Authoress' Notes: You guys must of thought I fell off the planet. I am so sorry about the delay in the posting of this, but I was so unhappy with the scenes that were originally composed for this section that I scrapped the whole thing and started anew.
Taylor: *eh-hem*
T.A.: Now what?
Taylor: You sound like an educated idiot!
T.A.: I have to. My new semester is about start. I gotta at least start out the term with a brain in my head.
Taylor: HA!!!!! *Suddenly wearing a pink dress* AHH!!! What the Hell?!?!?
T.A.: Ha! Behave or get pinked!!!!
Taylor: *Starts ripping fabric off*
T.A.: Whoa, I wouldn't do that. You don't have anything else on.
Taylor: So?!? *Runs around with only censor marks on* I'm naked!!!!!!!
T.A.: *bangs head on writing table furiously* Anyways…. I wanted to apologize for the poorer quality of the last couple chapters of this. Believe me the next couple chapters will more than make up for them.
So please enjoy this next installment. Thank you for all reviews I appreciate it! And go check out my dopey web site it's got some inside looks at the make of "Family Ties." So thanks again and enjoy!!!!
*Smiles* - T.A.
"Miroku's bloodline is to be feared."
- Moushin "Miroku falls into a dangerous trap"
Cost Part Four:" If he hates her; why the hell is he going to see her?!?" Inuyasha demanded loudly.
" Because he has to." Amarante explained. " Miroku is the head of our clan, now that doesn't mean much to me, since I'm geisha and gave up my name and ties. But as far as Nori is concerned, if he visits the city and doesn't go to see her he insults her and lord, which isn't something our family can really afford."
" Why?" Kagome wondered.
" Because, even though we have very high standing here, it isn't immune to backlash, since no one sits in our seat here our clan can be put under suspicion and all that." Amarante waved Sen into the room. " Sen, you are free to walk in here when I am speaking. Serve the tea."
" Wait; wait. What do you mean your family has high standings here? Miroku never told us that." Kagome complained.
" Not surprising, he doesn't like to talk about his family, only Michi." Amarante rolled her eyes and took a sip of tea. " Tell Rai, this isn't right just yet. It still needs something." She shooed Sen from the room.
" So his grandfather was a lord and a monk?" Kagome lifted her cup and took a sip of the tea.
" Heavens no." Amarante set her cup of tea down. " Our grandfather was a simple monk, who as fate would have it, was very enamored with a noble's daughter, our grandmother. How exactly their marriage came about was shrouded in a bit of mystery. But it's not really my concern."
" Probably conned his way into it." Inuyasha grumbled, before chuckling, "So how'd your grandmother's family feel about being cursed?"
" My mother was born before our grandfather was cursed and then they left Kyoto. So, I don't see how it affects us all. It certainly hasn't hurt us women at all, it seems to just make us a more interesting family." The geisha rolled her pale eyes and smirked at her last comment.
" You do know that Michi had the curse under her skin. Naraku opened it in her, but Miroku closed it." Kagome countered.
" Really?" Amarante mused on the information for a moment, before informing the group. " Well, I've never had any problems with it and, since I'm not going out tonight, I'm going to change. I'll return in a moment. Enjoy your tea." She breezed out of the room, rubbing her freezing right hand, with her left.
***
Saying that Miroku wasn't happy would be like saying Shikon jewel had a little bad karma. If he never had to lay eyes on Nori ever again, it would not upset him in the least. Although he did want to se her two daughters, and make sure Nori hadn't done something unspeakable to them. Sumiko was born when he was only seven and he loved her large brown eyes and endless smiles. Aiko, who was born just three years later and was as fidgety as a bird, and the golden flecks in her eyes matched her personality perfectly.
Lord Samuru was Nori's husband and he had benefited greatly from his marriage. It wasn't only the position that their family had it was Nori herself. Samuru had been forced away from his home to fight in a war soon after his marriage. By the time he returned, his home was running in perfect order and his wife had painstakingly amended any blemishes to his family's honor. Despite the fact that she hadn't given him any sons, Nori was still quite well regarded. Miroku wondered if the Samuru had finally seen Nori for what she truly was, but then, would it even matter?
" Houshi-sama?" Sango interrupted his thoughts.
Miroku looked down at her unsure expression. " Yes Sango?"
" Could you slow down a bit? I'm afraid I'm going to trip."
Miroku slowed his pace immediately. " I am sorry, Sango. I was lost in thought."
The taijiya nodded, " That's what I thought. Where is your cousin's estate?"
Miroku looked down the road and realized that he'd already walked too far. He turned and looked back up the road and pointed to the manor they had just passed. "Directly behind us."
Sango smiled, " It's a good thing I interrupted your thoughts then."
Miroku nodded and they started to walk up the gate when Miroku stopped suddenly.
" Houshi-sama? What's wrong?" Sango asked.
" Whatever Nori says: do not take it to heart." Miroku sharply admonished, then called out to the servant tending the gardens. " Tell the Lady Samuru that Lord Miroku, the heir of her birth clan, has come to see her."
The servant opened the gate for Miroku and Sango and ushered them one of the receiving rooms of the house as he assured them. " I will fetch the Lady for you Miroku-sama."
" Thank you." Miroku inclined his head slightly to the servant as he scurried out of the room.
" Houshi...."
" Miroku, Sango. If you were my wife, you would not refer to me by such a formal title." He quickly corrected her.
Sango nodded and looked around at the grandeur of the house.
" I see you have managed to live in perfect luxury, despite the turmoil of the world around you." Miroku announced to the woman, who appeared from the depths of the house.
" Coming from a poor servant of the people, who lives merely on kindness of others, I will take that as a compliment." Her smooth voice was icy-cold.
Sango was awestruck at the woman in front of her. Michi was pretty, as was Amarante, but this woman was terrifying in her beauty. The woman didn't even seem to take steps it was as if she simply floated. Sango had seen formal women of court before, but she'd never felt so awkward and ugly in front of any of them. The woman's brown eyes had flecks of gold in them and Sango suddenly knew how the prey of a hawk felt.
" And this is your pretty, young bride?" The woman inclined her hand towards Sango, then towards Miroku. "Word travels fast here in the city."
" Yes, this is Sango." He hadn't missed the adjectives in his cousin's speech and was quickly adding up their possible meaning. He wasn't surprised that Nori knew about Sango, Lord Eto had probably visited her immediately after speaking to him. The comment of her being young hadn't bothered him, but that word pretty made him nervous. Nori was planning something. He looked down at Sango and motioned towards Nori. "Sango, this is Lady Samuru, my cousin Nori."
Nori offered her hands to Sango and the girl laid hers atop the other woman's without a second thought and before Miroku could intervene.
When skin-to-skin contact was made Nori pulled her hands away sharply and glared at Miroku disapprovingly. "Calluses. A farmers daughter I see."
" I am a taijiya, not a farmer." Sango instantly corrected.
" A taijiya. She certainly fits your style, Miroku-san." Nori snapped her fingers and when a servant girl appeared Nori wiped her hands on the girl's kimono. " Bring my daughters. Their cousin wishes to see them."
" Yes my lady." The girl backed away quickly and rushed out of the room.
" You have poor timing." Nori informed her cousin. " I'll be sending for you soon."
Miroku arched his eyebrow, but remained calm when asking. " Why is that?"
" Sumiko will be married soon. I assumed you would want to attend the ceremony." Nori kept her eyes away from the two and was examining the walls as if they were her only concern.
" She's very young." Miroku pointed out.
Nori snorted, " So is your bride. Sumiko will be fourteen summers that is completely old enough to be married."
" This situation is different..." Miroku trailed off as the servant girl led in two girls and was carrying a baby. "Sumiko, Aiko." He smiled and knelt down to hug the smaller girl.
The nine-year old dashed into his arms and gave him a strong hug. " Cousin Miroku, it is good to see you again."
" Aiko, it's very good to see you too." Miroku hugged her back and looked at her young, happy face. He turned his attention to the older girl, who hadn't moved yet. "Sumiko, I'm glad to see you as well. I hear you are going to be married soon."
Sumiko bowed and kept her eyes focused on the floor. " I am happy to see you as well Miroku-sama. I look forward to my marriage, it will help my clan gain honor." Her voice was quiet, almost fearful.
" Aiko." Nori narrowed her eyes at the younger child, who quickly took her position next to her sister.
Miroku glared at Nori, than walked over to Sumiko and lifted her chin. Sumiko's deep brown eyes had dulled; it was as if her very spirit had been broken since last he'd seen her. " Sumiko, what has happened to you?"
" She's become a proper lady of court." Nori answered. " The infant is Cho, I expected more of a reaction to her."
Miroku looked at the infant, the little girl's eyes were pale gray. " She isn't yours." Miroku stated accusingly.
" No, but geisha that have children are so unpopular." Nori laughed without humor. " Amarante will take her back once she turns four."
Miroku was forcing himself not to lose his temper and he was about to lose the fight. " I see. How does your lord feel about this?"
" He accepts it well. I am his only faithful wife."
" That I highly doubt." Miroku took a deep breath. " I will speak to my nieces for a moment, alone. I shall return quickly, do not insult my wife."
" Of course not Miroku-sama." Nori nodded and afforded him a smile.
Miroku led his nieces into the other room and offered them an encouraging smile. " What did your mother mean about being your father's only faithful wife?"
Sumiko looked away from him and smoothed the fabric of her kimono. " We are only daughters of this house we do know of these things."
" Sumiko, you break my heart speaking like this." Miroku lifted her chin. " There was nothing wrong with you the last time I visited."
Her brown eyes filled with tears. " Mother says I must not question. If I do I will bring shame to my house by being an improper wife."
Miroku wiped off her cheeks. " You could never shame your family. You are beautiful, proper, young woman and your husband will see you for who you are." He winked at her as he teased. " Beside, no husband could be as foul-tempered as your mother."
Aiko started to giggle uncontrollably.
" Shh." Miroku held his finger to his lips. " Don't give me away." He sighed and both of the girls a hug. " I will probably not see you for some time again. I am still hunting for the demon that cursed our family."
Both of the girls accepted his hug, but before he could turn and walk away Aiko pulled on his wrist. " You must bless the baby. She cries all night long."
" Aiko, all babies cry." Miroku tapped her little nose.
" None of our half-brothers or sisters cried like that. Cho's too noisy."
" Half-brothers?" Miroku questioned.
Sumiko quickly enlightened him. " Mother calls them that since we have the same father as them, but different mothers."
" I see."
" Cho's not really our sister." Aiko piped up.
" I had figured that out." Miroku took Cho from the servant girl and settled her in his arms.
She blinked up at him trying to focus on his face before yawning sleepily.
Miroku had to think about the blessing for a moment. The only blessings he used readily anymore were ones for the dead and ones that 'lifted' curses from homes. Neither of these would do. Finally he drew in a deep breath. " May your dreams be sweet little butterfly. May you take flight in all you do and be protected by our ancestors." He handed Cho back to the servant girl. "Goodbye you two take care of each other."
" Yes, Miroku." The two girls bowed to him and he walked back out to where he'd left Sango.
Nori was standing behind Sango with her hands on both of Sango's shoulders, her face was near one of Sango's ears and she appeared to be whispering something to the younger girl. Sango looked halfway between terrified and stunned.
" Nori!" Miroku growled as he reentered the room. " I thought I asked you not to insult my wife."
" I haven't." Nori smiled softly and gave Sango's shoulders a squeeze. " I was just telling her a secret about our family."
" We will be taking our leave now." Miroku bowed stiffly to his cousin and offered Sango his arm.
" As you will. Good day to you Miroku-sama and Lady Miroku." Nori bid the retreating pair.
Sango stopped dead in her tracks. She turned very slowly and looked Nori directly in the eye. " My name is Sango. No one takes away my name and I will not be insulted by a woman that does not even own herself."
Nori mouth open slightly, shocked at Sango's comments.
Sango smiled triumphantly, than looked up at Miroku. " Are we ready to leave Miroku?"
" Yes." Miroku smirked and led them to the gate.
***
The walk back to Amarante's okiya was absolutely silent as the couple made their way back in setting sun's blinding light. Sango had never seen Miroku so angry. His jaw was locked and his right hand kept clenching and unclenching listlessly.
They walked through the door and Miroku called out for Amarante immediately. "Michiko! Where are you?!?"
Sango removed the life-threatening shoes and looked up at the geisha standing in the doorway.
" I don't go by that name anymore." She snipped annoyed running her fingers through her loosened straight black hair. Her face had been cleansed of the make-up and she didn't look nearly as beautiful without it.
" I don't care." Miroku folded his arms over his chest. " Why did you leave your child in that woman's care?!?"
Amarante rolled her eyes unimpressed with his rant. " It won't do her any harm. Cho will be returned to be in four years. Nori can't do that much damage in that amount of time."
Sango listened to the quiet in the house suddenly realizing that her friends could not be here if it was this quiet. "Where did the others go?"
" They're sleeping." Amarante answered quickly.
" Already?" Sango questioned looking through the window at the sunset.
Miroku sighed heavily. " You drugged them."
" Did you really want to deal with them after seeing Nori?" She countered.
Another heavy sigh was emitted from the annoyed and weary monk. " Tell me it isn't strong."
" Oh no, of course not. They'll be alert by morning."
" Good because I want to leave as soon as possible." Miroku glared at his cousin.
Amarante smirked. " I'm sorry the big city isn't to your liking."
" It's the company." Miroku informed her.
" I'm almost offended." She examined her nails and rubbed them against her kimono.
" I want a bath." Sango announced surprising the feuding cousins.
The geisha let out a laughed and clapped her hands sharply, drawing Sen from her little corner of the room. " Lady Sango wants a bath, Sen; prepare one for her please."
Sen nodded and held out her hand to Sango. After the two left the room Amarante chuckled again.
" What are you laughing about?"
" I was just afraid that she didn't have much of a backbone. And that would do for you at all."
" Nori said something about being her Lord's only faithful wife. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" Miroku folded his arms over his chest.
" If I answer that. You're going to want a drink." She warned.
" Amarante."
She rolled her eyes. " You are in the foulest mood and this is only going to make it worse." She looked at her cousin, who simply glared at her. " All right, but I warned you. Lord Samuru has three wives, including Nori, who is still considered his first wife. She still runs his house." She held her hand up before Miroku could interrupt. " Here is the part you aren't going to believe. The other two wives have both given the Lord sons, but neither of them are the heir to his house."
" Then who has the Samuru named as his heir?"
" Sumiko's future husband."
Miroku's arms dropped his side as he stared in disbelief. " That is unheard of."
" I know." Amarante pointed her finger in the direction of her sister's home. "That sister of mine convinced Samuru that both of his other wives might have been unfaithful and that those sons might not be his. So she humbly suggests that he name Sumiko's future husband as the heir to ensure his bloodline will be passed down."
The monk crashed into a sitting position and looked up as his cousin. " You were right. I need a drink."
Amarante poured them both a glass of sake and raised hers. " To my sister the most manipulative person alive."
" No, that would be Naraku." Miroku countered and took a sip.
She refilled her glass and smiled at her cousin. " I say we lock them both in room and let them battle it out for the title. Whichever died we'd profit from it."
Miroku let out a humorless laugh and finished off his glass.
***
" You will never be anything but a taijiya. No man wants a woman that doesn't know her place. How scared are you from battle?"
Nori's stinging statement was still ringing in Sango's ears as she tried to enjoy the bath. She wished Kagome had been awake, so she could talk to her friend. She had already washed herself completely, but she couldn't seem to drag herself out of the bath.
She didn't want to talk to Amarante or Michiko or whoever the hell she was; she was just as bad as Nori. Sango couldn't imagine abandoning her own child to someone else's house, even if she trusted them. The geisha seemed to only care about herself, and then there was Nori. Nori was still bothering her. The cold woman seemed to feed off fear and Sango couldn't comprehend how Michi and Nori had come from the same parents.
" Are you asleep?" Amarante's voice interrupted Sango's thoughts. The geisha's voice was slightly slurred; she was drunk.
" No I was just thinking." Sango had no desire to talk.
" About Nori?"
Sango snorted. " Yes, I was wondering how either of you could be related to Michi."
Amarante gave an unsteady laugh and snorted at her own statement. " I think Nori's a hanyou. Maybe even Naraku's, but can't prove it. Holes in the theory anyway, just like our family. Ha."
Sango was doing her best to ignore the woman's rant, when she felt a hand on her back. The ice-cold fingers pressed against Kohaku's scar moving over it curiously. "What an interesting mark. Did you almost die?"
" Get your hand off me. That wound did kill me." Sango clenched her teeth together and willed herself not to scream. " Go away!"
Amarante removed her hand and stumbled to door as she announced. " Silly girl, the dead don't walk."
Sango wrapped her arms around her chest and chocked down her tears.
" Don't cry Taijiya. Amarante isn't herself on night's like this."
Sango looked up into a pair of truly glittering black eyes, framed by long black lashes in a gentle pale face, which showed nothing but kindness. She held out a robe for Sango and helped her into it. Sango swallowed hard before speaking. " You're Amaya."
"Yes." The girl smiled and brushed Sango's hair away from her face. " Do not let Amarante bother you. She isn't as strong as she tries to make others think. She's just scared little girl."
Sango's eyes lit up with realization as she recognized what Amaya was. " You're kitsune."
Amaya smiled and she giggled softly. " Hanyou. But yes, my father was kitsune. I was sent to free my people." A more thoughtful smile crossed over her features. "Amarante is helping me more than she knows. She's putting me in a perfect position."
Sango's expression narrowed. She was a taijiya; she couldn't let this kitsune put a plan of attack in motion right under her nose. She opened her mouth, but Amaya was already covering it with her hand.
" Please Taijiya, I have not hurt you or your friends. I only want to free my people. We have no plans of revenge. We only want freedom." Amaya looked at Sango. "There is an evil aura over this house. It has been here since the birth of that child. I think that her birth changed something; opened a door."
Sango nodded and pushed away Amaya's hand. " I can't sense anything."
" Neither can the monk. Ask the hanyou in the house. He can tell you the air isn't still here." Amaya looked over her shoulder. " It feels as if we being watched."
" Naraku?"
" No." Amaya rubbed her arms at the mention of the name. " All kitsune know his scent and we run when we catch wind of it. He is the worst kind of evil. He turns people against each other and revels in their pain."
***
Miroku was staring at his cup of sake, trying to justify taking another drink.
" What are you doing?" Amarante asked sitting across from him and pouring herself another drink.
" I'm deciding whether or not I will become drunk."
" Can you decide that?"
" Only if you aren't drunk already." Miroku pointed out and took another sip.
" Oh." Amarante quickly emptied her cup and poured another drink.
Miroku looked towards the bathing room. " Is she alright?"
" She seemed to be. She's very quiet though."
" Could it be that you're just loud?"
She simply shrugged her shoulders and downed her next shot. " Possible."
" How much are you going to drink?" He questioned.
" As much as I need to."
Miroku glared at his cousin. " What is that supposed to mean?"
" It can mean, whatever you want it to mean."
He rolled his eyes. " Michi is the priestess in the woods, not you."
" Yes and we'll see how happy she is there, after her first winter."
Now he smirked a little triumphant. "She was there this last winter."
" What?" Amarante sounded confused. " I thought you left her there right after winter."
" No." Miroku explained slowly. " I left her with Moushin near the end of harvest, which is before winter."
Amarante seemed to be trying to put something together in her head. " Damn. Six months."
" What are you talking about?"
" That's about the same time I gave birth." She shook her hands as if what was going on still didn't make sense. "Does Michi still draw?"
" Yes, but..."
" Do you have a picture of Tanaya?" She interrupted almost frantically.
" I do. But what on earth is bothering you all of sudden?"
" Please just let me see the picture."
Miroku reached into one of the pocket, pulled out the drawing of Tanaya and laid it on the table in front of Amarante.
Her face lost of its color as she touched the corner of the drawing. " No."
" What? What is it?"
" That the child I keep seeing night after night in my dreams. I thought it was Michi when she was younger. They look so much alike. I thought it was just a stupid nightmare that wouldn't end. I'm not supposed to see things any more I'm not..." She rambled incoherently as she started to shake.
Miroku grabbed her wrist to draw her attention. " Amarante, what dreams? What are you talking about?"
She pulled her hand away from his and wrapped her arms around herself. " Since my daughter was inside me I've had the same dream every full moon. Three months ago I started having it almost night." She pointed to the picture of Tanaya on the table in front of her. " I see her. I see that child having her throat cut open beneath the light of the moon."
Miroku jumped to his feet. " What!?! Have you written to Michi? Have you warned her?"
Amarante pulled herself up, but barely managed to stay upright as she defended herself. " Warned Michi? I thought it was Michi! I thought I was going completely mad!"
He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. " When's the next full moon?"
Sen stepped out of the shadows and held up three fingers.
Amarante drew a deep breath. " Three days until the next full moon. And it's five days ride to the temple from here. 'Though I know Toshihiro can make it in four if he rides hard."
Miroku arched his eyebrow confused. " You know him?"
" Yes." She rubbed her forward. " He was the captain of Nori's guard."
" Damn it." Miroku grabbed the picture of Tanaya and put it back in his pocket. "There too many coincidences. This has Naraku written all over it."
" I agree." Sango announced from the entryway. " We should get to the temple as soon as possible."
" It's still four days ride and the full moon's in three days." The geisha pointed out.
" I'll make it in three." Miroku stated. " Get me a horse. I'll ride to temple and make sure nothing happens to Michi. The others can make their way there later."
" Or." Sango pointed out as walked up the monk. " You, I and Kirara can leave tonight and make it by the end of tomorrow."
" Wait a moment." Amarante held up her hand. " You can't leave me with a kitsune, a hanyou and a strange girl in my house."
" Yes, I can. And I'm going to." Miroku informed his cousin. " Consider it your karma for the tricks you've played."
***
The sunlight began to pour into the temple as Michi blinked her eyes sleepily. She knew she should get up and start the day, especially since Moushin was due back any day now, but…. Her daughter was laughing loudly as she played outside with her imaginary friends and Michi felt so warm and so at peace for once that she decided to roll over and enjoy the sunlight a bit longer.
***
Tanaya was standing at the edge of the temple's barrier looking back at the temple. " If I go with you, you won't hurt my mommy?"
" That's right little one." The shadowed figure assured the child. " Of course, if you could just help me. We wouldn't have to go through everything we're about to."
" Help you?" Tanaya looked confused as the creature stepped forward from the shadows and revealed itself to her. " Naraku."
" In a sense." He knelt down on the outside of the barrier and opened part of his cloak to show the white paper stuck to his chest. " Maybe you could just take this off for me. Than you and your mommy could stay together."
" That's a sutra. They're used to bind demons." Tanaya put down her doll and reached forward touching the paper on his chest. Images suddenly flashed in her mind of a powerful demon preying on countless people. She saw a man, who looked like her Miko, but without hair. The man froze the demon in the form of a tree. " You are not Naraku." Tanaya looked up at the demon fearfully. " You are something worse." She opened her mouth to scream but the creature in the white baboon skin jerked her right arm that she'd let go through the barrier.
He smothered her in his cloak muffling her struggles, changed into a man, climbed on a horse and rode away with his prize.
