Author's Note: This chapter is hereby dedicated to my first and most faithful reviewers: theMaven and Serenity971. Hooray for you both, thanks so much!!!! Sorry this chapter is so crappy, I promise I'll dedicate a better chapter to you two later on.
Disclaimer: I am a poor college student who has recently had to replace a laptop. I'm worse than broke, and I own nothing. Needless to say, I do not own any Inuyasha characters mentioned in this story. Well, I guess I own Yukari since I made her up. But that's it.
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~ ~ Chapter 11: ~ ~
It wasn't long before dawn when Yukari and Sesshomaru arrived at Sesshomaru's castle. Yukari was surprised to find that he didn't live as far away from her as she had imagined. His castle, however, was something that defied all imagination: they arrived just as the rising sun struck the castle from behind; the sun illuminated the white façade so that it appeared as a topping of snow for the mountain on which it was built.
The entire structure was enclosed by an enormous stone wall, several feet thick. There were also guard towers (yagura) strategically positioned along the castle walls. The castle itself was made of wood and covered in white plaster. The exterior was ornamented with cusped gables and windows, and beautifully carved gable ornaments.
From above, Yukari could see that the castle was built in a spiral pattern around the mountaintop: it was divided into three circles, one inside the other. Stone walls and guard towers surrounded each circle, separating them from the other parts of the castle and protecting them.
The castle's main keep (donjon) dominated the central inner circle (honmaru). It was very well fortified and appeared to be the most well-defended area of the whole castle structure. Connected to all other minor structures of the castle complex via passageways and corridors, it was the focal point of the entire castle.
In the second circle (ninomaru) were several smaller keeps that Yukari assumed were built for things like weapons and combat training, storage, and residential quarters for servants, warriors, and guards. A large training yard was also located in the second circle.
The third circle (sannomaru) was devoted solely to beautiful and extensive gardens. Yukari loved flowers of all kinds, and she was secretly hoping Sesshomaru would allow her to stay long enough to explore all of the gardens.
The castle itself was built at the top of the mountain, so it was isolated from the surrounding lands and enclosed by dense forests. Several villages were built at the foot of the mountain, however. They helped to support the castle above, which in turn afforded them shelter in times of need and protection from any attackers.
Sesshomaru landed his youki cloud on the ground, and leapt off. He then extended a hand to Yukari to help her down, but she was distracted by her magnificent surroundings and wasn't paying any attention to him.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, causing Yukari to look at him strangely.
She noticed that he was waiting to assist her, so she placed her hand in his and leapt off of the cloud. As soon as her feet touched the ground the cloud disappeared. She hadn't removed her hand from Sesshomaru's yet when a small toad demon carrying a large staff ran out of the keep's door.
"Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru!" the toad squealed.
He stopped short when he saw the pair holding hands, and his sickly green face went momentarily pale. Sesshomaru saw where the toad's gaze had landed, and quickly dropped the miko's hand.
"This is my servant, Jaken," Sesshomaru said emotionlessly to Yukari.
Yukari noticed that Sesshomaru had reverted to his cold, callous expression and tone of voice, and was stung by it. But she decided to just let it lie for the time being.
"Pleased to meet you, Jaken," she said.
Jaken just snorted and looked down his beak at her. This was difficult considering she towered at least 4 feet over him, but the toad somehow managed to do it. Yukari was offended at Jaken's hostile reception, and Sesshomaru could practically feel the frost radiate from her cold glare. Inwardly he chuckled; it was a glare that he himself could be proud of.
"My lord, there are many urgent matters that require your immediate attention," Jaken squeaked, conveniently avoiding the miko's icy stare.
Sesshomaru sighed; it seemed his work was never done, and he secretly wanted some free time to enjoy the young woman's company… while his amusement with her lasted, that is.
"Very well, Jaken," he replied. "Show Lady Yukari to a room… the red room, I think. And send someone to tend to her."
"But my lord…" Jaken began, but immediately shut his beak when he noticed Sesshomaru's harsh glare. He gulped. "Yes my lord, as you command, right away my lord." And with an obsequious bow Jaken scurried into the castle.
Yukari giggled at the toad's antics, then glanced up at Sesshomaru. Feeling her gaze, he turned to face her, only to find her eyes filled with a silent pleading. And there was something else as well… Is that fear? Sesshomaru wondered incredulously.
"Follow Jaken, he will take you to your room, and I am sending someone along shortly to take care of you. If you should require anything, do not hesitate to ask for it, and if it is possible then it shall be done," he said.
Yukari took a deep breath; it took a lot of her courage to ask him this, but she just had to know. "Sesshomaru, why did you --"
"You will join me after you dine," he interrupted. It wasn't a request, it was a command.
Yukari's mouth formed an 'O' in surprise, and she was preparing a sharp reply, but Sesshomaru had already begun to walk into the castle. Silently fuming, thinking about all the rude names she would like to call the arrogant youkai lord, she followed Jaken silently.
She followed him as he led her through a spacious entryway, then up 2 flights of stairs, then through a hallway that was lined with doors. Jaken was muttering something rude about a human wench and suffering a disgrace after all his loyal years of service, so she just tuned him out and concentrated on her surroundings instead. The walls were made of some dark, shiny wood, and an air of peace and simplicity dominated the entire castle.
Finally the two arrived at Yukari's room; Jaken opened the door and waited for the young woman to step inside. As soon as she did, Yukari was awed by the unaccustomed luxury of her room. The opulence inside was a foil for the simplicity outside, yet because the contrast was so great, there was no question of it being over-done. Jaken scowled at the wide-eyed miko and snorted again.
"Someone will be along shortly to baby-sit you," he sneered. But before Yukari could retaliate, the toad had fearfully slammed the door shut.
Once the imp was gone, Yukari had the opportunity to examine her room more carefully. There was a small red and white shoji screen painted with cherry blossoms in one corner of the room, and behind it was a long mirror. Two small cherry wood chests sat in the opposite corner. Across the room was a large futon; it was spread with a brilliant red silk comforter which was embroidered with a delicate white cherry blossom pattern. The sight of the bed made Yukari sigh in anticipation. She had never used anything so luxurious before, and was almost afraid to sleep with it. In the corner next to the futon was a cherry wood bedside table, and in the opposite corner was a small cherry wood desk and chair set.
There seems to be a cherry theme in here, Yukari giggled to herself as she noticed the silk paintings hanging on the walls. One was a painting of a tiny bird on a cherry branch, and was fairly simple. The other made Yukari gasp at its beauty: it was an enormous painting of a group of elaborately-dressed women sitting under a cherry tree in full bloom. Upon closer inspection of the painting, she noticed that all of the women had black hair except one, who had long silver hair. Like Sesshomaru, she realized. All of the black-haired women were laughing together, but the silver-haired woman was gazing up into the branches of the cherry tree with a sad expression on her face, as if she was seeing something which the others did not notice. I wonder why she looks so sad, Yukari thought.
But at that moment the door opened again, startling Yukari from her musings. A young female demon peered into the room, looking confused. Her expression changed to one of relief when her eyes landed on Yukari.
"Oh there you are," she said. "I thought you might have gone exploring or something."
Yukari was curious, so she sent a thread of her power out, testing the young demon's aura: kitsune. Shoulder-length brown hair framed a youthful face; a wide mouth and a small nose gave her a very mischievous appearance. The deep forest green of the young demon's kimono brought out the brilliant green of her enormous eyes. The girl was smiling at her, so Yukari smiled back.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself, Lady," the kitsune said quickly. "My name is Kioko, and Lord Sesshomaru sent me to serve you."
"My name is Yukari; please don't call me 'Lady'," Yukari said, wincing. "I'm not a Lady, I'm just… well, just me."
"But Lady, you must be someone of great importance. Lord Sesshomaru has ordered the entire household to spare no effort in making you happy and comfortable here," Kioko replied.
She paused, then continued speaking. "Lord Sesshomaru is very handsome, and he is not mated," she said innocently.
Yukari was flattered. Sesshomaru ordered his servants to treat me with great respect and care? Who would have thought he was capable of such… kindness? Then the full implication of the casual comment hit her, causing her to blush.
"NO! I mean, of course he is very handsome," she stammered. "But you don't understand, it's not like that between us. We're friends. Well, what I mean to say is, he is my friend, but I'm not his, because he doesn't really like me, and… oh hell."
Kioko was smiling at her dreamily, obviously not believing a word that she was saying. "Of course, Lady," she said, smiling secretly.
Then she suddenly snapped back to the real world. "Is there anything you require, Lady Yukari?" she asked.
Yukari sighed at the repeated formality, but decided not to mention it again. "Umm, a bath would be nice," she said.
"Oh, of course, and then you'll want to change clothes," Kioko said, eyeing Yukari's oversized haori. "And after that I'll bring up some food for you."
While she was speaking, Kioko was pushing Yukari gently out of the room. They walked down two staircases and through a narrow hallway, which led them to a back door. Kioko opened the door for Yukari, then led the way to a stone building behind the castle's main keep. As the young demon opened the door, Yukari was hit with a blast of warm, steamy air that smelled faintly of sulfur. Hot springs! Kioko stepped inside and Yukari followed her; she was amazed at the sight of the bath house.
It was entirely paved with stone, and was much larger inside than it appeared to be outside. There were three large pools of steaming water, which flowed into one another in miniature waterfalls. It began with the smallest one at the top, which flowed into a larger one, which flowed into the largest one of all. Yukari guessed that even the smallest pool could have fit her entire house inside with room to spare.
"Here you are, my Lady," Kioko said. She moved around the room, pointing things out. "Towels are here, soap and things are here, and here is a yukata that you can wear when you are finished."
"All right," Yukari said uncertainly.
"When you are done, just tell the guards outside, and they will come find me," Kioko said as she walked towards the door.
"Guards?" Yukari asked.
"Of course," Kioko replied. "Lord Sesshomaru ordered that you were to be kept safe while you bathed. Perhaps he is planning to join you…"
Yukari brought her hands up to cover her flushing cheeks. "I have no idea what you are implying," she said sharply.
"Mm hmm," Kioko answered, then shut the door behind herself.
Yukari selected 2 large, fluffy towels from a rack on the wall, then walked over to the cupboard where Kioko had said soap was kept. After sniffing about a dozen, she finally chose one that smelled of lotus flowers and cherry blossoms. Yukari was alone in the large bathing room, so she took advantage of the solitude and wandered over to the largest steaming pool. She stripped off her clothes and waded into the warm water, sighing in ecstasy as the heat permeated and relaxed her muscles. After swimming a few laps, she soaped her hair and body, then dunked herself a few times to rinse off. She waded carefully out of the water and dried off with one of the towels, wrapping the other around her head to dry her hair. She dressed in the soft white yukata, drawing the sash tightly around her body. Once she was finished, Yukari walked softly to the door of the bathing room and peeked outside; there were two burly bear youkai standing outside the door. Both were heavily armed, and both looked as if they could easily have snapped Yukari in half. She giggled. Is Sesshomaru anticipating some kind of attack on me? I don't think he could have engaged bigger guards if he had tried.
"Um… excuse me," Yukari said softly. Both guards jumped at the sound of her voice. The three of them studied each other for a moment, unsure of how to continue. Yukari observed that one of the guards had brown hair and the other had black, but other than that they looked very similar. Brothers, Yukari thought. Or maybe cousins. Both of them had markings shaped like bear footprints on their forearms, and both wore similar necklaces of bear claws. However, the black-haired one had stripes similar to Sesshomaru's on his cheekbones. Upon closer inspection, Yukari realized that the markings were black tattoos. Those definitely aren't normal, Yukari thought. Bear youkai don't usually have facial markings. I wonder what they mean.
"My Lady," one of them said. They both bowed, and Yukari felt extremely uncomfortable with the formality of the situation.
"I'm looking for Kioko," she said. "She told me that one of you would go find her for me."
The brown-haired one bowed again, then left. The black-haired one gave her a wary glance from head to foot, as if he was unsure of her. She gave him a friendly smile, and after a moment's hesitation, he grinned widely back at her, displaying pointed white canine teeth.
"My name is Kanaye," he said to her. "That was my cousin, Takeshi. Lord Sesshomaru assigned us to watch over you while you remain with us."
"That was very kind of him," Yukari replied. "Although I don't really think I need a guard. I can take care of myself. And by the way, my name is Yukari."
Kanaye looked sternly down at her. Although Yukari was tall for a woman, the top of her head came only to the center of Kanaye's breastbone.
"One should never take unnecessary risks, Lady Yukari. While I believe that you can take care of yourself, that is now my responsibility. My cousin and I will watch over you, ensuring that nothing keeps you from enjoying your time here."
At that moment Kioko and Takeshi arrived, preventing a reply from Yukari. Kioko hustled Yukari off to her room, with Kanaye and Takeshi following closely behind them. When they arrived, Yukari found a small tray filled with food awaiting her. She ate sparingly, as was her custom, and didn't dare touch the wine. She was completely unaccustomed to drinking it, and didn't want to create a bad impression. The last thing I need is to get drunk and make a big fool of myself.
As soon as she finished Kioko whisked the tray away and returned carrying the most beautiful silk kimono Yukari had ever seen. It was a deep violet color, embroidered with ivory threads in the shape of chrysanthemums. There was an ivory silk obi to go with it. Kioko dressed Yukari in the lovely kimono, brushed out her long hair, and tied it back with an ivory silk ribbon. After she was dressed, Yukari looked into the mirror; she barely recognized herself.
"Ahem," Kioko cleared her throat. "Lord Sesshomaru requests your presence in his study immediately." She was smirking suggestively, and Yukari felt herself blush. I'm going to have to convince that girl there's nothing between Sesshomaru and I beyond simple friendship… or tolerance. 'Too bad,' her inner voice commented, and she blushed again.
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Author's Note: Woo! Hard work. I'm really sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter out. I'm really stuck though, and I don't know how to get unstuck. I also should apologize for the lameness of this chapter and the next couple… please just bear with me, I'm begging you. I promise they'll get better. A couple more boring chapters, then quite a few fluffy chapters, then some action chapters. Love ya'll!!
Responses: (yay!)
Animegirl007: Thanks, I'm glad you liked the story. This is a story about Sess and Rin, I swear, but she doesn't come in for a while. You'll understand by the end, I promise. But they aren't going to be paired up, because I think that taints the relationship between them. I like to keep it as a father/daughter, friend/friend, brother/sister relationship… it's just a personal preference. Thanks for reviewing!!
theMaven: lol I thought that was too funny to pass up… I love Sesshomaru's lines as well. He's just got so much scope for sarcasm and rudeness. I love writing him!! And I'm glad you appreciate him as well. Thanks for reviewing!!
Arima1: FINALLY ANOTHER CHAPTER!!! I know, I know, it took me long enough. And it's crappy. But there ya go. Maybe it'll get better, maybe not. Maybe psychotic killing is just taking up too much of my time. Dang, I need to get a new job… Thanks for reviewing. Luv ya girl!
ShortPoet: lol I had to put the note about the bandages in. I didn't want anyone thinking I was all sick and twisted or anything… hehehe. Internal conflict is just so much fun to write! I like confusing the characters and then bringing everything into focus for them. Thanks for the review!!
Kashiaga: I read and reviewed your story, but I don't know if you got it. I liked the fact that she stuck up for Inuyasha… I felt so bad for him!! Dang bullies… grrr. Lol. Have you updated recently? I'm looking forward to seeing where the story is going to go next!! Thanks for reviewing!
Inuyasha chicca: Sorry it took me so long to update. Writer's block stinks! I try to update as often as I can, but I really have no set schedule. I write when I'm feeling inspired, and I don't write when I'm not. Sorry if I kept you waiting, I hope this chapter isn't too much of a disappointment!!! Thanks for the review!
Dralan: *stares wide-eyed* Please don't come get me!! I promise I'll be a good girl, I swear, just don't make me write more!!! Lol. Here's another chapter for ya, but it's boring so I don't know if that counts. But I'll try to update soon, okay? I agree that he should have kissed her, but good things come to those who wait! *wink* Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Serenity971: Sorry that I dedicated a crap chapter to you guys, but I promise that I'll write a better one and dedicate it to you again. Don't be offended, I didn't mean for it to be crappy. Sowwy!! T_T
Until next time, everyone. Please REVIEW!!!!
XOXOXO Sayori-chan