Through the Rain
Chapter 2
Kagome's Capture
By ShimmerSweet
After a rather tense argument, a few glass objects thrown, and a bright red hand print on my face, I was sent outside to my carriage and waited there, in the rain, for my possessions. I didn't go to my room to retrieve my 'valuables' because the item that meant the most to me dangled around my neck. I gently ran my middle finger over every little detail and smiled to my self. It didn't matter to me that I was waiting outside in the pouring rain for the carriage and my bags, because nothing else mattered to me now, I was in a state of shock because I knew of Inuyasha's true feelings. Inuyasha gave this to me out of love, it was his way of saying he loved me, that's right, he loved me, and I loved that idea, and continued grinning even more, if that was even physically possible. I was filled with content, because I knew I loved him too, and this arrangement that my mother set up for me to go to the all girls' school was not going to keep me away from Inuyasha. Nothing would, can, or will keep me from him, because he is the love of my life and nothing can keep me from him. I would find a way to get back to him, and just the thought of me being with him again kept my star struck gaze and cheesy grin plastered on my face. Well, I was smiling until one of the guards took me by the arm and forcefully, but gently put me into the carriage. After my luggage was packed and loaded, the horseman cracked his reins and the horses started to pull away from the castle in a slow trot. My mother stood outside and watched with a stiff face as the carriage pulled away. Our eyes made contact through the glass and my heart strings tugged. When her eyes connected with mine she quickly looked away with a frown and slammed the palace door behind her. Did I see what I thought I just saw, or did the rain flowing down the window disorient my mother's actions? No, it was no illusion; she just stared at me with hatred as if she were….. disowning me? I was hurt by her actions, by the way she just turned on her heels as if I were nothing to her, like I was the dirt beneath her feet. Did she love me anymore? Was she hurting emotionally, or was it joyous to her to cause me so much pain? I pondered and thought on these conclusions as the carriage traveled down the dirt road for about 40 miles outside of my kingdom until the carriage took a rather violent jolt and came to a sudden halt.
A little worried I opened the door to see what was going on, and hopped out of the carriage. The minute I stepped out I was soaked from head to toe, the rain poured from the heavens with such force that my delicate, soft skin started to tingle, and turn pink, it was pouring so hard that I could barely see a foot in front of me. So I shielded my eyes from the forceful rain by holding my arm up above my eyes, and searched for the horseman. He was on the other side of the carriage, down on one knee and analyzing the wooden wheel. He looked up towards me and gave a little smile. I returned a concerned face instead, my facial expressions obviously stating my worried questions about the broken wheel.
"Me lady, it's only minor damage, no need to fret, now, please get back inside of the carriage. I don't want you standing out here, you might catch cold."
Understanding his reasoning, I nodded my head and got back in the carriage and scooted over to the spot I had originally been sitting. I sat there and looked through the window, observing the scenery. There were tall mountains that had a collage of iridescent colors, and majestic trees that stood just as tall and proud, but the whole scene was draped in a gloomy blanket due to the weather. When it rained it seemed as if everything lost its bright colors and gentleness and was instead replaced with the bland, droopy color gray, and its sad presence. And I was slipping into that sad feeling—correction, I was already there. I'd been in this mood ever since my mother told me I'd be leaving, but that sad unwanted feeling was torn away as I turned my head to stare out the other set of windows on the carriage. There was a castle set by the forest's side. It was pretty far away, I had to squint in order to see it. It was extravagant and masculine, with a tall black fence surrounding the entrance to it. There was an engraved name on the front gate so I squinted even harder to see the name, just out of curiosity. To my surprise it read 'Inu Youkai Domain'.
My mouth hung wide open and happiness replaced my sadness and grief immediately. It was Inuyasha's homeland that we were stranded at! Now, that I thought of it, an hour had passed and the horseman still hadn't fixed that 'minor' problem with the wheel. So I reached to open the door so I could ditch this guy and run to Inuyasha—straight into his arms. The door whipped open without me even putting my hand on the handle, I yelped with surprise, but calmed down once I noticed it was just the horseman.
"My apologies me lady, for scaring thee, but I have to go and gather some sticks to try and prepare the wheel, you just stay put."
He smiled at me once again and dashed off towards the woods. Actually he ran pretty fast for an older man with a head full of gray hair. Once he vanished into the foliage I smiled to myself, this was the perfect time for my escape. This way I could be with Inuyasha, and away from my mother and that stuck up private all girls school she was sending me to. I forced open the door and ran in the castle's direction.
I ran at the forest's edge at a speed I didn't even know I possessed. I guess it was my need to be in Inuyasha's arms that drove and pushed my body past its normal limits. Running in the sand at the forest's edge was tiring. Wait, why did a forest even have sand? My question was answered once I pasted a huge lake. Well I guess I should be grateful and not complain about the sand because all I had to do was follow the sandy beach's path and it would eventually lead me to the Inu Mamoru Castle.
When I finally reached Inu Kingdom, I ran through the villages and towns with undying speed, while receiving odd looks from the villagers who watched from their windows inside their cozy homes. Now that I think about it, it isn't every day you see someone of royalty, in expensive garments running through the rain like a mad woman, but this was only my second time coming to this kingdom so they probably didn't even know that I was the princess of the Sengoku Jidai Kingdom. When I reached the gates to the Inu Castle there were two rather large Inu demon guards with shoulder length silver hair and expressionless faces. I looked up at them.
"Let me in please, I need to see Inuyasha"
I was on the brink of tears. I was so happy that I was going to see him, because nothing would keep us from each other. I loved him too much to let anything stop me. The guard on the left looked down at me with the same expressionless face.
"You must have an arrangement or appointment to enter."
Then he turned his head back in its original direction, staring straight ahead into nothingness--assuming his regular position. Okay, he wasn't in a particular good mood, who would? After all he did have to stand outside in the pouring rain and assume the same position until the end of his shift. So I turned to the other guard, hoping he was in a better mood and asked the same question but he replied in the same sense as the guard before him.
Okay, so neither of them would allow me to enter, well I would just have to find another way…
I walked away from the main gates and rounded the corner to the side of the castle's brick brigades when I was sure the guards weren't looking. Then I desperately tried to climb up the side of the outer gate wall. Clawing and scraping at the wall in desperate attempts to climb the wet and slick surface. After attempting this feat for a few minutes, I realized it would take me longer than what I thought to get inside the castle.
~
Meanwhile, in the forest by the broken carriage, a dark figure in a bamboo cloak was quietly hiding behind a tree. Like the creepy figure he is, he sat there, waiting for someone to appear. Then, from around the corner a woman emerged, with an evil grimace.
"Kagura, is everything falling into plan?"
The woman's smirk glistened.
"Everything is running smoothly so far Naraku. The wheel is broken just as it is supposed to be, and Inuyasha's woman, has as predicted, left for his castle."
Naraku smiled his evil smile at this news and nodded towards the carriage and its driver.
"Now, all we have to do is kill him… and notify Queen Higurashi of the 'attack' and her daughter's sudden capture, by the Demon Kingdom, where King Inu Mamoru rules…"
Kagura's smile suddenly dropped to a frown.
"Who would tell her of this news? And why would she believe that person?"
Kagura stated as she stared at the horseman still tending the broken wheel. He had to be either extremely dumb or unobservant to not notice the princess was no longer in the carriage.
Naraku smiled and stood from his sitting position. He walked up to the carriage and tapped the unexpected horseman on the shoulder. When he turned around, Naraku slashed the man in two. Naraku ripped the door off its hinges and shredded the seats, flipped the carriage and set the horses free so it looked as if an attack occurred in the carriage. He turned around to look at Kagura.
"You were in the forest looking for medical herbs and saw everything. You saw the murder of the horseman and Princess Higurashi's capture. You saw how brutal the Inu Youkai were to them. So you go running to the queen and tell her what you saw, and she will undoubtedly come to the scene of the attack, and seek vengeance on the Inu Youkai and demand her daughter's safe return…… Now go, and tell the queen of the events that have taken place here. She will believe your alibi."
"As you wish Naraku…"
With those words Kagura was gone, and left Naraku to himself. Naraku grinned to himself and disappeared. Leaving behind his echoing words.
"My revenge will take place…."
~
After about 5 more attempts at crawling up the gate wall, and each time resulting in me falling on my butt and groaning in pain, one of the guards rounded the wall and approached me. His expression was still lifeless, and his voice was dull.
"Miss, you know that I have to take you to the king now for your attempted crime of breaking and entering. Now he has to decide what to do with you."
This was great! The king knew me, he met me once before… surely he wouldn't let anything happen to me. Then he took me forcefully by the arm, and dragged me to the front gate where the other guard opened it for him. He dragged me up the sidewalk to the front doors, where another set of guards were stationed. The guard asked for clearance and was immediately let inside. He brought me down the winding corridors until we came to a set of huge doors where two more guards were stationed. They nodded their head at the guard who was man handling me, then opened the doors and let us in. The king—King Mamoru was sitting in his throne reading a book and the queen's throne was empty. No other royalty occupied the room except for himself, but there were about ten more guards stationed in the throne room with him, all with the same expressionless statures as all the other guards. The guard that held me tightly around the arm pulled me before King Mamoru and threw me down on my knees at his feet. The guard held his sword's point at the nape of my neck and told me to bow my head towards the king for I was a 'peasant' and didn't deserve to look at him.
"Your Majesty, this human wench was caught trying to break and enter the castle's walls. I was unsure of her purposes, so I decided to take her to you so you can decide what to do with her."
After the guard's statement the king withdrew his attention from his book and looked at me. I could feel his gaze.
"Let her look at me… then I shall decide of her intentions, for the eyes never lie."
The guard withdrew his sword and I slowly looked up at the king hoping that he would recognize me. I really didn't want to be sentenced to death or thrown in the dungeons…. Once our eyes connected his stern facial features dropped and his forehead knitted together in question. He closed his book and set it to his side, then leaned forward a little and squinted his eyes to get a better view of me.
"Kagome?"
He questioned, then sat up straight in his seat again. Relief ran through my veins at his recognition. I let out the breath that I didn't even know I was holding in, and looked at him. I started to smile and tears started to fall from my eyes.
"Yes, King Mamoru, it's me… I'm sorry that I interrupted you from your book but I just had to get here no matter what the means… My mother was sending me to an all girls school because she—"
"Slow down dear, and please get off of your knees, a princess should never have to be on her knees."
He motioned for me to stand and waved at the guard so he would leave. He stood from his throne and hugged me tightly.
"I know you must have been through a lot, and I want to hear everything, but first I would like for you to come with me, so we can talk privately, and get you some dry clothing."
He had one of his servants lead me into a changing chamber full of extravagant clothes. It had about 10 long racks of beautifully designed clothing. The maid presented me with a towel to dry off with. So I happily took it and proceeded in drying my hair and skin. Then she left me again and came back rather quickly with a crimson, silk dress, which had a neck that opened at the midpoint of my chest, which allowed my necklace to glimmer with pride. All of the seams were trimmed in gold lace, and the long sleeves and torso part of the dress clung to my skin like a second skin. While from the waist down it flowed freely at my ankles. She presented me with ruby heels, which I thought were stunning, for I have never seen such shoes before up close. I liked the queen's taste in clothes; even though it was very English I still liked it. I changed into the dress then the maid led me to the vanity so she could 'dress' me up. She took my now dry locks and put it in a low bun with a lace of gold wrapped around it. She tried to put makeup on me but I reclined, I couldn't stand the stuff, it made me feel, well, fake, as if people were looking at a mask and not at me. The maid tried to take of my necklace so she could put other diamonds and jewelry on me that she thought looked better but that didn't happen because I shooed away her hand before she could even touch it. I didn't want any more of her assistance so I kindly asked her to take me back to King Mamoru, of which she did.
King Mamoru led me out of the throne room and led me into a room with many pieces of expensive comfortable looking furniture. All the couches and chairs were a deep blue and it sat around a bear skin rug. The redwood tables were extravagant with majestic engravings, and were decorated with flower pots and different statues. Expensive pictures and family portraits hung from the wall and a bay window sat parallel to the room's doors. The heavy blue velvet curtains were drawn. The king went over to them and opened the curtains to let some sunlight in, even though there wasn't much sunlight present due to the heavy rain storm. He sat on the navy blue cushions in the bay window and motioned for me to take a seat next to him. So I sat next to him and stared at my tightly clenched hands in my lap. I didn't want to seem rude so I wouldn't speak until I was spoken to, then I felt his firm hand on my chin and he gently twisted my head to face him. He looked at me with soft caring eyes.
"Before I call Inuyasha I want to ask you a couple of questions."
He with drew his hand and glance and drew in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. Then he looked at me again, his eyes connecting with mine.
"Now Kagome dear, I love you like you were my own daughter, and I hope you know that you can tell me anything… So, as a parental figure I must ask you, does your mother know that you are here, because I do know what she thinks of demons…."
I stared back down at my lap and ran my finger across the necklace Inuyasha had given me. I made eye contact with King Mamoru.
"No, she doesn't but I do have good reason for being here…"
He seemed to understand and smiled gently towards me.
"You may continue…"
I swallowed hard and started my story.
"Well, Inuyasha and I were planning a secret meeting, but before I had a chance to go meet him, my mother had caught me leaving the palace… She asked where I was going and I said I was going to the garden which was true, but it wasn't all the truth. She told me to come back at a certain time or else the consequences would be severe. So I went to the garden, which is where he came to meet me…"
Kagome stopped to see how the king was taking the new and looked from her lap to see that his expression was still understanding and soft, so she continued.
"We went into the forest and stayed out longer than expected. Before we knew it, the sky had turned gray and it started to rain. We rushed back to my castle but before I went in he gave me a necklace which I made sure I tucked under my clothing before I entered the castle. On my way in a guard had caught me and brought me straight to my mother. She was pretty angry and she asked where I had been and I lied, I told her I wasn't with Inuyasha. She believed me and hugged me out of relief for my safety. She felt the necklace under my clothing and pulled it out and read the engravings on the back of it…."
My finger slid across my necklace again as I turned it over for the king to read it. He looked at it then at me and seemed to give me a little smile, his eyes glistened and urged for me to continue. So I continued to stare at my lap and twiddled my thumbs.
"She was outraged at the fact that I was with Inuyasha for so long and also for lying to her. She immediately called a carriage, and sent me off to an all girls school. I was in the carriage riding until our wheel broke. So the horseman told me he had to go gather some supplies from the forest and he would be right back. Once he left I saw your kingdom and came running as fast as I could. The guards wouldn't let me in so I tried to climb the gate and then you know the story from there."
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly then looked up towards the king. He returned the stare and smiled.
"Sounds like you really love my son."
I made direct eye contact with him and returned his smile as tears started to fall from my eyes.
"You have no idea how much I love him, I would do anything for him. But I was unsure of my feelings for so long, because we have been seeing each other for about two years and he never told me he loved me. When he gave me this necklace, it all became crystal clear on how he felt and how I felt. And now I know I want nothing more than to be with him for the rest of my life."
King Mamoru dried my tears with his finger, hugged me then stood, walking towards the door.
"I'm flattered to hear your feelings towards my son, but you should be telling him the exact same things you told me."
King Mamoru placed his hand on my shoulder as if to reassure me.
"I'll go get the queen and Inuyasha, you can tell them your story of how you came to be here. Then I'll let you spend time with Inuyasha for tonight, because tomorrow morning I must inform your mother of your whereabouts, for no parent should have to worry about the whereabouts of their child."
With those words King Mamoru left the room and left her there to think. Think about what she just said about her true feelings, think about what she had gone through today, and think about how exhausted she was after today's events. So I relaxed on the couch until the king, queen, and Inuyasha arrived. Once I laid eyes on Inuyasha my eyes lit up and glistened just as much as his did. Immediately we rushed into each other's arms. Inuyasha picked me up and swung me around in circles causing us to laugh like children. Once he put me down, he kissed me on the lips in a deep passionate kiss. When he pulled away from me I felt my cheeks burning with embarrassment because both of his parents had witnessed the scene that just took place. Inuyasha smiled at me and hugged me close.
"What are you doing here love?"
And with those words, I went on to explain the long story once again to Inuyasha and the queen. After I was done explaining King Mamoru and Queen Eriko left us alone in the 'navy' room. I stared at Inuyasha in the eyes and hugged him close. We stood like that for a while because neither of us wanted to ruin the moment.
"Kagome, what I was trying to say earlier was in fact very important, and I think now is a good time to tell you."
He gently separated us so we could make eye contact, and I was hanging on his every word. He caught a glimpse of my necklace and gently grasped it in his palm.
"The engravings that are on the back of this necklace are supposed to tell you of how I feel for you even though I'm not great with words I hope it did the job."
He let go of the necklace and ran his hand through my loose locks and made eye contact once again. His eyes were so soft and full of emotion, that it made me feel good all over, just like the sun's warm rays dancing on your skin. He smiled gently at me.
"I love you Kagome, and I have for a long time, but just never knew how to say it, and after I finally figured out what it was…"
I smiled at him as silent tears of joy once again ran down my cheeks.
"I love you too Inuyasha, I just never knew how you felt so I was afraid to tell you of my feelings towards you. After you gave me this necklace, I definitely knew that I loved you and that I would love to spend the rest of my life with you."
Inuyasha smiled then pulled me into another embrace.
"And I do too, love."
~
"Queen Higurashi! Queen Higurashi!"
Kagura had come barging into the throne room, somehow managing to get past all of the guards. Queen Higurashi turned around quickly to see what the matter was and what was so urgent. As the guards apprehended Kagura and started to take her away the queen approached her, making the guards cease in their actions.
"What is it that you want child? Why have you interrupted my household?"
"It's your daughther! The princess' carriage was attacked and the driver was murdered! They took the princess! The whole thing was horrible!"
The queen's face dropped at this news, but quickly straightened.
"And how would you know of this?"
"I was out gathering medical herbs for a dying friend, and I saw the whole thing! After the event I came running here immediately."
The queen's face was covered in grief and in fear.
"Do you know of who could have done this?"
Kagura smiled inwardly to herself then proceeded.
"That I do, it was the Inu Youkai, there's no mistaking there silver locks…."
Immediately Queen Higurashi faced the captain of the guard.
"I want you to take this young woman so she can lead you to the scene of the crime. If it is indeed true than I want you to get our troops ready because I will do everything in my power to get my little girl back safely."
A/N: Wow, this was a long one. I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Please be patient with me because it may be a whole week before I can get the third chapter posted. After all it's that magical time of the school year—finals!