was out in this storm, which had now decended upon us with a ferocity that made the walls of this warm place shiver. I couldn't gloat, not now. Kirara curled up on the futon beside Francesca's head, and drifted off to sleep, and I saw Maeko kneel beside our sleeping friend, before glancing back at us, her face white with the strain of being so close to the girl.
"You two leave please, go fetch something to eat and bring me something as well if you could. I'm going to check her bandages, and see if I can't wake her enough to eat."
I nodded and rose to my feet, following Naoko out the door, and going downstairs. Once again, all talking stopped as we entered the room, everyone watching us. We took a few empty bowls and began scooping some rice into them.
"It's not right, two young women travelling alone with three men," spoke up the old man, under the shocked glares of the other people in the room, but he didn't seem to care. "Oh, two men and an animal."
Naoko, who was always a solid stone in the face of adversity, calmly handed me his bowl and turned to face the old man.
"Sir, I would like that you do not speak of my cousin in that manner," he whispered very softly, but the stillness in the room made his voice travel very audibly.
"Your cousin? What a discrace to your family then, to be able to count that thing amongst your blood," replied the man, with a sincere look of regret on his face.
Naoko blinked once, and in a movement whose speed I had only seen my mother perform, he reached the man and grabbed him around the neck.
"You test the limits of a man's patience, and a monk's peace sir. Now, your own opinions are just that, and I prey Buddha grant you the wisdom to know that you do not speak ill of another man's family in front of his face," he whispered, his voice colder than the wind outside. "You have done enough that you have kept my cousin out in this horrible weather with your hatred, and left his sister in a state of worry over his well being, please behave with honor and keep your mouth shut."
I couldn't believe what was playing out before me, my pasifist, calm and loving brother had just attacked a man, in his own house. The man, whose eyes were the size of our rice bowls only gargled something that sounded like an apology and Naoko dropped him, and walked back over to me, gathering up his bowl and continued serving the food.
"Brother, you never cease to amaze me," I whispered to him, and he bowed his head.
"I may serve Buddha, but I am still a man, and perhaps too much of Mother's fire resides in me, I cannot stand slander so open, especially slander of my family," he replied.
"May I never have that fire directed towards me," I whispered again, a light hint of humor to my voice, and he turned his eyes towards me, and what I saw there stopped the smile on my face.
"You may just yet before this journey is over Kaemon, because like our dear cousin, you don't know when to quit," he said. I nodded, "Perhaps your right, but the prize is well worth the battle."
~~~~~~~~~~
Kaemon: There, I think I said my peace enough. Now- Lilac, how do you place this up so the others can read it?
Lilac (mumbles something in her sleep)
Kaemon: What was that my dear?
Lilac :Ugh, just hit the third little picture and leave it alone. I'll do it in the morning, when I'm awake like most decent people-(snore)
Kaemon: Oh, I see. (tiptoes out of the room)
Kaemon: -door slam- I have a complaint!
Lilac: -yawns and opens her eyes, mumbling- Wha?
Kaemon: How come Keitaro got to write his own story, and I didn't even get asked?! You're making me out to be a jerk, and not telling my side even close to right.
Lilac: -yawns again and looks at the clock- Come on Kae, I gotta go to work tomorrow morning, can't this wait?
Kaemon: No, it can't, unless you just want to prove that you're playing favorites. We already know you like Francesca better than anyone else, I mean, you even made her look like you.
Lilac: Actually, that's not completely true, my lovely copper locks are compliments of Lady Clairol, but that's beside the point. And I'm not playing favorites, I haven't done anything to make you look like a jerk.
Kaemon: Oh really? I'm the one who gets drunk and kisses Francesca, I'm the one who's acting like a male chauvenist and behaving like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, I'm the one who is an incompitant in battle and gets knocked out a few minutes in. You're really being fair to me!
Lilac: -sighs and crawls sleepily out of bed- I could do worse, I could make you exactly like Kouga, then the readers will really hate you, you know that? As for the male chauvenism, men of that time were like that, especially men of highborn status. Granted I only know that's true in Western European 15C society, and I don't know if that was the case in Japanese 15C society, so sue me for using creative licensing. And I didn't even write the last chapter, Kei did, so take it up with him!
Kaemon: Fine then, make it up to me. Turn on this strange box, and let me tell my side.
Lilac: -turns on the computer, signs in, opens Word- There, push these buttons, letters form on the screen, knock yourself out. I'm going to bed, 6 am comes really early! -collapses in bed-
*************************
He had a lot of nerve, I couldn't believe he was doing this to me, especially after I made my intentions perfectly clear. This one thing, why couldn't he just leave this one thing alone and to me. I should be the one she was clinging to, I should be the one holding her close, murmering softly to her when I think no one else is listening, or watching. She shouldn't even be in this state, Keitaro should have kept her far away from this battle, but no he couldn't even be counted on for that.
"Troubled brother," I heard Naoko say softly, as his horse sided along mine. We were still running from the storm, which was not moving fast, and it looked like we would clear this plain and reach suitable shelter before it came down on us.
"Only thinking of where to camp for the night," I said through gritted teach, fixing my gaze on the horizon. A group of moderately high mountains lay before us, and on the other side of that, lay the Western Lands. I shivered despite my best intentions. I didn't like Sesshomaru, he was the monster of my dreams and the fact I had to behave sociably with a-a youkai lord was beyond my comprehension. Mother and Father told me how many times he tried to kill them during their travels, all the troubles he caused. Nevermind the times he aided them, and pretended that he only did it to serve his interests. He was a youkai, and they were not to be trusted.
"We should reach the village at the start of the path through the mountains," Naoko continued and I wasn't sure if he bought my excuse or was just being conciderate. Sometimes with my brother you could never be sure. He was the only man I had ever met that I would not want to end up on wrong terms with. You were never quite sure what he was thinking.
"Let's hope they're willing to let our rag tag group in," I said, glaring at Keitaro who rode ahead. I saw his ears twitch slightly but he never turned around. Perhaps he didn't hear me after all. Our horses were exhausted form the day's run and I could see their growing weariness.
"Wheter they like us or not, we have to stop or our horses will drop dead," I decided and Naoko sped up to relay the news to Keitaro and Maeko. The latter nodded her head while the former seemed to make no response but hold his charge closer.
We let our hourses slow to a walk as we approached the village. The sky seemed to sweep up black upon us as we passed the first hut. One building stood out above the rest, since it had more than one floor. It was large and well lit from inside, the warm smells of cooking food filled our noses.
"Wait here,"I said, and swung off the back of my horse, greatful for the chance to stretch my stiff legs. Warm laughter and bright light from a large firepit in the middle of the hut greeted my eyes as I slid open the door panelling. All of which seed to freeze as I entered.
"We're looking for a place to rest for the night," I announced and everyone seemed overly nervous, staring at my katana and back at me.
"And who is we," spoke up a man in the corner, dressed in a threadbare kimono.
"My travelling companions and I."
"You're a young man, sleep outside," he retorted.
"We have 2 young women with us, one of which was injured in an attack totady, and cannot stand to be out in the coming storm," I drew myself tall, to make myself perhaps look more serious.
"Oh for the sake of heaven," chided an older woman coming in from another room, "Can't you see they're travel weary? Come in young sir, and your companions as well. We have a small room, not much comfort but its warm and dry," she offered.
I bowed to her, "I am much in your debt mother," I said bowing respectfully before hurring outside to tell the others. Kei sat stone still on his horse, Francesca still sleeping in his arms, and I turend my head to keep that image from burning in my mind.
"They have a room for us," I said and began unloading the horses. Tangy rain-laced wind whipped around us, and I knew we had just beaten the storm in. The man who had spoken up inside came out but paused when he saw Keitaro.
"Oh no, we don't want none of his type in here," he said, spitting at the ground beneath his horse, "The rest of you can stay, but the dirty halfbreed sleeps outside like the dog he is."
I blinked and felt my jaw drop visibly. I had heard of prejustice towards hanyous, my uncle often talked about the mistreatment that he suffered as a child, and while I harbored only a dislike for the youkai who harmed humans, I had never judged anyone for their birth.
Keitaro simply closed his eyes and leapt off his horse. He walked over to my brother and handed his delicate package to him.
"Take care of her, I'll be back after the storm passes," he said and bent to kiss Francesca's forehead gently, a tender look on his face that I had only seen him take with Kohana.
"Kei, I'm going with you, I won't stay in any place that won't let my brother stay," Maeko spoke up but he shook his head. "Mother would have my hide if she knew I let you out on a night like this. Stay with the others. Besides, someone has to stay with Francesca and defend her honor against our cousin," he gave me a wink, from eyes that were desperetely trying to look truly humored. Then he dissapeared into the darkening village. The old man spit in his direction and grabbed the reins of our horses, leading them into the small stable beside the in.
A rumble of thunder brought me back to my senses, and I grabbed the packs we had removed and hurried everyone into the inn. Kirara purred and shook off the few rain drops from her coat and followed Naoko and Maeko up the stairs motioned us by the woman.
There was only futon, which she offered to bring in more but we declined, she was already hospitable enough.
"Alright then, if that's what you want, I'll bring you some more blankets in the least for this young lady, she looks pale as death, and the warmth could help her, " she offered. "We have plenty of food downstairs, and you're more than welcome to have some."
Once she left, Maeko turned on me with a ferocity that was worthy of her father. "I can't believe you stood there and said nothing while they treated my brother like that!" she yelled.
I flinched, "Well what else was I supposed to do, the storms about to hit and we had no other choice."
"Still brother," spoke up Naoko, "I should hope your actions only reflect your concern fro Francesca's wellbeing, rather than your own feelings of competition for Keitaro."
Damn him, my baby brother was getting too perceptive. I gave him an innocent smile," Dear brother, causing a conflict with the owner would only have resulted with all of us being soaked. Besides Keitaro is resourceful enough. I'm sure he's well and dry," Maeko gave me another angry look and I felt guilty. I really hadn't give that a thought, but the more everyone mentioned it, the more I realized that in some way they were right. Francesca would wake and see me there and if this storm held out long enough, she would be accepting my proposal before we reached Sesshomaru.
Wait! What was I thinking? I looked shamefully down at my hands. My cousin was out in this storm, which had now decended upon us with a ferocity that made the walls of this warm place shiver. I couldn't gloat, not now. Kirara curled up on the futon beside Francesca's head, and drifted off to sleep, and I saw Maeko kneel beside our sleeping friend, before glancing back at us, her face white with the strain of being so close to the girl.
"You two leave please, go fetch something to eat and bring me something as well if you could. I'm going to check her bandages, and see if I can't wake her enough to eat."
I nodded and rose to my feet, following Naoko out the door, and going downstairs. Once again, all talking stopped as we entered the room, everyone watching us. We took a few empty bowls and began scooping some rice into them.
"It's not right, two young women travelling alone with three men," spoke up the old man, under the shocked glares of the other people in the room, but he didn't seem to care. "Oh, two men and an animal."
Naoko, who was always a solid stone in the face of adversity, calmly handed me his bowl and turned to face the old man.
"Sir, I would like that you do not speak of my cousin in that manner," he whispered very softly, but the stillness in the room made his voice travel very audibly.
"Your cousin? What a discrace to your family then, to be able to count that thing amongst your blood," replied the man, with a sincere look of regret on his face.
Naoko blinked once, and in a movement whose speed I had only seen my mother perform, he reached the man and grabbed him around the neck.
"You test the limits of a man's patience, and a monk's peace sir. Now, your own opinions are just that, and I prey Buddha grant you the wisdom to know that you do not speak ill of another man's family in front of his face," he whispered, his voice colder than the wind outside. "You have done enough that you have kept my cousin out in this horrible weather with your hatred, and left his sister in a state of worry over his well being, please behave with honor and keep your mouth shut."
I couldn't believe what was playing out before me, my pasifist, calm and loving brother had just attacked a man, in his own house. The man, whose eyes were the size of our rice bowls only gargled something that sounded like an apology and Naoko dropped him, and walked back over to me, gathering up his bowl and continued serving the food.
"Brother, you never cease to amaze me," I whispered to him, and he bowed his head.
"I may serve Buddha, but I am still a man, and perhaps too much of Mother's fire resides in me, I cannot stand slander so open, especially slander of my family," he replied.
"May I never have that fire directed towards me," I whispered again, a light hint of humor to my voice, and he turned his eyes towards me, and what I saw there stopped the smile on my face.
"You may just yet before this journey is over Kaemon, because like our dear cousin, you don't know when to quit," he said. I nodded, "Perhaps your right, but the prize is well worth the battle."
~~~~~~~~~~
Kaemon: There, I think I said my peace enough. Now- Lilac, how do you place this up so the others can read it?
Lilac (mumbles something in her sleep)
Kaemon: What was that my dear?
Lilac :Ugh, just hit the third little picture and leave it alone. I'll do it in the morning, when I'm awake like most decent people-(snore)
Kaemon: Oh, I see. (tiptoes out of the room)
