Do we honestly have to do through this again? Fine I don't own IY or any of them k? K.
Twist of Fate
An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Hika-chan
Chapter 6: Punishment For The Crime
A trail of stars followed her path, lighting the ground in their own small way. The trailed off her cheeks and seemed to float behind her as she ran. Baka! she screamed at herself, Baka baka baka! She should never have stayed! She should have tried to run the second she knew where she was. But she hadn't, and now... now she knew why. She had so deeply wanted just to be near him, to see him, to love him, even if it was in this way that was completely unknown and meaningless to him, that she was willing to risk the pain, the pain of longing and the torture of unrequited love. Kagome now knew she should have swallowed her heart, buried her feelings and moved on with her life as it was.
But she hadn't. She had been stupid and now he would likely pay for it. She prayed that it wouldn't happen but... but.. He kissed her! He kissed her... and that meant that she hadn't changed anything! That meant that he would die again.. didn't it? So now she cried, cried and ran over the moonlit ground from the thoughts that plagued her mind and the feelings that haunted her heart. However nothing could take the images away from her. Not even when she tripped, the black curtain of her hair trailing behind her providing a new canvas for her tears. With no strength to find within herself, even to think, she curled her arms under her head and simply lay there, weeping.
***
Sesshoumaru stood in the hall where she had left him, analyzing for a moment the reaction both the woman and himself the simple meeting of lips had caused. Then her scent and footsteps began to fade too much after a minute. Slowly he began to follow after her, his steps gradually increasing in their frequency once he realized she had left the protective walls of his home. It was not long before he was in a full fledge run. What was wrong with her!? Running off into the woods in the middle of the night she could get killed! As soon as he thought this he wondered why he cared. Before he could even cast the thought aside he saw her.
She lay on the forest floor like a broken doll, patches of blue moonlight decorating the simple kimono she wore. Her body trembled with quiet sobs and he wondered at the feeling that pounded in his chest at the sight and sound of her tears again. Did he pity this creature... this woman? No. Pity was not something he felt often, but he knew this was not it. It was... it was... He was not sure but he did not want her to cry, he was sure of that. Was it because it made him feel uncomfortable, or was because she was feeling bad and he did not want that? Why did he care?
"It is dangerous out here at night," he said simply, "We should go back to my home for now." He noticed her body stiffen a moment when he spoke before another few shudders came upon her. Sesshoumaru bit back a sigh and knelt beside her feet. "Now get up," oddly enough it did not sound like much of a command. He reached his hand down and grasped her ankle.
Kagome's eyes immediately flashed open as her mind, to tired to keep anything at bay, flashed back to that horrible night. At night that she could no longer remember how long ago it was, but was far too recent. Her scream pierced the silent night air as her she instinctually kicked at her would be attacker. The prince silently cursed, surely she would lure other youkai with the sound. He moved quickly and had her pinned face down on the ground before her first scream echoed back to them. Now he sat with her body stock still beneath him. She lay there eyes wide open, barely breathing, tears streaking from the corners of her eyes.
He froze. Gone was the hopelessness and pain she had been feeling before, now all there was panic and fear. Her fear so thick the air was saturated by it. He could smell it, feel it, taste it, almost see it. Suddenly all the pieces fell into place. The wounds she held, the one on her side and the self inflicted. Her change in clothes, her fear of contact, her sudden shyness and meekness. Her lost purity. Why hadn't he seen it before? It all made sense now.
She had been raped.
Slowly, carefully, so as not to startle her, he backed off her. His mind traveling back to the last time he had found a woman like this in his lands.
~*~*~
He had found the woman sitting in the woods crying and holding her ripped clothes tightly to her bruised body in the late afternoon, a time when most humans would be returning to their homes to seek shelter from those like himself who came out and hunted in the night. She looked up at him and recoiled a second, only to be surprised as he removed his outermost shirt and hand it to her. "A..arigato." She looked up at him, his stoic expression and cold exterior only seemed to assure her that he was not interested in her.
"Follow me," he said plainly, and the woman did so, too much in shock and shame to disobey the coolly spoken order. As he walked her through the woods he noted the scent of her attacker. He stopped before a stream of water and pointed to it, "You should clean up." The woman once again nodded and did as he said, grateful that the tall and quiet man turned his back to her actions. When she was done his white shirt was returned to him, her yukata was not quite as damaged as she had thought. "I will escort you to your village."
For some reason the woman failed to recognize the fact that the samurai who found her had white hair and pointed ears, she was far too grateful to register his golden eyes and facial markings. And so she led the youkai to her village, moments before she was to turn and thank him he continued on his way past her, following the scent of the lowly creature that would stoop to such a crime. Confused the victim followed him barely noticing the stares her fellow villagers were giving the pair.
Sesshoumaru calmly walked up to a rowdy group of men sitting on a bench drinking sake. He walked up behind the one he knew to be guilty. He continued laughing as his friends stopped, one by one. "You. Stand up." The woman was horribly confused, how did he know?
"What the? Who the hell are you?"
Had he not been so disgusted by the being before him, for he was too lowly to be referred to a 'man' in his eyes, Sesshoumaru might have been amused at his naiveté'. "Stand. Now."
The man suddenly saw his victim behind the lord and stood pointing, "What did the little bitch tell you!?" The woman flinched back in fear as a fresh bout of tears came from her eyes.
The man's shouting did not get much of a chance to continue as Sesshoumaru lifted him off the ground by the throat, whit long white tail unwound and threw all the creature's friend's to the ground before they had even fully stood. "I, the youkai lord of these Western Lands, did not need her to tell me anything," he said in a dark yet monotonous tone. "I know you for what you are, a despicable creature who is not worthy of even the term 'man'." Sesshoumaru's other hand was pulled back a green glow forming around it as he put it up to the man's face. The attacker's mouth opened and closed as his lungs screamed for air as Sesshoumaru slowly lowered him to the ground. The moment his clawed hand left his throat the man's lungs took in a grateful breath of air, only to inhale the corrosive floral poison that was held before his face.
The man's moment of relief was quickly taken from him as his chest erupted in pain, as the sweet smelling air he had breathed in began to melt away his lungs. Sesshoumaru's hand was kept before the face as the creature inhaled again the corrosion beginning to show on his face, melting skin and bone, green and red come up out of his mouth as he fell over, green veins tinting his skin. Letting go the youkai shoved the creature to the ground as the body twitched and spasmed further. He looked up then for the first time registering the villagers who had gathered in curiosity, but stayed in horror. "Take the body outside the village and leave it to the crows. From now on such will be the penalty for rape in my lands." As simply as that Sesshoumaru walked out of the village as quietly as he had come.
~*~*~
She suddenly felt warm and safe, pulled up against something warm and sturdy. She curled into it knowing without a doubt that while in this place the world was perfect and she would come to no harm. And so comfortable and secure when the rocking motion began she fell easily asleep
***
Sesshoumaru carefully lifted Kagome into his arm, his tail aiding in the process and also keeping her warm. It was so strange, it seemed as though suddenly she was contented.. in his arms? Why? That didn't seem to make sense, but then again since when did anything that the miko did make sense? It did not make sense for her to make sense. As absurd as that sounded it was true. But why did she feel this way with him? There still had to be some reason. He did not coddle her, was not nice to her, he threatened her, annoyed her, and stared her down.
Wait could that be it? Given what had happened to her most others would turn around and treat her kindly with kid gloves. Be extra nice and not let her alone and not give her anything to do. They would do it all for her and treat her different. But he had not. But still, why feel safe with him? Was it because his half brother had failed to protect her? But how would that transfer her faith onto him?
He pushed the door open to his room, he took her there because perhaps because he felt comfortable and by extension so would she. He lay her down on the bed and went to move away only to find the she had latched onto his clothing. He sighed picking her up again and moving her further over onto the bed and lying beside her. He should not have worried so much about room, for the young miko practically glued herself to his side. He stiffened slightly then relaxed as his rebellious hand began to stroke her hair. Why is she so comfortable with me? he wondered his eyelids slowly closing and opening again. She probably doesn't even realize it's me she's clinging to. He rationalized. But why does she feel like... The thought did not continue for a while and his eyes continued to drift shut and his fingers slowed in their continuous path through her raven hair. Why does it seem like she's right where she belongs... was the last not completely conscious thought the Western Lord had before he was pulled into the gentle embrace of sleep just like the girl next to him...
~~~~
Hika-chan: Ok well personally I think this sux compared to what I originally had written for the chapter, which was basically the same thing but the computer died on me and I had to write the whole thing over again. I'm pretty sure some of you out there know what that's like. I think it was originally longer to.. but I can't remember... And if that flashback doesn't answer some questions I don't know what will.