Authors Notes:
Hello hello! Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'm glad people are actually still reading this story. I've been thinking really hard about how I want this to turn out and how far in Izayoi's life I'll take her journal. (suggestions are welcome!) I'll take a while in updates but it's only because I want this story to turn out well. I've been trying to get it right in a historical sense as well, so researching is taking me some time. Just bear with me and enjoy the story!
If you would like me to make out a mailing list and let you know when I update, please just say so in a review note and I'll compile one that way you don't have to check this a million times only to discover there's no update. Thanks for your patience!
-Miyabi loves you!-
Kagome nearly dropped the journal at this startling revelation. Finally it all made sense! "I can't believe it....."she whispered. "This journal.....it belonged to Inuyasha's mother!"
She slammed the book shut with a thud. "I can't continue reading this!" she thought to herself. "It's so personal....oh no! If Inuyasha finds out he'll be furious! He hates talking about his past!"
She sat there in torn silence when a slightly evil thought popped up in her mind. "But then again....I did tell him that I'd never talk to him about what I'm reading ever again...." She looked at the small book that tempted her so. "Ok!" she said aloud "If it gets REALLY personal I'll just skim over that part!" and she added in afterthought "And I'll tell Inuyasha about it when I'm done."
With her guilty conscience appeased, Kagome picked up the journal and continued to read.
I stood there in shock. "It can't be..." I whispered.
"Oh Lady!" Mio whispered "What will your father say?"
"He shouldn't mind!" I said quickly. "He respects Lord Inutaishou."
"But what if he wants to court you?" Mayu gasped. "Your father won't let you become betrothed to a demon!"
I sank down on the tatami mats still in a state of shock. Why hadn't he told me he was a demon? I thought bitterly to myself. But then again....did it really matter? I liked him well enough when I thought he was an ordinary man and he was so kind! How could such a kind person be a demon? Weren't all demons evil?
"I'll worry about it tomorrow." I sighed aloud. "I'm very tired now. I would like to sleep."
Mio and Mayu helped me get ready for bed by combing my hair and getting the sleeping mats ready and feeling very exhausted, I slid between the covers and slept a dreamless sleep.
Kisaragi 6th
I awoke the next morning with a feeling of dread anticipation. Today was the day I had to speak to Taishou.
"You should at least eat something my Lady." coaxed Mio.
I shook my head. Food was the last thing I wanted! I went to my window and looked outside. Judging by the way the sun shone through the trees it was almost time for me to meet Taishou in the gardens.
"Mayu, will you bring the tea out to the garden in ten minutes? I'm going to go ahead and wait."
I stood up and walked outside and into the gardens. Taishou hadn't arrived yet, so I walked to the small pavillion in the middle of the garden and knelt down and waited. It was a lovely morning. The sun was shining down, the sakura trees were just beginning to bloom and a soft breeze was blowing. It was unseasonably warm for this time of year and I closed my eyes and enjoyed the breeze dancing across my face. I was startled out of my reverie by a voice:
"Beautiful weather isn't it?"
Startled, my eyes flew open to find Taishou standing there with a smile playing on his face. He knelt down at the table across from me.
"I'm sorry if I startled you."
I laughed nervously. "Oh no. It's all right. I didn't hear you approach that's all."
He continued to smile. "I can be very quiet when I wish. You just looked so peaceful sitting there I almost didn't want to disturb you."
I'm willing to bet that I was very red in the face at this point but luckily Mayu chose that moment to arrive with the tea. She knelt down and began to prepare it but I waved her away.
"It's all right Mayu. I'll prepare it."
"But lady...."
"I said it's all right. You may return for the tea set in a half hour."
"Yes lady." she said meekly and hurried away.
I didn't mean to sound harsh to her but I knew she just wanted to eavesdrop!
"I apologize for her." I said to Taishou.
He just laughed and said "Servants love to gossip do they not?"
"Indeed they do." I said as I began to prepare our tea. "You wouldn't believe some of the things that Mayu and Mio tell me. Why last night they told me that you were a demon!" I laughed slightly. "Isn't that amusing?"
Taishou gave a little smile as I finished mixing his cup of tea. "Indeed it is! It's even more amusing that for once idle gossip is correct."
I nearly dropped his teacup. "You mean you really are a demon?" I asked.
Taishou looked startled. "You really didn't know?"
I shook my head.
"I see." We sat in silence for a few moments when he stood up and bowed to me. "I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, Lady. I shall go." He turned to leave.
"Why?" I asked him.
He turned around. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"I assumed you didn't wish to remain in my company any longer."
I smiled. "Of course not. Sit back down so you can finish your tea and our conversation. I was enjoying myself."
And I wasn't lying. I really was enjoying myself. Taishou was wonderful company and I discovered that what he was didn't bother me like I thought it would. What did it matter?
He turned around and knelt back down in front of me.
"You really don't mind?"
"No...I don't."
He smiled and I couldn't believe how relieved he looked. He picked up his teacup and sipped at it.
"I'm surprised that you didn't know." he mused. "I thought your earlier nervousness around me was due to the fact you knew I was a demon. I was surprised you had agreed to take tea with me."
I smiled. "Was I really that nervous looking?"
He laughed. "No..you kept a nice straight face. I could actually smell your nervousness."
"You could smell it? Oh...how embarassing!"
He laughed harder and I found myself joining in.
More Author's Notes:
In this chapter when I mentioned a pavillion - don't think of it as a tent-like structure that's just out in the garden for the heck of it. Picture a gazebo-type structure that has more of a pagoda shape to it. In the next chapter I'll post some links to pictures of Japanese gardens so you can get some visuals.
Once more, thanks for the reviews and keep them coming!
Hello hello! Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'm glad people are actually still reading this story. I've been thinking really hard about how I want this to turn out and how far in Izayoi's life I'll take her journal. (suggestions are welcome!) I'll take a while in updates but it's only because I want this story to turn out well. I've been trying to get it right in a historical sense as well, so researching is taking me some time. Just bear with me and enjoy the story!
If you would like me to make out a mailing list and let you know when I update, please just say so in a review note and I'll compile one that way you don't have to check this a million times only to discover there's no update. Thanks for your patience!
-Miyabi loves you!-
Kagome nearly dropped the journal at this startling revelation. Finally it all made sense! "I can't believe it....."she whispered. "This journal.....it belonged to Inuyasha's mother!"
She slammed the book shut with a thud. "I can't continue reading this!" she thought to herself. "It's so personal....oh no! If Inuyasha finds out he'll be furious! He hates talking about his past!"
She sat there in torn silence when a slightly evil thought popped up in her mind. "But then again....I did tell him that I'd never talk to him about what I'm reading ever again...." She looked at the small book that tempted her so. "Ok!" she said aloud "If it gets REALLY personal I'll just skim over that part!" and she added in afterthought "And I'll tell Inuyasha about it when I'm done."
With her guilty conscience appeased, Kagome picked up the journal and continued to read.
I stood there in shock. "It can't be..." I whispered.
"Oh Lady!" Mio whispered "What will your father say?"
"He shouldn't mind!" I said quickly. "He respects Lord Inutaishou."
"But what if he wants to court you?" Mayu gasped. "Your father won't let you become betrothed to a demon!"
I sank down on the tatami mats still in a state of shock. Why hadn't he told me he was a demon? I thought bitterly to myself. But then again....did it really matter? I liked him well enough when I thought he was an ordinary man and he was so kind! How could such a kind person be a demon? Weren't all demons evil?
"I'll worry about it tomorrow." I sighed aloud. "I'm very tired now. I would like to sleep."
Mio and Mayu helped me get ready for bed by combing my hair and getting the sleeping mats ready and feeling very exhausted, I slid between the covers and slept a dreamless sleep.
Kisaragi 6th
I awoke the next morning with a feeling of dread anticipation. Today was the day I had to speak to Taishou.
"You should at least eat something my Lady." coaxed Mio.
I shook my head. Food was the last thing I wanted! I went to my window and looked outside. Judging by the way the sun shone through the trees it was almost time for me to meet Taishou in the gardens.
"Mayu, will you bring the tea out to the garden in ten minutes? I'm going to go ahead and wait."
I stood up and walked outside and into the gardens. Taishou hadn't arrived yet, so I walked to the small pavillion in the middle of the garden and knelt down and waited. It was a lovely morning. The sun was shining down, the sakura trees were just beginning to bloom and a soft breeze was blowing. It was unseasonably warm for this time of year and I closed my eyes and enjoyed the breeze dancing across my face. I was startled out of my reverie by a voice:
"Beautiful weather isn't it?"
Startled, my eyes flew open to find Taishou standing there with a smile playing on his face. He knelt down at the table across from me.
"I'm sorry if I startled you."
I laughed nervously. "Oh no. It's all right. I didn't hear you approach that's all."
He continued to smile. "I can be very quiet when I wish. You just looked so peaceful sitting there I almost didn't want to disturb you."
I'm willing to bet that I was very red in the face at this point but luckily Mayu chose that moment to arrive with the tea. She knelt down and began to prepare it but I waved her away.
"It's all right Mayu. I'll prepare it."
"But lady...."
"I said it's all right. You may return for the tea set in a half hour."
"Yes lady." she said meekly and hurried away.
I didn't mean to sound harsh to her but I knew she just wanted to eavesdrop!
"I apologize for her." I said to Taishou.
He just laughed and said "Servants love to gossip do they not?"
"Indeed they do." I said as I began to prepare our tea. "You wouldn't believe some of the things that Mayu and Mio tell me. Why last night they told me that you were a demon!" I laughed slightly. "Isn't that amusing?"
Taishou gave a little smile as I finished mixing his cup of tea. "Indeed it is! It's even more amusing that for once idle gossip is correct."
I nearly dropped his teacup. "You mean you really are a demon?" I asked.
Taishou looked startled. "You really didn't know?"
I shook my head.
"I see." We sat in silence for a few moments when he stood up and bowed to me. "I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, Lady. I shall go." He turned to leave.
"Why?" I asked him.
He turned around. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"I assumed you didn't wish to remain in my company any longer."
I smiled. "Of course not. Sit back down so you can finish your tea and our conversation. I was enjoying myself."
And I wasn't lying. I really was enjoying myself. Taishou was wonderful company and I discovered that what he was didn't bother me like I thought it would. What did it matter?
He turned around and knelt back down in front of me.
"You really don't mind?"
"No...I don't."
He smiled and I couldn't believe how relieved he looked. He picked up his teacup and sipped at it.
"I'm surprised that you didn't know." he mused. "I thought your earlier nervousness around me was due to the fact you knew I was a demon. I was surprised you had agreed to take tea with me."
I smiled. "Was I really that nervous looking?"
He laughed. "No..you kept a nice straight face. I could actually smell your nervousness."
"You could smell it? Oh...how embarassing!"
He laughed harder and I found myself joining in.
More Author's Notes:
In this chapter when I mentioned a pavillion - don't think of it as a tent-like structure that's just out in the garden for the heck of it. Picture a gazebo-type structure that has more of a pagoda shape to it. In the next chapter I'll post some links to pictures of Japanese gardens so you can get some visuals.
Once more, thanks for the reviews and keep them coming!