Warning: This will be a Kikyo-centered chappie w/ connections b/w Kagome and Kikyo through her musings. Enjoy! ^_^
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Chapter 4: Bijin Aiji (Woman and Child)
The chill air of the night crept around Kikyo's neck, flicking her obsidian locks about like a paintbrush lapping at the wind. She looked out over the palace wall to the forest beyond, and sighed contentedly. The stars above were casting brilliant rays of light down, and the stillness was broken only by the sounds of crickets in the grass of the courtyard below.
She couldn't help but feel a little disoriented here. All her life was spent in the East, with her otou-san; she missed him dearly, as she was sure Kagome did as well, if not more so.
'He never gave her a chance...,' Kikyo thought, a sad smile spreading. 'And she tries all the more to please him for it.'
Her gentle, cool smile faded when she heard the soft chanting of a carol from the shrubbery in the yard. Her keen eyes spotted a child – looking no older than eleven – spinning in circles by a cherry tree. To see a look of puzzlement on Kikyo's face was rare, but it was there now.
'A child out this late?' she thought, biting her tongue thoughtfully.
The hime cleared her throat delicately, as she had learned in her lessons, and called softly down to the girl. "What are you doing out, little one?"
The girl turned and looked up at the third-storey window. Her brown hair wisped gently passed her shoulders, and her eyes darted about wildly, as though examining all else around her. She gave no reply.
"Speak, child," Kikyo urged. "What is your name? Are you lost?"
"No," the child replied, her voice high-pitched and squeaky from her voice-box's misuse. "Rin."
"I beg your pardon," Kikyo said, leaning further out her window.
"Sesshi-sama lets Rin play outside at night, when it's cool, as long as Rin stays on the grounds. Rin likes the night breezes."
"Ah," Kikyo nodded, "So you are Lord Sesshoumaru's ward, then?"
"Yes."
"If you stay out much longer, those cold winds will catch up with you, and leave you bed-ridden for days," Kikyo warned.
"Kikyo-hime worries too much!"
Kikyo remained silent. Worried? Yes, of course. After all that had happened, why SHOULDN'T she be. Two weeks to prove usefulness to the Lord and his hanyou brother. Two weeks to become an honourable servant. Kikyo knew SHE could handle that; she was gentle and lady-like and tame to start with – at least, she had always been told that. Whom the hime worried for, was her sister.
'Kagome-chan will never bow before Inuyasha-oji,' she thought ruefully. 'To be his subordinate would drive her mad! How I wish, sometimes, that she could calm herself!'
Rin observed the hime with a mixture of confusion and sympathy plastered to her silent face. To her, the hime acted so bizarre; ladies were not supposed to dabble in frivolous thought, preferring, instead, to practice the art of punctuality, hospitality, and obedience. But at this moment in time, Kikyo's agitation and nervousness was shining painfully through her usually carefully-molded mask of apathy.
Kikyo caught the child's look and stared back. "Is something the matter, Rin?"
"Why is Kikyo-hime so...," she paused, trying to choose her words carefully in the presence of a princess.
"Go on."
"... odd? Himes should obey, and be good with people."
"Being elegant in physique isn't the only thing there is," Kikyo replied. "There is also the knowledge and will to run a realm efficiently; this is the task the Crown-royalty faces when training for succession." She raised a delicate eyebrow. "I surmise this is not so in the Western Lands?"
"Yes. Our princesses should be yashas*, and must please their lords."
Kikyo nodded. "You seem to be unaware of human customs. Have you ever been to the East?"
Rin looked at her. "No, Okaa-san birthed Rin here; she died three years ago."
"I see. Gomen nasai, Rin-chan..."
"Rin doesn't mind. Sometimes it's nice to think of her."
Even from her perch at her window, Kikyo could see Rin shiver slightly from the cool night air. For one reason or the other – Kikyo knew not which one – she liked this child. Perhaps it had to do with her sweet, wide, chocolate eyes; they held an innocence that Kikyo had not seen since Kagome was a small child, before their mother's death. Something about that kind of livelihood was warming, and Kikyo longed to see Kagome's eyes twinkle like that again! Just once more...!
"I know it's late," Kikyo said, "but perhaps you would join me for a bath? I would feel dreadful to have you sick from standing out talking to me too long."
The eleven year old gave a small smile, with a far-off look in her eyes – almost mystic, Kikyo thought. "Rin would like that..."
*****
The hot water rippled over Kikyo's freshly goose-bumped flesh. Rin sat on the rim of the large bathing basin that dipped down into the matted floor of Kikyo's quarters; she remained silent, rubbing a small cotton sheet over her soft skin.
Kikyo glanced down into the water, passed the soft mounds from her chest that remained buoyed to the water's surface. Small waves of steam permeated the air, and as they breathed, their airways were cleared of all impairments. It was aromatically wonderful...
The hime sighed softly, and sank deeper into the water, breathing Rin silent askance to join her in comfort. Rin obliged, and pushed herself into the depths gently, so as not to splash and waste the carefully heated water.
"I wonder if my sister is still awake...," Kikyo babbled aimlessly.
Rin paused from scrubbing her body. "Rin doubts it; Sesshi-sama likes servants to be in bed already."
"Then, may I ask, why you are awake, Rin-chan?"
"Rin is not a servant, and neither is Kikyo-hime. Rin is his ward, and Kikyo-hime is his equal."
"Not quite," Kikyo corrected. "While I am in his house, in his lands, I am under his jurisdiction and judgment. He is the one in power here; were we in the East, it would be the opposite."
"It makes no difference," Rin replied, waving off the subject of political etiquette. That sort of thing wasn't any of her business, being a ward and young lady. Sesshi-sama would make sure she was perfectly comfortable, and that was enough to make any woman happy – much more than that for her, though, for Rin loved her lord dearly.
Rin remained silent for a short time before she spoke again. "May Rin ask a personal question?"
"Very well," Kikyo nodded, eyes only have open from the bath heat lulling her into peaceful oblivion.
"Why does Kikyo-hime seem so... smart?"
Kikyo chuckled. "Implying that you thought I wasn't?"
"Well... Sesshi-sama always tells Rin smartness comes from reading."
"Sometimes."
"Rin heard Kikyo-hime dislikes reading. That it's Kagome-hime who reads."
"Correct on both observations; I don't share my sister's enthusiasm for the written word. Our passions differ from our opinions. I look to the present, and try to prepare for the future of my country and people; she reads books to know the past and opinions of others. I can appreciate the learning from the past, but I see little relevancy in the stories she wastes her precious time on."
"Then why does Kikyo-hime not dislike Kagome-hime?"
"I respect her. No matter how greatly we differ on some things, we still love one another. 'Blood is thicker than water,' as Kagome would say so tactlessly."
"Where's that from?" Rin asked, referring to the quote.
Kikyo gave a sigh of dismissal. "From another one of her books – an adventure story, I believe."
Kikyo motioned for Rin to approach, and when the child did, she began to gently massage her soft brown hair. The princess reached over and picked up a glass bottle of blue goo. She rubbed some of the liquid on her palm, and proceeded to wash Rin's hair.
Rin giggled as Kikyo probed her scalp. "That tickles, Kikyo-hime!"
"Oh really?" Kikyo smiled, and rubbed a little harder. The cool glint in her eyes returned from the thrill of power over the child.
Rin laughed outright, and shoved away, splashing some water on the matts.
"Oops!" Rin squealed in shame and apology. She pushed herself out of the bath and walked a few paces away, her bare back to Kikyo. "Gomen nasai, Kikyo-hime."
Kikyo didn't acknowledge her words, or even her splash. "Arigatou, Rin-chan."
"Nani?"
Kikyo gave another one of her cool smiles. "For keeping me company." The hime stood and lifted herself from the pit. She moved to Rin, her nakedness not bothering her, even as cold air swiftly smacked the skin of her chest. She embraced the child tenderly, and wrapped her in a thick cotton towel. "Oyasuminasai*, Rin-chan."
Rin nodded and gathered her discarded clothes a few feet away. She smiled at the hime one more time, and exited the chamber, on her way to get dressed and go to her own quarters for a much-needed sleep.
Kikyo sighed to herself, and left the room, dripping wet, and not caring. She slipped silently into her futon, and slept soundlessly through the night.
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Word Translations:
Yashas* - female demons (ever wonder where Inu's name comes from? It literally means 'female dog demon.' Hilarious, ne?)
Oyasuminasai* - good night
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I just wanted to point out that this will still be a mainly Inu/Kag focused fic, but I am experimenting with this story on Kikyo. You all know I don't hate her, so I'm playing with her OOC character, trying to make her interesting. I don't think I'll make her a 'hated' character here. She okay, as long as she stays away from Inu, right? I apologize to anyone who dislikes Kikyo and would like me to 'bash' her, but I don't really believe in bashing characters; they're all unique and special in their own ways.
Secondly, I'll warn you guys whenever the chapter update will be a Kikyo-focused chappie. I've got a Kagome and Kikyo plot set up, but Kikyo's is minor, and just there for interest and a break from Kag/Inu (I LOOOVE suspense!). The two storylines will be kept separate for the most part, but I may choose to intertwine them every once in awhile. I want Kagome and Kikyo to live their lives apart from each other, so they won't be limited by propriety.
Anyways, enough for now. R&R pwease! See you all next time! ^_^
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Chapter 4: Bijin Aiji (Woman and Child)
The chill air of the night crept around Kikyo's neck, flicking her obsidian locks about like a paintbrush lapping at the wind. She looked out over the palace wall to the forest beyond, and sighed contentedly. The stars above were casting brilliant rays of light down, and the stillness was broken only by the sounds of crickets in the grass of the courtyard below.
She couldn't help but feel a little disoriented here. All her life was spent in the East, with her otou-san; she missed him dearly, as she was sure Kagome did as well, if not more so.
'He never gave her a chance...,' Kikyo thought, a sad smile spreading. 'And she tries all the more to please him for it.'
Her gentle, cool smile faded when she heard the soft chanting of a carol from the shrubbery in the yard. Her keen eyes spotted a child – looking no older than eleven – spinning in circles by a cherry tree. To see a look of puzzlement on Kikyo's face was rare, but it was there now.
'A child out this late?' she thought, biting her tongue thoughtfully.
The hime cleared her throat delicately, as she had learned in her lessons, and called softly down to the girl. "What are you doing out, little one?"
The girl turned and looked up at the third-storey window. Her brown hair wisped gently passed her shoulders, and her eyes darted about wildly, as though examining all else around her. She gave no reply.
"Speak, child," Kikyo urged. "What is your name? Are you lost?"
"No," the child replied, her voice high-pitched and squeaky from her voice-box's misuse. "Rin."
"I beg your pardon," Kikyo said, leaning further out her window.
"Sesshi-sama lets Rin play outside at night, when it's cool, as long as Rin stays on the grounds. Rin likes the night breezes."
"Ah," Kikyo nodded, "So you are Lord Sesshoumaru's ward, then?"
"Yes."
"If you stay out much longer, those cold winds will catch up with you, and leave you bed-ridden for days," Kikyo warned.
"Kikyo-hime worries too much!"
Kikyo remained silent. Worried? Yes, of course. After all that had happened, why SHOULDN'T she be. Two weeks to prove usefulness to the Lord and his hanyou brother. Two weeks to become an honourable servant. Kikyo knew SHE could handle that; she was gentle and lady-like and tame to start with – at least, she had always been told that. Whom the hime worried for, was her sister.
'Kagome-chan will never bow before Inuyasha-oji,' she thought ruefully. 'To be his subordinate would drive her mad! How I wish, sometimes, that she could calm herself!'
Rin observed the hime with a mixture of confusion and sympathy plastered to her silent face. To her, the hime acted so bizarre; ladies were not supposed to dabble in frivolous thought, preferring, instead, to practice the art of punctuality, hospitality, and obedience. But at this moment in time, Kikyo's agitation and nervousness was shining painfully through her usually carefully-molded mask of apathy.
Kikyo caught the child's look and stared back. "Is something the matter, Rin?"
"Why is Kikyo-hime so...," she paused, trying to choose her words carefully in the presence of a princess.
"Go on."
"... odd? Himes should obey, and be good with people."
"Being elegant in physique isn't the only thing there is," Kikyo replied. "There is also the knowledge and will to run a realm efficiently; this is the task the Crown-royalty faces when training for succession." She raised a delicate eyebrow. "I surmise this is not so in the Western Lands?"
"Yes. Our princesses should be yashas*, and must please their lords."
Kikyo nodded. "You seem to be unaware of human customs. Have you ever been to the East?"
Rin looked at her. "No, Okaa-san birthed Rin here; she died three years ago."
"I see. Gomen nasai, Rin-chan..."
"Rin doesn't mind. Sometimes it's nice to think of her."
Even from her perch at her window, Kikyo could see Rin shiver slightly from the cool night air. For one reason or the other – Kikyo knew not which one – she liked this child. Perhaps it had to do with her sweet, wide, chocolate eyes; they held an innocence that Kikyo had not seen since Kagome was a small child, before their mother's death. Something about that kind of livelihood was warming, and Kikyo longed to see Kagome's eyes twinkle like that again! Just once more...!
"I know it's late," Kikyo said, "but perhaps you would join me for a bath? I would feel dreadful to have you sick from standing out talking to me too long."
The eleven year old gave a small smile, with a far-off look in her eyes – almost mystic, Kikyo thought. "Rin would like that..."
*****
The hot water rippled over Kikyo's freshly goose-bumped flesh. Rin sat on the rim of the large bathing basin that dipped down into the matted floor of Kikyo's quarters; she remained silent, rubbing a small cotton sheet over her soft skin.
Kikyo glanced down into the water, passed the soft mounds from her chest that remained buoyed to the water's surface. Small waves of steam permeated the air, and as they breathed, their airways were cleared of all impairments. It was aromatically wonderful...
The hime sighed softly, and sank deeper into the water, breathing Rin silent askance to join her in comfort. Rin obliged, and pushed herself into the depths gently, so as not to splash and waste the carefully heated water.
"I wonder if my sister is still awake...," Kikyo babbled aimlessly.
Rin paused from scrubbing her body. "Rin doubts it; Sesshi-sama likes servants to be in bed already."
"Then, may I ask, why you are awake, Rin-chan?"
"Rin is not a servant, and neither is Kikyo-hime. Rin is his ward, and Kikyo-hime is his equal."
"Not quite," Kikyo corrected. "While I am in his house, in his lands, I am under his jurisdiction and judgment. He is the one in power here; were we in the East, it would be the opposite."
"It makes no difference," Rin replied, waving off the subject of political etiquette. That sort of thing wasn't any of her business, being a ward and young lady. Sesshi-sama would make sure she was perfectly comfortable, and that was enough to make any woman happy – much more than that for her, though, for Rin loved her lord dearly.
Rin remained silent for a short time before she spoke again. "May Rin ask a personal question?"
"Very well," Kikyo nodded, eyes only have open from the bath heat lulling her into peaceful oblivion.
"Why does Kikyo-hime seem so... smart?"
Kikyo chuckled. "Implying that you thought I wasn't?"
"Well... Sesshi-sama always tells Rin smartness comes from reading."
"Sometimes."
"Rin heard Kikyo-hime dislikes reading. That it's Kagome-hime who reads."
"Correct on both observations; I don't share my sister's enthusiasm for the written word. Our passions differ from our opinions. I look to the present, and try to prepare for the future of my country and people; she reads books to know the past and opinions of others. I can appreciate the learning from the past, but I see little relevancy in the stories she wastes her precious time on."
"Then why does Kikyo-hime not dislike Kagome-hime?"
"I respect her. No matter how greatly we differ on some things, we still love one another. 'Blood is thicker than water,' as Kagome would say so tactlessly."
"Where's that from?" Rin asked, referring to the quote.
Kikyo gave a sigh of dismissal. "From another one of her books – an adventure story, I believe."
Kikyo motioned for Rin to approach, and when the child did, she began to gently massage her soft brown hair. The princess reached over and picked up a glass bottle of blue goo. She rubbed some of the liquid on her palm, and proceeded to wash Rin's hair.
Rin giggled as Kikyo probed her scalp. "That tickles, Kikyo-hime!"
"Oh really?" Kikyo smiled, and rubbed a little harder. The cool glint in her eyes returned from the thrill of power over the child.
Rin laughed outright, and shoved away, splashing some water on the matts.
"Oops!" Rin squealed in shame and apology. She pushed herself out of the bath and walked a few paces away, her bare back to Kikyo. "Gomen nasai, Kikyo-hime."
Kikyo didn't acknowledge her words, or even her splash. "Arigatou, Rin-chan."
"Nani?"
Kikyo gave another one of her cool smiles. "For keeping me company." The hime stood and lifted herself from the pit. She moved to Rin, her nakedness not bothering her, even as cold air swiftly smacked the skin of her chest. She embraced the child tenderly, and wrapped her in a thick cotton towel. "Oyasuminasai*, Rin-chan."
Rin nodded and gathered her discarded clothes a few feet away. She smiled at the hime one more time, and exited the chamber, on her way to get dressed and go to her own quarters for a much-needed sleep.
Kikyo sighed to herself, and left the room, dripping wet, and not caring. She slipped silently into her futon, and slept soundlessly through the night.
-----------------------------------------------------
Word Translations:
Yashas* - female demons (ever wonder where Inu's name comes from? It literally means 'female dog demon.' Hilarious, ne?)
Oyasuminasai* - good night
------------------------------------------------------
I just wanted to point out that this will still be a mainly Inu/Kag focused fic, but I am experimenting with this story on Kikyo. You all know I don't hate her, so I'm playing with her OOC character, trying to make her interesting. I don't think I'll make her a 'hated' character here. She okay, as long as she stays away from Inu, right? I apologize to anyone who dislikes Kikyo and would like me to 'bash' her, but I don't really believe in bashing characters; they're all unique and special in their own ways.
Secondly, I'll warn you guys whenever the chapter update will be a Kikyo-focused chappie. I've got a Kagome and Kikyo plot set up, but Kikyo's is minor, and just there for interest and a break from Kag/Inu (I LOOOVE suspense!). The two storylines will be kept separate for the most part, but I may choose to intertwine them every once in awhile. I want Kagome and Kikyo to live their lives apart from each other, so they won't be limited by propriety.
Anyways, enough for now. R&R pwease! See you all next time! ^_^