Chapter 4
Inuyasha and company left the fortress of Sesshoumaru and headed off once again to search for the remaining shards of the sacred jewel.
Shayan was in her room sewing up a hole that she had gotten in her pants the night she climbed the tree to escape. Her door slid open to reveal Sesshoumaru standing there. "What are you doing?" He crossed the room in a single bound and tore the pants out of her hand. He shredded them in front of her eyes. "So you plan on leaving again? I told you that you are to stay here."
Shayan jumped. She hadn't heard the door open. "What? No I wasn't…"
"You have tested my patience long enough girl. I promised you a beating and you have more than earned it."
"No! What are you…? No don't…"
In a heartbeat he had the young girl. She was only a fragile human. He wanted to teach her a lesson. He would teach it as he would a bad young pup. He tipped her over one Knee and smacked her on the hind end. In demon standards it was hardly a tap. In human standards it hurt like hell.
"Why?" Shayan sobbed.
"I told you to stay here and you didn't. Now I find you repairing your get away clothes. Do you think me a fool girl? You plan to leave again. Not only that but I'm also greatly displeased with your actions with my brother. You meddle in business that is not yours. Behave woman." With that he left the stunned girl.
Shayan didn't know what to do. He hadn't really beaten her but it sure did hurt. Why was he so angry with her? She wasn't going to leave. Or at least she wasn't up until he hit her. Now she was more determined than ever to get away.
Shayan meets Naraku…
Once again Shayan found herself at the foot of the wall outside Sesshoumaru's palace. She knew she had to move fast or he'd find her. She started to run. As she ran she noticed a strange man dressed in a white fur. As she came closer he spoke. "What are you running from girl?"
Shayan had no real experience with demons and didn't realize the danger. "I'm running away. I have to get away from a demon."
"A demon you say. You will need more than your feet to escape a demon. They can smell your footprints on the ground. Which demon is it that you run from?"
"Sesshoumaru. I have to hurry before he knows I'm gone. Bye."
"Wait girl I can help you. Come with me. I have magic that can shield you from him." His voice was soft and kind.
"Thank you."
Naraku took the girl and in a swirl of cloud and dust they were gone.
At the palace of Naraku…
"Tell me girl how is it you were running from Lord Sesshoumaru? What did you do?"
Shayan sipped the drink she had been given. "I didn't do anything, really. He just wants to keep me. He wants to marry me but I don't want to. I hardly know him. Thanks for getting me away from him. Do you know if there is a village nearby where I could get work?"
"Why go to a village to work? You could stay here. You would be no burden. I have plenty of room."
"Do you have work for me? I couldn't stay unless I earned my keep."
"I'm certain I could find something for you to do. But for now you must be tired. Go and rest." He commanded a servant to take her to her room.
Naraku watched her leave and chuckled as he thought to himself. 'This maid may prove useful. Her perspective mate will no doubt do anything to insure her safety.'
At the palace of Sesshoumaru…
CRACK! The master's whip flew this way and that. The poor wall guards could do nothing to save themselves. Their only hope was that their master would kill them quickly. None the less all four of them knelt on the floor trembling and begging for mercy.
"Please sire, mercy! I beg you." One said as the he felt the sting of the whip on his back.
"I'm sorry." Wailed another.
"You fools have failed me for the last time. This is twice now that a 'human' has escaped my palace." The word human was spat out with such vehemence that the servants cringed even more.
"Sire let us try to get her for you. Yeow! Sorry master! I was only trying to help." The poor fool yelped as his master hit him again.
"I wouldn't trust you with brining back a stick I tossed. No I will retrieve the woman myself." Sesshoumaru stormed out of the room as he did he spoke over his shoulder. "Pray I find her quickly. The longer it takes for me to find her the longer I will take to punish you."
The hearts of the servants fell into the pits of their bellies. They looked at each other. "I was hoping he would kill us quickly. It looks like the master won't be so kind." The others shook their heads.
"Where have you been? The master is never kind."
Sesshoumaru was in a foul mood. He flew straight up into the air to scan for signs of the girl. 'She couldn't have gotten far she has only been gone for a few hours.' He thought to himself yet he failed to see her. He descended to the wall of the fortress to see if he could pick up a scent trail.
He found the spot where she had landed. He was amazed she could survive the fall from that height. He smelt around to find the direction she had taken. As soon as he found it he took off like a shot. Sesshoumaru was fast even in demon terms. Her scent was strong and he followed it closely. Suddenly the scent was gone. 'What?' He stopped cold and looked around him. 'Where could she be? How could he loose her scent?' He returned to where he last noticed her scent. She had stopped here and… 'What was this?' He could smell another scent. He knew this scent. 'Damn.' The demon fumed. 'Naraku!' She had met up with that conniving cur of a demon. How he despised that wretch. 'Where would he have taken her? Why would he even want to? What was he planning?'
Sesshoumaru was beside himself with frustration. Naraku was a tricky demon that never showed himself. He didn't know where the demon had his home. Then he thought. 'Inuyasha has had many encounters with this one. Perhaps he will know where to find him.' Sesshoumaru was loath to ask his brother but what choice did he have? The girl was in danger and he wanted her back. Even though the moment he got to her he intended to beat her tail for running away and putting herself at risk. He set off to find his half brother Inuyasha.
At the palace of Naraku…
Shayan had been discussing with Naraku what work she would do around the house. It was decided that since she was a good cook that the kitchen would be the best place for her. She settled into her new role. She would work through the winter there and in the spring she would then move on.
Naraku sat in his room musing to himself. 'This will work out well. The girl has no idea that she is a pawn in my little game. I will have what I want. Sesshoumaru will kill Inuyasha and I will have the shards. He held out his hand and looked at the group of shards in his hand. Soon I will rid myself of these wretched burn marks.' He thought as he rubbed the spot on his back where the burn marks of Onigumi always were.
No matter how many times he changed bodies the marks always returned. The jewel would finally banish his human side forever and he would be a full demon. (Naraku was not a full demon. He was an amalgamation of a number of lesser demons and a human that had been very badly burned and unable to move. He offered his flesh in place of mobility and Naraku was born.)
'Now, how to contact the great lord himself?' He thought for a moment. "Kogra!" He called. In an instant the demoness was standing before him. "I want you to deliver a message to Sesshoumaru." He smiled to himself as she left on her errand. I can hardly wait to see how he reacts to the news of his prospective mate.
His thoughts were interrupted. Shayan tapped on the door. "I have your meal ready. Are you still feeling unwell? I maybe able to help you, I spent sometime with a priestess and she taught me about herbs."
You needn't concern yourself I'll be fine. Leave it there I'm not hungry yet I'll eat later." He pointed to a low shelf by the wall.
Shayan did as she was bid and left him to his thoughts. 'What does he see in that wretched girl? She is no stunning beauty. I wonder.'
Sesshoumaru had taken to the skies again this time in search of his half-breed brother. He knew approximately which direction he was traveling the question was whether or not he had stopped somewhere. Down below in a clearing he could see them. They were traveling south and Sesshoumaru quickly descended. He landed directly in front of Inuyasha.
Inuyasha jumped back and drew his sword. "What do you want?
"Put your sword away pup! I haven't come for that. I need information. Where is Naraku?"
"Naraku? Why do you want to know that?"
"I have no time for foolish questions wench! Tell me where I can find him?" he hissed at Kagome.
"I don't know exactly where he is. He uses his magic to change locations every time we get close. Why do you want him Sesshoumaru? He is dangerous. You know he can't be trusted."
"He has taken Shayan."
"Taken her! How could you let that happen?" Inuyasha yelled at his half brother.
"I didn't let him. She ran away again." Sesshoumaru looked away. "We had an argument and I… suffice it to say she ran away in the night. I followed her to a point then lost her scent. She had met up with Naraku. I recognized his scent. He must have flown off with her. I ask you again. Can you help me? I have to find her before he kills her if he hasn't already."
Kagome came up to Sesshoumaru and put her hand on his arm. "Of course we'll help. Isn't that right Inuyasha?"
"Feh! Yeah I'll help but only for Shayan not for you. And you had better not have hurt her or I'll take it out of your hide."
"The last we heard of him he was in the south. We were heading in that direction now to see if the rumors are true." Miroku said as they started off.
"How far south?" Sesshoumaru was impatient to get started.
"We don't know for sure. Maybe a two or three days walk." Miroku continued.
"Very well." Sesshoumaru said then took flight again. "I will search for him alone."
"Wait! Sesshoumaru we should go with you. It's dangerous."
"No." He stated flatly and flew south.
"Well that's that. Maybe Naraku will do me a favor and kill him." Inuyasha smirked.
"Inuyasha, sit boy!" Kagome shouted at the half demon. "How could you? He's heading off into danger to save that girl and you hope he gets killed. What about Shayan, do you hope she gets killed too? Because if he can't rescue her that's what will happen."
Inuyasha sat on the ground rubbing his head. "No. I just … oh never mind."
"We have to go after him. We have to help." Kagome said shouldering her backpack.
"No way! I'm not going to help him. He doesn't want it anyway. You heard him, he said no."
"Inuyasha we are going to help and if you don't want to, then you can just stay here by yourself. Maybe Naraku will kill me too. That should make it interesting for you to find the shards." She stormed off with Sango and Miroku close behind.
Inuyasha grumbled to himself. "I don't know why I put up with that insufferable girl. Maybe I should let Naraku kill her or better yet kill her myself." He relished the thought for a moment then thought better of it. If Kagome were killed then he would have no chance of gathering the jewels. And he didn't really want the other girl, Shayan, to be hurt either. "I must be getting soft." He grumbled as he got up and followed the group.
At the palace of Naraku…
Shayan brought Naraku in some herbal tea that the kindly old priestess had taught her to make. It was reputed to be refreshing and give strength to the weak.
"Here drink this. It might help you feel better." She knelt in front of him. "I know your not feeling well but it is a beautiful day out. Maybe some sunshine will lift your spirits. Once you finish your tea perhaps we could sit out on the steps for a little while."
Naraku looked at the girl a bit puzzled. The vassals of the lord whose body he was using often fawned over him but why was this girl. He nodded his agreement.
"Good! We'll have you up and about in no time." She hopped up. "Were do you keep your extra clothes? No sense in letting you get cold out there. We should bundle you up just in case."
Naraku watched as she fussed about with the various garments looking for something warm enough. She finally settled on something and draped it around his shoulders. She leaned over his shoulder and smiled at him.
"There. That should do nicely. All set?" She walked with him to the front of the palace. They descended halfway down the stairs to sit in a sunny spot.
Naraku watched the girl. 'There was something about her. She was a kind spirited woman but that wasn't it. It was something else…an aura of some sort. What was it?' Naraku thought for a moment. The sun beat down on his flesh warming him. He hadn't felt warm for a while. This body was due for a change. No matter how many times he did it. It always ended up this way. His body would begin to fail and he would again become weak. He needed that jewel. It was the only way to finish this once and for all.
"Isn't this nice? I bet your feeling a little better for it." Shayan interrupted his thoughts.
Naraku scowled for a fraction of a second then smiled kindly at the girl. "Yes a little. But I must go inside I have things to attend to." He got up and went inside leaving Shayan to enjoy what would probably be the last nice day of fall.
Miles away…
Sesshoumaru had landed yet again searching for clues in the whereabouts of Naraku when, he was approached by a strange demon woman.
"You are Sesshoumaru are you not?" The demoness asked.
"What concern is it of yours who I am?" He was in no mood to play around. "What do you want?"
"I am Kogra, I have a message for you from my master, Naraku."
Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red then quickly returned to their normal golden hue. "What is it? Tell me quickly or die."
"Tisk, tisk. Lord Sesshoumaru such temper. I'm only the messenger. My master sends you greetings and says to tell you that your mate is alive and well. She works for him as a house slave. She will remain unharmed so long as it suits him. However should you wish to buy her back from him you must first do him a small favor."
"What is it? Spit it out woman." Sesshoumaru demanded.
"Bring him the shards of the jewel that your half-breed brother carries. Then he will gladly release the wench. Although I'm sure he'd rather keep her. Apparently she is quite a good cook."
Tell me where your master is and I'll spare you a painful death." He lunged at her.
She disappeared in whirl of wind. A voice floated down to him. "Bring the shards here. I will be watching for you."
Sesshoumaru was furious. Never had he felt so ineffective. He had taken the girl to his home to save her from the brutalities of the coming winter. Then to his surprise found himself wanting to mate with her. Now She was in the hands of a dangerous demon named Naraku and what was worse is it appeared that the girl had no idea she was in danger. If he didn't comply the girl would likely be killed. If he did there were no guarantees she'd be safe either.
The shards. What was it about the shards? Naraku wanted them for some reason, but what? Again Sesshoumaru found himself going off to find his brother.