Chapter Eight-A Month and A Day Later
"That looks good." Kagome took the fruit from Saraku. "You're learning fast."
"Thanks. Can I go play with Chibi now?" Saraku's black hair in it's normal ponytail braid swung to her left shoulder.
"If she's awake." Kagome replied with a smile. Saraku was very fond of Sango's little infant.
"Great!" She bounded over to Miroku and Sango's hut. "Sango?"
"Come in, Sara. Someone wants to see you." Miroku's kind voice replied.
The girl entered, and happy baby sounds greeted her. "Hey, Chibi-ibi." She scooped the infant up into her arms.
Sango chuckled lightly. "She certainly likes you, Sara."
Sara smiled at Sango. "Well,I love her." Saraku was trying desperately not to think about the question she knew she'd need to ask Inuyasha that night. Ever since the night he'd saved her from Kagura, and announced she wouldn't be going back to her father Sesshoumaru, a definite distancing had occurred. She knew he only wanted was best for her. But now it was a month later, and if she didn't return soon, Lord Sesshoumaru would seek her out. Sara feared the worst if Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha went at it over her.
"Are you okay, Sweetie?" The monk asked her suddenly. He could see her thoughts were far away ,as she rocked the baby gently.
"It's been a month, Miroku. If I don't start for home soon, Lord Sesshoumaru will come for me himself."
"And if you try to flee, Inuyasha will stop you. That is a difficult situation." Miroku agreed. "Of course, we'd all be very sad if you left us."
"I know, Miroku. But I gave my word to My Lord, and I have to return. I shudder to think what will happen if he shows up here. "
"It's not fair to you, the way they play on your mind like that." Sango said suddenly upset.
"It's going to be okay. I'm sure they can work this out without fighting." Miroku said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"I hope." Saraku returned Chibi to her mother's lap, and went to see Inuyasha.
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She found the half-demon in his usual tree outside of the village. "Inuyasha…."
"Yeah?" He looked down at the child. "What is it?"
Saraku took a deep breath. "I have to go home."
"Don't be silly. You are home." Inuyasha replied, his eyes narrowing on her.
"This isn't my home, Inuyasha…You know that. I belong with Sess-" She stopped dead, when Inuyasha leaped out of the tree, and grabbed her arm.
"You belong with him?! If he even gave a damn about what happened to you, there's no way in hell he would've let you go off alone! You're only ten years old! He never let Rin off alone at that age!" He let go of her so forcefully, the girl almost fell over.
"But…..Inuyasha….."
"No buts! You're either with me, or maybe that old hag Kaede could use an apprentice. Anyone but Sesshoumaru."
Saraku said nothing, but tears formed in her eyes, when she turned and fled from her "uncle" . She was so scared about what would happen when Sesshoumaru came to collect her. She took a walk into the village itself to seek out Kaede for advice. She's only seen Kaede twice, and both times, she'd been in need. Now she'd go to the woman for advice about her two guardians.
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Kaede listened to Saraku's tale carefully. "It sounds to me like your friends are just worried about your welfare, Child. If I were ye, I'd let the adults worry about your future. Ye are still young, and naïve. "
"Lady Kaede, what if one or the other gets killed?"
"That will not happen, as one cannot overpower the other." Kaede explained to her about the two swords. "Unless Sesshoumaru uses his second sword, Tokoujin, Inuyasha will be safe."
"But I still don't like it, Lady. They may ask me to choose, and I don't know what I want."
"If ye must choose, then ye will. Your heart will tell you." The old woman returned to cooking. "Go on and play with Shippou. You never know how long you'll have with him."
So, with still a troubled mind, Saraku complied, and found Shippou.
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It wasn't until dark that Shippou and Saraku returned to the little camp Inuyasha had made for them. Sango,Kagome and Miroku were eating by the fire.
"Where's Inuyasha?" Shippou ventured after a few minutes.
"He'll be here in a little while. He went for a long walk." Miroku handed Saraku some fish. "It's good tonight. Kagome got some onion root from Kaede."
"Thank you, Miroku." Saraku ate her share quietly, pretending not to notice the curious glances of the adults.
"So, are you going to stay with us?" Shippou asked suddenly breaking the silence.
"I'm….I don't get a choice in the matter. Inuyasha won't let me go home to Lord Sesshoumaru."
"Why would you want to go back? You told me two years ago you hated it there. Did something happen to change your mind?"
"No…I just….Well, I love him, Shippou. Lord Sesshoumaru's so kind to me. He's never been cross with me once. And he doesn't yell a lot."
"But we want you to stay." Shippou insisted. "We all love you too. Even Inuyasha."
"I don't feel…. Comfortable here anymore….It's not you. It's me. I don't sleep outside anymore. I sleep on a matress of feathers, with soft, silk-like blankets. And fluffy down pillows."
Shippou just stared at her. "I see. Sesshoumaru "bought" y our love."
"What do you mean by that?! We live in his father's castle!" Saraku suddenly felt on the defensive.
"He moved where?!" Inuyasha had reappeared silently. "He's got a lot of nerve!"
"It was his! Your father left it to him, Inuyasha." Saraku replied. She was still stung by the position Inuyasha was putting her in.
"I'll be damned…." The half demon muttered.
"What's the matter, Little Brother? Didn't father leave you enough with his resting place in your pupil?" Sesshoumaru all but purred from behind them. Just as Saraku had feared, the demon lord had come to collect his young child.
