AN: Special thanks to usarchie for the idea for the title of this chapter.
I think he/she meant for it to go to the last chapter, but I thought it
was too funny to work, so I put it for this one!
Also, just want to say hi to Ketara, who I just found out is in my area!
Finally, I'm loving to do dedications now, so this chapter is dedicated to Emania who gave me 7 reviews in less than 15 min *takes note for a new record* She is writing an AWSOME fic called Breaking the Habit, something very original and very in character as well, with just enough fluff to keep me distracted from my own writing, something she says I do to her. Isn't it great? ^_^
I do apologize as my posts might get longer apart, I am now doing full time college, and three jobs. So forgive me ahead of time guys, and I'll try my best to keep up. I'm also working on three research papers for my classes so, gomen nasai *bows*
Oh yeah, and late breaking news *telegraph sound*. I have a beta reader for Well!! The unfortunate soul is Dia!! Unfortunate because when I have any doubts about the sound of a chapter, or how well it flows, I tend to work my beta readers to death for their opinions and ideas. Oh but what a horrible way to go huh? *applause for the courageous Dia*
Review comments:
Del_kaidin(): Actually it would have been this morning, and well I'm not quite sure what their living arrangements are. It was customary (in Europe, not Japan that I know of) that the nobility rarely if ever shared rooms, even married. I guess it made it easier for the guy to have "nightly" visitors. *laugh* As for her scent, good point! I didn't really think of that, but concidering she didn't quite step far from the forest, and the only thing she touched was the assassin, it doesn't leave much of a trail. Of course her scent would be there at this point, she's there, so it kinda blows that idea out of the water.good job noticing those things though. Everyone has figured out who was behind it, but they don't have the proof, and they would need the proof to act on things. By the way, I got your review for Haunted. Don't worry, my song fics aren't distracting me from Well, they're just giving my mind a break and refreshing me. *grin*. It can be a little dizzying flipping between Kei and Rose. *laugh*
uscarchie(): LOL, I'm already chained to my computer, just I should be writing for school, not for pleasure. Ah well, I'm a slave to my imagination! *laugh* I loved your title, I think I'll use it, thanks!
Nina-Moon-Princess: LOL, I love throwing in a good twist!
Niaka1: Yeah, she does like bloodshed, especially human bloodshed. Meghan, my muse behind Megahna basically described her as this, "A cold heartless murder hungry bitch who hates humans 10x more than Sesshomaru ever did." So I try to stick with that formula. However, she's not as simple as she might appear, she's got a secret that no one knows about, and I'm trying to figure out how to write *grin*
Shekahla: I'm glad you enjoyed these chapters! As for Megahna, well she (edited for spoiler content), and that's what happens to her at the end. *grin* Enjoy!
Tiranth: Poor Kae, he's just a guy, we shouldn't hate him too much. *laugh*
Pruningshears: I was hoping someone would notice that she didn't use her empathy. I thought about it, but first of all, until the end, she thought it was Kaemon, and she would have assumed that using her empathy would have just subjected her to his emotional whirlwind, and secondly, she really doesn't like poking her nose into people's personal stuff, at least normally. And of course she's not dead *laugh*, it's against the code of writers, commandment #1 :Thou shalt not kill off the popular main character.
Inu Girl(): Woah!! First of all, a friendly note. Netiquette says that typing in all caps is like yelling on the Internet, and it is a little nerve wrecking to get reviews that are literally screaming at me. I appreciate your enthusiasm though, just tone down the caps a little ^_^
Msmidnight2(): Oooh.begging and pleading for my chapters *ego boost*. Yeah, I got slapped with the "Queen of cliffies" label by another reader for one of my other stories. But I can't STAND cliffies, so I try not to use them all too much, though they do keep people wanting more ^_^
Emania: I'm sorry hun, I'll try and get more forward arrows for you to push. I promise. I have a few days free from work or school this weekend, and baring taking my nieces to the hospital to see their new sister, I should be able to write quite a bit, maybe even have a new chapter out by Monday *smile*.
shinkan neko85: A new face amongst my readers, welcome!! I'll work on the Maeko/Naoko romance a little, its not going to be as big a focus as Rose/Kei, but since Francesca isn't around, and Kei's on edge, he's gonna be noticing a few things soon. *slaps her hand over her mouth* Oooh, I hope that wasn't too much of a spoiler.
Keitaro: Hey! Are you saying I haven't noticed some things?
Lilac: *looks innocent* Um, no, not at all hun.
Keitaro: Hmmm, well get writing wench!
Lilac: *sighs*
BeyondWords: That's okay, I understand how life can suddenly fill up your day *laugh* Speaking of which, I have to hurry up with all these review comments and get to class!
Kay14: Oh, don't cry!! *sniffles as well* I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I can *hands you a tissue*
Dia(): Yay, some sympathy for Kaemon!
Kaemon: See, someone understands me. *charming smile* So, beautiful lady.
Lilac: *rolls her eyes* Hey Dia, watch those hands. Remember whose son he is.
Kaemon: *looks insulted* Why Lilac, you always assume the worst about me! *sneaks his hand behind his back*
Kim: Thanks Kim, and welcome to my reader group!
Fire Kitsune Goddess: *laugh* really?!! I'm glad!! Nerve racking *goes off to plot more intensity just to keep FKG on edge.
AN: Also guys, I need some advise. I've seen some stories lately, that well honestly *coughs politely* lack substance and dialogue, but they've got over 500 reviews. I don't understand it. Is it in my summary? What do you guys think? How can I get more reviews?
Chapter 29
~~*~~ (Keitaro)
I heard a growl catch my ear, as I was making sure the last of our provisions was secured to the packs of the Siamese dragons my uncle was giving us to use. I glanced down to see the black firecat that I had rescued, Mistero as Rose had named him. He was staring at me with a look of determination on his face.
"What do you want furball? We're kind of in a hurry," I hissed, and felt his claw dig into my foot. He yowled again and I looked down, just in time to see the flames erupt from his paws as he transformed into his much larger form. His head now reached my chest, and he stared up into my eyes, growling. He stepped forward and buried his nose in the packs, startling my ride.
"Not now Mistero!" I yelled, and he turned and hissed, burying his nose in the packs again. I had the suspicion that he was trying to tell me something and so I moved some of the packs out of the way, and saw what he was getting at: Francesca's pack.
"Leave that alone," I said, surprised at the emotion that caught in my throat. He hissed and pressed his nose firmly against it, taking a deep breath. His youkai grew more powerful, and I realized that he wasn't just smelling it, he was absorbing the scent.
"You're going to go look for her?" I asked, and he stared up at me. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was giving me the "no kidding stupid, what else could I be doing" look. I nodded, "You can probably track her through the canyon better than we can. Are you going to be alright flying through there, the air currents are probably pretty rough, and Francesca would have my hide if I let you get hurt?" I reached down and scratched the scruff of fur on the back of his neck.
"Find her Mistero. Find her and protect her until we can get to you. No matter what, keep her moving north. Don't bring her back here, it's not safe for her here without me. Keep moving north and I'll find you both," I whispered, watching his ears twitch. He turned his nose into my wrist, a light touch that showed his affirmation, and turned to walk away, taking to the skies as soon as he reached a clear spot. I heard a sad noise behind me, and saw Kirara approaching, her eyes on the now disappearing black figure in the sky. I knelt down and picked her up, and she mewed sadly in my arms.
"Don't worry Kirara, our mates will be alright," I said soothingly. How had I known? Call it instinct, a common connection that I felt with the firecat. She mewed again, and I let her back down, to finish fixing the packs. These dragons would carry us as far as the end of the lands, out of sight of most, but once there, we were on our own. My uncle had given me some money to use to procure horses, so that we weren't walking. I saddened at the thought of riding alone, but quickly shook that thought from my mind. I was going to find her, I knew I was. We hadn't come through so much to lose each other now.
The rest of my companions were gathered behind me, saying their various goodbyes. Kohana ran past everyone and jumped into my arms.
"You be safe Nii-san" she whispered, hugging her small arms around my neck, and I hugged her back, noticing for the first time that even Kohana carried a lingering scent of Francesca on her.
I lifted my head, and stared at her, "You smell like her."
She blinked and reached inside her kimono, pulling out the long golden chain with the strange ornament on it, "She gave this to me, to keep safe. She said it brought her luck, do you think I took her luck away?" Her large golden eyes reflected infinite sadness as she looked for my reaction.
I smiled and kissed her forehead, "No Kohana, you didn't take her luck away. She gave you that necklace because she treasures it, and you. You are her luck now, so don't be worried or sad, because I promise to bring her back."
She nodded and hugged me again, before letting go, and running off to my parents. Everyone joined me alongside our mounts, and I nodded to my family, looking at my mother. I knew she was probably still studying that English book so I said very simply, "Find who did this," in English. Everyone froze and stared at me, but I simply ignored them and climbed up on my mount, motioning for everyone to take off.
As the ground disappeared beneath us, I looked down at my littlest sister, seeing the hope and worry in her eyes. It broke my heart to think she might have to face the loss of anyone, and I vowed that I wouldn't let her.
~~*~~ (Francesca)
I could only remember the sensation of floating, weightless and senseless. Perhaps floating was the wrong word, I felt like I had fallen within myself, for I sank down into a nothingness. It was peaceful and completely quiet.
Suddenly I wasn't alone. Someone else was there, a presence that I could only describe as warm and wholly sad. It seemed to ask me, without words, but only emotions, "Why are you here now? You have so much more to do out there" I tried to answer but couldn't form the words. The presence smiled and pushed me. I felt myself rising rapidly, so quickly that everything began to ache painfully, and with a sharp jab of pain in my chest I opened my eyes. My body jerked forcefully, the pain blinding me as horrible tasting muddy water shot from my mouth.
Someone turned me on my side and I weakly emptied the contents of my stomach and lungs onto the ground before me. My whole body hurt. I saw one of my hands just out of the corner of my eye; it was scratched, white and bleeding. A gentle hand was patting my back, and as I coughed the last of the water out, I heard a soothing voice whispering, "Fortunate child, you'll be fine." I shivered as my body responded to the fact that I was soaked, weary and beginning to go into shock.
As if expecting this, I felt something warm and heavy fall over me, blocking out the cold and making me feel safe and secure. My eyes began to droop close, as I felt the need to retreat into the blackness of sleep, away from the nightmare that teased at my mind. I wanted to see the nightmare, I wanted to try and focus on it, but when I reached towards it, it slipped just past my fingertips. I knew it was important, it had to be important, inside I felt a hunger to know, but I couldn't-I couldn't remember.
I felt strong arms scoop me up, and a large figure of a man held me tightly against him. I felt my head fall to the side as I stared blankly at the scene before me. The landscape was drab and dark, black rocks covered in a dirty grey light and a thick wet fog covered everything like cotton. I blinked quickly, fighting against fatigue and my eyes focused on an older woman walking before me, hunched over with age, using a cane to hold herself steady.
I sighed softly and closed my eyes, and was quickly shaken roughly.
"No, tennyou-sama. Do not fall asleep, you need to stay awake till my mother can tend to your wounds."
Tennyo, where had I heard that word before? Tennyo, those were the spirits from the sky, weren't they? Something about a woman, and a robe, oh what was wrong with me? I could remember halves, but not the whole of things. I sighed again, and stared ahead as a small shack, that looked like it had seen better days, appeared before us. The wood was black, and had obviously submitted to this mist for longer than it should. It looked like it would fall apart any minute.
The man who was carrying me carefully placed me on a mat inside the doorway and disappeared behind the falling doormat.
"Mother, are you sure?"
"Hai, there is no mistake, the clothing, and that hair. She must be a tennyo, fallen from the sky."
"But where is her robe? Tennyos have robes."
"Perhaps she lost it in the river. The water is vicious, and the rocks could have torn it from her. You saw her clothing, they were left in rags. Now hurry back down to the water, and make sure you look for it. If you have the robe, you can keep the girl."
"Yes mother," I heard, and the voices stopped. They must be talking about me, I concluded, trying to shift and get up, but every muscle in my body screamed at me, and I resigned myself to laying down. First get better, then get out of here. I knew I couldn't be a tennyo, I would remember at least that, wouldn't I?
I heard the doormat move with a horrible scratching noise that made me flinch. The old woman's shuffling feet sounded like sandpaper to my ears and I bit my lip slightly to keep from making a noise. She knelt by my side and began to examine my arms, and down my sides, pressing her hand against a particularly painful spot in my side when I flinched. She dug her bony fingertips into my skin, and I felt my breath rush from my lungs.
"Ow," I whispered and she looked up at me, her beady eyes studying me.
"You are certainly an unusual girl," she croaked, and pulled a warm blanket over me. "But I don't really think you're a tennyo. They're supposed to be graceful and excellent swimmers and you were barely holding onto life. I'm amazed that you survived at all: the canyon this river flows from, no living thing has ever passed through. You are either very blessed, or you have a strong place in this world. What is your name?"
I stared at her and opened my mouth, and everything inside went completely blank. I closed my mouth and took a deep breath, then tried again. Nothing.
"I-I can't remember," I whispered as the realization hit me.
She studied me a moment, "Well, then I shall name you. You shall be known as Bara. Now Bara, rest up, and regain your strength. My son cannot marry a weak woman."
I blinked in surprise, "Marry?"
"Of course, my son needs a healthy wife, and you have no home. It is a match made in heaven. Now sleep," she said, and I felt a great drowsiness come over me. Inside, my mind was screaming in alarm. Something wasn't right, I couldn't marry her son. Everything inside me told me it was horribly wrong, but I couldn't remember why. The world blurred to a fuzzy grey, then to a quiet black, as I struggled to find the answers locked inside.
AN: And for all you wondering, Bara means "rose". *laugh*
~~*~~ Keitaro
The villagers greeted us with a fanfare that angered and embarrassed me, bowing or cheering at our approach.
"Hypocrites," I muttered under my breath and swung my leg off the saddle of my mount. I saw my sister with an equally scornful look on her face and smiled. At least someone else noticed the change of attitude.
"Won't you stay one night honored guests?" asked the innkeeper and I fixed him with a cold stare.
"No, we're leaving as soon as you get us our horses," I snarled, and he flinched, looking pale.
"Yes Keitaro-sama," he said and hurried away.
"Weren't you being a little hard on him?" Kaemon grumbled.
I snorted, "Hardly, he deserves to sweat a little," I growled, flexing my fingers. I had to agree with him though, my temper was extremely short, even for me. I was anxious, angered, and irritable, and I knew why. My instincts were angry at me for not going with Mistero to look for Francesca, but I knew that he could find her quicker, and get her to safety faster than the group of us could.
~~*~~ Bara
I awoke the next morning, or at least it seemed like morning. Something told me that this land neverr saw past the gloom and mist. It smelled horribly of wet earth, rotting vegetation, and the heavy staleness of the mist. I covered my nose with my hand, cringing as a violent shiver of disgust shook me, and noticed that my hands were wrapped up in a sort of crude bandage. My nose caught the nauseating whiff of something rotten and sour from within the bandages, and I pulled my hands away from my face, trying to pull off those disgusting bandages.
"Oh good, you're awake," I heard and turned my head to see a lump of a shadow in the corner of the room. I shivered and tried to sit up, but my hands ached as I put weight on them, and I resigned myself to just laying there as the lump moved closer. It was the man who had carried me earlier. My mind began to register the events, well most of them. The further back I tried to remember, the more my head ached, and my mind grew heavy and dizzy.
He was, what some would call a gentle giant, large, and not very attractive, but he had a kind face, and a genuine look of concern in his eyes as he approached me. In some ways, he reminded me of Jinenji, for he had a very calming effect about him, child like in a way. Wait a moment! I blinked and summoned up the name that had entered my head, and saw the large, kind man that I knew. He had a strange double image in my head, one living and one drawn. I blinked, but was ecstatic. No matter the memory, they were memories. I held onto them as long as I could, and didn't even notice the man had moved right next to me, and had taken my hands in his.
"Mother said not to touch the bandages, but you don't seem to like them, so I think I can take them off," he said softly and seemed to try avoiding touching my hands as much as possible as he carefully unbound them. I felt the cool air touch my skin, and it felt like my hands took a deep breath of the cleaner air. I stared at the goop that covered my hands, and cringed.
"Can you get this off, it smells horrible," I whispered and he nodded. Very quickly he used a nearby piece of cloth to gently wipe the slime from my hands. I stared at the red welts and cuts that tic-toed the palms of my hands, almost as if I weren't even aware they were my hands.
"Mother said you must have tried to grab the rocks in the river, but they're very sharp. You're lucky they didn't cut you worse," he said, and gently slipped his hand beneath my head, propping me up. With his other hand, he lifted a steaming bowl to my lips. It too reeked of bitter herbs and foul water and I instinctively puckered my lips, but he pressed the bowl to my lips insistently.
"This will help you feel better tennyo-sama," he said, and I complied. The sooner I was well, the sooner I could leave, and get away from his mother's wild idea. As the warm liquid slid down my throat, I began to feel my body growing uncomfortably heavy, and my limbs began to grow numb to my commands. My mind screamed that something wasn't right, I wasn't that tired a minute ago, and I realized it was the liquid.
"Drugged," I managed to mumble, my lips barely functioning.
"Of course, it is healing medicine, " he replied. Deep inside, I felt something stir, swallowing up over my senses, a fighting urge that sent my blood boiling, and the anger blinded me.
"NO!" I shouted and the heaviness lifted. I swung wildly, knocking the bowl from my lips sending it flying upwards and splashing the medicine into his eyes. He screamed, and I took the opportunity to launch myself off the futon with all the strength that my adrenaline was giving me. I had to get away
~~*~~ Keitaro
I felt anger surge through me, as I began to secure the packs to our horses. It came through the air and hit me like fire.
"Rose" I gasped and turned to the others. "We leave now!" I shouted and startled my horse. All heads turned to me in confusion and horror and I knew I must be a sight. I could feel my blood boiling, as it did when my youkai tried to take over my senses. Before I could barely keep it down, it screamed for Francesca. The roar inside was almost deafening both in need of her in the knowledge that she needed me.
The horses snorted madly as I approached and I took a long deep breath as I grabbed the reigns of the one I knew to be Francesca's. I pulled his head level to mine.
"Remember our agreement?" I snarled and his large eyes locked onto mine as he snorted his assent. I nodded, "Good, cause its still in effect, so let's cooperate." He bowed his head and as Rose had shown me, I swung my leg over his back and pulled myself up.
"Take only what we really need," I told my companions, seeing them regretfully drop a pack from their horses.
"But Keitaro-sama, the food," spoke up a woman. I gave her a grin and flexed my hand for her to see, flashing my claws. The children all made admiring noises, while the men laughed nervously and the women looked pale.
"We'll be fine for food," I said arrogantly, and nudged my ride into a gallop, not caring to see if the others were with me. My sister was the first to reach my side, leaning low to her horse, her long black hair flying behind her. In that moment, she reminded me a great deal of my mother, riding like the wind to fight a youkai.
"It's her, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yes, and she needs me," I snapped, something that didn't seem to phase her in the least. She simply nodded and let her horse fall back behind mine as we raced north.
~~*~~ Francesca
I don't know where the strength came from, but somehow I managed to crawl out of the shack, only to be grabbed by my hair and pulled to a sitting position. For an old woman, she was surprisingly strong.
"Ungrateful bitch," she croaked, "I took you in, mended your wounds, and you repay me by hurting my son and trying to run away!"
"I can't marry him," I screamed both in anger and pain. She pulled harder and I screeched.
"Mother, look!" I heard the man speak and felt a bony hand grab me around the jaw and jerk my head to the side. Knobby fingers traced my neck a moment.
"A mating mark," I heard and an image appeared in my head, golden eyes that glowed with power and the feel of arms around me.
"Mother, if it's a mating mark, then her mate must be looking for her," he said and I heard the fear in his voice.
The old woman released her grip on my hair, and I fell to the ground weakly, "Get out of here, now before I change my mind and cast you into the river again to die, youkai filth," she hissed.
"Does this mean I'm not getting married?" moped the man.
"Oh my son, we'll find you a good wife, not some trash who mates with monsters."
I felt my cheeks flush, but I couldn't defend myself. I could only assume she was right about the mark. I didn't feel ashamed, only angry; angry that they were insulting him. But who was he? My head swam as I tried to figure it out.
"Go!" screamed the old woman, white spittle formed on her lips as she raised her cane. I cringed and waited for it to descend, but nothing came but a frightened whimper. I felt wind and flame behind me and lifted my head. Towering over me was the largest cat I had ever seen, as tall as a horse, with glowing red eyes and flames erupting from his massive paws. As much as I should have been afraid, I felt there was something very familiar about him, something comforting.
He yowled and the old woman and her son fell back as this mysterious savior walked in front of me and knelt between us. I weakly reached up and grabbed hold of his thick fur and pulled myself up on his back, lying more than sitting. The warmth and thickness of his fur blanketed me. He yowled again and I got the impression he was showing off before he leapt up into the air. I clung to him with all the strength I had in my hands, barely feeling the chill of the air rushing over me, because he was so warm. After a few minutes, I felt the roughness of his movements, the growling that rumbled through him die down. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was safe.
We traveled until the light began to die away and my companion descended into the forest below. I thought we were going to land in the forest, but just over the treetops I saw smoke rising up in the coming dusk, and we landed beside a small, but warm looking cottage. The cat yowled again loudly, and from the house came a young looking man, a woman of the same age, and two small children. The children quickly hid behind the skirt of their mother, as their father stepped forward, holding a stick in his hand.
"Go away youkai, we have nothing for you," he yelled and the cat hissed softly, and knelt down. As soon as I knew we were low enough, I loosened my grip and tumbled from his back, hitting the hard dirt painfully. I heard the gasp from the young woman, and looked up at the mysterious cat, as he shimmered for a moment, and shrank. I watched until standing beside me, was a small normal kitten, black as midnight, who mewed and licked my cheek, before looking at the family.
"Get some rags, quickly," the woman said, and the two children ran inside as she hurried to my side.
"Sen, one of my old kimonos," she told the man, who was still standing there in shock.
"But it's a." he began and she gave him a cold look.
"It's a woman that needs our help, and that's all we should care about," she said softly, and he turned with a sigh. I watched her, as she gently knelt beside me, and smiled.
"I am sorry for my husband, it has been difficult for us, the youkai of the forest are not kind to our fields, though they have not harmed my family, thank Buddha," she said. I didn't say anything, I was still worried after my encounter with the old woman. I turned my head away from her.
"Can you speak?" she asked.
I nodded, "Yes."
"Ah good, I was afraid you were a foreigner, you have such lovely red hair. What is your name?"
I took deep breath, "I don't know." The cat in front of me made a sharp mewing noise.
She laughed softly, "That's silly, how can you not know your name?"
I turned to look at her, and she stopped laughing as she saw the seriousness in my eyes, "I don't remember anything past last evening. I woke up, and there was an old woman who said I was in the river where nothing lives. She called me Bara, I guess it's a name for now." I felt warmth coming from this woman, where the old woman was cold and hard, and her son felt like nothingness. Wait, people feeling? Where was this coming from? How could I know what people felt like?
"Bara, it seems fitting," she said and the cat made a laughing noise.
I turned my head, "Well, if you know better, then you should tell me!" He gave me a look that silenced me, but seemed to be very pensive. The children ran out with water and rags, and she shooed them away.
"Let me see what I can do for these cuts, and then we'll get you inside," she said softly, and I felt very comfortable with her. Perhaps because she was a mother and mothers have a natural way to make those around them feel safe and warm. I lay there, trying not to make a sound as she dipped the rags in hot water and carefully cleaned off my hands. The cat seemed to want to help, and I felt his little rough tongue lapping at my wrist. I closed my eyes as another familiar feeling swept through me. Pain, and a lightheaded feeling, then all consuming warmth, and the feeling of something brushing my neck, warm and wet. I felt strength flow through me with each touch.
I felt something brush my neck and my eyes flew open, my hand grabbing the woman's quickly. She was looking down at my neck, the same way that the old woman had at first. I pulled my hand away and flinched, waiting for the inevitable horror and disgust, but instead she looked into my eyes and smiled sadly.
"You must have had such a hard time, because of him, haven't you?" she said softly. I blinked and stared at her.
"The old woman called me filth," I said, feeling something flow down the side of my face.
"Some people think that a human who falls in love with a youkai, have betrayed their people. But you can't help who you fall in love with. Love surpasses all time and boundaries. There is a legend, of a beautiful priestess who fell in love with a hanyou, and together they defeated a horrible monster. They say she came from a land far away, and had to overcome many difficulties, but in the end, they were happy. I hope that you and your mate find the same happiness."
I felt something stir inside me, warm and familiar. This story sounded so familiar to me, it struck a strong chord deep inside, and I whispered softly, "Inuyasha."
She looked down at me, "You know the tale?"
I blinked and shook my head, "I'm sorry, I just remembered that name."
She watched me curiously, and touched the mark on my neck. "You are safe here with my family, come. Let's get you dressed into something decent and some warm food into you."
I felt a hand scoop under my back and legs and saw the husband looking down at me. I blushed, "Thank you," I whispered and he nodded. He didn't seem as happy as his wife, but I knew that he wasn't going to harm me either.
"Mistero," I said, calling down to the cat, who mewed in response and followed at our heels. Mistero. That was a strange name, I wondered where it came from.
The man set me down on a clean futon, and I was instantly surrounded by the curious eyes of the two children, a boy and a girl, who stared at me in amazement. I smiled warmly and they giggled and ran to their father.
True to her word, the woman dressed me in a warm, worn, but clean kimono, and helped me swallow some soup. I yawned wearily and she carefully pulled a blanket up over me. "Rest well," she said gently, and left me in peace. I felt movement on my side, and saw the cat had curled up next to me.
"Mistero, is that your name?" I looked at him and he stared at me with unblinking red eyes, before mewing what sounded like an affirmative. I smiled, at least that made things easier.
"Good night Mistero," I whispered, and drifted into a deep peaceful sleep.
AN: I hope you all liked this, I'm sorry it took me so long to get it out! I'll try to get Chapter 30 done before the weekend, so that way you all have something to read while I'm gone.
Also, just want to say hi to Ketara, who I just found out is in my area!
Finally, I'm loving to do dedications now, so this chapter is dedicated to Emania who gave me 7 reviews in less than 15 min *takes note for a new record* She is writing an AWSOME fic called Breaking the Habit, something very original and very in character as well, with just enough fluff to keep me distracted from my own writing, something she says I do to her. Isn't it great? ^_^
I do apologize as my posts might get longer apart, I am now doing full time college, and three jobs. So forgive me ahead of time guys, and I'll try my best to keep up. I'm also working on three research papers for my classes so, gomen nasai *bows*
Oh yeah, and late breaking news *telegraph sound*. I have a beta reader for Well!! The unfortunate soul is Dia!! Unfortunate because when I have any doubts about the sound of a chapter, or how well it flows, I tend to work my beta readers to death for their opinions and ideas. Oh but what a horrible way to go huh? *applause for the courageous Dia*
Review comments:
Del_kaidin(): Actually it would have been this morning, and well I'm not quite sure what their living arrangements are. It was customary (in Europe, not Japan that I know of) that the nobility rarely if ever shared rooms, even married. I guess it made it easier for the guy to have "nightly" visitors. *laugh* As for her scent, good point! I didn't really think of that, but concidering she didn't quite step far from the forest, and the only thing she touched was the assassin, it doesn't leave much of a trail. Of course her scent would be there at this point, she's there, so it kinda blows that idea out of the water.good job noticing those things though. Everyone has figured out who was behind it, but they don't have the proof, and they would need the proof to act on things. By the way, I got your review for Haunted. Don't worry, my song fics aren't distracting me from Well, they're just giving my mind a break and refreshing me. *grin*. It can be a little dizzying flipping between Kei and Rose. *laugh*
uscarchie(): LOL, I'm already chained to my computer, just I should be writing for school, not for pleasure. Ah well, I'm a slave to my imagination! *laugh* I loved your title, I think I'll use it, thanks!
Nina-Moon-Princess: LOL, I love throwing in a good twist!
Niaka1: Yeah, she does like bloodshed, especially human bloodshed. Meghan, my muse behind Megahna basically described her as this, "A cold heartless murder hungry bitch who hates humans 10x more than Sesshomaru ever did." So I try to stick with that formula. However, she's not as simple as she might appear, she's got a secret that no one knows about, and I'm trying to figure out how to write *grin*
Shekahla: I'm glad you enjoyed these chapters! As for Megahna, well she (edited for spoiler content), and that's what happens to her at the end. *grin* Enjoy!
Tiranth: Poor Kae, he's just a guy, we shouldn't hate him too much. *laugh*
Pruningshears: I was hoping someone would notice that she didn't use her empathy. I thought about it, but first of all, until the end, she thought it was Kaemon, and she would have assumed that using her empathy would have just subjected her to his emotional whirlwind, and secondly, she really doesn't like poking her nose into people's personal stuff, at least normally. And of course she's not dead *laugh*, it's against the code of writers, commandment #1 :Thou shalt not kill off the popular main character.
Inu Girl(): Woah!! First of all, a friendly note. Netiquette says that typing in all caps is like yelling on the Internet, and it is a little nerve wrecking to get reviews that are literally screaming at me. I appreciate your enthusiasm though, just tone down the caps a little ^_^
Msmidnight2(): Oooh.begging and pleading for my chapters *ego boost*. Yeah, I got slapped with the "Queen of cliffies" label by another reader for one of my other stories. But I can't STAND cliffies, so I try not to use them all too much, though they do keep people wanting more ^_^
Emania: I'm sorry hun, I'll try and get more forward arrows for you to push. I promise. I have a few days free from work or school this weekend, and baring taking my nieces to the hospital to see their new sister, I should be able to write quite a bit, maybe even have a new chapter out by Monday *smile*.
shinkan neko85: A new face amongst my readers, welcome!! I'll work on the Maeko/Naoko romance a little, its not going to be as big a focus as Rose/Kei, but since Francesca isn't around, and Kei's on edge, he's gonna be noticing a few things soon. *slaps her hand over her mouth* Oooh, I hope that wasn't too much of a spoiler.
Keitaro: Hey! Are you saying I haven't noticed some things?
Lilac: *looks innocent* Um, no, not at all hun.
Keitaro: Hmmm, well get writing wench!
Lilac: *sighs*
BeyondWords: That's okay, I understand how life can suddenly fill up your day *laugh* Speaking of which, I have to hurry up with all these review comments and get to class!
Kay14: Oh, don't cry!! *sniffles as well* I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I can *hands you a tissue*
Dia(): Yay, some sympathy for Kaemon!
Kaemon: See, someone understands me. *charming smile* So, beautiful lady.
Lilac: *rolls her eyes* Hey Dia, watch those hands. Remember whose son he is.
Kaemon: *looks insulted* Why Lilac, you always assume the worst about me! *sneaks his hand behind his back*
Kim: Thanks Kim, and welcome to my reader group!
Fire Kitsune Goddess: *laugh* really?!! I'm glad!! Nerve racking *goes off to plot more intensity just to keep FKG on edge.
AN: Also guys, I need some advise. I've seen some stories lately, that well honestly *coughs politely* lack substance and dialogue, but they've got over 500 reviews. I don't understand it. Is it in my summary? What do you guys think? How can I get more reviews?
Chapter 29
~~*~~ (Keitaro)
I heard a growl catch my ear, as I was making sure the last of our provisions was secured to the packs of the Siamese dragons my uncle was giving us to use. I glanced down to see the black firecat that I had rescued, Mistero as Rose had named him. He was staring at me with a look of determination on his face.
"What do you want furball? We're kind of in a hurry," I hissed, and felt his claw dig into my foot. He yowled again and I looked down, just in time to see the flames erupt from his paws as he transformed into his much larger form. His head now reached my chest, and he stared up into my eyes, growling. He stepped forward and buried his nose in the packs, startling my ride.
"Not now Mistero!" I yelled, and he turned and hissed, burying his nose in the packs again. I had the suspicion that he was trying to tell me something and so I moved some of the packs out of the way, and saw what he was getting at: Francesca's pack.
"Leave that alone," I said, surprised at the emotion that caught in my throat. He hissed and pressed his nose firmly against it, taking a deep breath. His youkai grew more powerful, and I realized that he wasn't just smelling it, he was absorbing the scent.
"You're going to go look for her?" I asked, and he stared up at me. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was giving me the "no kidding stupid, what else could I be doing" look. I nodded, "You can probably track her through the canyon better than we can. Are you going to be alright flying through there, the air currents are probably pretty rough, and Francesca would have my hide if I let you get hurt?" I reached down and scratched the scruff of fur on the back of his neck.
"Find her Mistero. Find her and protect her until we can get to you. No matter what, keep her moving north. Don't bring her back here, it's not safe for her here without me. Keep moving north and I'll find you both," I whispered, watching his ears twitch. He turned his nose into my wrist, a light touch that showed his affirmation, and turned to walk away, taking to the skies as soon as he reached a clear spot. I heard a sad noise behind me, and saw Kirara approaching, her eyes on the now disappearing black figure in the sky. I knelt down and picked her up, and she mewed sadly in my arms.
"Don't worry Kirara, our mates will be alright," I said soothingly. How had I known? Call it instinct, a common connection that I felt with the firecat. She mewed again, and I let her back down, to finish fixing the packs. These dragons would carry us as far as the end of the lands, out of sight of most, but once there, we were on our own. My uncle had given me some money to use to procure horses, so that we weren't walking. I saddened at the thought of riding alone, but quickly shook that thought from my mind. I was going to find her, I knew I was. We hadn't come through so much to lose each other now.
The rest of my companions were gathered behind me, saying their various goodbyes. Kohana ran past everyone and jumped into my arms.
"You be safe Nii-san" she whispered, hugging her small arms around my neck, and I hugged her back, noticing for the first time that even Kohana carried a lingering scent of Francesca on her.
I lifted my head, and stared at her, "You smell like her."
She blinked and reached inside her kimono, pulling out the long golden chain with the strange ornament on it, "She gave this to me, to keep safe. She said it brought her luck, do you think I took her luck away?" Her large golden eyes reflected infinite sadness as she looked for my reaction.
I smiled and kissed her forehead, "No Kohana, you didn't take her luck away. She gave you that necklace because she treasures it, and you. You are her luck now, so don't be worried or sad, because I promise to bring her back."
She nodded and hugged me again, before letting go, and running off to my parents. Everyone joined me alongside our mounts, and I nodded to my family, looking at my mother. I knew she was probably still studying that English book so I said very simply, "Find who did this," in English. Everyone froze and stared at me, but I simply ignored them and climbed up on my mount, motioning for everyone to take off.
As the ground disappeared beneath us, I looked down at my littlest sister, seeing the hope and worry in her eyes. It broke my heart to think she might have to face the loss of anyone, and I vowed that I wouldn't let her.
~~*~~ (Francesca)
I could only remember the sensation of floating, weightless and senseless. Perhaps floating was the wrong word, I felt like I had fallen within myself, for I sank down into a nothingness. It was peaceful and completely quiet.
Suddenly I wasn't alone. Someone else was there, a presence that I could only describe as warm and wholly sad. It seemed to ask me, without words, but only emotions, "Why are you here now? You have so much more to do out there" I tried to answer but couldn't form the words. The presence smiled and pushed me. I felt myself rising rapidly, so quickly that everything began to ache painfully, and with a sharp jab of pain in my chest I opened my eyes. My body jerked forcefully, the pain blinding me as horrible tasting muddy water shot from my mouth.
Someone turned me on my side and I weakly emptied the contents of my stomach and lungs onto the ground before me. My whole body hurt. I saw one of my hands just out of the corner of my eye; it was scratched, white and bleeding. A gentle hand was patting my back, and as I coughed the last of the water out, I heard a soothing voice whispering, "Fortunate child, you'll be fine." I shivered as my body responded to the fact that I was soaked, weary and beginning to go into shock.
As if expecting this, I felt something warm and heavy fall over me, blocking out the cold and making me feel safe and secure. My eyes began to droop close, as I felt the need to retreat into the blackness of sleep, away from the nightmare that teased at my mind. I wanted to see the nightmare, I wanted to try and focus on it, but when I reached towards it, it slipped just past my fingertips. I knew it was important, it had to be important, inside I felt a hunger to know, but I couldn't-I couldn't remember.
I felt strong arms scoop me up, and a large figure of a man held me tightly against him. I felt my head fall to the side as I stared blankly at the scene before me. The landscape was drab and dark, black rocks covered in a dirty grey light and a thick wet fog covered everything like cotton. I blinked quickly, fighting against fatigue and my eyes focused on an older woman walking before me, hunched over with age, using a cane to hold herself steady.
I sighed softly and closed my eyes, and was quickly shaken roughly.
"No, tennyou-sama. Do not fall asleep, you need to stay awake till my mother can tend to your wounds."
Tennyo, where had I heard that word before? Tennyo, those were the spirits from the sky, weren't they? Something about a woman, and a robe, oh what was wrong with me? I could remember halves, but not the whole of things. I sighed again, and stared ahead as a small shack, that looked like it had seen better days, appeared before us. The wood was black, and had obviously submitted to this mist for longer than it should. It looked like it would fall apart any minute.
The man who was carrying me carefully placed me on a mat inside the doorway and disappeared behind the falling doormat.
"Mother, are you sure?"
"Hai, there is no mistake, the clothing, and that hair. She must be a tennyo, fallen from the sky."
"But where is her robe? Tennyos have robes."
"Perhaps she lost it in the river. The water is vicious, and the rocks could have torn it from her. You saw her clothing, they were left in rags. Now hurry back down to the water, and make sure you look for it. If you have the robe, you can keep the girl."
"Yes mother," I heard, and the voices stopped. They must be talking about me, I concluded, trying to shift and get up, but every muscle in my body screamed at me, and I resigned myself to laying down. First get better, then get out of here. I knew I couldn't be a tennyo, I would remember at least that, wouldn't I?
I heard the doormat move with a horrible scratching noise that made me flinch. The old woman's shuffling feet sounded like sandpaper to my ears and I bit my lip slightly to keep from making a noise. She knelt by my side and began to examine my arms, and down my sides, pressing her hand against a particularly painful spot in my side when I flinched. She dug her bony fingertips into my skin, and I felt my breath rush from my lungs.
"Ow," I whispered and she looked up at me, her beady eyes studying me.
"You are certainly an unusual girl," she croaked, and pulled a warm blanket over me. "But I don't really think you're a tennyo. They're supposed to be graceful and excellent swimmers and you were barely holding onto life. I'm amazed that you survived at all: the canyon this river flows from, no living thing has ever passed through. You are either very blessed, or you have a strong place in this world. What is your name?"
I stared at her and opened my mouth, and everything inside went completely blank. I closed my mouth and took a deep breath, then tried again. Nothing.
"I-I can't remember," I whispered as the realization hit me.
She studied me a moment, "Well, then I shall name you. You shall be known as Bara. Now Bara, rest up, and regain your strength. My son cannot marry a weak woman."
I blinked in surprise, "Marry?"
"Of course, my son needs a healthy wife, and you have no home. It is a match made in heaven. Now sleep," she said, and I felt a great drowsiness come over me. Inside, my mind was screaming in alarm. Something wasn't right, I couldn't marry her son. Everything inside me told me it was horribly wrong, but I couldn't remember why. The world blurred to a fuzzy grey, then to a quiet black, as I struggled to find the answers locked inside.
AN: And for all you wondering, Bara means "rose". *laugh*
~~*~~ Keitaro
The villagers greeted us with a fanfare that angered and embarrassed me, bowing or cheering at our approach.
"Hypocrites," I muttered under my breath and swung my leg off the saddle of my mount. I saw my sister with an equally scornful look on her face and smiled. At least someone else noticed the change of attitude.
"Won't you stay one night honored guests?" asked the innkeeper and I fixed him with a cold stare.
"No, we're leaving as soon as you get us our horses," I snarled, and he flinched, looking pale.
"Yes Keitaro-sama," he said and hurried away.
"Weren't you being a little hard on him?" Kaemon grumbled.
I snorted, "Hardly, he deserves to sweat a little," I growled, flexing my fingers. I had to agree with him though, my temper was extremely short, even for me. I was anxious, angered, and irritable, and I knew why. My instincts were angry at me for not going with Mistero to look for Francesca, but I knew that he could find her quicker, and get her to safety faster than the group of us could.
~~*~~ Bara
I awoke the next morning, or at least it seemed like morning. Something told me that this land neverr saw past the gloom and mist. It smelled horribly of wet earth, rotting vegetation, and the heavy staleness of the mist. I covered my nose with my hand, cringing as a violent shiver of disgust shook me, and noticed that my hands were wrapped up in a sort of crude bandage. My nose caught the nauseating whiff of something rotten and sour from within the bandages, and I pulled my hands away from my face, trying to pull off those disgusting bandages.
"Oh good, you're awake," I heard and turned my head to see a lump of a shadow in the corner of the room. I shivered and tried to sit up, but my hands ached as I put weight on them, and I resigned myself to just laying there as the lump moved closer. It was the man who had carried me earlier. My mind began to register the events, well most of them. The further back I tried to remember, the more my head ached, and my mind grew heavy and dizzy.
He was, what some would call a gentle giant, large, and not very attractive, but he had a kind face, and a genuine look of concern in his eyes as he approached me. In some ways, he reminded me of Jinenji, for he had a very calming effect about him, child like in a way. Wait a moment! I blinked and summoned up the name that had entered my head, and saw the large, kind man that I knew. He had a strange double image in my head, one living and one drawn. I blinked, but was ecstatic. No matter the memory, they were memories. I held onto them as long as I could, and didn't even notice the man had moved right next to me, and had taken my hands in his.
"Mother said not to touch the bandages, but you don't seem to like them, so I think I can take them off," he said softly and seemed to try avoiding touching my hands as much as possible as he carefully unbound them. I felt the cool air touch my skin, and it felt like my hands took a deep breath of the cleaner air. I stared at the goop that covered my hands, and cringed.
"Can you get this off, it smells horrible," I whispered and he nodded. Very quickly he used a nearby piece of cloth to gently wipe the slime from my hands. I stared at the red welts and cuts that tic-toed the palms of my hands, almost as if I weren't even aware they were my hands.
"Mother said you must have tried to grab the rocks in the river, but they're very sharp. You're lucky they didn't cut you worse," he said, and gently slipped his hand beneath my head, propping me up. With his other hand, he lifted a steaming bowl to my lips. It too reeked of bitter herbs and foul water and I instinctively puckered my lips, but he pressed the bowl to my lips insistently.
"This will help you feel better tennyo-sama," he said, and I complied. The sooner I was well, the sooner I could leave, and get away from his mother's wild idea. As the warm liquid slid down my throat, I began to feel my body growing uncomfortably heavy, and my limbs began to grow numb to my commands. My mind screamed that something wasn't right, I wasn't that tired a minute ago, and I realized it was the liquid.
"Drugged," I managed to mumble, my lips barely functioning.
"Of course, it is healing medicine, " he replied. Deep inside, I felt something stir, swallowing up over my senses, a fighting urge that sent my blood boiling, and the anger blinded me.
"NO!" I shouted and the heaviness lifted. I swung wildly, knocking the bowl from my lips sending it flying upwards and splashing the medicine into his eyes. He screamed, and I took the opportunity to launch myself off the futon with all the strength that my adrenaline was giving me. I had to get away
~~*~~ Keitaro
I felt anger surge through me, as I began to secure the packs to our horses. It came through the air and hit me like fire.
"Rose" I gasped and turned to the others. "We leave now!" I shouted and startled my horse. All heads turned to me in confusion and horror and I knew I must be a sight. I could feel my blood boiling, as it did when my youkai tried to take over my senses. Before I could barely keep it down, it screamed for Francesca. The roar inside was almost deafening both in need of her in the knowledge that she needed me.
The horses snorted madly as I approached and I took a long deep breath as I grabbed the reigns of the one I knew to be Francesca's. I pulled his head level to mine.
"Remember our agreement?" I snarled and his large eyes locked onto mine as he snorted his assent. I nodded, "Good, cause its still in effect, so let's cooperate." He bowed his head and as Rose had shown me, I swung my leg over his back and pulled myself up.
"Take only what we really need," I told my companions, seeing them regretfully drop a pack from their horses.
"But Keitaro-sama, the food," spoke up a woman. I gave her a grin and flexed my hand for her to see, flashing my claws. The children all made admiring noises, while the men laughed nervously and the women looked pale.
"We'll be fine for food," I said arrogantly, and nudged my ride into a gallop, not caring to see if the others were with me. My sister was the first to reach my side, leaning low to her horse, her long black hair flying behind her. In that moment, she reminded me a great deal of my mother, riding like the wind to fight a youkai.
"It's her, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yes, and she needs me," I snapped, something that didn't seem to phase her in the least. She simply nodded and let her horse fall back behind mine as we raced north.
~~*~~ Francesca
I don't know where the strength came from, but somehow I managed to crawl out of the shack, only to be grabbed by my hair and pulled to a sitting position. For an old woman, she was surprisingly strong.
"Ungrateful bitch," she croaked, "I took you in, mended your wounds, and you repay me by hurting my son and trying to run away!"
"I can't marry him," I screamed both in anger and pain. She pulled harder and I screeched.
"Mother, look!" I heard the man speak and felt a bony hand grab me around the jaw and jerk my head to the side. Knobby fingers traced my neck a moment.
"A mating mark," I heard and an image appeared in my head, golden eyes that glowed with power and the feel of arms around me.
"Mother, if it's a mating mark, then her mate must be looking for her," he said and I heard the fear in his voice.
The old woman released her grip on my hair, and I fell to the ground weakly, "Get out of here, now before I change my mind and cast you into the river again to die, youkai filth," she hissed.
"Does this mean I'm not getting married?" moped the man.
"Oh my son, we'll find you a good wife, not some trash who mates with monsters."
I felt my cheeks flush, but I couldn't defend myself. I could only assume she was right about the mark. I didn't feel ashamed, only angry; angry that they were insulting him. But who was he? My head swam as I tried to figure it out.
"Go!" screamed the old woman, white spittle formed on her lips as she raised her cane. I cringed and waited for it to descend, but nothing came but a frightened whimper. I felt wind and flame behind me and lifted my head. Towering over me was the largest cat I had ever seen, as tall as a horse, with glowing red eyes and flames erupting from his massive paws. As much as I should have been afraid, I felt there was something very familiar about him, something comforting.
He yowled and the old woman and her son fell back as this mysterious savior walked in front of me and knelt between us. I weakly reached up and grabbed hold of his thick fur and pulled myself up on his back, lying more than sitting. The warmth and thickness of his fur blanketed me. He yowled again and I got the impression he was showing off before he leapt up into the air. I clung to him with all the strength I had in my hands, barely feeling the chill of the air rushing over me, because he was so warm. After a few minutes, I felt the roughness of his movements, the growling that rumbled through him die down. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was safe.
We traveled until the light began to die away and my companion descended into the forest below. I thought we were going to land in the forest, but just over the treetops I saw smoke rising up in the coming dusk, and we landed beside a small, but warm looking cottage. The cat yowled again loudly, and from the house came a young looking man, a woman of the same age, and two small children. The children quickly hid behind the skirt of their mother, as their father stepped forward, holding a stick in his hand.
"Go away youkai, we have nothing for you," he yelled and the cat hissed softly, and knelt down. As soon as I knew we were low enough, I loosened my grip and tumbled from his back, hitting the hard dirt painfully. I heard the gasp from the young woman, and looked up at the mysterious cat, as he shimmered for a moment, and shrank. I watched until standing beside me, was a small normal kitten, black as midnight, who mewed and licked my cheek, before looking at the family.
"Get some rags, quickly," the woman said, and the two children ran inside as she hurried to my side.
"Sen, one of my old kimonos," she told the man, who was still standing there in shock.
"But it's a." he began and she gave him a cold look.
"It's a woman that needs our help, and that's all we should care about," she said softly, and he turned with a sigh. I watched her, as she gently knelt beside me, and smiled.
"I am sorry for my husband, it has been difficult for us, the youkai of the forest are not kind to our fields, though they have not harmed my family, thank Buddha," she said. I didn't say anything, I was still worried after my encounter with the old woman. I turned my head away from her.
"Can you speak?" she asked.
I nodded, "Yes."
"Ah good, I was afraid you were a foreigner, you have such lovely red hair. What is your name?"
I took deep breath, "I don't know." The cat in front of me made a sharp mewing noise.
She laughed softly, "That's silly, how can you not know your name?"
I turned to look at her, and she stopped laughing as she saw the seriousness in my eyes, "I don't remember anything past last evening. I woke up, and there was an old woman who said I was in the river where nothing lives. She called me Bara, I guess it's a name for now." I felt warmth coming from this woman, where the old woman was cold and hard, and her son felt like nothingness. Wait, people feeling? Where was this coming from? How could I know what people felt like?
"Bara, it seems fitting," she said and the cat made a laughing noise.
I turned my head, "Well, if you know better, then you should tell me!" He gave me a look that silenced me, but seemed to be very pensive. The children ran out with water and rags, and she shooed them away.
"Let me see what I can do for these cuts, and then we'll get you inside," she said softly, and I felt very comfortable with her. Perhaps because she was a mother and mothers have a natural way to make those around them feel safe and warm. I lay there, trying not to make a sound as she dipped the rags in hot water and carefully cleaned off my hands. The cat seemed to want to help, and I felt his little rough tongue lapping at my wrist. I closed my eyes as another familiar feeling swept through me. Pain, and a lightheaded feeling, then all consuming warmth, and the feeling of something brushing my neck, warm and wet. I felt strength flow through me with each touch.
I felt something brush my neck and my eyes flew open, my hand grabbing the woman's quickly. She was looking down at my neck, the same way that the old woman had at first. I pulled my hand away and flinched, waiting for the inevitable horror and disgust, but instead she looked into my eyes and smiled sadly.
"You must have had such a hard time, because of him, haven't you?" she said softly. I blinked and stared at her.
"The old woman called me filth," I said, feeling something flow down the side of my face.
"Some people think that a human who falls in love with a youkai, have betrayed their people. But you can't help who you fall in love with. Love surpasses all time and boundaries. There is a legend, of a beautiful priestess who fell in love with a hanyou, and together they defeated a horrible monster. They say she came from a land far away, and had to overcome many difficulties, but in the end, they were happy. I hope that you and your mate find the same happiness."
I felt something stir inside me, warm and familiar. This story sounded so familiar to me, it struck a strong chord deep inside, and I whispered softly, "Inuyasha."
She looked down at me, "You know the tale?"
I blinked and shook my head, "I'm sorry, I just remembered that name."
She watched me curiously, and touched the mark on my neck. "You are safe here with my family, come. Let's get you dressed into something decent and some warm food into you."
I felt a hand scoop under my back and legs and saw the husband looking down at me. I blushed, "Thank you," I whispered and he nodded. He didn't seem as happy as his wife, but I knew that he wasn't going to harm me either.
"Mistero," I said, calling down to the cat, who mewed in response and followed at our heels. Mistero. That was a strange name, I wondered where it came from.
The man set me down on a clean futon, and I was instantly surrounded by the curious eyes of the two children, a boy and a girl, who stared at me in amazement. I smiled warmly and they giggled and ran to their father.
True to her word, the woman dressed me in a warm, worn, but clean kimono, and helped me swallow some soup. I yawned wearily and she carefully pulled a blanket up over me. "Rest well," she said gently, and left me in peace. I felt movement on my side, and saw the cat had curled up next to me.
"Mistero, is that your name?" I looked at him and he stared at me with unblinking red eyes, before mewing what sounded like an affirmative. I smiled, at least that made things easier.
"Good night Mistero," I whispered, and drifted into a deep peaceful sleep.
AN: I hope you all liked this, I'm sorry it took me so long to get it out! I'll try to get Chapter 30 done before the weekend, so that way you all have something to read while I'm gone.
