AN: Sorry about the wait, but I was skipping town over the last few days to see a specialist doctor – and finally get a diagnosis on an illness I have, called M.E.. It's long term and quite physically draining, but I should be getting treatment soon (about damn time, I've been ill for two years now). Thankfully it's not life threatening.
And just so no one's confused anymore (I know a lot of people are) I'll give a little rundown of what's happening so far. Feel free to skip past this bit with a roll of your eyes if you think you know it all.
1. There are only 2 Shichinin-tai left now. Renkotsu, who is living in the cellar and watching over the 'voodoo doll' that makes Inuyasha insane, and Bankotsu who is running the Southern Kingdom.
2. Inuyasha has been forced off the throne. Except now he's just taken control of the Northern Kingdom which used to belong to Sesshomaru, before Suikotsu took control of it (some people seemed to think he was back in his old palace). Inuyasha killed Suikotsu, so now he's the new King of the North.
3. Kagome's married to Bankotsu, but I think she'll start regretting that very soon.
4. As it stands at this point in time, Inuyasha is not insane since he's not in the Southern Kingdom.
5. And in all respects, Inuyasha and Kagome have not yet been properly reunited since Inuyasha was too insane to really appreciate the fact that she's alive and well.
6. North is smaller than the South. But North is stronger than the South. You need to understand that for a lot of this junk to make sense.
Ok, if you knew all that then congratulations you're following the plot! If you didn't, well I hope that clears things up a bit.
Life Exchange
Chapter 16
Coming Clean
"Did you hear the news?"
"Yes – that Lord Inu's alive?"
"But they say he's still insane, poor man."
"They had him locked in his room for safe keeping-"
"And then he escaped."
This was all Kagome seemed to hear as she moved down the corridors. Staff and workers were chattering about the gossip and comparing stories. Gradually, Kagome was noticing that they were all beginning to call him Lord Inu… it was all getting confusing and Kagome was certain that one day soon her simple brain would explode from the pressure.
But she knew her facts. Inuyasha had somehow escaped from the trustworthy cage that Miroku had set up. When Bankotsu had angrily demanded how the hell Inuyasha had escaped from such an infallible cage, he'd simply replied. "Well then that's what we, in the religious business, call fallible." He didn't really care in other words.
It was like time was repeating itself. Inuyasha had disappeared again without any warning and was thought to be running around the woods again like a lunatic. Maybe he'd left the island again? Maybe he'd really fallen down a ravine this time and was being chewed up by badgers that very moment in time…
Kagome grimaced as her thoughts seemed to be running on the dark side lately…
"Hey!"
Some child was yelling. She didn't really register the sound and continued walking slowly like she was in a trance.
"Hey – girl in the yukata!"
Every girl was wearing a yukata, it was summer, wasn't it? Not a time for formal kimonos. She carried on walking.
"Hey – you-with-hair-down-to-here-with-full-lips-and-blue-eyes-the-colour-of-the-sky-and-the-one-Inuyasha-fancies girl!"
Kagome blinked. That was a very strange name to have, she stopped and turned to see a Youkai child scurrying down the corridor towards her. He was running so fast he didn't stop in time and skidded, colliding with her ankles. She didn't even budge an inch. "Hello." She said with a degree of surprise.
He waved weakly, obviously out of breath. It was a moment before he could speak. "You're Kagome, ain't ya?"
"Uh… yeah." She didn't know what else to say.
"Well obviously. You're the only human girl in this palace who isn't related to Inuyasha and not pregnant with some other man's child, I checked. So you must be the one he likes." Shippo pushed himself to his feet. "Just thought I should warn you about Bankotsu."
"Who are you?" Kagome asked pointedly.
"Shippo. I'm the Kitsune that travelled with Inuyasha whilst he was looking for his brother. Did he tell you about me?"
"No."
"No one tells anyone about me… that sucks…" Shippo grumbled before shrugging. "Maybe he didn't get the chance. Everyone says he's turned insane."
"He always was insane." Kagome crouched down in the middle of the corridor to talk better.
"Really?" Shippo cocked his head. "He seemed ok to me. But he always was a bit odd… too violent I think, especially with my head. But maybe he turned extra mad when he found out you married whatshisface with the sword."
"Don't remind me…" Kagome sighed miserably.
"Well anyway – since you're not dead and all I guess that was all some kind of mix-up – you should know something about your hubby."
"My hubby?"
"Yes."
"And what would that be?" she smiled lightly.
"He's evil."
"Ah…" that smile slipped somewhat.
"I heard it all from the big guy – Sesshomaru – yeah, that's what his name was… well anyway, he told us that he's been dethroned by a git named Suikotsu and that Suikotsu was taking orders from someone called Bankotsu. And then we bumped into a queer guy who had actually been sent to assassinate Inuyasha by Bankotsu again and they're all in some kind of group called the Shichinin-tai."
"What?" Kagome stared at him. "Bankotsu ordered someone to kill Inuyasha… but that's impossible!"
"They all have their names the same and they all are like, really super strong humans and apparently Bankotsu has a big sword." Shippo nodded. "And I saw a human guy strolling by with a big sword earlier… was that him?"
"I… I think there's been a mistake." Kagome straightened. "Bankotsu is Inuyasha's right hand man, he wouldn't have been captain of the guard if Inuyasha didn't trust-"
"That's why Inuyasha got so pissed when he found out that Bankotsu had betrayed him." Shippo insisted.
"But…" Kagome struggled to absorb this information. "Shippo… Inuyasha's not been in his right mind for a while, what he says or tells you may not be the truth-"
"I saw it all with my own two eyes and heard it all with my own three ears – I mean – two ears!" Shippo persisted. "I'm telling you he's evil! E-V-I-L!
Kagome stared at him. The pieces of this small puzzle falling slowly into place. The reason why the Northern King had found all the spies and thrown them out was because Bankotsu had inside information and had probably told him… there weren't very many left up North now…
The reason why Bankotsu had suddenly professed his love for her, hours before she was informed she would be the new Queen… all because he needed her hand in marriage to get the throne. A usurper.
The reason why life on this island had fallen to pieces barely a month after that man arrived.
The one who had tried to fake Inuyasha's death so the throne would fall to someone weaker…
"It's true." Shippo told her after a moment for her to think it through. "He's out to get you all."
"I… I need to go talk to someone." She seemed hesitant to leave him alone, but decided he was probably as good as Fushi at taking care of himself and so turned hurriedly and started to all but run down to corridor.
Bankotsu had some explaining to do.
He'd undoubtedly be in the throne room living it up as King… she felt so sick that this was her fault. If she hadn't married him…?
She arrived through the back door of the throne room the same moment a messenger arrived through the front way.
"Bankotsu!" she yelled in full throttle anger.
"Lord Bankotsu!" The messenger yelled at the same moment.
He looked up at both of them, but decided the messenger was more important. "Report."
"The – the Northern King is dead – he was killed last night."
Bankotsu stiffened considerably. "What did you say?" Kagome watched his fingers flex dangerously close to the long hilt of his sword.
"He was killed. They still won't tell us who he was – but they told us that… that Lord Inuyasha did him in… He's the new Northern King." The messenger stammered slightly. The buzz of conversation rose around the edges of the room where people dallied.
Already Kagome could hear the story spreading down the corridors. News spread like a mere gust of wind in this place…
She felt like she'd swallowed a lump of ice that clenched in her stomach painfully. Inuyasha was the new King of the North? Oh dear… just like in her dreams…
"Are you certain?" Bankotsu narrowed his eyes at the messenger.
"Yes – he sought me out himself and told me to tell you." The messenger boy was panting… it seemed like he'd run the whole way. "He also said, he's making some changes now."
"What kind of changes?" Bankotsu had risen from his throne slowly.
"Um… that he was renovating the army or something like that. He said you should prepare yourself for war in the near future." The messenger nodded.
The captain of the guard immediately stepped forward to Bankotsu. "My lord – even with our army at twice the strength it used to be, we cannot match the Northern forces. They may be a smaller country but they're nearly four times larger and stronger. If he's making changes-"
"What specific changes?" Bankotsu snapped at the messenger who tried to gulp for more air.
"He didn't say. He just said… he was expanding and cleaning up the mess left by the old King." The messenger pressed a hand to his stomach, still trying to catch his breath. "A total take-over he said. That he was going to slaughter you."
"And he means it." Kagome said quietly, her crystal smooth voice cutting through the air like a bell. Bankotsu and the others in the room turned to look at her. She only regarded her husband with a stony anger. "For what you've done… you've just pissed off the most powerful man in the world."
A not so unreasonable assumption. If Suikotsu had beat the supposedly undefeatable Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha had defeated Suikotsu… wasn't he technically the strongest now?
But Bankotsu had sensed the anger in Kagome's voice… the betrayed glint of hate in her eyes. He stared at her, knowing full well now that she knew him for who he was…
He'd have to deal with her later.
But right then he needed to go speak to Renkotsu. Tell him the bad news that Suikotsu had failed. There were only two of them left now… "Excuse me." He bowed slightly to Kagome, in a slightly mocking way and left without another word.
Chatter broke out the minute he was gone and Kagome still couldn't seem to make that ice in her stomach melt.
What had she done?
^_^
"And what was your crime?" Inuyasha suppressed the urge to yawn and let his eyes droop as he leaned against the wall outside cell number god-knows-what.
"I stole bread to feed my family."
"Pathetic." Inuyasha turned to the second man in the cell. "And you?"
"Stole horses. Six of them. For money. To pay off my debts."
"You?" Inuyasha looked at the third man.
"Murder." He said simply.
"Elaborate." Inuyasha ordered. Mikato, the captain, shifted behind him, their legs were all falling asleep from standing for so long, but it had to be done.
"The man I killed had killed my wife by knocking her down in his cart."
Inuyasha didn't bat an eyelid. "And what about you?" he asked the last man.
"Murder. I killed three of your men and accidentally one of our own." The guy shrugged.
"Ok." Inuyasha rotated his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. He gestured to the group of soldiers behind him. "Take them all and put them in the army – accept for the third guy. Kill him."
"But the last guy killed three of your own." Mikato stepped forward.
"Under orders. And the third guy killed a man just because of some lame accident." Inuyasha told him flatly. "Next cell."
They moved on through the dungeons. "How many more are there?" Inuyasha asked the captain.
"Well… we've been through a hundred prisoners and recruited eighty-six of them. There are two hundred fifty nine more to go through." Mikato told him. "At this rate we should have recruited a significant increase to the army."
"That's nice." Inuyasha stopped outside the bars of the next cell. There was only one occupant, an old man. "So what was your crime, old prune?"
"I serve no one!" The man yelled. "I only serve Lord Inu! Ruler of this island!"
Inuyasha winced at the volume. "Lord Inutessai is dead. The island has been split in two for nearly twenty years."
"Then I serve no one!" the man continued. "Not Lord Sesshomaru! Not Lord Inuyasha! Not Lord Suikotsu!" he spat on the floor.
"Oh leave him be, he's happy where he is." Inuyasha grumbled and stepped back. "I've had enough of this, I have better things to attend to. Mikato, I think you know the flow by now. Put the pathetic ones into the army and serial killers to death. Can you handle that?"
"Oh yes." He nodded.
"Good." Inuyasha left him to it.
Somehow he had to stage some kind of amazing come-back. He had to get rid of the last of the Shichinin-tai and reclaim the Southern territory… as well as Kagome.
A jab of pain shot through him, almost like real pain, but he knew it was just his heart overreacting again. Every time he thought of Kagome – yep… there was that pain again…
It was best not to think about her. It was like shock therapy. As long as he didn't think of her then it didn't tear him up and make him so damned angry that Bankotsu had taken her from him…
Kagome always teased him a bout how jealous he got… it wasn't like he could help being that way. If someone looked at her in that suggestive way he felt like punching them. Once someone got on one knee to her – it actually happened the one time – he hadn't felt any restraint from giving them that swift punch he craved. They hadn't bothered Kagome after that. He hadn't blamed Kagome for just being Kagome. She did kinda give off the wrong signals sometimes… well… at all times really. Her sweet, but strong nature attracted drooling men so easily it was unbelievable. She didn't mean to, and nearly every time she turned them down before he had a chance to get incredibly protective…
But what had happened this time? All the time Bankotsu had been Captain, he hadn't noticed anything going on between them. They'd gone behind his back most likely… secret meetings… little lover's rendezvous at midnight… in the forest…
"Shit…" Inuyasha was suddenly hit by such a strong wave of remorse or misery, he didn't know for sure, that he had to stop and make sure he didn't swoon.
She hadn't even given him a chance had she? He'd been 'dead' for what? Three weeks? And no sooner had the dirt been shovelled over his grave but she'd married the new King, Bankotsu. Was she just waiting for him to kick the bucket before marrying him? So he wouldn't stop her from marrying the human?
Well she was Queen now… lucky bitch… something Inuyasha hadn't offered her.
Well Bankotsu was duping her either way. He only wanted the throne and Inuyasha in an early grave… or did he sincerely want Kagome too? Did she know what Bankotsu was really like? Did she know that he had staged Inuyasha's death? Did she know he'd staged her death? Did she know that Inuyasha wasn't actually insane? But just some nasty curse that caused everyone to lose faith in him.
And that curse was what prevented him from going back personally to kill Bankotsu and free his country… if he went back he'd most likely go insane all over again and forget what he'd returned for. Maybe if he wrote it on his hand 'kill Bankotsu'… nah… he'd probably forget anyway.
And there was a chance that he would hurt Kagome…
The foggy memories still stuck with him. He remembered what he'd done to her… what he'd said… remembered the sharp spike of fear within her when he'd grabbed her… but she'd also been angry at him. Angry at him for returning? For being alive and well enough to mess up her new life with Bankotsu as his Queen.
Here was a very big mess that needed to be cleaned up. And how come it was always him who got stuck with the mop and bucket?
Best not think about Kagome… the pain was still just a little too fresh for that…
^_^
She wanted a divorce, and that was final!
He wasn't going to sweet talk her, he wasn't going to kill her and he wasn't going to fool her anymore! If he tried any of the above she would give him a good thrashing with… with… with plants! Ok… maybe she'd have to rely on something else, but her determination still stuck. How dare he use her to get the throne? They'd both agreed that giving him the throne was the best course of action… but that was when Kagome had thought he was kind and decent. She knew now that he was scum…
Lower than the lowest creep of all time…
She did not like being duped. She'd been duped too many times in her life to appreciate it. She did not like people using her generosity and kind-heartedness to get the better of her. And she liked it a whole lot less when people used her to get to Inuyasha!
Kagome wanted Inuyasha back with her so badly that her chest ached with the feeling. Literally. Insane or not, he'd make a better and more honest King than Bankotsu any day. Bankotsu needed to be put down like the animal he was…
She couldn't believe she married him…
She couldn't believe she kissed him!
Instinctively she drew a hand up and wiped her mouth as though she could still taste him. Inuyasha's kisses were far better, she decided then and there.
She continued pacing the length of the throne room before the throne itself, nervously wringing her hands together and chewing her lip. There was no one else in there with her… and it seemed unusually cold and quiet that evening. Outside the sun had set a few hours ago and it was pretty dark. She couldn't see anything past the window itself.
Kagome looked back towards the doors and wondered when Bankotsu would return from his meeting with the royal advisors. She didn't feel sorry for him… being with those three workaholics. But he'd be out soon and he'd return to the throne room where she would confront him about a divorce in front of witnesses. Maybe she could even revoke his claim to the throne. Take it back from him. Make up a mere soldier again and her the gloriously overwhelmed Queen. He'd hate that… and then she'd be able to get him kicked of the island for good. And then she could devote time to helping Inuyasha with his sickness – then she would marry him and they would have children and die of-
Ok, she was getting ahead of herself again. She still had yet to divorce Bankotsu. And she wasn't entirely sure that divorcing him would entitle her to take back the throne. It didn't work that way here…
She rearranged the sash of her favourite yukata, the one everyone said was plain, but she liked it because it was just that? Who needed elaborate designs on clothes to be special? She just wanted to be herself…
She realised she was nervous, but who wouldn't be? She'd just discovered that her husband didn't love her at all, that he'd staged Inuyasha's death and that he probably planned to do away with her sooner or later.
"I wish Inuyasha would return… sane if possible…" she whispered into her hands, staring off into space as she hovered before the throne.
Her legs were getting weary from standing up so she sat down heavily on the throne. There was no on there to see anyway… no one would shout at her for doing so. Even though it was a criminal offence to sit in the King's throne whilst not being ruling King or Queen. She'd heard some law somewhere that if you sat in the throne of a King, that King would then be compelled to fight you and either kill you or lose to you. So if you sat in his chair, you would either die or become King… a risky thing to do.
Maybe she shouldn't sit there…
She rose to her feet again but had barely taken two steps away from the throne when a strong hand reached out from behind her and took her by the waist. She twisted to look behind her, but stuttered to a frozen halt when a nasty looking black blade slid gently across the soft skin of her neck, not cutting her, but giving fair warning…
It looked an awful lot like the dagger that she'd seen plunged into her chest in her premonition.
She was also wearing her favourite yukata… the one she'd seen herself wearing in her vision as well. It was also dark outside… just like her premonition… and the room was empty… just like…
In fact the whole thing sorta reminded her of her premonition. Except it was missing one thing… Kagome inched a frightened gaze along the arm holding the dagger, but the man was standing behind her, not giving her a clear view of his profile.
The arm at her waist drew back slightly so his hand rested against her hip instead, squeezing lightly through the light material of her clothing. She became acutely aware of his much larger frame pressed against her body from behind. But strangely she didn't feel as terrified as she might have done normally in this kind of situation. On edge, yes. Uneasy, yes. Prepared to run screaming for help, yes. But not jelly-legged scared.
The blade didn't move an inch from her neck and she knew that if she moved or swallowed, the sharp edge would slice her veins. Though she wanted to slap his hand away, to push him away and run, she didn't move a muscle. She scarcely allowed herself to breathe or even blink, especially when she felt a free hand move to tug her yukata gently off one shoulder, and felt warm lips press against her exposed skin. She nearly jumped straight into the blade in alarm, but his hand turned to her side, steadying her movement.
"Stop it!" her voice broke a little as she whispered her plea.
He ignored her, nudging her hair aside to press light kisses to the curve of her neck. "You smell like Lavender…" His breath tickled her ear, making her shiver.
"Inuyasha – don't do this." She tried to hint for him to get off, but the blade only tightened against her and she froze again.
"You've been a bit of a naughty girl haven't you, Kagome?" She almost heard the amusement lying in his tone. "Marrying all kinds to get the satisfaction you want."
"That's not true…" she whispered.
"Maybe I was too forceful before. Maybe I made myself too clear." He continued kissing her neck. "Maybe I should go slower… show you loving and gentle. Would you like that?"
"No." her voice hitched, it wasn't her fault… he was making her dizzy.
"Is this the way Bankotsu does it? Whisper sweet shit in your ear and make you swoon so he can-"
She cut him off as she elbowed him hard in the stomach. The knife slipped against her throat, causing the faintest trickle of blood to slide to her collarbone. His hand gripped her hair and rather violently tugged her head back, forcing her chin up to expose more neck to the knife. "Not a wise thing to do when I hold your life in my hands!"
"You have always held my life in your hands!" She whispered back fiercely. "Stop this and let me go now!"
"Something in here tells me I should obey you." He told her savagely. "But why is that when you are the one who should be obeying me?!"
Slowly she began to relax, and with her, his grip of her hair loosened until his hand fell back to her shoulder, tracing small patterns with his thumb. She stared passively at a vase that stood on a stable against the opposite wall. "This is where you kill me…"
"I know." He murmured. "I came to kill someone else too… don't remember who… what does it say on my hand?"
She flicked her eyes down to the hand holding the dagger. "Your hand says it's Bankotsu."
"Tell my hand that's a very good idea." He moved around to stand before her, the tip of the knife moving lower to hover over her chest. He stared at the tip as she stared at him, praying that his sanity would return in some amazing miracle that very moment.
"But that'll have to wait, because first I have to deal with you, don't I?"
AN: Next chapter – 'Insane and in Love'. It's going to be a long one – and has a slightly… interesting end. I'll leave you all to ponder that ^_^